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Foundation Dossiers

Minnesota · Private foundation

William Boss Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$509k
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
68
Grants FY2025
62
Organizations funded FY2024
11%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2025
$6,000
Largest grant, FY2025
$18,000
Organizations funded a year
58 to 62
FY2021 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
2
Total assets, FY2025
$6.2M
Applications
Takes unsolicited applications
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 11% of the organizations William Boss Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 9% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 91% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $38k went to new ones.

50%100%’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’22’23’24
Arts & CultureAnimalsHuman ServicesInternationalEducationOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving68$509k10%
FY202462$441k11%
FY202359$424k10%
FY202258$409k9%
FY202160$452kn/a
98% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2021 to 2025.

Arts & Culture$1.6MHuman Services$233kHealth$110kEducation$81kYouth Development$67kEnvironment$59kAnimals$30kEmployment$25kOther$0

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2021 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Keystone Community Services$100,00051%
Compas Inc$84,00051%
Park Square Theatre$75,00051%
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society$60,00050%
Neighborhood House$60,00050%
The St Paul Conservatory of Music$50,00052%
The Minnesota Opera$50,00050%
Familymeans$50,00050%
The Arts Partnership$50,00050%
Textile Center of Minnesota$50,00051%
Show all 78 grantees
All grantees of William Boss Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Keystone Community Services$100,00051%
Compas Inc$84,00051%
Park Square Theatre$75,00051%
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society$60,00050%
Neighborhood House$60,00050%
The St Paul Conservatory of Music$50,00052%
The Minnesota Opera$50,00050%
Familymeans$50,00050%
The Arts Partnership$50,00050%
Textile Center of Minnesota$50,00051%
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts$47,50040%
Children's Theatre Company and School$46,00050%
The Loft Inc$44,50051%
The History Theatre Inc$42,00051%
Cantus$42,00051%
Guthrie Theater Foundation$41,50050%
Macphail Center for Music$40,00040%
Twin Cities Public Television Inc$40,00050%
Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies$38,00050%
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library$38,00050%
Schubert Club The$37,50050%
St David's Center$37,50050%
Minnesota Public Radio American Public Media$36,00050%
One Voice Mixed Chorus$35,00053%
Minnesota Children's Museum$35,00050%
Minnesota Orchestral Association$32,00050%
Minnesota Museum of American Art$30,00031%
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation$30,00050%
Thomas Irvine Dodge Nature Center$28,50040%
Midwest Special Services Inc$27,50040%
Como Friends$25,00040%
Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts Dba Minneapolis Institute of Arts$25,00050%
Womenventure$25,00050%
Walker Art Center$25,00050%
Bolder Options$25,00050%
Merrick Inc$25,00050%
People Incorporated$25,00030%
The Playwrights' Center Inc$25,00050%
Midway Contemporary Art$25,00050%
Minnesota Center for Book Arts$25,00051%
East Side Arts Council$25,00053%
Bach Society of Minnesota$23,00044%
Children's Home Society of Minnesota$22,50030%
Ramsey County Historical Society Inc$22,00041%
The Bakken$20,00040%
Minnesota Private College Fund$20,00040%
Merrill Arts Center$20,00042%
Minnesota Boychoir$20,00051%
Lakeshore Players Inc$20,00021%
Minnesota Fringe Festival$19,00051%
Northern Clay Center$18,00030%
Breannas Gift$15,00034%
Circus of the Star$15,00030%
The Jungle Theater$15,00030%
Minnesota Chorale$15,00031%
Minnesota Historical Society$15,00030%
Walker West Music Academy$15,00030%
Public Art Saint Paul$15,00031%
Hot Summer Jazz Festival$14,00021%
Center for Irish Music$13,50051%
Stages Theatre Company Inc$10,00020%
Junior Achievement North$10,00020%
Illusion Theater and School Inc$10,00021%
Wallin Education Partners$10,00020%
The Cedar Cultural Center Inc$10,00020%
Stepping Stone Theater Co$8,0001n/a
Minneapolis College of Art and Design$7,50010%
The Saint Paul Parks Conservancy$5,0001n/a
Hope Academy Inc$5,00010%
Project Imprintz$5,00017%
Park Press Inc$5,00012%
Minnesota Zoo Foundation$5,00010%
Open Book$5,0001n/a
Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus$5,00011%
Ballet Co-Laboratory$5,00010%
Tickets for Kids Foundation$5,00010%
Artreach St Croix$2,0001n/a
Rosetown Playhouse$1,00011%

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 7 recipients with no EIN on record ($131k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Each grantee by its size and the share of its budget William Boss Foundation supplied at peak.

