The Mankato Area Foundation is a trusted resource that connects donors with causes they care about, provides funding to enhance our region and serves as a collaborative community partner.
Mankato Area Foundation’s recent giving shows a strong pattern of large program-assistance grants to local institutions that anchor life in Greater Mankato. In the top of its recent grant list, the foundation awarded $455,000 to Creative Foundation in North Mankato and $448,250 to Mankato Youth Place in Mankato, followed by $389,725 to the Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota. Those grants point to a mix of arts, youth services, and community programming rather than a single-cause strategy. The foundation also supports higher-education and civic partners through substantial awards to Minnesota State University Mankato Foundation, Mankato Area Public Schools, and Mankato Family YMCA. Its portfolio includes churches, museums, health-related funds, and community organizations, all tied to program assistance. The presence of named funds such as the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund and the Women’s Giving Circle Grants adds another layer to its work, linking donor participation and community impact with locally directed grantmaking. Across the recent list, the foundation appears to favor project-based support for organizations already delivering services in the region.
Arts and culture is a visible part of the foundation’s work. It gave $455,000 to Creative Foundation in North Mankato for program assistance, and another $112,250 to Mankato Symphony Orchestra in Mankato. Youth-focused support is also prominent: Mankato Youth Place received $448,250 for program assistance, and the Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota received $389,725. Education shows up through institutional grants such as $102,766 to Minnesota State University Mankato Foundation for program assistance. Health and human services appear through awards like $100,000 to Feeding Our Communities Partners in North Mankato and $213,293 to Greater Mankato Area United Way in Mankato, both for program assistance.
Recent grants show a typical size centered in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $10,000, median of $15,000, and p75 of $33,000. The recent list also includes much larger program-assistance awards, which suggests the foundation makes both standard community grants and higher-dollar support for selected organizations. Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local: 85% of grants go to recipients in Minnesota, and every grant in the provided recipient-country distribution is in the US. The foundation accepts unsolicited applications through several programs, including Community Impact Grants and Special Projects, Programs, and Initiatives. Scholarship funds are separately administered, but the foundation’s nonprofit grantmaking is primarily project- and program-based.
Current and upcoming funding from Mankato Area Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Local initiatives and critical community needs in Southern Minnesota; applications accepted on a rolling basis.
Deadline: Rolling basis
$3.4M
$34.4M
$7.1M
$5.3M
Most grants fall between $10K and $33K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$33K
About 85% of grants go to recipients in MN.
Nancy Zallek
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Grant recipients are concentrated in Greater Mankato, especially Mankato and North Mankato. The recent list also includes Minnesota recipients in Willmar, and a smaller number of grants to nearby states such as Iowa, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Minnesota is the top state by grant count, with 85% of grants going to recipients there. Outside the state, recent recipient locations include Indianapolis, Ames, River Falls, and Storm Lake.
Its active programs and recent grants point to support for arts and culture, education, health and human services, community development, livability, children and youth, food insecurity, and cancer-related needs. Recent recipients include museums, schools, universities, community service groups, and health-related funds.
The foundation’s philosophy tags describe program-specific and project support, restricted funding, implementation and service delivery funding, and short-term or project-based grants. Its typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $33,000 at the 75th percentile.
Yes. The Community Impact Grants program and the Special Projects, Programs, and Initiatives program both accept unsolicited applications. The Community Impact Grants program is the foundation’s primary competitive grant program for nonprofits serving Greater Mankato.
Most grants go to Minnesota recipients, and 85% of grants in the provided data go to the foundation’s home state. The recent grant list also includes recipients in Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin, all within the US.
