The Curtis L. Carlson Family Foundation gives like a family-led, Minnesota-rooted foundation with strong ties to the Carlson network, especially the Carlson School/Carlson Global Leadership Institute. Its grants cluster around local youth and education efforts, arts and cultural institutions in the Twin Cities, and high-commitment social impact work focused on trafficking, child exploitation, and vulnerable children. It also shows a clear interest in racial equity and community advancement in Minnesota, including support for Black-led organizations and human rights scholarships.
Concentrated giving with a mix of repeat support and relationship-based grants; several grantees receive multiple awards over time, often in the form of program support, event sponsorships, or institutional campaigns rather than many small one-off gifts.
Carlson Global Institute, Minnesota Black Collective Foundation, PACT, Childhood USA, Minnesota Orchestral Association
The Curtis L Carlson Family Foundation’s reported giving is centered on a single confidential recipient: all three recent grants went to "Statement Attached," with each award landing in Minnetonka, Minnesota. That pattern makes the foundation unusually hard to read through public records, because the purpose text is withheld even as the dollar amounts are large and consistent. The latest 990 file shows a foundation with $285.7 million in assets and $34.0 million in annual grants, but the visible grant history points to highly concentrated, family-directed support rather than a broad public grant portfolio. Beyond the confidential awards, the foundation’s active programs point to several defined priorities in Minnesota and selected U.S. locations. Those include youth access, out-of-school learning, parents and caregivers, sex trafficking prevention, community development, arts and green space, and targeted support for the University of Minnesota and the Carlson School of Management. It also uses a youth participatory grantmaking pilot in Minnesota, which suggests some decision-making is intentionally shaped by youth voice. The public record shows a foundation that combines restricted institutional giving with program areas tied to community life, education, and youth opportunity.
One clear theme is youth opportunity. The foundation lists Vibrant Communities — Youth Access for funding that increases young people’s access to community resources and opportunities, and it also supports Constellation: Out-of-School for expanded learning and youth development. Another youth-centered mechanism is Youth Participatory Grantmaking, a Minnesota pilot that invites youth perspective into grant decisions. Education is another visible area. The foundation has targeted support for the University of Minnesota and the Carlson School of Management, with stated goals that include student experiences, faculty leadership, and global programs. It also has a Constellation: Parents & Caregivers track, tying family engagement to youth outcomes. A third area is community well-being. Vibrant Communities: Economic and Social Health supports arts, culture, and green space initiatives, while the Sex Trafficking Prevention program funds prevention efforts, services, and programs in Minnesota.
$10.2M
$285.7M
$7.6M
$13.4M
Most grants fall between $3K and $35K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$35K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Curtis L Carlson Family Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 389 | $11.8M | 99.7% |
| 2 | Sweden |
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The grant-size pattern is tightly clustered: the reported quartiles are $11.84 million at p25, $11.89 million at median, and $11.95 million at p75. That narrow spread matches the recent grant history, where the foundation reported three very large awards in consecutive years rather than a broad mix of smaller grants. The record also points to highly concentrated giving. The same recipient appears across the recent grants list, and the foundation’s current profile indicates 100% of grants to recipients in Minnesota. This looks like restricted, institution-level support rather than open applications for a wide range of applicants. Some active programs do accept unsolicited requests, but the public records here do not show an open application process for the foundation’s confidential, large-scale awards.
The visible grant geography is overwhelmingly local: Minnesota accounts for 100% of grants to recipients in the state distribution shown, and the top state by grant count is also Minnesota. The recent grants list places the reported awards in Minnetonka, which aligns with the foundation’s concentration in its home state. Program descriptions reinforce that pattern, since several active priorities are limited to Minnesota, while a smaller set extends to the United States more broadly.
Public program descriptions point to youth access, out-of-school learning, parents and caregivers, sex trafficking prevention, arts and green space, and higher education support for the University of Minnesota and the Carlson School of Management. The foundation also uses Youth Participatory Grantmaking in Minnesota.
