The Oak Grove Foundation MA concentrates its giving on elite academic institutions, making a small number of sizable institutional grants rather than many small awards. Its recent awards show support for both higher education (a large grant to Yale) and independent secondary education (repeat general operating support to Phillips Academy), indicating a priority on sustaining established, prestigious schools.
Very concentrated giving: few, relatively large grants; repeat support to at least one secondary-school grantee; funding primarily to established, high-profile educational institutions rather than grassroots or community-based groups.
Notable grantees: Yale University, Phillips Academy
A $150,000 general-support grant to Yale University is the largest recent award on record for Oak Grove Foundation MA, and it sets the tone for a portfolio built around established institutions. The foundation’s giving combines higher education, selective independent schools, and Minnesota civic organizations, with repeat support showing up in several cases rather than one-time gifts only. Phillips Academy appears in consecutive years with general operating grants of $40,000 in 2024 and $39,895 in 2023, signaling sustained backing for an independent boarding school. Beyond those two anchors, the foundation also funds Minnesota-based institutions such as Great Minnesota Schools, Greater Twin Cities United Way, and Blake School, mostly with unrestricted or general-purpose support. The pattern points to a funder that uses a relatively small number of grants to underwrite core costs for organizations it already knows, especially in education and related community-serving work.
Education is the clearest thread in the grant list. Oak Grove Foundation MA gave $25,000 to Great Minnesota Schools for general operating support and $10,000 to Blake School for general support, alongside larger institutional grants to Yale University and Phillips Academy. The foundation also backs college-access work: College Possible received $15,000 in 2023 and $5,000 in 2024, both for general support or general operating support. Outside education, Minnesota community organizations appear frequently. Greater Twin Cities United Way received $20,000 for general operating support, and Northside Economic Opportunity Network received $3,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for general support. The list also includes arts and cultural support, such as $3,000 to Guthrie Theater Foundation for general support and $3,000 to Minneapolis Institute of Arts for general operating support.
Oak Grove Foundation MA gives in relatively small-to-mid-sized amounts, with a typical grant size of $1,000 at the 25th percentile, $2,000 at the median, and $5,000 at the 75th percentile. The distribution is shaped by a few much larger institutional awards that sit above the usual range. Repeat recipients are common in the recent list: Phillips Academy, College Possible, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Minnesota Land Trust, Washburn Center for Children, Northside Economic Opportunity Network, and Women Venture all appear in multiple years. The pattern is overwhelmingly unrestricted, using general support or general operating support. The foundation is a grantmaking foundation rather than an operating charity, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$449K
$1.7M
$225K
$354K
Most grants fall between $1K and $5K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$5K
About 81% of grants go to recipients in MN.
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Grantmaking is concentrated in Minnesota, which accounts for 81% of recipient locations and is the top state by grant count. Minneapolis and St. Paul appear repeatedly, including awards to Greater Twin Cities United Way, Northside Economic Opportunity Network, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and Minnesota Public Radio. Other Minnesota recipients include Hopkins, Plymouth, and Andover, while the list also reaches New Haven, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. Every recent grant in the dataset goes to a US recipient.
The recent grants show a strong emphasis on education and related institutional support. Recipients include Yale University, Phillips Academy, Great Minnesota Schools, Blake School, and College Possible, along with Minnesota community organizations such as Greater Twin Cities United Way and Northside Economic Opportunity Network.
Typical grants are modest relative to the largest awards: the 25th percentile is $1,000, the median is $2,000, and the 75th percentile is $5,000. The recent list also includes a few much larger grants, such as $150,000 to Yale University and $40,000 to Phillips Academy.
Yes. Phillips Academy appears in both 2023 and 2024, and several other recipients also recur across years, including College Possible, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Minnesota Land Trust, Washburn Center for Children, Northside Economic Opportunity Network, and Women Venture.
