The Carolyn Foundation appears to concentrate its philanthropy almost entirely on a single beneficiary or tightly related set of beneficiaries, making three large grants that together account for the foundation's entire reported giving. The public data provided does not identify programmatic fields, but the pattern suggests the foundation makes major institutional gifts (likely for operating support, capital, or a campaign) and focuses its resources rather than dispersing many small awards. Grants are issued from a Minneapolis-based foundation, so recipients are plausibly local or regionally important institutions.
Focus Areas
Major institutional support / capital or campaign funding to a single core beneficiarySustained multi-grant backing of a single organization or closely related organizationsLikely Minneapolis / Twin Cities–focused philanthropy (geographic concentration)Programmatic focus not determinable from available data
Giving Approach
Highly concentrated giving: very few, very large grants to the same beneficiary (three grants totaling the foundation's entire reported giving), indicating repeat, targeted support rather than broad or diversified grantmaking.
Notable grantees: Recipient(s) referenced as 'SEE ATTACHMENT 2' — the foundation's single core grantee(s) (all reported giving)
About Carolyn Foundation
Carolyn Foundation’s recent giving is dominated by three large Minneapolis grants that together account for nearly all reported support, including awards of $3,693,065 in 2024, $2,167,000 in 2023, and $1,965,470 in 2025. That pattern points to a funder that concentrates resources rather than spreading them across many recipients. The public record also shows a second, much smaller cluster of grants in Minneapolis, reinforcing the same local orientation.
The foundation’s active grant programs clarify the areas behind that concentration. It funds youth development in Minneapolis through invited and responsive support for out-of-school-time and core partner organizations, and it also makes strategic climate grants in Minnesota through invitation-only partner cohorts and responsive community-led cycles. A separate strategic education effort, run through a partnership with Great MN Schools, supports school quality and educational opportunity in Minneapolis.
Across these programs, Carolyn Foundation appears to favor sustained institutional support. Its grantmaking includes general operating support, core partner grants, and strategic funding tied to policy implementation, school improvement, and youth programming.
What Carolyn Foundation Funds
Youth development is a central part of Carolyn Foundation’s grantmaking in Minneapolis. The foundation supports out-of-school-time work for middle- through high-school-age youth, with one active program designed around culturally relevant, relationship-rich, sustained, high-dosage services. It also makes invited core partner grants for youth development organizations and responsive grants for youth programming in New Haven.
Climate work is another major line. In Minnesota, the foundation funds strategic climate change efforts focused on aggressive and equitable carbon reduction, climate policy implementation, and clean energy progress. Its climate programs include invitation-only core partner grants and a responsive cycle for community-led climate and environmental work.
Education appears through strategic Minneapolis grantmaking with Great MN Schools, which supports efforts to strengthen school quality and educational opportunity in Minneapolis.
How Carolyn Foundation Gives
Carolyn Foundation’s typical grant size is shaped by a very wide spread: the 25th percentile is $33,191, the median is $999,918, and the 75th percentile is $2,116,618. That gap reflects a mix of large institutional grants and smaller awards. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments.
The grant record suggests recurring support rather than one-off giving. Active program descriptions refer to core partner support, invited strategic grants, and potential rapid renewal grants, all of which point to continuing relationships with a limited set of organizations. The foundation also accepts unsolicited applications in some responsive cycles, including Minneapolis youth development, community-led climate change, and a general responsive grantmaking process.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2M
Total Assets
$33.4M
Total Revenue
$3.9M
Total Expenses
$2.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $33K and $2.1M, with a median of $1M.
25th Percentile
$33K
Median
$1M
75th Percentile
$2.1M
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Deep Analysis
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Carolyn Foundation gives locally, and every recorded recipient in the dataset is in the United States. Minneapolis is the clearest center of activity, with the largest grants and the smaller recent awards all landing there. The foundation also shows grantmaking in New Haven, Connecticut through its youth development programs. Beyond city-level activity, its program map extends across Minnesota, including Indigenous Nations sharing the same geography, but the recipient-country data remains entirely US-based.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carolyn Foundation
What are Carolyn Foundation’s main funding areas?