Some active programs do: Vibrant Communities — Youth Access, Sex Trafficking Prevention, Constellation: Out-of-School, and Constellation: Parents & Caregivers all say they accept unsolicited requests. Other categories, including Youth Participatory Grantmaking, Corporate Grants, Vibrant Communities: Economic and Social Health, University of Minnesota support, and Special Opportunities, do not accept unsolicited requests.
The reported grant-size distribution is very tight: p25 is $11,841,568, median is $11,894,158, and p75 is $11,946,749. The recent grants list is consistent with that scale, showing awards around $10.2 million to $12.0 million.
Minnesota is the top state by grant count, and 100% of grants in the provided recipient-country distribution go to U.S. recipients. The recent grants list places the largest visible awards in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
The recent grants list shows the same recipient appearing in 2023, 2024, and 2025, which indicates recurring support rather than a single isolated award. The foundation also lists several ongoing program areas, including youth access, sex trafficking prevention, and university support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 1 |
| $3K |
0.3% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Current and upcoming funding from Curtis L Carlson Family Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: The provided content indicates that the 2027 proposal process is for current grantees; current grantees do not need to complete an LOI for 2027. Full eligibility criteria are not provided.
Deadline: Proposal due January 15, 2027; board decision by the end of April 2027.
Who can apply: Full eligibility criteria are not provided. The program supports organizations working on youth sex trafficking prevention and related services.
Deadline: Proposal due January 15, 2027; board decision by the end of April 2027.
Who can apply: The provided content indicates that the 2027 proposal process is for current grantees; full eligibility criteria are not provided.
Deadline: Proposal due April 15, 2027; board decision by the end of July 2027.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlson Global Institute | Minneapolis, MN | $500,000 | 2023 | Carlson Global Leadership Institute (CGLI) |
| Carlson Global Institute | Minneapolis, MN | $500,000 | 2023 | Carlson Global Leadership Institute (CSOM) |
| Minnesota Black Collective Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $250,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Minnesota Black Collective Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $250,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Minnesota Orchestral Association | Minneapolis, MN | $200,000 | 2023 | Collaborative Community Engagements |
| American Swedish Institute | Minneapolis, MN | $200,000 | 2023 | Stories, Stonework & Stewardship Mansion Project |
| Guthrie Theater | Minneapolis, MN | $187,500 | 2023 | Illuminate Campaign |
| KIPP: Minnesota | Minneapolis, MN | $175,000 | 2023 | General Operating for KIPP Minnesota |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters - Greater Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | $175,000 | 2023 | Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentorship Programs for Youth |
| Childhood USA | New York, NY | $160,000 | 2023 | Childhood Projects in Minnesota |
| Orphaned Starfish Foundation | New York, NY | $150,000 | 2023 | OSF Minnesota and Global Programs |
| BARR Center | Minneapolis, MN | $150,000 | 2023 | BARR K-12 |
| PACT | Brooklyn, NY | $150,000 | 2023 | Address trafficking and the sexual exploitation of boys in Asia and the Americas |
| Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs | Minneapolis, MN | $150,000 | 2023 | Carlson Distinguished Lecture Series Fund |
| Nomi Network | New York, NY | $150,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Childhood USA | New York, NY | $150,000 | 2023 | US Index on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation |
| Soldiers' Angels | San Antonio, TX | $150,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Orphaned Starfish Foundation | New York, NY | $150,000 | 2023 | OSF Minnesota and Global Programs |
| Great MN Schools | Minneapolis, MN | $125,000 | 2023 | Great MN Schools: Relationships in Action |
| The Link | Minneapolis, MN | $125,000 | 2023 | Passageways and Mental Health |
| Polaris | Washington, DC | $125,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| PACT | Brooklyn, NY | $125,000 | 2023 | Operations, Private Sector Engagement, and Youth Against Child Trafficking (Y-ACT) |
| GREATER MSP | Saint Paul, MN | $100,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support ($150,000) and Project Funding ($50,000 for Forge North) |
| Constellation Fund | Minneapolis, MN | $100,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Thorn | El Segundo, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Plymouth Christian Youth Center | Minneapolis, MN | $100,000 | 2023 | Closing the Capri Capital Campaign |
| Northside Achievement Zone | Minneapolis, MN | $100,000 | 2023 | NAZ Family Academy and Family Achievement |
| Carlson School of Management | Minneapolis, MN | $100,000 | 2023 | Building Connections |
| Youthprise | Minneapolis, MN | $100,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| University of St. Thomas | St Paul, MN | $100,000 | 2023 | Minnesota Institute for Trauma-Informed Education: Trauma-Informed Education Course and Resource Development |
| Women's Foundation of Minnesota | Minneapolis, MN | $87,000 | 2023 | Safety for Women, Girls and Gender-Expansive People in Minnesota |
| MENTOR Minnesota | Minneapolis, MN | $85,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Childhood Brasil | New York, NY | $75,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support ($90,000); Protection of Children in Travel ($60,000) |
| Teach for America Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Urban Ventures Leadership Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Little Earth Residents Association | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | Mental Health Counseling |
| The Family Partnership | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | PRIDE Program |
| Minnesota Cup | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | Minnesota Cup |
| Washburn Center for Children | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Washburn Center for Children | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Rainbow Research | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) Survivors |
| Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | Safe Harbors |
| Advocates for Human Rights | Minneapolis, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | Research and Community Engagement to Develop Effective Strategies to Prevent Sex Trafficking |
| 180 Degrees, Inc. | Saint Paul, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | Mental health services for Sexually Exploited Youth |
| Black Men Teach | Hopkins, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | Black Men Teach: Growing to Scale |
| Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota | Saint Paul, MN | $75,000 | 2023 | StreetWorks Outreach to Prevent and Interrupt Sex Trafficking |
| Alia | St. Paul, MN | $60,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Friends of the Children | Portland, OR | $60,000 | 2023 | Friends of the Children – Twin Cities |
| College Possible Minnesota | Saint Paul, MN | $60,000 | 2023 | Pathway to College Access Through A Caring Community of Adults |
| Project SUCCESS | Minneapolis, MN | $55,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
Carlson Global Institute
$500,000Carlson Global Leadership Institute (CGLI)
Carlson Global Institute
$500,000Carlson Global Leadership Institute (CSOM)
Minnesota Orchestral Association
$200,000Collaborative Community Engagements
American Swedish Institute
Stories, Stonework & Stewardship Mansion Project
Guthrie Theater
$187,500Illuminate Campaign
KIPP: Minnesota
$175,000General Operating for KIPP Minnesota
Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentorship Programs for Youth
Childhood USA
$160,000Childhood Projects in Minnesota
Orphaned Starfish Foundation
$150,000OSF Minnesota and Global Programs
PACT
$150,000Address trafficking and the sexual exploitation of boys in Asia and the Americas
Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs
$150,000Carlson Distinguished Lecture Series Fund
Nomi Network
$150,000General Operating Support
Childhood USA
$150,000US Index on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
Orphaned Starfish Foundation
$150,000OSF Minnesota and Global Programs
Polaris
$125,000General Operating Support
PACT
$125,000Operations, Private Sector Engagement, and Youth Against Child Trafficking (Y-ACT)
General Operating Support ($150,000) and Project Funding ($50,000 for Forge North)
Plymouth Christian Youth Center
$100,000Closing the Capri Capital Campaign
Carlson School of Management
$100,000Building Connections
Minnesota Institute for Trauma-Informed Education: Trauma-Informed Education Course and Resource Development
Safety for Women, Girls and Gender-Expansive People in Minnesota
MENTOR Minnesota
$85,000General Operating Support
Childhood Brasil
$75,000General Operating Support ($90,000); Protection of Children in Travel ($60,000)
Teach for America Twin Cities
$75,000General Operating Support
Minnesota Cup
$75,000Minnesota Cup
Research and Community Engagement to Develop Effective Strategies to Prevent Sex Trafficking
Black Men Teach
$75,000Black Men Teach: Growing to Scale
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
$75,000StreetWorks Outreach to Prevent and Interrupt Sex Trafficking
Friends of the Children
$60,000Friends of the Children – Twin Cities
Pathway to College Access Through A Caring Community of Adults
Project SUCCESS
$55,000General Operating Support
