Minerva Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and gives by invitation only, so a cold application is unlikely to be the way in.
- The filings describe all recorded grants as unrestricted general, with no stated overarching mission, so fit is hard to judge from the record alone.
- Typical grants fall between $10,000 and $81,500 with a median of $30,000, although the largest was about $180,000, so a request in the middle of that band is a sensible size to plan around.
- Over half of its grant dollars went to organisations it had funded in earlier filings, so repeat recipients carry real weight.
- No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants in District of Columbia, New York, Maryland, New Hampshire and Texas, but that describes where it has given, not who may apply.
Overview
Minerva Foundation is a US private foundation based in Pennington, NJ.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Across the filings, the foundation makes unrestricted general grants to charitable organisations rather than reporting project-specific purposes. Its recorded recipients span environmental and wildlife organisations, reproductive-health and humanitarian groups, a university and a college, arts and youth-writing organisations, and public-interest and constitutional-government bodies. It also supports a visitor-centre organisation and a fund. The grants are spread across different organisational fields and states. The returns do not state an overarching funding mission, eligibility rules or preferred location; all recorded grant purposes are described as unrestricted general.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in District of Columbia, New York, Maryland, New Hampshire and Texas.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 53% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 36 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
4 other states: 7%
- The largest single recipient received 12% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to organisations Minerva Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 29% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 13 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Democracy Forward Foundation · Unrestricted general$180,1642024 tax year
- Defenders of Wildlife · Unrestricted general$75,0002024 tax year
- Planned Parenthood Federation · Unrestricted general$50,0002024 tax year
- Johns Hopkins University · Unrestricted general$50,0002024 tax year
- UNRWA USA · Unrestricted general$44,1642024 tax year
- Doctors Without Borders · Unrestricted general$44,1642024 tax year
- Fund for Constitutional Government · Unrestricted general$30,0002024 tax year
- Sarah Lawrence College · Unrestricted general$25,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Ellen Johnson Twaddell — Trustee
- Dr W Sanderson Twaddell — Trustee
- Kristie Miller — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $606,311 | $474,165 | $10,365,343 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $622,344 | $495,943 | $12,833,174 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $698,847 | $567,492 | $14,630,254 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Minerva Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Pennington, NJ
Applying to Minerva Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Pennington, NJ