Pohlad Family Foundation (PFF)

The Pohlad Family Foundation (PFF) was created in 1993 by Carl and Eloise Pohlad. The Foundation supports “housing stability” and “racial justice” 1 and it has supported left-of-center organizations such as the Equal Justice Initiative, United Way, United Renters for Justice, National League of Cities, and the Tides Foundation. 2 PFF focuses grants on the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.  3

Read More

At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3), Private Foundation
Issue Areas: Identity Politics (for race-based policy/activism), Housing Policy
Website:

www.pohladfoundation.org 

President:

Susan Bass Roberts

Location: Minneapolis, MN View on map
Tax ID: 41-1768558
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $96,839,191 Revenue: $3,062,471 Expenses: $16,601,036

Contents

    Pohlad became a billionaire through his leadership of Marquette Bank (later sold to Wells Fargo), Pepsi bottling franchises later sold to PepsiCo, real estate, and ownership of the Minnesota Twins baseball team franchise. 3

    About

    The Pohlad Family Foundation was founded in 1993 by Carl and Eloise Pohlad. The Foundation was initially created to support “long-standing community organizations” as well as “families and youth in need.” 4 Over time, the Foundation’s support narrowed to “housing stability” and “racial justice” in the Twin Cities. 1

    PFF housing stability activities are based on the foundation’s positions that everyone deserves a safe home and that homelessness results from discriminatory practices and policies. Pohlad partners with organizations that attempt to end housing disparities by supporting social, financial, and legal services. The organization works with grantees to expand their capacity, build infrastructure, aid community, and influence policy. 5

    The Pohlad Family Foundation’s racial justice initiative began after the death of George Floyd in 2020. The organization committed $25 million over five years to address what it calls “underlying systemic racism.” Grants under this initiative are based on decisions shared with community members through a Racial Justice Grants Committee. Grants are made to advance homeownership equal outcomes and the reimagination of public safety in partnership with Minneapolis, St. Paul, the Brooklyn Center, and Golden Valley, Minnesota. 6

    The Foundation has also partnered with the City of Minneapolis to create the “Minneapolis Safe and Thriving Communities Initiative” as well as a city plan. 7 The report was developed for the City of Minneapolis through grants from the Pohlad Family Foundation and other left-of-center foundations such as the McKnight Foundation and the Minneapolis Foundation. 8

    Grants

    In 2024, PFF made racial equal outcome grants of $5 million to the GroundBreak Coalition, a group financing racial equal outcomes and carbon neutrality; $2.1 million to the Culture Wellness Center, an organization that works to solve problems created by individualism, loss of culture, and community; $250,000 to the Minnesota Black Collective Foundation, which promotes Black-led change; $500,000 to Alliance; $200,000 to Roots Wellness; and $100,000 to Ubuntu Care Services. 9  10  11  12

    PFF made a $400,000 grant in 2023 to the Amalgamated Charitable Foundation, a donor-advised fund spun off from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Amalgamated Bank of New York, a financial institution with extensive ties to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), that funds campaigns targeting groups identified as “hate groups” by the Southern Poverty Law Center. 13  14  15

    PFF granted $100,000 to Propel Nonprofits, a federally certified community development financial institution (CDFI) that provides services to nonprofits in 2023. 16

    In 2023, Pohlad granted $550,000 to Project for Pride In Living, an organization that provides housing and career training to individuals they claim are victims of systemic inequities, and a grant of $175,000 to Ujamaa Place, an organization that seeks racially equal outcomes. 17  18  19

    The Foundation provided grants to various left-of-center causes including $250,000 to the American Indian Family Center, just over $1 million to the Cultural Wellness Center in Minneapolis, $300,000 to the Equal Justice Initiative, over $400,000 to the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, $250,000 to the Greater Cities chapter of United Way, $160,000 to United Renters for Justice, $125,000 to the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, $137,500 to the National League of Cities, and $20,000 to the Tides Foundation. 2

    Financials

    In 2023, the Pohlad Family Foundation reported total revenue of just over $4 million, expenses of about $15 million, and total assets of more than $100 million. 2

    People

    The Foundation was created by Carl and Eloise Pohlad who met on a blind date at an Iowa-Minnesota football game and were married shortly after in 1947. 20 Their sons Jim, Bob, and Bill all serve as board members of the Foundation. 21 Carl worked in banking early in his career 20 but the Pohlad family has amassed its wealth from a variety of business ventures, including the purchase of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball franchise in 1984; Pohlad Investment Management, the family’s private asset management office; River Road Entertainment, an independent film company founded by Bill Pohlad; and commercial real estate companies United Properties and Northmarq. 22

