About Bentson Foundation
The Bentson Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on sustaining higher education at the University of Minnesota and strengthening local safety-net services in Minnesota. Nearly all dollars fund the University of Minnesota (general operating support and a Pell Challenge/student aid effort), with a single sizable grant to a regional food bank, indicating a local, pragmatic approach to education access and basic needs. Their giving is highly concentrated and institution-focused rather than broad-based across many nonprofits.
Focus Areas
Major institutional support for the University of Minnesota (campus-wide and foundation-level)Student financial aid and Pell match/challenge campaigns at a public universityCollege of Education and Human Development (University of Minnesota) capacity-buildingRegional hunger relief/food bank support in Minnesota (Second Harvest Heartland)
Who They Fund
University of Minnesota studentsPell-eligible / low-income college studentsMinnesota residents experiencing food insecurity
About Bentson Foundation
A defining feature of Bentson Foundation’s giving is its sustained support for the University of Minnesota, including a $7,097,369 grant in 2025 to the University of Minnesota Foundation and a $2,457,900 Pell Challenge grant in 2023. That pattern places higher education at the center of the foundation’s grantmaking, with student access, scholarship support, and institutional capacity all appearing repeatedly in the record. The foundation also backs public-health and basic-needs work, showing up in grants to health systems, mental-health organizations, and a regional food bank. The recent record suggests a concentrated, institution-oriented strategy rather than broad, open-ended grantmaking. In addition to university support, Bentson Foundation has made substantial gifts to University of California Santa Barbara, the University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development, and CIDRAP, alongside grants to community-serving nonprofits in Minnesota. Its annual grants and total assets indicate a foundation with significant capacity, but its giving remains tightly directed toward a small set of priorities.
What Bentson Foundation Funds
Higher education is the clearest throughline in Bentson Foundation’s recent giving. In 2025, it gave $7,097,369 to the University of Minnesota Foundation, and in 2023 it made a $1,000,000 grant to the University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development. The foundation also funded campus-based student support, including a $2,457,900 Pell Challenge grant in 2023 and a $250,000 grant to University of Mn - President's Emerging Scholars in 2023. Public health is the other major strand. Bentson Foundation gave $300,000 in 2023 to University of Minnesota - Cidrap and $250,000 in 2025 to UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation. Its community health portfolio also includes $450,000 to Planned Parenthood North Central States in 2025, showing support for reproductive health services alongside university-based health initiatives. Basic-needs work appears as well, with a $550,000 grant in 2023 to Second Harvest Heartland. The foundation has also supported youth and family-serving organizations such as Hope Academy, Prodeo Academy, and Connected Families.
How Bentson Foundation Gives
Bentson Foundation’s typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $40,000 at the 75th percentile, even though its recent record also includes several much larger institutional gifts. The pattern is concentrated rather than broad: University of Minnesota entities recur across multiple years, including 2023, 2024, and 2025, which points to sustained support rather than one-off awards. The foundation makes grants to organizations, not individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Its profile also aligns with discretionary institutional grantmaking, with support flowing to universities, hospitals, and community nonprofits.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$13.5M
Total Assets
$106.5M
Total Revenue
$9.2M
Total Expenses
$14.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $5K and $40K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$40K
Geographic Reach
Regional14 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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