Its grantmaking is concentrated in Minnesota. The top state by grant count is MN, and 81% of grants in the recent data go to recipients located in the foundation’s HQ state. Minneapolis and St. Paul are frequent recipient cities.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $150,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PHILLIPS ACADEMY | ANDOVER, MA | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GREAT MINNESOTA SCHOOLS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| COMPASSION & CHOICES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $13,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BLAKE SCHOOL | HOPKINS, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF MINNESOTA | ST PAUL, MN | $6,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS | SAINT PAUL, MN | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WASHBURN CENTER FOR CHILDREN | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA LAND TRUST | ST PAUL, MN | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| COLLEGE POSSIBLE | ST PAUL, MN | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WOMEN VENTURE | ST PAUL, MN | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTHSIDE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY NETWORK | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GUTHRIE THEATER FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION | ST PAUL, MN | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BOLDER OPTIONS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TUFTS UNIVERSITY | MEDFORD, MA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SMITH COLLEGE | NORTHAMPTON, MA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTHSIDE BOXING CLUB | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| INTERFAITH OUTREACH & COMMUNITY PARTNERS | PLYMOUTH, MN | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO | ST PAUL, MN | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MICROGRANTS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TWIN CITIES RISE | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WEEKAPAUG FOUNDATION FOR CONSERVATION | WESTERLY, RI | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| YWCA OF MINNEAPOLIS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MILKWEED EDITIONS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MIXED BLOOD THEATER | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| YMCA OF THE NORTH | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WALKER ART CENTER | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE TWIN CITIES | ST PAUL, MN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PAGE EDUCATION FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HAZELDEN FOUNDATION | CENTER CITY, MN | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $250 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| PHILLIPS ACADEMY | ANDOVER, MA | $39,895 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| COLLEGE POSSIBLE | ST PAUL, MN | $15,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TWIN CITIES RISE | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ALLINA HEALTH SYSTEM | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS | SAINT PAUL, MN | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MINNESOTA LAND TRUST | ST PAUL, MN | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WASHBURN CENTER FOR CHILDREN | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $4,500 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WOMEN VENTURE | ST PAUL, MN | $3,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTHSIDE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY NETWORK | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $3,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GUTHRIE THEATER FOUNDATION | Minneapolis, MN | $2,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO | ST PAUL, MN | $2,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $2,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
YALE UNIVERSITY
$150,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PHILLIPS ACADEMY
$40,000GENERAL OPERATING
GREAT MINNESOTA SCHOOLS
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING
GREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY
$20,000GENERAL OPERATING
COMPASSION & CHOICES
$13,000GENERAL OPERATING
BLAKE SCHOOL
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF MINNESOTA
GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WASHBURN CENTER FOR CHILDREN
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
MINNESOTA LAND TRUST
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
COLLEGE POSSIBLE
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
WOMEN VENTURE
$3,000GENERAL OPERATING
NORTHSIDE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY NETWORK
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS
$3,000GENERAL OPERATING
GUTHRIE THEATER FOUNDATION
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
BOLDER OPTIONS
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
TUFTS UNIVERSITY
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
SMITH COLLEGE
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
NORTHSIDE BOXING CLUB
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
INTERFAITH OUTREACH & COMMUNITY PARTNERS
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
MICROGRANTS
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
TWIN CITIES RISE
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
WEEKAPAUG FOUNDATION FOR CONSERVATION
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING
YWCA OF MINNEAPOLIS
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING
MILKWEED EDITIONS
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING
WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING
MIXED BLOOD THEATER
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING
YMCA OF THE NORTH
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WALKER ART CENTER
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE TWIN CITIES
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PAGE EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING
JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
$500GENERAL OPERATING
HAZELDEN FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL OPERATING
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$250GENERAL OPERATING
PHILLIPS ACADEMY
$39,895GENERAL OPERATING
COLLEGE POSSIBLE
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TWIN CITIES RISE
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING
ALLINA HEALTH SYSTEM
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MINNESOTA LAND TRUST
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
WASHBURN CENTER FOR CHILDREN
$4,500GENERAL OPERATING
WOMEN VENTURE
$3,000GENERAL OPERATING
NORTHSIDE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY NETWORK
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GUTHRIE THEATER FOUNDATION
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING