Stevens Square Foundation

Stevens Square Foundation (SSF) occupies a distinctive and singular niche in the Twin Cities philanthropic landscape: it is the only foundation in the region that exclusively funds programming for older adults. Since converting to a private grantmaking foundation in 2006, SSF has distributed more than $8.5 million in grants, all focused on enabling financially vulnerable seniors to age at home and in their communities with dignity and independence.

The foundation's strategy is deliberately narrow and community-rooted. Rather than spreading resources across broad human services, SSF concentrates on the intersection of poverty and aging — a combination that creates acute vulnerability but is often overlooked by general-purpose funders. Its theory of change centers on community-based organizations (CBOs) that provide direct, practical support: meals delivered to homebound elders, rides to medical appointments, chore services that prevent unsafe living conditions, and home modifications that reduce fall risk. These are "infrastructure of aging" grants — the essential services that enable people to stay out of nursing facilities.

SSF explicitly prioritizes immigrant and ethnically/racially diverse seniors, a population facing compounded barriers including language isolation, cultural unfamiliarity with institutional services, and mistrust of government programs. Grantees like CAPI USA (serving Southeast Asian and East African immigrants), SEWA-AIFW (South Asian women and families), and Centro Tyrone Guzman (Latino community) reflect this commitment.

The foundation's governance model is notable: a 32-member all-volunteer board with zero officer compensation drives all grantmaking decisions. The 2024 board expansion added a geriatric physical therapist, a long-term care academic, a healthcare quality executive, a VP of elder law policy, and a medical illustrator — a blend of clinical, policy, and community knowledge that shapes a sophisticated grant review process. The annual grantmaking cycle is simple and consistent: one open window per year (January–February submissions), with funding decisions announced and grants paid in September.

Stevens Square Foundation distributes grants through a single annual cycle with a well-defined range. Grant awards span $750–$30,000, with typical awards falling between $10,000–$30,000 and a median of approximately $20,000. In 2024, SSF made 32 awards totaling $764,450 (average: ~$23,889), up from 30 awards and approximately $612,450 in 2023 — a 25% increase in total grantmaking year-over-year.

SSF strongly favors general operating support over restricted project grants. This preference gives nonprofits maximum flexibility and reflects a trust-based relationship with the grantee community — a meaningful differentiator from peer foundations that require project-specific budgets and restrict fund usage.

The grantee list shows strong year-over-year continuity: Metro Meals on Wheels, Senior Community Services, DARTS, Keystone Community Services, and FamilyMeans appear repeatedly. This pattern indicates SSF values long-term partnerships over novelty, and that first-time applicants face a higher bar than established grantees.

Priority funding categories by emphasis: (1) in-home support services including wellness visits and chore assistance; (2) food access and meal delivery; (3) transportation to medical and social appointments; (4) housing modifications for accessibility and fall prevention; (5) caregiver support programs; (6) social connectedness and isolation reduction; (7) early-stage memory loss programs; (8) intergenerational volunteer models matching active seniors with frail elders.

SSF does not fund capital campaigns, endowments, direct individual support, organizations outside the 7-county metro, programs not targeting financially vulnerable older adults, or new organizations without established track records. Revenue is entirely investment-driven (dividends and asset sales; no contributions received), making grantmaking levels sensitive to market performance. At $764,450 in 2024 against $15.5M in assets, the payout rate is approximately 4.9% — meeting the IRS minimum distribution threshold and signaling a sustainable endowment-model approach.

Stevens Square Foundation occupies a specific niche among Twin Cities funders. The table below compares SSF to peer foundations active in aging and human services in Minnesota:

Key differentiators for Stevens Square Foundation: (1) Exclusivity — the only Twin Cities funder 100% dedicated to older adult programs, meaning zero internal competition from other focus areas; (2) Community proximity — volunteer board with deep professional expertise in aging, healthcare, and elder law versus staff-driven foundations at larger peers; (3) Accessibility — modest grant ceiling ($30K) but highly focused mission means a well-aligned nonprofit has strong acceptance probability; (4) Operating support preference — SSF's comfort with unrestricted operating funds reduces grant management burden; (5) Predictability — September payout on a fixed annual cycle.

Organizations that receive SSF grants often also receive funding from Mardag Foundation's older adult priority, Minnesota Department of Human Services contracts, and Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging (MAAA) contracts. SSF fits naturally into a diversified funding stack for senior-serving nonprofits in the Twin Cities. F.R. Bigelow and Mardag, while larger, have broader mandates and thus dilute their aging-specific expertise; SSF's board depth in geriatrics, elder law, and long-term care policy is unmatched among its peers.

2024 Grant Round: SSF made 32 awards totaling $764,450, representing a significant increase from 30 awards and approximately $612,450 in 2023. Documented 2024 grantees include Centro Tyrone Guzman, FamilyMeans, Keystone Community Services, Metro Meals on Wheels, PRISM, Senior Community Services, Age Well at Home, SEWA-AIFW, CAPI USA, DARTS, Minnesota Elder Justice Center, and Rebuilding Together Minnesota. The inclusion of Rebuilding Together Minnesota (home repair and modification) and Minnesota Elder Justice Center (legal advocacy against financial exploitation) alongside direct service providers demonstrates SSF's breadth within its aging-in-place mission.

Board Expansion (June 2024): SSF announced five new board directors: Anne Johnson (medical communications/healthcare), Jonathan Lips (VP Legal Affairs at LeadingAge, elder law/policy), Jennifer Lundblad (President/CEO of Stratis Health, healthcare quality), Rajean Moone (UMN faculty director for long-term care, gerontology), and Jane Newman (geriatric physical therapist, housing). This expansion toward deeper policy, clinical, and housing expertise may signal emerging funding priorities in legal aid for seniors, housing modifications, and healthcare quality.

Financial trajectory: Assets have ranged from $9.8M (2011) to $16.5M (2021), currently at $15.5M (2024). Revenue is entirely investment-driven. The increase in grantmaking from 2023 to 2024 despite stable assets suggests a strategic decision to increase payout, possibly responding to post-pandemic demand for senior services.

2025 Grant Cycle: Deadline was February 10, 2025; funding decisions and payments expected September 2025.

2026 Grant Cycle (upcoming): Application portal opens January 5, 2026; submission deadline February 9, 2026; payments expected September 2026.

1. Align tightly on population. SSF's mandate is specific: financially vulnerable older adults in the 7-county Twin Cities metro. Proposals must make unmistakably clear that your program serves this population — not seniors generally, but demonstrably impoverished older adults who need support to stay in their homes. Include client demographic data, income thresholds served, and needs assessments.

2. Lead with the aging-in-place frame. Translate your work through the lens of enabling seniors to remain at home and in community. A food pantry becomes "nutrition access preventing malnutrition-driven hospitalization that preserves independent living." A legal aid program becomes "protection from financial exploitation that threatens housing security."

3. Highlight cultural competency for diverse elder populations. SSF explicitly prioritizes immigrant, ethnically, and racially diverse seniors. If your organization serves Southeast Asian, East African, South Asian, or Latino elders, foreground your language capacity, cultural responsiveness, and community trust. This is a competitive differentiator.

4. Request operating support when possible. SSF is comfortable with general operating support. If your organization has a clean financial track record, unrestricted operating funds simplify reporting and align with SSF's grantmaking philosophy.

5. Submit only during the January–February window. SSF has a single annual cycle — typically opening early January with a deadline around February 9–10. Missing this window means waiting a full year.

6. Prepare strong financial documentation. SSF requires financial statements, operating budgets, and governing body information. Audited or reviewed financials are expected. Ensure statements are current and clearly show program expense allocation.

7. Establish a relationship before submitting. SSF's grantee list shows strong year-over-year continuity. First-time applicants benefit most from a warm introduction through an existing grantee or through SSF's Grantmakers In Aging network. Contact VP of Grants Robin Keyworth at (612) 825-1368 before the application window opens.

8. Speak to the board's professional sophistication. The board includes geriatric physical therapists, elder law attorneys, healthcare quality executives, and long-term care academics. Write proposals with evidence-based program models and measurable outcomes tied to aging-in-place metrics — ER visit reduction, nursing home diversion rates, functional assessment scores — not just heartfelt narratives.

9. Calibrate first-time ask to $15,000–$25,000. The $30,000 maximum is typically reserved for established repeat grantees. A first request in the $15K–$25K range signals realistic expectations and increases success probability.

10. Report outcomes, not just outputs. The difference between "we delivered 500 meals" and "our meal delivery program resulted in 89% of participants maintaining independent living at 12-month follow-up" matters significantly to this board. Build outcome tracking into your program design before applying.