The foundation does not fund individuals through its general grantmaking, but it does administer Scholarship Funds and Scholarships that award educational funding to students in Greater Mankato.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Foundation | North Mankato, MN | $355,941 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc FBO The Edward Jones Gift Fund | Indianapolis, IN | $355,084 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota | Mankato, MN | $214,667 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Greater Mankato Area United Way | Mankato, MN | $198,926 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Christ the King Lutheran Church | Mankato, MN | $160,800 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| St Thomas More Catholic Newman Center Parish of Mankato Minnesota | Mankato, MN | $127,800 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Bethel Lutheran Church | Willmar, MN | $125,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Mankato Symphony Orchestra | Mankato, MN | $112,250 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Minnesota State University Mankato Foundation | Mankato, MN | $102,766 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Midwest Art Catalyst | Mankato, MN | $101,500 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Feeding Our Communities Partners | North Mankato, MN | $100,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Buena Vista Regional Healthcare Foundation | Storm Lake, IA | $100,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Iowa State University Foundation | Ames, IA | $100,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| University of Wisconsin River Falls Foundation | River Falls, WI | $92,111 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Mankato Family YMCA | Mankato, MN | $73,395 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| South Central College Foundation | North Mankato, MN | $62,850 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Mankato Youth Place | Mankato, MN | $62,850 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation | aint Paul, MN | $60,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Coastal Community Church | Parkland, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Mankato Area Public Schools | Mankato, MN | $38,625 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School | New Ulm, MN | $36,201 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| First Presbyterian Church | Lake Crystal, MN | $33,450 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| ECHO Food Shelf | Mankato, MN | $32,300 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| VINE Faith in Action | Mankato, MN | $30,804 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Connections Ministry | Mankato, MN | $30,480 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Kiwanis Holiday Lights Inc | Mankato, MN | $28,512 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| CADA Inc | Mankato, MN | $27,350 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Mankato Christian Academy | Mankato, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Concordia College Corporation | Moorhead, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Smile Train Inc | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Open Door Health Center | Mankato, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Educare Foundation | Mankato, MN | $23,500 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Martin Luther High School | Northrop, MN | $23,200 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Twin Rivers Council for the Arts | Mankato, MN | $20,500 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Old Town Collaborative | Mankato, MN | $20,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Brownton Housing Corporation | ankato, MN | $18,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| YWCA Mankato | Mankato, MN | $18,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Lake Crystal Area Recreation Center | Lake Crystal, MN | $17,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | Saint Peter, MN | $16,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| American Red Cross | Mankato, MN | $15,500 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Colorado State University Foundation | Fort Collins, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| St Paul Lutheran Church | North Mankato, MN | $15,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation | Chaska, MN | $15,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Risen Savior Lutheran School | Mankato, MN | $15,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Minnesota Teen Challenge Inc | Minneapolis, MN | $14,000 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Greater Mankato Growth Inc Foundation | Mankato, MN | $13,124 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Minnesota State University Mankato-Financial Aid | Mankato, MN | $13,100 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Arts Center of Saint Peter | Saint Peter, MN | $12,150 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Junior Achievement North | Madison Lake, MN | $10,850 | 2025 | Program assistance |
| Loyola Catholic School | Mankato, MN | $10,500 | 2025 | Program assistance |
Creative Foundation
$355,941Program assistance
Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc FBO The Edward Jones Gift Fund
$355,084Program assistance
Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota
$214,667Program assistance
Greater Mankato Area United Way
$198,926Program assistance
Christ the King Lutheran Church
$160,800Program assistance
St Thomas More Catholic Newman Center Parish of Mankato Minnesota
$127,800Program assistance
Bethel Lutheran Church
$125,000Program assistance
Mankato Symphony Orchestra
$112,250Program assistance
Minnesota State University Mankato Foundation
$102,766Program assistance
Midwest Art Catalyst
$101,500Program assistance
Feeding Our Communities Partners
$100,000Program assistance
Buena Vista Regional Healthcare Foundation
$100,000Program assistance
Iowa State University Foundation
$100,000Program assistance
University of Wisconsin River Falls Foundation
$92,111Program assistance
Mankato Family YMCA
$73,395Program assistance
South Central College Foundation
$62,850Program assistance
Mankato Youth Place
$62,850Program assistance
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
$60,000Program assistance
Coastal Community Church
$50,000Program assistance
Mankato Area Public Schools
$38,625Program assistance
Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School
$36,201Program assistance
First Presbyterian Church
$33,450Program assistance
ECHO Food Shelf
$32,300Program assistance
VINE Faith in Action
$30,804Program assistance
Connections Ministry
$30,480Program assistance
Kiwanis Holiday Lights Inc
$28,512Program assistance
CADA Inc
$27,350Program assistance
Mankato Christian Academy
$25,000Program assistance
Concordia College Corporation
$25,000Program assistance
Smile Train Inc
$25,000Program assistance
Open Door Health Center
$25,000Program assistance
Educare Foundation
$23,500Program assistance
Martin Luther High School
$23,200Program assistance
Twin Rivers Council for the Arts
$20,500Program assistance
Old Town Collaborative
$20,000Program assistance
Brownton Housing Corporation
$18,000Program assistance
YWCA Mankato
$18,000Program assistance
Lake Crystal Area Recreation Center
$17,000Program assistance
Gustavus Adolphus College
$16,000Program assistance
American Red Cross
$15,500Program assistance
Colorado State University Foundation
$15,000Program assistance
St Paul Lutheran Church
$15,000Program assistance
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation
$15,000Program assistance
Risen Savior Lutheran School
$15,000Program assistance
Minnesota Teen Challenge Inc
$14,000Program assistance
Greater Mankato Growth Inc Foundation
$13,124Program assistance
Minnesota State University Mankato-Financial Aid
$13,100Program assistance
Arts Center of Saint Peter
$12,150Program assistance
Junior Achievement North
$10,850Program assistance
Loyola Catholic School
$10,500Program assistance
