GHR Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 45-3996122 · since 2013ghrfoundation.org·International·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$36.4M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$10,000 to $500k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$100k

Typical grant (median)

155 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

GHR Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations, so an organisation that has not been invited to apply should not send a request.
Its programme areas are Alzheimer's prevention, Global Church Vitality, Catholic schools and Catholic higher education, so work outside these is unlikely to fit.
Its stated geographic priority is 'Around the world'.
About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $10,000 and $500,000, and the median grant was about $98,500, so a request in that region suits its typical giving, though the largest grant was about $6,100,000 and that band is not a ceiling.
The filing shows that 92% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so it leans towards existing partners; a new organisation with an invitation can still make its case.

Overview

GHR Foundation is a US private foundation based in Minneapolis, 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

GHR Foundation describes its purpose as serving people and their potential for good. It works through a focused set of partners with capabilities for transformational impact. Its programme areas are Alzheimer’s prevention, including earlier detection and treatment; Global Church Vitality, supporting the Catholic Church and related networks to build organisational capacity and long-term vitality, with a focus on safeguarding, synodality and operational systems; Thriving Local Community, supporting strong Catholic schools where every student can thrive; and Catholic Higher Education, through long-term commitments to the founders’ alma maters. Across these areas, it emphasises deep connections with partners and work designed to strengthen institutions.

Themes

Alzheimer’s prevention
Global Church Vitality
Catholic schools
Catholic higher education

Geographic Focus

Priority: Around the world.

How to apply

Contributions are made only to preselected charitable organizations; unsolicited requests are not accepted.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 92% 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 549 grants to organisations were about $98,500 or less.

What the foundation says:

It forms deep connections with a focused set of partners that have the capabilities for transformational impact.

Where grants go

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

Grant dollars by state

Minnesota41%

Illinois9%

District of Columbia5%

Maryland5%

Missouri3%

Massachusetts3%

6 other states: 10%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 24%

The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to organisations GHR Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
21% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Zambia).
10% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

155 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $100k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 155 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$5k–$10k8%

$10k–$25k19%

$25k–$50k8%

$50k–$100k14%

$100k–$250k21%

$250k–$500k13%

$500k–$1M9%

$1M and over7%

Median $100k (tax year 2024)

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

Alzheimer's Association · DIAN Open label extension
$2,050,0002024 tax year
St Catherine University · Campaign for Academic Excellence
$2,000,0002024 tax year
Minneapolis Foundation · GroundBreak Coalition Fund
$1,500,0002024 tax year
Mayo Clinic · Mayo Clinic Study of Aging
$1,500,0002024 tax year
Georgetown University · Building Capacity for Longevity
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Mayo Clinic · MCSA Regional Expansion
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Brigham and Women's Hospital · APEX Study
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Marquette University · Engineering for the Difference
$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

Kristine R Widmer — Director
Tim Welsh — Director
Sarah Robinson — Director
Sr Carol Keehan — Director
Anne Deanovic — Director
Maria Carrillo — Director
Tonya Allen — Director
Mark Rauenhorst — Vice Chair
Suzanne Flannigan — Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
Fred Miller — Vice President
Amy R Goldman — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$53,492,614	$50,370,516	$998,059,664	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$59,200,320	$37,920,409	$1,058,745,763	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$45,397,622	$36,431,731	$1,139,152,221	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.