Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: $3,093,000 (2023)
- Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
- Decision Time: Not applicable
- Grant Range: $5,000 - $600,000
- Geographic Focus: Missouri, New Jersey, and Colorado
Contact Details
- Phone: (952) 674-2800
- Address: PO Box 5628, Minneapolis, MN 55440-5628
- Website: None available
- Email: Not publicly available
Overview
The WSDC Foundation is a private independent family foundation established in 2006 and granted 501(c)(3) status in 2007. With total assets of approximately $47.5 million, the foundation distributes over $3 million annually through carefully selected grants. Operating from Minneapolis, Minnesota, the foundation maintains a deliberately low public profile and focuses its giving primarily in Missouri, New Jersey, and Colorado. The foundation awarded 33 grants in 2023, demonstrating consistent philanthropic activity despite operating exclusively through invitation-only grantmaking. The acronym "WSDC" and founder information remain undisclosed, reflecting the foundation's preference for privacy while maintaining active charitable distributions.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
The foundation operates a single, unified grantmaking program:
- General Support Grants: $5,000 - $600,000 (median $50,000)
- Distribution method: Invitation-only, no public application process
- Annual distribution: Approximately $3 million across 30-40 organizations
Priority Areas
- Education
- Human Services
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
What They Don't Fund
While not explicitly stated, as an invitation-only funder, they do not fund:
- Unsolicited requests
- Organizations outside their pre-selected network
- Organizations outside their geographic focus areas
Governance and Leadership
The WSDC Foundation operates as a family foundation with private governance. Specific trustee and officer names are available through Form 990-PF filings but are not publicly promoted. The foundation maintains its operations through a Minneapolis postal address while focusing its grantmaking activities in Missouri, New Jersey, and Colorado.
Application Process & Timeline
How to Apply
This funder does not have a public application process. The WSDC Foundation operates exclusively on an invitation-only basis and makes contributions only to pre-selected charitable organizations. Unsolicited applications are not accepted.
Getting on Their Radar
[No specific information available about how organizations are identified or selected by this foundation. The foundation maintains a low public profile with no documented networking opportunities or public engagement strategies.]
Decision Timeline
Not applicable - grants are made to pre-selected organizations
Success Rates
Not applicable - invitation-only funding model
Reapplication Policy
Not applicable - no public application process
Application Success Factors
Given the invitation-only nature of this foundation:
- Organizations currently receiving funding appear to have established relationships over multiple years
- The foundation shows consistency in supporting organizations year-over-year based on grant patterns
- Grant amounts vary significantly ($5,000 to $600,000), suggesting funding levels are tailored to specific organizational needs and relationships
- Geographic location in Missouri, New Jersey, or Colorado appears to be a critical factor
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- The WSDC Foundation is not accessible through traditional grant applications
- With $3+ million in annual distributions, they are an active but closed funder
- Organizations in Missouri, New Jersey, and Colorado working in education and human services may be within their interest area
- The median grant of $50,000 suggests they provide substantial support to selected organizations
- The foundation's low public profile and lack of website indicates a deliberate strategy to avoid unsolicited requests
- Grant writers should not spend time pursuing this foundation unless specifically invited
References
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - WSDC Foundation Profile. Accessed March 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205444923
- Charity Navigator - WSDC Foundation Overview. Accessed March 2024. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/205444923
- Candid Foundation Directory - WSDC Foundation Profile. Accessed March 2024. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=WSDC001
- Grantmakers.io - WSDC Foundation Analysis. Accessed March 2024. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/205444923-wsdc-foundation/
- Instrumentl - WSDC Foundation 990 Report. Accessed March 2024. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/wsdc-foundation
- Cause IQ - WSDC Foundation Profile. Accessed March 2024. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/wsdc-foundation,205444923/
- GuideStar - WSDC Foundation Profile. Accessed March 2024. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/20-5444923
🎯 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