The Northwest Minnesota Foundation
Donations deductibleThe Northwest Minnesota Foundation's network
15 people11 organisationsi15 people and 11 organisations on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (15). Violet dotted lines (35) are likely: the same full name sits on the current board of another organisation in the same register and region. Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK. It may be a different person.The board
15 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations in the tables. The network map shows same-name matches as likely links only, never as confirmed.Tenure and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed tenure is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 12 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI; we list 15 in Part VII (Part VII does not always name every voting member).| Name | Role as filed | Since | On the board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Carlson Chair | Chair | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Alisha Everwind | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Bruce Reeves | Vice Chair | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Cheri Gunvalson | Company secretary | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Christine Imbra | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Connie Lindstrom | Treasurer | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| DEB ZAK | Director | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Jack Swanson | Director | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Jill Johnson | Director | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Kaitlyn Grenier | Director (Thru 11/24) | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Kristi Thorfinnson | Director | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Kyle Larson | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Michelle Paquin | Director (Thru 11/24) | 2018 | 8 yrs |
| Mike Laroque | Director | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Todd Beckel | Treasurer (Thru 11/24) | 2018 | 8 yrs |
Officers and senior leadership
10 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| Brenda Bruggeman | Controller | 2025 |
| Cory Boushee | Director of Programs | 2025 |
| Dawn Ganje | SVP of Philanthropy | 2025 |
| John Shimkus | VP for Admin and Finance | since 2020 |
| Karen White | President | since 2018 |
| Michael Neusser | VP of Operations | since 2021 |
| Nancy Vyskocil | President | 2018 |
| Nathan Dorr | VP of Advocacy | since 2021 |
| Nathaniel Haskell | Senior Program Officer | 2024 |
| Shannon Martinueau Jesme | Senior VP of Finance and Admin. | since 2024 |
Pay and hours
year to 30 June 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.| Name | Title as filed | Hours a week | Pay from the organisation | Related organisations | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karen White | President | 40 | $196k | $10k | |
| Shannon Martinueau Jesme | Senior VP of Finance and Admin. | 40 | $139k | $9k | |
| Michael Neusser | VP of Operations | 40 | $133k | $10k | |
| Brenda Bruggeman | Controller | 40 | $119k | $7k | |
| Dawn Ganje | SVP of Philanthropy | 40 | $109k | $10k | |
| Cory Boushee | Director of Programs | 40 | $106k | $9k | |
| Jason Carlson | Chair | 4 | $0 | ||
| Bruce Reeves | Vice Chair | 4 | $0 | ||
| Todd Beckel | Treasurer (Thru 11/24) | 4 | $0 | ||
| Connie Lindstrom | Treasurer | 4 | $0 | ||
| Cheri Gunvalson | Secretary | 4 | $0 | ||
| Alisha Everwind | Director | 4 | $0 | ||
| Kaitlyn Grenier | Director (Thru 11/24) | 4 | $0 | ||
| Christine Imbra | Director | 4 | $0 | ||
| Jill Johnson | Director | 4 | $0 | ||
| Mike Laroque | Director | 4 | $0 | ||
| Kyle Larson | Director | 4 | $0 | ||
| Michelle Paquin | Director (Thru 11/24) | 4 | $0 | ||
| Jack Swanson | Director | 4 | $0 | ||
| Kristi Thorfinnson | Director | 4 | $0 | ||
| Deb Zak | Director | 4 | $0 |
Colorado roster
16 listediOfficers, directors and trustees from the latest filing with the Colorado Secretary of State (document 20263004498). Titles are as filed; some entries are registered agents or custodians of records rather than board members. Source: data.colorado.gov, public domain.| Name | Title as filed |
|---|---|
| Jason Carlson | Chair |
| Jessica Yanish | Human Resources Coordinator/Office Manager |
| Bruce Reeves | Vice-Chair |
| Kyle Larson | Board Member |
| Cheri Gunvalson | Secretary |
| Alisha Everwind | Board Member |
| Jack Swanson | Board Member |
| Deb Zak | Board Member |
| Shannon Jesme | Senior VP of Finance & Admin |
| Karen White | President/CEO |
| Jill Johnson | Board Member |
| Shannon Jesme | |
| Mike Laroque | Board Member |