    The Pohlad Family Foundation’s president is Susan Bass Roberts, the former executive director of the Best Buy Foundation and vice president of communications and community relations for the Atlanta Falcons NFL team. Bass is a board member of the left-of-center Bush Foundation and The Constellation Fund. 23  24

    Brian Paulson is vice president of PFF where he directs grantmaking strategies. He is also a board member of Funders Together to End Homelessness (FTEH), which as of July 2025 rebranded as Funders Together For Housing Justice; past chair of the Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative; past chair of Workforce Matters; a board member of the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce; and an adviser to Minnesota’s Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. 25  26  27  28

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $96,839,191 $3,062,471 $16,601,036 View
    2023 $103,526,698 $4,344,928 $15,035,636 View
    2022 $102,736,887 $14,132,029 $15,488,559 View
    2021 $128,304,636 $18,381,775 $13,761,425 View
    2020 $119,954,396 $11,386,198 $16,227,000 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Susan Bass RobertsEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR$709,257
    Brian PaulsonPROGRAM DIRECTOR$187,469
    Deena ZubulakeSR PROGRAM OFFICER$125,686
    Sommer GreenPROGRAM OFFICER$114,539
    Lea FavorPROGRAM OFFICER$107,007
    Joanna DanksCOMM & ENGAGEMENT OF$104,938

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $241,240,059
    • Number of Grants: 5,007
    • Number of Recipients: 1,462

