Dedicated to the support of local organizations since 1941. The Foundation supports the Austin/Mower County community through organizations that provide food, shelter and clothing, advance quality healthcare, education and research and enhance the quality of life.
The Hormel Foundation’s recent grantmaking is anchored by sustained support for the University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute in Austin, with three large operating grants across 2023, 2024, and 2025. That repeated commitment sits alongside local investments in schools, community institutions, and city projects tied to Austin and Mower County. The foundation’s grant record shows a community-centered pattern rather than a broad national footprint: grants are directed to organizations serving food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, education, research, and quality-of-life needs in the Austin area. Recent recipients include Riverland Community College, Austin Public Schools, United Way of Mower County, and the City of Austin, each funded for distinct local purposes. The overall profile points to a foundation that supports both ongoing organizational operations and specific community projects. Its active programs reinforce that pattern through general grants, annual community distributions, a digital equity initiative, and the Austin Assurance Scholarship. Together, those pieces show a funder working through established local institutions and recurring partnerships rather than one-off, geographically dispersed awards.
Education appears in several forms. The Hormel Foundation gave $2,080,130 to Riverland Community College in 2023, $1,948,949 in 2024, and $1,792,349 in 2025 for scholarships and educational programs, while Austin Public Schools received $1,685,752 in 2023, $1,596,028 in 2024, and $1,535,155 in 2025 for educational programs. Community development is another clear theme: the City of Austin received $4,304,583 in 2025 for community projects, and Austin Community Charitable Fund received $2,957,056 in 2023 and $311,988 in 2024 for the same purpose. Human services also show up through support for United Way of Mower County, including $1,465,777 in 2023, for various tax-exempt programs. Health-related giving includes Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin campus, which received $193,159 in 2023 for community program and equipment.
Grant sizes are fairly wide, with a p25 of $153,242, a median of $282,098, and a p75 of $1,517,810. The grant list shows repeat awards to the same local organizations over multiple years, especially for operations and programming support, scholarships, and educational programs. The Hormel Foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals or program-related investments. Several of its active grant programs accept unsolicited requests, including General Grants, Annual Community Grants, and Community Grantmaking / Annual Distributions. Other initiatives, such as the Digital Equity Initiative and the Austin Assurance Scholarship, are structured programs rather than open application pools.
$37M
$911.7M
$40.1M
$37.9M
Most grants fall between $153K and $1.5M, with a median of $282K.
25th Percentile
$153K
Median
$282K
75th Percentile
$1.5M
J M Ettinger
Chair/Executive Director
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Giving is tightly centered on Austin and Mower County, Minnesota: 100% of grants in the provided data went to recipients in Minnesota, and the top state by grant count is MN. Most recipients are in Austin itself, including the University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute, Riverland Community College, Austin Public Schools, United Way of Mower County, and the YMCA of Austin. The foundation also funds the City of Austin and local service organizations in the same area. Its active program descriptions extend that local reach to surrounding communities in southeastern Minnesota, but the grant record remains concentrated in Austin.
The foundation supports local nonprofit and public organizations serving Austin and Mower County. Recent grants include support for schools, a community college, a city government, human services organizations, a health system campus, and a research institute, with funding used for operations, educational programs, community projects, equipment, and scholarships.
Yes for some programs. The General Grants program, Annual Community Grants, and Community Grantmaking / Annual Distributions all accept unsolicited requests. The Digital Equity Initiative and Austin Assurance Scholarship are structured initiatives and do not accept unsolicited applications.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $153,242 at the 25th percentile, $282,098 at the median, and $1,517,810 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list also shows a mix of smaller operating and program awards alongside much larger support for major local institutions.
Its listed focus areas include education, scholarships, health, community development, arts and culture, digital equity, and research. The active grant programs also emphasize food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, education, research, recreation and youth services, and quality of life.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Hormel Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations must be tax-exempt under IRS rules and located in and/or directly affect the Austin, Minnesota area. Individuals are not eligible.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute | Austin, MN | $22,611,300 | 2026 | Support of Operations |
| Austin Community Charitable Fund | Austin, MN | $5,380,000 | 2026 | Community Projects |
| Riverland Community College | Austin, MN | $4,044,739 | 2026 | Scholarships and Educational Programs |
| Austin Public Schools | Austin, MN | $1,486,193 | 2026 | Educational Programs |
| United Way of Mower County | Austin, MN | $1,247,893 | 2026 | Support of various tax-exempt programs |
| City of Austin | Austin, MN | $942,694 | 2026 | Community Projects |
| YMCA of Austin | Austin, MN | $296,131 | 2026 | Operations and programming |
| The Salvation Army | Austin, MN | $290,000 | 2026 | Operations and Programming |
| Cedar Valley Services | Austin, MN | $236,336 | 2026 | Equipment |
| Parenting Resource Center | Austin, MN | $225,000 | 2026 | Community Programs |
