The Donald Weesner Charitable Trust concentrates on supporting Minnesota-based cultural and conservation institutions, with large, unrestricted grants for general operating support. Its giving heavily favors wildlife and nature conservation, environmental education, and informal science institutions (museums, zoos, learning centers), while also including notable support for rehabilitation/health services. Many grants are sizable and recur to the same organizations, indicating a preference for established regional institutions that deliver public education and direct animal/wildlife care.
Concentrated, large general-operating grants often repeated to the same Minnesota grantees; few but substantial awards focused on established regional institutions rather than many small grants.
A recurring pattern in Donald Weesner Charitable Tr Ua’s grantmaking is large general operating support for Minnesota institutions that work with wildlife, environmental education, and informal science. The trust backed Wildlife Rehab Center of Mn with $146,000 in 2023 and $100,000 in 2024, and it also supported Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center with $127,000 in 2023, $59,000 in 2024, and $51,000 in 2025. Those repeated awards point to a funder that favors established organizations rather than one-time projects. Its portfolio also includes major support for public-facing institutions such as Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, and Great River Greening, all funded for general operating purposes. The trust’s giving extends beyond conservation alone: Courage Kenny Foundation appears in multiple years, showing that rehabilitation and community health are also part of the picture. Across the recent grants list, the common thread is core support for regional nonprofits with ongoing service, education, or stewardship roles.
Wildlife rehabilitation is one of the clearest themes. The trust gave $146,000 to Wildlife Rehab Center of Mn in 2023 and another $100,000 to Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in 2024, both for general operating support. Environmental learning is another major area: Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center received $127,000 in 2023, $59,000 in 2024, and $51,000 in 2025. The foundation also funds conservation and land stewardship. Great River Greening received $50,000 in 2023, $35,000 in 2024, and $61,000 in 2025. In the museum and science category, Science Museum of Minnesota received $73,600 in 2023 and $64,400 in 2024. These grants show support for institutions that combine public education with environmental or scientific programming.
Typical grant size clusters around a median of $50,000, with a lower quartile of $32,200 and an upper quartile of $69,000. Many recent awards sit near that range, and several organizations receive funding in multiple years, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts. The trust is structured as a charitable trust and gives general operating support rather than project-specific funding in the recent grants list. Its pattern is steady and institution-focused, with repeated awards to the same regional nonprofits across 2023, 2024, and 2025.
$307K
$10.6M
$965K
$473K
Most grants fall between $32K and $69K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$32K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$69K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in MN.
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Notable grantees: Wildlife Rehab Center of Minnesota / Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, Courage Kenny Foundation
The trust gives regionally, with Minnesota accounting for most grants. Recent awards land in Roseville, Finland, Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Apple Valley, West Saint Paul, Annandale, and Duluth. Outside Minnesota, the recent list includes Arlington, Virginia, for The Nature Conservancy and Joplin, Missouri, for Boys Girls Club. All listed grants in the recent sample go to U.S. recipients.
Recent grants show support for wildlife rehabilitation, environmental learning, museums, zoos, conservation, and rehabilitation services. Examples in the data include Wildlife Rehab Center of Mn, Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Great River Greening, and Courage Kenny Foundation, all funded for general operating support.
Yes. Minnesota is the top state by grant count, and the recent grants list is dominated by Minnesota recipients in cities such as Roseville, Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Finland, Apple Valley, West Saint Paul, Annandale, and Duluth. The only non-Minnesota recent recipients shown are in Virginia and Missouri.
The grant-size distribution centers on a $50,000 median, with a lower quartile of $32,200 and an upper quartile of $69,000. Recent awards range from $7,000 to $146,000, but many of the larger recurring grants cluster around the $50,000 to $73,600 range.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Wildlife Rehab Center of Mn / Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, Courage Kenny Foundation, Science Museum of Minnesota, The Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Great River Greening, Thomas Irvine Dodge Nature Center, Twin Cities Pbs, Minnesota Orchestral Association, Minneapolis Institute of Art, and True Friends.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GREAT RIVER GREENING | SAINT PAUL, MN | $61,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER | ROSEVILE, MN | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WOLF RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER | FINLAND, MN | $51,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THOMAS IRVINE DODGE NATURE CENTER | WEST SAINT PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TWIN CITIES PBS | ST PAUL, MN | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TRUE FRIENDS | ANNANDALE, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GREAT LAKES AQUARIUM | DULUTH, MN | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| LAKE SUPERIOR ZOO | DULUTH, MN | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER | ROSEVILLE, MN | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $64,400 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA | SAINT PAUL, MN | $64,400 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION | APPLE VALLEY, MN | $64,400 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| COURAGE KENNY FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $64,400 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WOLF RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL | FINLAND, MN | $59,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THOMAS IRVINE DODGE FOUNDATION | WEST ST PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TWIN CITIES PBS | SAINT PAUL, MN | $35,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GREAT RIVER GREENING | SAINT PAUL, MN | $35,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $32,200 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $32,200 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TRUE FRIENDS | ANNANDALE, MN | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HARTLEY NATURE CENTER | DULUTH, MN | $7,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BOYS GIRLS CLUB | JOPLIN, MO | $7,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| LAKE SUPERIOR ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | DULUTH, MN | $4,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WILDLIFE REHAB CENTER OF MN | ROSEVILLE, MN | $146,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WOLF RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER | FINLAND, MN | $127,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| COURAGE KENNY FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $73,600 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $73,600 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA | SAINT PAUL, MN | $73,600 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION | APPLE VALLEY, MN | $73,600 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GREAT RIVER GREENING | SAINT PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $36,800 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $36,800 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TPT | SAINT PAUL, MN | $35,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HAWK RIDGE BIRD OBSERVATORY | DULUTH, MN | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM | CHASKA, MN | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER
$60,000GENERAL OPERATING
WOLF RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER
$51,000GENERAL OPERATING
TWIN CITIES PBS
$35,000GENERAL OPERATING
GENERAL OPERATING
GREAT LAKES AQUARIUM
$20,000GENERAL OPERATING
LAKE SUPERIOR ZOO
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING
COURAGE KENNY FOUNDATION
$64,400GENERAL OPERATING
WOLF RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL
$59,000GENERAL OPERATING
MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART
$32,200GENERAL OPERATING
MINNESOTA ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION
$32,200GENERAL OPERATING
HARTLEY NATURE CENTER
$7,000GENERAL OPERATING
LAKE SUPERIOR ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
$4,000GENERAL OPERATING
WILDLIFE REHAB CENTER OF MN
$146,000GENERAL OPERATING
WOLF RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER
$127,000GENERAL OPERATING
COURAGE KENNY FOUNDATION
$73,600GENERAL OPERATING
MINNESOTA ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION
$36,800GENERAL OPERATING
MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART
$36,800GENERAL OPERATING
TPT
$35,000GENERAL OPERATING
HAWK RIDGE BIRD OBSERVATORY
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING