Hiawatha Education Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 36-3537959 · since 1987·Minnesota·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$6,000 to $110k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$47,600

Typical grant (median)

34 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Hiawatha Education Foundation funds educational programmes, with its filings recording grants to Montessori schools, other schools and other educational institutions, so applicants whose work fits that broad educational remit are the best fit.
No geographic focus is stated, though its filings show grants mainly in Minnesota.
Most grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 97 grants fall between $6,000 and $110,000, with a median grant of about $46,500, so a request in that range is realistic, though the largest grant reached $1,350,000.
The foundation accepts a written application stating the project's purpose, the amount requested and the number of students, and for Montessori school grants there is a quarterly deadline of the 25th of March, June, September and December.
With 85% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded, it looks like a foundation that favours ongoing relationships, so new applicants may find it more competitive; organisations outside the stated Montessori eligibility (non-profit educational organisations or other charitable organisations that use the award for educational purposes) should not apply for Montessori awards.

Overview

Hiawatha Education Foundation is a US private foundation based in Winona, MN.

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

The foundation's grants support educational programmes, and its filings record grants to Montessori schools, other schools and other educational institutions. Its application information sets out a written application asking for the proposed project's purpose, the amount requested and the number of students. A quarterly timetable applies to Montessori school grants. Montessori awards are limited to non-profit educational organisations or other charitable organisations that use the awards for educational purposes. The available material does not state wider subject priorities or a general geographical eligibility rule for applicants.

Themes

From its grants, not stated by the foundation:

Education

Geographic Focus

No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Minnesota.

What They Don't Fund

Montessori awards only: organisations outside the stated eligible categories: non-profit educational organizations or other charitable organizations that use the awards for educational purposes

How to apply

Submit a written application stating the proposed project's purpose, the amount requested and the number of students.

Deadlines: Quarterly, by the 25th of March, June, September and December for Montessori school grants.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 85% 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 97 grants to organisations were about $46,500 or less.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Minnesota95%

Texas2%

Tennessee2%

Washington<1%

The largest single recipient received 45% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 85% of grant dollars went to organisations Hiawatha Education Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.

Grants

34 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $47,600

How much do they typically give?

Share of 34 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k3%

$2.5k–$5k3%

$5k–$10k9%

$10k–$25k18%

$25k–$50k24%

$50k–$100k26%

$100k–$250k15%

$250k–$500k0%

$500k–$1M0%

$1M and over3%

Median $47,600 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Cotter Schools · Educational programs
$1,350,0002024 tax year
Cornerstone Montessori School · Educational programs
$119,0002024 tax year
Siembra Montessori · Educational programs
$115,5002024 tax year
Saint Elizabeth's Community Development Foundation · Educational programs
$100,0002024 tax year
Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts · Educational programs
$100,0002024 tax year
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota · Educational programs
$100,0002024 tax year
Acacia Montessori · Educational programs
$99,5502024 tax year
Lirio Montessori · Educational programs
$96,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Todd Werner — Director
Phillip B Duncan — Treasurer / CFO
Monique Duncan — Secretary / Executive Director
Lara Kierlin — Vice President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$2,859,548	$2,595,989	$48,726,859	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$2,452,736	$2,254,250	$57,639,478	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$3,162,027	$2,951,350	$61,177,084	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.