Otto Bremer Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Otto Bremer Trust funds work on food, stable housing, medical care, disaster aid, and economic, civic and social participation, focused on Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin, so only organisations serving that four-state region should approach it.
- A realistic request sits around the median grant of $50,000, with about 8 in 10 grants to organisations falling between $20,000 and $115,000, though the largest grant was about $3,650,000.
- The Trust does not accept direct grant applications: for its Community Responsive Fund, you must contact one of its intermediaries and follow that intermediary's own process, while its other grants go directly to organisations it has itself selected.
- With 73% of grant dollars in its latest filing going to organisations it had also funded in the prior two years, it looks relationship-led, so new applicants may find it harder to break in; this reflects past giving patterns rather than any stated bar to new grantees.
- Government entities, including public schools, are not eligible, applicants must hold IRS 501(c)(3) status, and under the Community Responsive Fund the Trust will not fund work to influence public policy, annual events, event sponsorships or fiscal sponsorships.
Overview
Otto Bremer Trust is a US private foundation based in ST Paul, MN.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Trust invests in people, places and opportunities across Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin. It seeks to help build healthy, vibrant communities where basic needs are met and economic, civic and social participation are within everyone’s reach. Its stated understanding of basic needs includes food, warm and stable housing, medical care and aid during disasters. It makes strategic grants directly to selected organisations for aligned activities with impact that further investment can sustain and enhance. Its Community Responsive Fund works through selected intermediaries, whose local knowledge helps direct grants to organisations, projects and services with significant impact in their communities. Grants generally support organisations serving residents of the four-state region; the organisation must have IRS 501(c)(3) status, and government entities, including public schools, are ineligible.
Themes
- Food
- Stable housing
- Medical care
- Disaster aid
- Economic participation
- Civic participation
- Social participation
Geographic Focus
Minnesota; Montana; North Dakota; Wisconsin.
What They Don't Fund
- Government entities, including public schools
- Community Responsive Fund only: work to influence public policy; annual events; event sponsorships; fiscal sponsorships
How to apply
Community Responsive Fund applicants contact an intermediary to apply; each intermediary uses its own grantmaking process. The Trust does not accept direct grant applications.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 73% 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 2,959 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Strategic activities must align with the Trust’s objectives and demonstrate impact that further investment can sustain and enhance.
- The Community Responsive Fund relies on intermediaries’ local knowledge to support work with significant impact in their communities and regions.
- If awarded, grantees must submit a straightforward final report at the end of the grant period.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 2% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 73% of grant dollars went to organisations Otto Bremer Trust had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 10% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 883 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of Minnesota Foundation · Community-university health care center capital project$1,400,0002024 tax year
- Saint David's Center · Twin cities early intervention expansion$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota · Address poverty in st. paul$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Mayo Clinic · Healthcare capital$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Regions Hospital Foundation · Healthcare capital$1,000,0002024 tax year
- University of Minnesota Foundation · Community-university health care center capital project$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Southside Community Health Services · One southside$1,000,0002024 tax year
- American Cancer Society · 2024 acs patient support strategic investment$1,000,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Caroline Johnson — Co-CEO / Trustee
- Daniel Reardon — Co-CEO / Trustee
- Francis Miley — Co-CEO / Trustee
- Charlotte Johnson — Co-CEO / Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $82,283,664 | $67,755,734 | $2,153,693,213 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $122,833,797 | $95,389,988 | $1,730,305,135 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $93,908,405 | $68,547,586 | $1,405,402,780 | 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
Registers and filings
Other 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 Otto Bremer Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (651) 227-8036
- ST Paul, MN
- ottobremer.org
Applying to Otto Bremer Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (651) 227-8036
- ST Paul, MN
- ottobremer.org