The Lenzmeier Family Foundation makes relatively large, unrestricted operating grants to well-established nonprofit institutions in the Twin Cities, with a strong emphasis on youth services, performing arts, and neighborhood-level human services. Their portfolio is place-based (Minneapolis–Saint Paul focused) but also includes selective support for conservation and national organizations. They favor core support over project funding, enabling grantees’ general operations and capacity.
Concentrated portfolio of relatively large, general‑operating grants to a small number of recurring, anchor nonprofits; mix of repeat multi‑year support for local cultural and youth organizations with occasional grants to housing, disability advocacy, and conservation groups.
The Lenzmeier Family Foundation’s recent giving is marked by repeated unrestricted operating support for a tight circle of Twin Cities institutions, including the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, Minnesota Orchestra, and Guthrie Theater Foundation. Those gifts point to a funder that backs established organizations rather than isolated projects, and it does so at meaningful scale: its typical grants cluster around six figures, with several awards above $100,000 in the recent record. Across the recent grants list, the foundation supports youth services, performing arts, housing and human services, disability advocacy, and local environmental work. Recipients include Simpson Housing Services, Pacer Center Inc, Minneapolis Parks Foundation, and Northside Achievement Zone. The pattern is especially clear in Minneapolis, where many grantees operate, but the portfolio also reaches other Minnesota communities such as Rochester and Grand Marais. Most awards are listed as general operating support, which suggests an emphasis on organizational stability and day-to-day capacity for long-standing nonprofits. The foundation also extends support to cultural and educational organizations such as Macphail Center for Music, Milkweed Editions, and Ascension Catholic School, showing a broad but still locally oriented grantmaking approach.
Youth development is one visible thread in the foundation’s grant record. It awarded $308,000 in 2025 and $290,000 in 2024 to Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, both for general operating support, and also backed Northside Achievement Zone with $125,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The arts are another clear priority. Recent grants include $250,000 in 2025 and $400,000 in 2024 to Minnesota Orchestra, plus $150,000 in 2024 and $100,000 in 2025 to Guthrie Theater Foundation. Music education also appears through grants to Macphail Center for Music. Human services and community support show up as well. The foundation gave $250,000 to Simpson Housing Services in 2023 and $105,000 in 2025 to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St Paul & Mpls. Disability and family support are reflected in a $175,000 grant to Pacer Center Inc in 2025.
Typical grant size clusters in the middle six figures: the 25th percentile is $29,250, the median is $70,000, and the 75th percentile is $100,000. The recent record shows a steady stream of general operating grants rather than project-specific awards, and several recipients appear in multiple years, including Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, Northside Achievement Zone, Guthrie Theater Foundation, Macphail Center for Music, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St Paul & Mpls, Mayo Foundation, and Milkweed Editions. The foundation funds individuals: False. It makes program-related investments: False. The available data does not show an application process.
$3.2M
$29.3M
$4.7M
$3.6M
Most grants fall between $29K and $100K, with a median of $70K.
25th Percentile
$29K
Median
$70K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Notable grantees: Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, Minnesota Orchestra, Guthrie Theater Foundation, Simpson Housing Services, PACER Center
Giving is strongly concentrated in Minnesota, with 95% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Minneapolis dominates the recipient map, including Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, Minnesota Orchestra, Guthrie Theater Foundation, Pacer Center Inc, and Northside Achievement Zone. A smaller share reaches elsewhere in the state, such as Rochester through Mayo Foundation and Grand Marais through North House Folk School. The broader country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the recent grants list.
The recent record centers on general operating support for established nonprofits working in youth services, performing arts, housing and human services, disability advocacy, and local environmental stewardship. Recipients include organizations such as Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, Minnesota Orchestra, Simpson Housing Services, Pacer Center Inc, and The Nature Conservancy.
Repeat grants are common. Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities received awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Northside Achievement Zone also appears in three consecutive years; and Guthrie Theater Foundation, Macphail Center for Music, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St Paul & Mpls, Mayo Foundation, and Milkweed Editions each appear more than once.
The grant-size distribution is fairly substantial: the 25th percentile is $29,250, the median is $70,000, and the 75th percentile is $100,000. Recent awards also include larger six-figure grants such as $400,000 to Minnesota Orchestra and $308,000 to Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities.
Its giving is highly local and overwhelmingly Minnesota-based, with 95% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Minneapolis is the main recipient city, while other Minnesota locations in the recent list include Rochester and Grand Marais.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE TWIN CITIES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $321,250 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $230,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| PACER CENTER INC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $175,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GUTHRIE THEATER FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $125,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNEAPOLIS PARKS FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $125,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST PAUL & MPLS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $110,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTHSIDE ACHIEVEMENT ZONE | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| RISEN CHRIST | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $85,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ALIGHT | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $55,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ASCENSION CATHOLIC SCHOOL | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| OPEN ARMS OF MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CONSTELLATION FUND | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE ADVOCATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MANKATO FOUNDATION | MANKATO, MN | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| PROJECT FOR PRIDE IN LIVING | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| DOWN SYNDROME ASSOCIATION | ST PAUL, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ADVOCATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $22,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FISTULA FOUNDATION | SAN JOSE, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTANS FOR WILDERNESS | ELY, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE TWIN CITIES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $308,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| PACER CENTER INC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $175,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNEAPOLIS PARKS FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $132,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTHSIDE ACHIEVEMENT ZONE | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $125,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST PAUL & MPLS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $105,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ASCENSION CATHOLIC SCHOOL | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MACPHAIL CENTER FOR MUSIC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GUTHRIE THEATER FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE WOMAN'S CLUB OF MINNEAPOLIS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE ADVOCATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $70,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MICROGRANTS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| RISEN CHRIST | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| PLYMOUTH CHRISTIAN YOUTH | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MANKATO FOUNDATION | MANKATO, MN | $36,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ALIGHT | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| DOWN SYNDROME ASSOCIATION | ST PAUL, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE CONSTELLATION FUND | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| OPEN ARMS OF MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $22,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FISTULA FOUNDATION | SAN JOSE, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTANS FOR WILDERNESS | ELY, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $400,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE TWIN CITIES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $290,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GUTHRIE THEATER FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $150,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTHSIDE ACHIEVEMENT ZONE | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $125,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MILKWEED EDITIONS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MAYO FOUNDATION | ROCHESTER, MN | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MACPHAIL CENTER FOR MUSIC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST PAUL & MPLS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA
$1,500,000GENERAL OPERATING
NATURE CONSERVANCY
$230,000GENERAL OPERATING
GENERAL OPERATING
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST PAUL & MPLS
$110,000GENERAL OPERATING
RISEN CHRIST
$85,000GENERAL OPERATING
ASCENSION CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
OPEN ARMS OF MINNESOTA
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
DOWN SYNDROME ASSOCIATION
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING
MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA
$250,000GENERAL OPERATING
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST PAUL & MPLS
$105,000GENERAL OPERATING
ASCENSION CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING
THE WOMAN'S CLUB OF MINNEAPOLIS
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING
RISEN CHRIST
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
PLYMOUTH CHRISTIAN YOUTH
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
DOWN SYNDROME ASSOCIATION
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING
OPEN ARMS OF MINNESOTA
$22,000GENERAL OPERATING
MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA
$400,000GENERAL OPERATING
MAYO FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST PAUL & MPLS
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING