The Ray and Nylene Newkirk Family Foundation concentrates substantial, unrestricted gifts to a small set of Minnesota-based organizations focused on technical higher education, Lutheran church ministry, and land/wildlife conservation. Their grants are large and general‑purpose, indicating trust-based support for operating needs rather than project‑restricted funding. The foundation’s giving blends faith-based local congregation support with investments in workforce education and outdoor/conservation organizations.
Concentrated, high-dollar general‑support grants to a few repeat and mission-aligned grantees within Minnesota; mix of secular conservation/education and a significant religious beneficiary. Few grants overall, with some repeat funding.
A defining pattern in Ray and Nylene Newkirk Family Foundation grantmaking is its use of large, general-purpose gifts to a small set of recurring Minnesota and national organizations. The foundation’s recent awards include $325,000 to Mount Calvary Lutheran Church for its general fund and multiple-year support for Dunwoody College of Technology, including $200,000 in 2024 and $175,000 in 2025. Those gifts show a funder that backs operating needs rather than narrowly defined projects. The foundation also supports land, water, and wildlife work through organizations such as Ducks Unlimited and Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, while maintaining ties to faith-based community institutions. Its recent grants reflect a mix of technical education, Lutheran ministry, conservation, and regional civic or health-related nonprofits. Several recipients appear more than once across the recent grant list, suggesting continuing relationships rather than one-time awards. The overall picture is of a family foundation that favors flexible support for established organizations, with Minnesota-based grantees making up most of its giving.
In workforce and technical education, the foundation gave $200,000 in 2024 and $175,000 in 2025 to Dunwoody College of Technology, both for general fund support. That repeated support points to an ongoing relationship with technical higher education. Faith-based giving is another clear thread. Mount Calvary Lutheran Church received $325,000 in 2023 and additional general-fund gifts of $50,000 in 2024 and 2025. Conservation and horticulture also appear in the recent grants list. Ducks Unlimited received $70,000 in 2023, $50,000 in 2024, and $90,000 in 2025, while Minnesota Landscape Arboretum received $21,000 in 2024 and $80,000 in 2025. Both were supported through general-fund grants. The foundation also made general-fund gifts to The Retreat, Ridgeview Foundation, and Central Minnesota Community Foundation, showing some breadth beyond its largest recurring relationships.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized: the p25 is $1,000, the median is $5,000, and the p75 is $10,000. Recent filing data shows a small number of much larger awards alongside a broader base of lower-dollar support, with general-fund language attached to the listed grants. The grant list also shows recurring relationships: Dunwoody College of Technology, Ducks Unlimited, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Ridgeview Foundation, The Retreat, and others appear across multiple years. The foundation is a family foundation, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$671K
$10.4M
$1.1M
$761K
Most grants fall between $1K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Notable grantees: Dunwoody College of Technology, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Ducks Unlimited, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Minnesota is the center of gravity for the foundation’s giving: 64% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and Minnesota is also the top state by grant count. Recent grants reach Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Chaska, Eagan, Wayzata, Waconia, Minnetrista, Saint Cloud, Forest Lake, and Edina. Outside Minnesota, the foundation’s grants in the recent list went to organizations in Memphis, Tennessee; Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts; Parker, Colorado; and Columbia, Missouri.
The recent grants show support for technical higher education, Lutheran church ministry, conservation, horticulture, health-related work, and community organizations. Examples include Dunwoody College of Technology, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Ducks Unlimited, and Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, all funded with general-purpose grants.
Yes. Several organizations appear multiple times across the recent grant list. Dunwoody College of Technology received $200,000 in 2024 and $175,000 in 2025, and Ducks Unlimited, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Ridgeview Foundation, The Retreat, and Central Minnesota Community Foundation also received support in more than one year.
The grant-size distribution is small to mid-sized for most awards, with p25 at $1,000, median at $5,000, and p75 at $10,000. The list also includes larger general-fund gifts, including six-figure awards to a few recurring recipients.
Minnesota is the main giving state. It accounts for 64% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s recent data and is also the top state by grant count. Recent Minnesota recipients are spread across Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Chaska, Eagan, Wayzata, Waconia, Minnetrista, Saint Cloud, Forest Lake, and Edina.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| DUCKS UNLIMITED INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE RETREAT | WAYZATA, MN | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| MOUNT CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH | EAGAN, MN | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| PARK NICOLLET FOUNDATION | ST LOUIS PARK, MN | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| FRIENDS OF MWHS | MINNESTRISTA, MN | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| GROVES LEARNING ORGANIZATION | ST LOUIS PARK, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WESTONKA COMMUNITY FOOD SHELF | MOUND, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| RIDGEVIEW FOUNDATION | WACONIA, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM | CHASKA, MN | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| LEVI'S LEGACY | PARKER, CO | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| EAU CLAIRE YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION | EAU CLAIRE, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| MIDWAY USA FOUNDATION | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| LDA MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| LILA BOOSTER CLUB | FOREST LAKE, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| MAYO CLINIC | ROCHESTER, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| CHILDREN'S MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | EDINA, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| INTERFAITH OUTREACH & COMMUNITY PARTNERS | PLYMOUTH, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| EAU CLAIRE COMMUNITY PARKS ASSOCIATION | EAU CLAIRE, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| MERRICK INC | VADNAIS HEIGHTS, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| CCAC EDCUATIONAL FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,261 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| GICIA (GASPARILLA ISLAND CONSERVATION & IMPROVEMENT ASSOC) | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL | CRAZY HORSE, SD | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| SAVE OUR MONARCHS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH | CLARKSBURG, MD | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| PARK NICOLLET JANE BRATTAIN BREAST CENTER | ST LOUIS PARK, MN | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| LITTLE HOSPICE | EDINA, MN | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| TPT - TWIN CITIES PBS | SAINT PAUL, MN | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| LUTHER PARK | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| MINNESOTA NEONATAL FOUNDATION | MAPLE GROVE, MN | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| ALZHEIMERS DISEASE RESEARCH FOUNDATION | WELLESLEY HILLS, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WESTWOOD LUTHERAN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| PARKINSONS RESEARCH FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| AMERICAN EXPERIMENT FOUNDATION | GOLDEN VALLEY, MN | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| FRIENDS OF BOCA GRANDE | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| VICTORIA LIONS - WOUNDED WARRIORS | VICTORIA, MN | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| SAVE THE LAKE | MOUND, MN | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE LAKE MINNETONKA ASSOCIATION | EXCELSIOR, MN | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| LONG LAKE VOLUNTEER FIREMAN'S RELIEF | ORONO, MN | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $175,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| DUCKS UNLIMITED INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $90,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM | CHASKA, MN | $80,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| MOUNT CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH | EAGAN, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE RETREAT | WAYZATA, MN | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| RIDGEVIEW FOUNDATION | WACONIA, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| FRIENDS OF MWHS | MINNESTRISTA, MN | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| CENTRAL MINNESOTA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SAINT CLOUD, MN | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| LEVI'S LEGACY | PARKER, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| MIDWAY USA FOUNDATION | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
DUCKS UNLIMITED INC
$60,000GENERAL FUND
THE RETREAT
$50,000GENERAL FUND
MOUNT CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH
$50,000GENERAL FUND
GENERAL FUND
GROVES LEARNING ORGANIZATION
$25,000GENERAL FUND
WESTONKA COMMUNITY FOOD SHELF
$25,000GENERAL FUND
MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM
$20,000GENERAL FUND
LEVI'S LEGACY
$15,000GENERAL FUND
EAU CLAIRE YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
$10,000GENERAL FUND
LDA MINNESOTA
$10,000GENERAL FUND
LILA BOOSTER CLUB
$10,000GENERAL FUND
MAYO CLINIC
$10,000GENERAL FUND
CHILDREN'S MINNESOTA FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL FUND
EAU CLAIRE COMMUNITY PARKS ASSOCIATION
$10,000GENERAL FUND
MERRICK INC
$10,000GENERAL FUND
CCAC EDCUATIONAL FOUNDATION
$5,261GENERAL FUND
GICIA (GASPARILLA ISLAND CONSERVATION & IMPROVEMENT ASSOC)
$5,000GENERAL FUND
CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL
$5,000GENERAL FUND
SAVE OUR MONARCHS
$5,000GENERAL FUND
MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH
$5,000GENERAL FUND
PARK NICOLLET JANE BRATTAIN BREAST CENTER
$5,000GENERAL FUND
LITTLE HOSPICE
$5,000GENERAL FUND
LUTHER PARK
$5,000GENERAL FUND
MINNESOTA NEONATAL FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL FUND
MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART
$5,000GENERAL FUND
WESTWOOD LUTHERAN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
$3,000GENERAL FUND
PARKINSONS RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$2,000GENERAL FUND
AMERICAN EXPERIMENT FOUNDATION
$2,000GENERAL FUND
FRIENDS OF BOCA GRANDE
$1,000GENERAL FUND
VICTORIA LIONS - WOUNDED WARRIORS
$1,000GENERAL FUND
SAVE THE LAKE
$1,000GENERAL FUND
THE LAKE MINNETONKA ASSOCIATION
$500GENERAL FUND
LONG LAKE VOLUNTEER FIREMAN'S RELIEF
$500GENERAL FUND
DUCKS UNLIMITED INC
$90,000GENERAL FUND
MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM
$80,000GENERAL FUND
MOUNT CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH
$50,000GENERAL FUND
THE RETREAT
$30,000GENERAL FUND
CENTRAL MINNESOTA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$20,000GENERAL FUND
LEVI'S LEGACY
$15,000GENERAL FUND