| Christine Imbra | Board Member |
| Connie Lindstrom | Treasurer |
| Kristi Thorfinnson | Board Member |
About
- Legal name
- The Northwest Minnesota Foundation
- EIN
- 411556013
- Address
- 201 3rd St Nw, Bemidji, MN, 56601-3111
- State
- Minnesota
- Mission
- The northwest minnesota foundation invests resources, facilitates collaboration, and promote philanthropy to make the region a better place to live and work. (as filed on the Form 990)
- Activity (NTEE)
- W110 Public and societal benefit
- IRS classification
- 501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
- Classified purpose
- Public & Societal Benefit
- Size band
- 9 (IRS master file code)
- Formed
- 1986
- Principal officer
- Karen White (as named on the Form 990)
- IRS ruling date
- 1 August 1986
- Status
- Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
- Form 990 filings on record
- 8, latest 2025
- IRS Publication 78
- PC (contributions deductible)
Most connected
Related organisations (Schedule R)
Longest observed on the filings
≥8years on the filingsMichelle Paquin
≥8years on the filingsTodd Beckel
≥6years on the filingsCheri Gunvalson
≥6years on the filingsDEB ZAK
Latest return
year to 30 June 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 30 June 2025. US dollars, as filed.- Total assets
- $110.7m
- Total liabilities
- $5.7m
- Net assets or fund balances
- $105m
- Contributions and grants received
- $5.4m
- Program service revenue
- $605k
- Grants and similar paid out
- $4.2m
- Employees
- 31
- Volunteers
- 970
Filed finances
1 yeariTotals as filed on the IRS Form 990 (revenue and expenses), by tax year.| Tax year | Total revenue | Total expenses | Surplus or deficit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $13m | $12.7m | $291k |
As filed on the IRS Form 990. US dollars.
Grants paid
25+ listediFrom Schedule I of the Form 990: grants and assistance to organisations in the United States, largest first (up to 25). Schedule I is filed only by organisations that gave more than $5,000 to any one recipient.| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic Charities of the Twin Cities Opportunity Center | Minnesota engagement on shelter & housing | $201k |
| Bemidji Area School District #31 | Bhs field improvement project, bemidji school district athletics | $156k |
| Lifecare Medical Center | To purchase trophon2 ultrasound probe disinfection device fo, update video laryngoscopy equipment, which is utilized by em, to purchase tv's | $120k |
| North Star Neighbors | To support organization's operations | $102k |
| White Earth Nation | White earth natural resource division youth internship progr | $95k |
| Friends of Itasca State Park | $81k | |
| Inter-County Community Council Inc | Final payment for bsg youth homelessness project | $75k |
| Warroad Public Schools Isd #690 | Final disbursement of the warroad farmers union oil co. Scho, nancy fisher, clavinova, drainage excavation of warroad athletic complex, jere | $57k |
| City of Roseau | Roseau daycare - facility improvements | $55k |
| Warroad Community Childcare Center | Use funds where needed most | $55k |
| Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians | Red lake nation ombimindwa program | $51k |
| Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe | Leech lake youth mental health & wellness initiative | $50k |
| Agassiz Audubon Society | Equipment upgrades to support new programs, pay for contract employee | $44k |
| Stephen Argyle School District #2856 | Computers/technology for the stephen-argyle central school, disbursement of olsonawski fund, final disbursement of tiger alumni scholarship | $44k |
| The Discovery Place Child Care | Discovery place expansion project | $40k |
| Win-E-Mac School District #2609 | Mobile kiosk to sell clothes - jeremy morgenroth, language arts supplies and storage - vondia winter, white board desks/tables - eileen cook | $40k |
| Roseau County Historical | Shelving project | $36k |
| Northwest Indian Community Development | Aging regional needs & priorities plan | $35k |
| Hearth Connection | Yhsi planning grant project with necoc | $34k |
| City of Warren | Pool improvement | $30k |
| Initiative Foundation | Nmf support for 2025 initiators fellowship | $30k |
| United Way of Bemidji Area | Emergency response fund - 2025 storm, blackduck food bank program | $30k |
| Park Rapids Isd #309 | Nmf's cced grant; early childcare cda class at prahs, soccer goals for scoring with the community | $29k |
| Warroad Care Center Dba Warroad Senior Living Center | To purchase an electric golf cart for residents to enjoy the | $27k |
| Warren Alvarado Oslo Public School Education Foundation | Final grant fund disbursement | $23k |