The foundation funds youth development, climate change, and education-related work. Active programs include Minneapolis out-of-school-time youth development, Minnesota climate change grantmaking, and strategic Minneapolis grantmaking with Great MN Schools to strengthen school quality and educational opportunity.
Does Carolyn Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Yes, in some programs. The responsive grantmaking cycle accepts unsolicited applications, and the Minneapolis out-of-school-time and community-led climate change programs also accept unsolicited applications. Other programs, including core partner and strategic grantmaking, are invitation-only.
Where does Carolyn Foundation give most often?
Minnesota is the top state by grant count, and the foundation’s geographic scope is local. The recipient data show a strong Minneapolis concentration, with additional program activity in New Haven, Connecticut and Minnesota-wide climate grantmaking.
What kind of grant sizes does Carolyn Foundation make?
The typical grant-size distribution is broad: the 25th percentile is $33,191, the median is $999,918, and the 75th percentile is $2,116,618. Program descriptions also show smaller responsive grants in the $5,000 to $33,000 range for some cycles.
Does Carolyn Foundation support youth organizations outside Minnesota?
Yes. The foundation has a New Haven youth development program that serves middle- through high-school-aged youth in New Haven, Connecticut, including invited core partner grants and responsive youth development grants with a priority for underrepresented youth ages 13-18.
Latest 990 Filing
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Recent Grants
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
Recipient
Location
Amount
Year
Purpose
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
$1,965,470
2025
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
$34,365
2025
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
$3,693,065
2024
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
$32,800
2024
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
$2,167,000
2023
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
$12,600
2023
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
$1,965,470
MINNEAPOLIS, MN2025
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
$34,365
MINNEAPOLIS, MN2025
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
$3,693,065
MINNEAPOLIS, MN2024
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
$32,800
MINNEAPOLIS, MN2024
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
$2,167,000
MINNEAPOLIS, MN2023
SEE ATTACHMENT 2
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
$12,600
MINNEAPOLIS, MN2023
SEE ATTACHMENT 3
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from Carolyn Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowCloses in 3 days (Aug 15, 2026)Award: $5K – $20K
New Haven Responsive Youth Development Grants
Out-of-school time (OST) youth developmentYouth leadership and developmentCulturally relevant programming+1 more
Who can apply: Programs focused on youth ages 13-18 (grades 7-12) in New Haven; community-led organizations prioritized, particularly with annual budgets ~ $1M or less for community-led category; must align with Foundation's research-based best practices.
Deadline: Next cycle: online application available June 15, 2026; deadline August 15, 2026; grants paid early 2027.
Climate change mitigationClean energyCommunity-led climate equity+2 more
Who can apply: Organizations explicitly addressing carbon reduction with community impact; leadership reflective of populations served; working on climate/environment issues in the grant year; annual budgets generally less than ~$1M.
Deadline: Online application available December 15, 2026; deadline February 15, 2027; decisions and payments anticipated May - June 2027.
Minneapolis Youth Development (Responsive Grantmaking)
youth developmentout-of-school timeleadership+1 more
Who can apply: Organizations serving low-income middle- through high-school-aged youth in Minneapolis; programs should be high-quality OST youth development, with leadership/staff reflective of youth served, strong relationships, youth voice and choice, and long-term participation. Annual budgets are typically ~$1.5M or less for operating support requests.
Deadline: Deadline: February 15, 2027; online application available: December 15, 2026.
Who can apply: Organizations should have climate and/or environmental objectives, leadership reflective of the populations served, work addressing climate and/or environmental issues in the grant year, and annual budgets of less than about $1 million. Priority is given to efforts explicitly addressing carbon reduction and community impact.
Deadline: Annual cycle; applications open December 15 and are due February 15.
climate change mitigationcarbon reductionclean energy+3 more
Who can apply: Organizations working on climate and/or environmental efforts in Minnesota, especially those led by communities most likely to be impacted by climate change and explicitly addressing carbon reduction and community impact. Preference for organizations with leadership reflective of populations served and annual budgets of less than about $1M. Core partners are invited; community-led applicants may apply competitively.
Deadline: Applications open December 15 and are due February 15 each year; grants paid in June.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
