Edson & Margaret Larson Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is not the route in; if you have no existing link to it, the practical step is to build a relationship first.
- Its grants centre on scholarships and a leadership programme, so the work fits best where education and leadership are central, and no geographic focus is stated.
- Typical grants fall between $100,000 and $375,000 (about 8 in 10 of its 38 grants), with a median of $170,000 and a largest of $450,000, so a request in that region is in line with its giving, though that band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat giving is very high: all of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in an earlier filing, so an organisation outside its existing network should expect a long road to a first grant.
Overview
Edson & Margaret Larson Foundation is a US private foundation based in Grand Forks, ND.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (mayvillestate.edu), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
In its grant record, the foundation directs support to colleges and universities for scholarships and a leadership programme. Its recipients include university foundations, public university colleges and schools, and private colleges. The grant purposes are consistently described as scholarships and a leadership programme. A university account says its estate was intended for a number of charitable purposes, including a premier leadership scholarship for North Dakota students. Most recorded giving went to North Dakota, with the remainder recorded in Minnesota. The material describes educational grants but does not set out general eligibility criteria for organisations.
Themes
From its grants, not stated by the foundation:
- Scholarships and leadership
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in North Dakota and Minnesota.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 100% 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 38 grants to organisations were $170,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations Edson & Margaret Larson Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 13 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $160k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Mayville State University Foundation · Scholarships and Leadership program.$400,0002024 tax year
- University of Jamestown · Scholarships and Leadership program.$300,0002024 tax year
- University of North Dakota School of Medicine · Scholarships and Leadership program.$200,0002024 tax year
- North Dakota State University College of Business · Scholarships and Leadership program.$197,5002024 tax year
- Concordia College · Scholarships and Leadership program.$180,0002024 tax year
- Dickinson State University Heritage Foundation · Scholarships and Leadership program.$160,0002024 tax year
- North Dakota State College of Science and Alumni Foundation · Scholarships and Leadership program.$160,0002024 tax year
- Minot State University Development Foundation · Scholarships and Leadership program.$150,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Julie A Barner — Trustee
- Andrew B Kjos — Secretary / Treasurer
- Douglas A Christensen — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,083,090 | $2,575,500 | $49,795,280 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,961,051 | $2,625,000 | $53,161,904 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,626,645 | $2,342,500 | $64,400,097 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to Edson & Margaret Larson Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Grand Forks, ND
Applying to Edson & Margaret Larson Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Grand Forks, ND