Better Way Foundation
Invitation OnlyMinneapolis, Minnesota · EIN 36-3608625 · Private foundation
Grants paid (2024)$2.7M
Organizations funded45
Typical grant$30,000
Total assets$68.2M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $10,000 and $100,000.
From the return
How to apply
On its return for tax year 2024 the foundation checked the box saying it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
77% of grants went outside Minnesota.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe | Mashpee, MA | Cultural Curriculum for Weetumuw School and Beyond! | $200,000 |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | American Indian Catholic Schools Network (AICSN) Support 2020-2024 | $185,000 |
| Lower Sioux Indian Community | Morton, MN | Transition Grant - Lower Sioux | $160,000 |
| Hearts Gathered | Omak, WA | Building for the Future | $150,000 |
| Oceti Sakowin Community Academy | Rapid City, SD | Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Community-based Indigenous Education | $150,000 |
| Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation | Porcupine, SD | Transition Grant - Thunder Valley CDC | $120,000 |
| Amani Girls Home | Mwanza, TZ | Transition Grant - AGH | $100,000 |
| Comanche Language and Cultural Preservation Committee | Lawton, OK | Building the Capacity of CLCPC | $100,000 |
| Keres Children's Learning Center | Cochiti Pueblo, NM | Indigenous Montessori Institute Strategic Growth Phase | $100,000 |
| Mama's Hope Organization for Legal Assistance | Kagera, TZ | Transition Grant - MHOLA | $100,000 |
| Montessori American Indian Childcare Center | St Paul, MN | Continuity, Growth & Vision | $100,000 |
| NACA-Inspired Schools Network | Albuquerque, NM | Expanding professional development & IECD programming | $100,000 |
| Red Cloud Indian School | Pine Ridge, SD | Truth & Healing Project - Part II | $100,000 |
| Tanzania Early Childhood Development Network | Dodoma, TZ | Transition Grant - TECDEN | $100,000 |
| Tanzania Home Economics Association | Mwanza, TZ | Transition Grant - TAHEA | $100,000 |
| Tumaini Letu | Bukoba, TZ | Transition Grant - Tumaini Letu | $100,000 |
| Wicoie Nandagikendan | Minneapolis, MN | Growing Wicoie Nandagikendan's Capacity for Continued Growth | $100,000 |
| Wicoie Nandagikendan | Minneapolis, MN | Growing Wicoie Nandagikendan's Capacity for Continued Growth | $100,000 |
| St Joseph Mission School | San Fidel, NM | Shaping the Future of Indigenous Early Learning | $80,000 |
| Saad K'idilye | Albuquerque, NM | Caretaker Language Apprentice Program | $75,000 |
| De La Salle Blackfeet School | Browning, MT | Little Flower Academy Initiative | $50,000 |
| St Anthony Indian Mission | Zuni, NM | Zuni Language & Culture Project 2024-2025 | $30,000 |
| St Augustine Indian Mission | Winnebago, NE | Community and Family Engagement and Healing | $30,000 |
| St Charles Catholic School | San Carlos, AZ | Apache Language and Cultural Program 2024-2025 | $30,000 |
| St Mary's Mission School | Red Lake, MN | Expanding Donor Base and Increasing Donations Launch | $30,000 |
| Montessori American Indian Childcare Center | St Paul, MN | Relocation & Renovation Request | $25,000 |
| Montessori American Indian Childcare Center | St Paul, MN | Relocation & Renovation Request | $25,000 |
| Brazelton Touchpoints Center | Boston, MA | Indigenous Early Learning Collaborative | $15,000 |
| Mount Mary University | Milwaukee, WI | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Red Cloud Indian School | Pine Ridge, SD | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Saint Clare's Tahoe A Mountain Montessori School | Incline Village, NV | General Operations | $15,000 |
| TeamLift Inc | Portland, OR | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Zaman International (Hope for Humanity) | Inkster, MI | BOOST: Skills Training | $15,000 |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | General Operations | $10,000 |
| Aim Higher Foundation | St Paul, MN | General Operations | $5,000 |
| Catholic Climate Covenant | Washington DC, DC | General Operations | $5,000 |
| Chief Seattle Club | Seattle, WA | General Operations | $5,000 |
| Denver Indian Center | Denver, CO | Honoring Fatherhood Project | $5,000 |
| Farm to Family Fund | Bloomington, IN | General Operations | $5,000 |
| House of Champions | Cleveland, OH | General Operations | $5,000 |
| Northern Star Council | Fort Snelling, MN | General Operations | $5,000 |
| Sojourner Family Peace Center | Milwaukee, WI | General Operations | $5,000 |
| TeamLift Inc | Portland, OR | General Operations | $5,000 |
| The Cathedral Center | Milwaukee, WI | General Operations | $5,000 |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | American Indian Catholic Schools Network | $5,000 |
Grants approved for future payment
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe | Mashpee, MA | Cultural Curriculum for Weetumuw School and Beyond! | $325,000 |
| Oceti Sakowin Community Academy | Rapid City, SD | Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Community-based Indigenous Education | $300,000 |
| Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation | Porcupine, SD | Transition Grant - Thunder Valley CDC | $120,000 |
| St Joseph Mission School | San Fidel, NM | Shaping the Future of Indigenous Early Learning | $80,000 |
| St Augustine Indian Mission | Winnebago, NE | Community and Family Engagement and Healing | $30,000 |
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,695,000 | 50 |
| 2023 | $2,172,475 | 52 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Nov 3, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202503079349101510
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 36-3608625
- Profile updated Nov 5, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.