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Funder profile

Wem Foundation

Private foundation MNEIN 41-1604640

Wem Foundation is a grantmaker based in MN (EIN 41-1604640). Its most recent IRS filing reports about $359M in grants paid across 135 awards in 2023. Its largest giving areas are Arts Culture, Education, Healthcare. This profile is built from public IRS giving history — it reflects what the funder has actually funded, not an open call for proposals.

$359M
Grants paid (FY2023)
135
Grants awarded
$2.7M
Avg grant
$550K
Median grant
Arts CultureEducationHealthcareHuman ServicesCommunity DevelopmentEnvironment

Leadership & board

Officers, directors & key staff from Wem Foundation's IRS Form 990 (Part VII).

James Hield
DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT
$390K
Harriet S Norgren
DIRECTOR
$5K
Elizabeth S Macmillan
DIRECTOR/VICE CHAIR/SEC

Who does the Wem Foundation fund?

The Wem Foundation is a private foundation that awards grants primarily in MN, FL, MT. According to its most recent IRS Form 990-PF filing (FY2023), it paid about $359M across 135 grants, concentrated in Arts Culture, Education, Healthcare and Human Services.

What types of organizations does the Wem Foundation fund?

The Wem Foundation's recent grants went to nonprofits and institutions working in Arts Culture, Education, Healthcare and Human Services. Recent recipients include Smithsonian Institution, Minneapolis Institute Of Art, The Learning Alliance. Because giving is reported in aggregate on the 990-PF, the best signal of fit is the funder's giving history below.

How much does the Wem Foundation give, and what is a typical grant?

In FY2023, the Wem Foundation awarded about $359M across 135 grants — an average grant of about $2.7M and a median of about $550K.

Where does the Wem Foundation award grants?

The Wem Foundation awards grants primarily in MN, FL, MT, based on the locations of the recipient organizations in its 990-PF giving records.

Does the Wem Foundation accept unsolicited grant applications?

GrantSonar has no verified information on whether the Wem Foundation accepts unsolicited applications or has an open application cycle. This profile is built from IRS giving records, which show past grants, not current application rules. Check the Wem Foundation's own website or its latest IRS filing before reaching out.

Who are recent Wem Foundation grant recipients?

Recent Wem Foundation grant recipients include Smithsonian Institution ($75M); Minneapolis Institute Of Art ($25M); The Learning Alliance ($20M); Williams College ($15M); Riverside Theatre ($10M); Vero Beach Museum Of Art ($10M). The full recipient list and giving history are available on GrantSonar.

Past Wem Foundation grant recipients

GrantSonar holds 135 itemized recipient records for the Wem Foundation from its IRS filings. The 25 largest are listed, with the fiscal year and the purpose the filing states. The full list is on GrantSonar.

RecipientAmountYearPurpose
Smithsonian InstitutionDC$75M2023GENERAL
Minneapolis Institute Of ArtMN$25M2023GENERAL
The Learning AllianceFL$20M2023GENERAL
Williams CollegeME$15M2023GENERAL
Riverside TheatreFL$10M2023GENERAL
Vero Beach Museum Of ArtFL$10M2023GENERAL
Abbott Northwestern Hospital FoundationMN$10M2023GENERAL
Minneapolis Parks FoundationMN$10M2023GENERAL
Guthrie TheaterMN$8.2M2023GENERAL
Project SuccessMN$7.1M2023GENERAL
Northside Achievement ZoneMN$6.3M2023GENERAL
Nature ConservancyMN$6.1M2023GENERAL
Groves AcademyMN$5.3M2023GENERAL
Cristo Rey Jesuit High SchoolMN$5.2M2023GENERAL
Minnesota Historical SocietyMN$5.1M2023GENERAL
Great Mn SchoolsMN$5.1M2023GENERAL
Second Harvest HeartlandMN$5.1M2023GENERAL
Minnesota Landscape ArboretumMN$5.0M2023GENERAL
Mckee Botanical GardenFL$5.0M2023GENERAL
Dunwoody College Of TechnologyMN$5.0M2023GENERAL
University Of Minnesota FoundationMN$5.0M2023GENERAL
Way To GrowMN$4.8M2023GENERAL
Urban Ventures Leadership FoundationMN$4.5M2023GENERAL
Lundstrum Performing ArtsMN$4.5M2023GENERAL
Church Of The AscensionMN$4.2M2023GENERAL

Markdown version of this recipient history, for citation and LLM retrieval.

Based on the Wem Foundation's public IRS Form 990-PF filings (most recent: FY2023). 990 data reflects giving history and typically lags 1–2 years; it is not an open call for proposals. Always confirm the funder's current guidelines before applying.

Built from 236,000+ U.S. grantmaking foundations and 4.6 million itemized grant records in public IRS Form 990 / 990-PF filings (135,000+ funders with itemized giving history).

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