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $5,000,0002023 Minneapolis FoundationGroundBreak Coalition is a group of over 40 corporate, civic, and philanthropic leaders committed to demonstrating that a racially equitable future is possible – first in Minneapolis-St. Paul and then across the country. The Foundation’s pledge will be directed specifically toward increasing Black homeownership with the goal of creating 11,000 new homeowners over the next 10 years.
    $2,100,0002022 Cultural Wellness CenterTo co-design and administer the Racial Justice Fellowship geared toward Black descendants of enslaved Africans wo are local activists, advocates, and change makers. The programming includes a financial stipend, opportunities to connect with others, and to grow or nurture cultural awareness.
    $1,000,0002022 Northpoint Health & Wellness Center Food ShelfFunds will be used to pay past-due rent to help families avoid eviction as federal COVID rental assistance runs out. BIPOC families have been disproportionately impacted by housing instability and are at greatest risk for eviction. Financial assistance will be provided to families who have been called to eviction court, and will be paired with legal services, case management, and landlord mediation.
    $700,0002021 Minneapolis, City ofInnovate and transform traditional approaches to public safety, reduce negative encounters with law enforcement, and actively confront racial disparities to improve safety and trust among Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Support for a community-based 24-7 mobile behavioral health crisis 911 response and to procure an Early Intervention System (EIS) for police accountability.
    $600,0002021 Saint Paul, City ofInnovate and transform traditional approaches to public safety, reduce negative encounters with law enforcement, and actively confront racial disparities to improve safety and trust among Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). To establish the St. Paul Rapid Response Team an optimal first response for people who require social service intervention in collaboration with community-based organizations.
    $550,0002021 City of Brooklyn CenterInnovate and transform traditional approaches to public safety, reduce negative encounters with law enforcement, and actively confront racial disparities to improve safety and trust among Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Community Centered City strives to co-create with community to establish a civilian public safety response, promote community healing, and host police dialogues with community.
    $500,0002024 Alliance for Metropolitan StabilitySupport grassroots organizing and advocacy, including subgrants to organizations focused on disparities in housing and homelessness.
    $500,0002023 Build Wealth Mn IncGrant to support the 9000 Equities Initiative, a comprehensive effort to unapologetically close the disparity gap in homeownership for Foundational Black Americans by 15% over a seven-year period using a host of trusted community partners and mortgage professionals.
    $500,0002023 Greater Minnesota Housing FundHeading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative (HHMFC) aims to invest in the leadership of individuals with lived experience by not just inviting them to sit at a table but supporting them to convene and lead a cross-sector regional table focused housing systems transformation. Funds will support advocacy, compensation for people with lived experience, and operating support HHMFC.
    $500,0002023 Project for Pride in Living, Inc.Grant will be used to establish a down payment assistance program for Foundational Black homebuyers who will be supported by PPL's homeownership counseling and education programs.
    $500,0002023 Twin Cities Habitat for HumanityTwin Cities Habitat for Humanity and Minnesota Homeownership Center will use funds to establish a special purpose credit program (SPCP) offering entry assistance for Foundational Black Americans. Advancing homeownership and emphasizing wealth building, the assistance will provide up to $50,000 through a forgivable loan per qualified buyer.
    $500,0002022 Greater Twin Cities United WayGreater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW) plays an integral part in helping people access social supports through its resource and referral line, United Way 211. United Way 211 played a crucial role through the pandemic in helping households in Minnesota access more than $449M in emergency rental assistance from COVID rental assistance programs. Funds will be used to support an ongoing, human-centered design to administering emergency rental assistance beyond the pandemic, including coordination and infrastructure needed to streamline access.
    $500,0002021 Alliance for Metropolitan StabilityFunding will support grassroots organizing and advocacy toward greater racial equity and housing justice. Funds will support both The Alliance and partner organizations involved in grassroots organizing and advocacy focused on racial equity in homelessness and housing stability.
    $500,0002021 Build Wealth Mn IncGrant will be used to launch the “9,000 Equities Fund” to provide affordable first mortgages and downpayment assistance to African American households. The disparity in homeownership between Minnesota’s African American and White households equals 52%—a racial wealth disparity that BWM aims to reduce by 15% by helping 9,000 households become new homeowners over 5 to 7 years.
    $500,0002021 Greater Minnesota Housing FundFunding will be used to establish a regional coordination structure led by people with lived experience of homelessness and include BIPOC leaders, key government entities that oversee housing and homelessness funding, philanthropy, and other key influencers. The structure will establish regional priorities and goals toward reducing racial disparities in homelessness and housing instability.
    $500,0002021 Irreducible Grace FoundationIrreducible Grace Foundation (IGF) is seeking to create a “safe house” of healing for Black youth in Saint Paul’s Frogtown Neighborhood. Funds will be used to develop The Black Youth Healing Arts Collective (BYHAC), a space for Black youth to confront and replace the historical “less than” narrative of their past, and include affordable housing for 16 youth who have experienced homelessness.
    $500,0002021 Simpson Housing Services, Inc.Grant to support Simpson Housing Services' Build Up Campaign, a $40M campaign to expand and enhance services include: dignified emergency shelter for chronically homeless adults (70 beds); first step, permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless adults (40 units); and new administrative offices and service center to accommodate growth of the organization and family programs.
    $500,0002020 Hopewell FundGrant will help actively confront suppressive voting laws and practices in court with a particular focus on promoting and protecting voting rights of minority and young voters.
    $400,0002024 Lutheran Social Service of MinnesotaThe StreetWorks Collaborative will use funds to increase their capacity to address racial disparities in youth homelessness through outreach and direct connections to housing stability. Two Outreach Workers with culturally specific backgrounds and expertise will do street-based outreach, providing youth with vital basic need supplies, rental assistance, and holistic case management.
    $400,0002024 NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, Inc.NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center will use funds to support the NorthPlace Homeless Prevention Program. Funding will provide culturally responsive, integrated case management that includes financial literacy education, job training and employment assistance, benefits assistance, and support referrals that meet immediate basic needs and address the casual factors of housing instability for sixty families in North Minneapolis who are at risk of homelessness.
    $400,0002024 People Serving People Charities IncPeople Serving People (PSP) will use funds to provide comprehensive services for families experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Using a trauma-informed, anti-racism approach, PSP empowers and assists families to help them reach their stability goals. This is accomplished through prevention, shelter, advocacy, and childhood education programming
    $400,0002023 Ain Dah Yung (our Home) CenterFunding will support ADYC’s culturally specific permanent supportive housing program for Indigenous youth ages 18-24 as they transition out of unsheltered and long-term homelessness.
    $400,0002023 Amalgamated Charitable Foundation IncPartnership for Equitable and Resilient Communities (PERC) is a national initiative whose mission is to transform public funding and investment practices toward racially equitable development – by centering collective power and expertise of Black, Indigenous and Latino/a/x communities. Grant will support efforts in Saint Paul and will focus on affordable housing for Black and Indigenous communities.
    $400,0002023 Communidades Latinas Unidas En Servico IncCLUES will use funds to address a critical gap in housing services by offering a comprehensive, bilingual, and culturally anchored model that will stabilize 100 low-income Latino and immigrant families who experience disproportionate inequities obtaining and maintaining safe, affordable housing.
    $400,0002023 Inquilinxs Unidxs Por Justicia-United Renters for JusticeIX’s Tenant Union program connects renters across campaigns and educates tenants on how to lead and organize to create affordable, dignified, and long-term homes. Through asambleas (tenant assemblies), low-income and BIPOC renters across Minneapolis come together to analyze their housing problems and strategize, organize, and mobilize for housing justice.

    Contact InfluenceWatch to report errors, suggest edits, or provide tips for additional profiles.

    Contact Us

    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Home.” Pohlad Foundation, July 31, 2025. https://pohladfoundation.org/.
    2. Pohlad Family Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2023
    3. Pohlad Foundation, July 31, 2025. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://pohladfoundation.org/.
    4. “Our Founders.” Pohlad foundation, December 6, 2022. https://pohladfoundation.org/about-us/.
    5. “Housing Stability.” pohlad foundation, April 15, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://pohladfoundation.org/housing-stability/.
    6. “Racial Justice.” pohlad foundation, July 31, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025 https://pohladfoundation.org/racial-justice/.
    7. “Mayor Announces the Minneapolis Safe and Thriving Communities Plan.” Pohlad Foundation, August 21, 2023. https://pohladfoundation.org/general-information/mayor-announces-the-minneapolis-safe-and-thriving-communities-plan/.
    8. Rep. Minneapolis Safe and Thriving Communities Report. City of Minneapolis, 2023. https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/Download/RCAV2/31955/Minneapolis-Safe-and-Thriving-Communities-Report-and-Plan.pdf.
    9. “Past Program Grants.” pohlad foundation, April 8, 2025. https://pohladfoundation.org/past-grants/.
    10. “Home.” GroundBreak Coalition, May 29, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://groundbreakcoalition.org/#goal.
    11. “Welcome.” Cultural Wellness Center –  Our Mission: “To unleash the power of citizens to heal themselves and to build community.” Hours for Minneapolis M-F:  8 – 5 PMWeekends by Appointment Minneapolis:      . Accessed August 19, 2025. https://ppcwc.org/home.
    12. “About the MN Black Collective Foundation.” Minnesota Black Collective Foundation. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.minnesotablackcollectivefoundation.org/about.
    13. “Pohlad Family Foundation”. Return of Private Foundation. Form 990-PF, 2023.Supplementary Information Part 3.
    14. Hate is not charitable | amalgamated foundation. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://www.amalgamatedfoundation.org/insights-and-initiatives/hate-is-not-charitable.
    15. “Labor of Love.” Labor of Love | Amalgamated Bank. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://www.amalgamatedbank.com/news/labor-of-love.
    16. Bizjournals.com. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2024/06/10/henry-jimenez-propel-nonprofit-ceo.html.
    17. “Past Program Grants.” pohlad foundation, April 8, 2025. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://pohladfoundation.org/past-grants/.
    18. “Mission & Impact.” Project for Pride in Living. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://www.ppl-inc.org/mission-impact.
    19. “Pohlad Family Foundation”. Return of Private Foundation. Form 990-PF. 2023. Supplementary Information Part 3.
    20. “Our Founders.” Pohlad Foundation, December 6, 2022. https://pohladfoundation.org/about-us/.
    21. “Who We Are.” Pohlad Foundation, July 31, 2025. https://pohladfoundation.org/our-team/.
    22. Bornhoft, William. “From MLB to Hollywood: Where the Pohlad Family Makes Their Money.” Minneapolis, MN Patch, August 14, 2025. https://patch.com/minnesota/minneapolis/mlb-hollywood-where-pohlads-make-their-money.
    23. “Susan Bass Roberts.” pohlad foundation, March 17, 2025. https://pohladfoundation.org/susan-bass-roberts/.
    24. Susan Bass Roberts – Foundation president ✦ Board member ✦ strategic philanthropy ✦ social impact ✦ collaborative leadership | linkedin. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-bass-roberts/.
    25. “Who We Are.” pohlad foundation, July 31, 2025. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://pohladfoundation.org/our-team/.
    26. “Brian Paulson.” pohlad foundation, March 28, 2025. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://pohladfoundation.org/brian-paulson/.
    27. Brian Paulson – Program director – pohlad family foundation | linkedin. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-paulson-722b034/.
    28. “D04: Laying the Groundwork for Shared Measures.” MtgSked.com. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://mtgsked.com/p/8600/s?locale=es.