Hiawatha Education Foundation

The Hiawatha Education Foundation (HEF) is a private foundation in Winona, MN with assets of approximately $61.2M and a clear education focus signaled in its name. The foundation's most recent fiscal year showed revenue of about $9.2M, expenses around $3.2M, and charitable disbursements in the $2.5M-$2.9M range — indicating a consistent, active grantmaker rather than a passive family vehicle. Approach this funder as a regional education-focused foundation whose gravitational pull centers on Winona, Minnesota and the broader southeastern MN / La Crosse WI Driftless region. The foundation maintains only a minimal web presence (a Google Sites shell with no public guidelines), which is typical for locally-focused private foundations of this scale. Alignment signals to emphasize: K-12 education, Catholic or private Christian schools (common in Winona given Saint Mary's University and Cotter Schools heritage), youth development, literacy, and education-adjacent programs serving the Winona/Rochester/La Crosse corridor. This is not a good cold-pitch target for organizations outside southeastern Minnesota or with no education angle.

Most recent public 990-PF data shows revenue ~$9.2M, expenses ~$3.2M, and total assets ~$61.2M (with a prior year at ~$57.6M, indicating asset growth). Charitable distributions run in the $2.5M-$2.9M range annually — a ~4.5-5% payout rate consistent with the IRS minimum for private foundations. Individual grant sizes likely range from $5K-$10K for small community organizations up to $250K-$500K+ for anchor education grantees such as regional Catholic schools or universities. Geographic concentration is heavy in Winona County and surrounding southeastern Minnesota / upper Mississippi corridor. Sector focus is primarily education — K-12 private/Catholic schools, scholarship funds, higher education (regional institutions such as Winona State, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, or Cotter Schools). Grantmaking cadence is annual with review cycles typical of board-led foundations; no public RFP calendar is visible.

Compared to peer education-focused foundations in the Upper Midwest and the $50M-$100M asset range, Hiawatha is a right-sized regional anchor with a quiet public profile.

Hiawatha sits alongside peers like the Watson Foundation, the Schwan Foundation, and other Upper Midwest family/private education funders — large enough to move the needle for regional Catholic schools and scholarship programs, but below the radar for most national grant databases.

(1) Request a copy of the foundation's most recent 990-PF from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer or GuideStar/Candid to see the Schedule B grantee list. This is the single best source of signal for what HEF actually funds. (2) Identify a current grantee who can make a warm introduction — Cotter Schools, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona Area Catholic Schools, or other Winona-area education nonprofits are likely anchors. (3) Lead with a southeastern Minnesota geographic nexus if you have one. Out-of-region asks without a Winona connection face high headwinds. (4) If you are a K-12 Catholic or private school, consider asking for scholarship or capital support — this is the typical sweet spot for foundations of this profile. (5) Keep first-time asks in the $15K-$75K range. (6) Write a short, concrete letter of inquiry to the trustees at the mailing address on file with the IRS. Do not expect an open application process — there is none publicly announced. Note: the foundation's Google Sites page is effectively empty, so no published guidelines exist; work from 990-PF data.