| Austin Community Growth Ventures | Austin, MN | $130,000 | 2026 | Community Projects |
| Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin campus | Austin, MN | $122,819 | 2026 | Community Program and Equipment |
| Austin Community Scholarship Committee | Austin, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | Scholarships |
| University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute | Austin, MN | $22,064,000 | 2025 | Support of Operations |
| City of Austin | Austin, MN | $4,304,583 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| Riverland Community College | Austin, MN | $1,792,349 | 2025 | Scholarships and Educational Programs |
| Austin Public Schools | Austin, MN | $1,535,155 | 2025 | Educational Programs |
| United Way of Mower County | Austin, MN | $1,203,794 | 2025 | Support of various tax-exempt programs |
| The Salvation Army | Austin, MN | $287,406 | 2025 | Operations and Programming |
| YMCA of Austin | Austin, MN | $282,265 | 2025 | Operations and programming |
| Cedar Valley Services | Austin, MN | $245,037 | 2025 | Equipment |
| Austin Community Charitable Fund | Austin, MN | $209,800 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin campus | Austin, MN | $154,100 | 2025 | Community Program and Equipment |
| Austin Community Growth Ventures | Austin, MN | $136,280 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| Parenting Resource Center | Austin, MN | $37,390 | 2025 | Community Programs |
| Austin Community Scholarship Committee | Austin, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | Scholarships |
| Austin Area Foundation | Austin, MN | $13,000 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute | Austin, MN | $21,522,800 | 2024 | Support of Operations |
| Riverland Community College | Austin, MN | $1,948,949 | 2024 | Scholarships and Educational Programs |
| Austin Public Schools | Austin, MN | $1,596,028 | 2024 | Educational Programs |
| United Way of Mower County | Austin, MN | $1,045,355 | 2024 | Support of various tax-exempt programs |
| City of Austin | Austin, MN | $404,181 | 2024 | Community Projects |
| Parenting Resource Center | Austin, MN | $318,872 | 2024 | Community Programs |
| Austin Community Charitable Fund | Austin, MN | $311,988 | 2024 | Community Projects |
| YMCA of Austin | Austin, MN | $281,931 | 2024 | Operations and programming |
| The Salvation Army | Austin, MN | $250,175 | 2024 | Operations and Programming |
| Cedar Valley Services | Austin, MN | $237,063 | 2024 | Equipment |
| Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin campus | Austin, MN | $152,956 | 2024 | Community Program and Equipment |
| Austin Community Growth Ventures | Austin, MN | $138,813 | 2024 | Community Projects |
| Austin Community Scholarship Committee | Austin, MN | $25,000 | 2024 | Scholarships |
| Austin Area Foundation | Austin, MN | $14,968 | 2024 | Community Projects |
| University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute | Austin, MN | $16,732,839 | 2023 | Support of Operations |
| Austin Community Charitable Fund | Austin, MN | $2,957,056 | 2023 | Community Projects |
| Riverland Community College | Austin, MN | $2,080,130 | 2023 | Scholarships and Educational Programs |
| Austin Public Schools | Austin, MN | $1,685,752 | 2023 | Educational Programs |
| United Way of Mower County | Austin, MN | $1,465,777 | 2023 | Support of various tax-exempt programs |
| Parenting Resource Center | Austin, MN | $1,049,130 | 2023 | Community Programs |
| City of Austin | Austin, MN | $580,171 | 2023 | Community Projects |
| YMCA of Austin | Austin, MN | $277,433 | 2023 | Operations and programming |
| The Salvation Army | Austin, MN | $238,263 | 2023 | Operations and Programming |
University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute
$22,611,300Support of Operations
Austin Community Charitable Fund
$5,380,000Community Projects
Riverland Community College
$4,044,739Scholarships and Educational Programs
Austin Public Schools
$1,486,193Educational Programs
United Way of Mower County
$1,247,893Support of various tax-exempt programs
City of Austin
$942,694Community Projects
The Salvation Army
$290,000Operations and Programming
Cedar Valley Services
$236,336Equipment
Austin Community Growth Ventures
$130,000Community Projects
Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin campus
$122,819Community Program and Equipment
Austin Community Scholarship Committee
$25,000Scholarships
University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute
$22,064,000Support of Operations
City of Austin
$4,304,583Community Projects
Riverland Community College
$1,792,349Scholarships and Educational Programs
Austin Public Schools
$1,535,155Educational Programs
United Way of Mower County
$1,203,794Support of various tax-exempt programs
The Salvation Army
$287,406Operations and Programming
Cedar Valley Services
$245,037Equipment
Austin Community Charitable Fund
$209,800Community Projects
Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin campus
$154,100Community Program and Equipment
Austin Community Growth Ventures
$136,280Community Projects
Austin Community Scholarship Committee
$25,000Scholarships
Austin Area Foundation
$13,000Community Projects
University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute
$21,522,800Support of Operations
Riverland Community College
$1,948,949Scholarships and Educational Programs
Austin Public Schools
$1,596,028Educational Programs
United Way of Mower County
$1,045,355Support of various tax-exempt programs
City of Austin
$404,181Community Projects
Austin Community Charitable Fund
$311,988Community Projects
The Salvation Army
$250,175Operations and Programming
Cedar Valley Services
$237,063Equipment
Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin campus
$152,956Community Program and Equipment
Austin Community Growth Ventures
$138,813Community Projects
Austin Community Scholarship Committee
$25,000Scholarships
Austin Area Foundation
$14,968Community Projects
University of Minnesota-The Hormel Institute
$16,732,839Support of Operations
Austin Community Charitable Fund
$2,957,056Community Projects
Riverland Community College
$2,080,130Scholarships and Educational Programs
Austin Public Schools
$1,685,752Educational Programs
United Way of Mower County
$1,465,777Support of various tax-exempt programs
City of Austin
$580,171Community Projects
The Salvation Army
$238,263Operations and Programming
