Benton Telecommunications Foundation
Rice, MN · EIN 26-1577232. Reported 133 grants totalling $1,011,153 to 75 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Benton Telecommunications Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $2,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $1,000 and $15,000; the smallest was $250 and the largest $25,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Cancer Society- Relay for Life | Eagen, MN | $115,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Great Strides | Minneapolis, MN | $100,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Employment Enterprises Inc | Little Falls, MN | $98,210 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Terebinth Refuge | Waite Park, MN | $74,295 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Buckman Ballpark Inc | Royalton, MN | $47,500 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Milaca Fire and Rescue | Milaca, MN | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Catholic Charities | St Cloud, MN | $44,667 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Wacosa | Waite Park, MN | $38,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Gilman Park & Rec | Foley, MN | $29,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Anna Marie's Alliance | St Cloud, MN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Eastern Morrison County 4 Wheeler Club Inc | Pierz, MN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Good Neighbor Ems | Little Falls, MN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Indy Foundation | Waite Park, MN | $23,450 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge Inc | Minneapolis, MN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Overcomers International Fellowship | St Cloud, MN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Tanners Team Foundation | Sauk Rapids, MN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Oif Dream Center St Cloud | St Cloud, MN | $15,848 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| City of Rice | Rice, MN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Helping Hands Outreach | Holdingford, MN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lutheran Soc Service - Crisis Nursery | St Cloud, MN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Muscular Dystrophy Association | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Elevate Pregnancy and Family Resource Center | Waite Park, MN | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota | St Cloud, MN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mlmb First Response Team | Pierz, MN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Muscular Dystrophy Association | Edina, MN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rice Area Food Shelf | Rice, MN | $10,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Rise Inc | Spring Lake Park, MN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mn Adult and Teen Challenge | Minneapolis, MN | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mille Lacs County Operation Com Connect | Milaca, MN | $6,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Connectability of Minnesota | Waite Park, MN | $5,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Rice Legion Auxillary | Rice, MN | $5,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Cross Center of Benton County | Foley, MN | $5,423 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Light the Legacy | St Cloud, MN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Volleyball Bash for a Cure | Rice, MN | $4,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Nexus Family Healing (nexus-Mille Lacs) | Plymouth, MN | $4,248 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Care - Community Action Respecting Elders | Foley, MN | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| City of Bock | Bock, MN | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Horizon Health Inc | Pierz, MN | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Mille Lacs County Community & Vet Services | Milaca, MN | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest | St Cloud, MN | $3,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Rice Women of Today | Rice, MN | $3,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Benton County Sheriff's Department | Foley, MN | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Bridge Ac Church | Rice, MN | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Bridge Ag Church | Rice, MN | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Rum River Life Choices | Milaca, MN | $2,099 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Angel Foundation | Mendota Heights, MN | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Benton County Economic Development | Foley, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Can Do Canines | New Hope, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Christian Reformed Church of Pease | Pease, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| City of Rice Police Department | Rice, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| City of Rice Recreation Department | Rice, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cross of Benton County | Foley, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Gaits of Hope | Rice, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Knights of Columbus Council 9138 | Rice, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lutheran Social Services of Mn | St Paul, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Milaca Area Pantry | Milaca, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Morrison County Sheriff's Department | Little Falls, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rice Boy Scout Troop 473 | Rice, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| St Paul's Lutheran Church | Milaca, MN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Foreston Fire Department | Foreston, MN | $1,785 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Morill Little Leage | Hillman, MN | $1,678 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Beckys Troop Care Packages | St Cloud, MN | $1,500 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Community Christian School of Pease Mn | Pease, MN | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Graham Methodist Church Vbs Program | Rice, MN | $1,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Rice Community Vbs (shepherd of the Pines) | Rice, MN | $1,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Morrison County Swat | Little Falls, MN | $1,450 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Milaca Fine Art Council | Milaca, MN | $1,250 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Central Mn Child Advocacy Center | Sartell, MN | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lutheran Soc Service | St Cloud, MN | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| St Francis Music Center | Little Falls, MN | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Trinity Church (holiday Helping Hands) | Milaca, MN | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| American Legion Auxiliary (473 Hassel Briese) | Rice, MN | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Paramount Center for the Arts | St Cloud, MN | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Rice Community Vbs (shepard of the Pines) | Rice, MN | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Milaca Recfest & Activities | Milaca, MN | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
31 of 75 (41%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 47%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- American Cancer Society- Relay for Life
RELAY SUPPORT, RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY - Buckman Ballpark Inc
UPDATE AND REPAIRS TO THE BALL FIELD - Catholic Charities
CAMERAS & EQUIPMENT AND BOX TRUCK & FREEZER - Terebinth Refuge
EMPLOYMENT READINESS PROGRAM - Employment Enterprises Inc
CUBE TRUCK FOR RECYCLING PROGRAM WITH DISABLED - Anna Marie's Alliance
CAPITAL FUNDS FOR EXPANSION AND REMODEL OF SHELTER
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 44 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30 | $254,543 | $2,799 |
| 2022 | 27 | $240,350 | $2,000 |
| 2023 | 29 | $211,135 | $2,000 |
| 2024 | 22 | $127,375 | $2,000 |
| 2025 | 25 | $177,750 | $2,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
99% of its giving went to organizations in Minnesota. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $2,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Minnesota.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Benton Telecommunications Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 2220 125TH St Nw, Rice, MN, 56367. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 26-1577232 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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