Birch Ridge Foundation

## Approach & Strategy

Birch Ridge Foundation is a private family foundation controlled by Kirk and Heather Nielsen of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The foundation operates from a prominent downtown Minneapolis address (80 S 8th St, Suite 4200 — IDS Center), suggesting a well-resourced professional household.

Key Finding — No Direct Grants to Nonprofits: The foundation's grantmaking model is fundamentally different from traditional private foundations. Rather than distributing funds directly to operational nonprofits, Birch Ridge routes nearly all charitable giving through Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund under the "Kirk & Heather Nielsen Family Fund" donor-advised fund. This is a pass-through model: the foundation contributes to the Nielsen DAF, and the DAF then recommends grants to ultimate charitable recipients.

Implication for Grant-Seekers: Nonprofits cannot apply directly to Birch Ridge Foundation and should not attempt outreach. The foundation explicitly states it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The actual grantmaking decisions are made via the Fidelity Charitable DAF, where Kirk and Heather Nielsen direct grants to organizations they personally select.

Website Mismatch: The website previously associated with this foundation in public databases (birchridge.org) belongs to Birch Ridge Community Church in Soldotna, Alaska — a completely unrelated organization. The Birch Ridge Foundation has no public website.

Organizational Structure: Founded in 2022 (IRS ruling date March 2022), the foundation is operated entirely by Kirk and Heather Nielsen, each devoting approximately 1 hour per week with $0 compensation. This confirms a tightly held family vehicle with no professional staff.

## Funding Patterns

Annual Giving: - FY2024: $140,073 total distributions; $140,073 to single grant recipient - FY2023: $131,000 total distributions; $131,000 to Fidelity DAF - FY2022: $1,482 total distributions; $1,482 to Fidelity DAF - FY2021: $0 total giving; $2,979,250 in contributions received (founding year)

Asset Growth: - FY2021: $2,955,822 (founding year — large initial contribution) - FY2022: $2,951,043 - FY2023: $3,171,762 - FY2024: $3,964,628 (significant growth, $578K new contributions in 2024)

Grantmaking Model: All grants are routed through Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund as a donor-advised vehicle. Only one grant per year is made. The "grant" is technically a contribution to a DAF, not a direct award to an operating nonprofit. Actual end-beneficiaries are determined by the Nielsens through their Fidelity DAF, not through the 990-PF grantee list.

Qualification: This foundation is NOT a useful prospecting target for nonprofit development professionals. The $140K shown in giving is an internal transfer to a DAF, not an outward-facing grant program.

## Peer Comparison

Key Insight: Birch Ridge Foundation's structure makes it functionally similar to a DAF rather than a traditional foundation. The $3.96M in assets generates modest annual grantmaking through an intermediary. Nonprofits seeking Nielsen family support should focus on relationship cultivation with Kirk and Heather Nielsen personally, not on foundation applications.

## Recent Activity

FY2024 Asset Growth: The foundation received $578,185 in new contributions in FY2024 (compared to $0 in 2022-2023), bringing assets to $3.96M. This suggests additional family wealth was contributed to the foundation.

Consistent DAF Routing: For three consecutive years, the foundation's sole grant has been a transfer to the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund under the "Kirk & Heather Nielsen Family Fund." The amounts have grown: $1,482 (2022) → $131,000 (2023) → $140,073 (2024).

No Website: IRS records show no website URL. The foundation operates with minimal public footprint. There are no press releases, news mentions, or public communications on record.

No Charitable Activities Listed: The 990-PF lists no charitable activities, consistent with a pure pass-through model.

Officers Unchanged: Kirk Nielsen (President/Treasurer) and Heather J. Nielsen (Director/Secretary) have remained the sole officers since foundation establishment.

## Application Tips

This foundation does not accept applications. Birch Ridge Foundation explicitly states in its 990-PF filings that it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

For organizations hoping to receive Nielsen family support:

1. Identify DAF recipients through Fidelity Charitable: The Nielsens distribute charitable funds through their Fidelity Charitable donor-advised fund. Some DAF recipients are publicly discoverable through nonprofit 990s showing "Fidelity Charitable" as a donor.

2. Relationship-based cultivation only: The Nielsens are a Minneapolis-area family with professional ties to the IDS Center business community. Engagement through civic, professional, or community networks is the only viable path to a relationship with this family's philanthropy.

3. Focus on other funders: For nonprofits seeking foundation grants, this is not a productive target. Resources should be directed toward foundations with open application processes or that actively announce grant opportunities.

4. Watch for direct DAF grants: If Kirk or Heather Nielsen are personally involved in your nonprofit's community (board member, donor, volunteer), you may be a candidate for a recommendation through their Fidelity DAF.