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetKeystone Community Services: $100,000 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetCompas Inc: $84,000 over 5y, 1.3% of budgetPark Square Theatre: $75,000 over 5y, 0.9% of budgetThe Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society: $60,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetNeighborhood House: $60,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetThe St Paul Conservatory of Music: $50,000 over 5y, 1.6% of budgetThe Minnesota Opera: $50,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetFamilymeans: $50,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetThe Arts Partnership: $50,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetTextile Center of Minnesota: $50,000 over 5y, 1.3% of budgetOrdway Center for the Performing Arts: $47,500 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetChildren's Theatre Company and School: $46,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetThe Loft Inc: $44,500 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetThe History Theatre Inc: $42,000 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetCantus: $42,000 over 5y, 0.8% of budgetGuthrie Theater Foundation: $41,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetMacphail Center for Music: $40,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetTwin Cities Public Television Inc: $40,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetGreater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies: $38,000 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetThe Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library: $38,000 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetSchubert Club The: $37,500 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetSt David's Center: $37,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetMinnesota Public Radio American Public Media: $36,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetOne Voice Mixed Chorus: $35,000 over 5y, 2.9% of budgetMinnesota Children's Museum: $35,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetMinnesota Orchestral Association: $32,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetMinnesota Museum of American Art: $30,000 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetMinnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation: $30,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetThomas Irvine Dodge Nature Center: $28,500 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetMidwest Special Services Inc: $27,500 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetComo Friends: $25,000 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetMinneapolis Society of Fine Arts Dba Minneapolis Institute of Arts: $25,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetWomenventure: $25,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetWalker Art Center: $25,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetBolder Options: $25,000 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetMerrick Inc: $25,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetPeople Incorporated: $25,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetThe Playwrights' Center Inc: $25,000 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetMidway Contemporary Art: $25,000 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetMinnesota Center for Book Arts: $25,000 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetEast Side Arts Council: $25,000 over 5y, 2.8% of budgetBach Society of Minnesota: $23,000 over 4y, 3.5% of budgetChildren's Home Society of Minnesota: $22,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetRamsey County Historical Society Inc: $22,000 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetThe Bakken: $20,000 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetMinnesota Private College Fund: $20,000 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetMerrill Arts Center: $20,000 over 4y, 2.4% of budgetMinnesota Boychoir: $20,000 over 5y, 0.9% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 74.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Saint Paul & Minnesot…Hardenbergh FoundationFr Bigelow FoundationXcel Energy FoundationThe McKnight Foundati…Mightycause Charitabl…Target FoundationFred C and Katherine …The Minneapolis Found…Hrk FoundationThe Hubbard Broadcast…Hugh J Andersen Found…
Saint Paul & Minnesota FoundationMN69.5× affinity42 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation · Hardenbergh Foundation · Fr Bigelow Foundation · Xcel Energy Foundation · The McKnight Foundation · Mightycause Charitable Foundation · Target Foundation · Fred C and Katherine B Andersen Foundation · The Minneapolis Foundation · Hrk Foundation · The Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation · Hugh J Andersen Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Compare William Boss Foundation with peer funders

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to William Boss Foundation?

Find your warmest path to William Boss Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

About William Boss Foundation

How much does William Boss Foundation give?
William Boss Foundation reported 68 grants totaling $509,000 in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 58 and 62 organizations a year over FY2021 to FY2024.
What does William Boss Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2021 to FY2025, its largest causes are Arts & Culture (71%), Human Services (10%), Health (5%).
Who are William Boss Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2021 to FY2025: Keystone Community Services ($100k), Compas Inc ($84k), Park Square Theatre ($75k).
Does William Boss Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 11% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does William Boss Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it accepts unsolicited grant applications.
Which funders back the same organizations as William Boss Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Hardenbergh Foundation, Fr Bigelow Foundation.
Where is William Boss Foundation based?
William Boss Foundation is based in MN.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 85 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on William Boss’ filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home