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Established in 1915, The Minneapolis Foundation is the oldest foundation in Minnesota and was one of the first community foundations in the country.
Prior to the creation of The Minneapolis Foundation, no local institution existed to manage, invest, and distribute charitable gifts to meet changing community needs and honor donors’ wishes into perpetuity.
The local businessmen who created The Minneapolis Foundation could not have foreseen, for example, the emergence of the Internet, AIDS, or urban sprawl. Yet they anticipated changes in the needs and opportunities of our community and established a means of providing for those needs into the future.
The Foundation also offered all Twin Cities residents – of both vast and limited means – the opportunity to participate in building a common endowment, thus leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of community life.
Rooted in the community
Minnesotans have long been known for their philanthropic commitment so it’s not surprising that they embraced the community foundation concept from the start. A 1919 newspaper article reported that “several millions of dollars already have been left to the [Minneapolis] Foundation...many of the donors having designated the Foundation in their wills.”
A number of those donors instructed the Foundation to direct their gifts towards a particular charity or issue. Other donors, however, left flexible gifts for The Minneapolis Foundation’s board to use at its discretion to meet the most pressing community needs. Early Foundation grantees included the Salvation Army, settlement houses, Little Sisters of the Poor, and other agencies providing direct services to the city’s poorest and most disadvantaged residents.
Over time, as more government aid became available to provide social service relief, Foundation trustees began awarding some grants for capital expenses (for which other means of support were largely nonexistent) and for “character-building institutions” such as museums and theaters, the Fort Snelling Park Association, and the then-new public television channel (now TPT).
Today, The Minneapolis Foundation has a history of stewardship spanning several generations – the results of which are evident throughout the region. Dunwoody Institute, Washburn Child Guidance Center, Pillsbury Neighborhood Services, and many other respected community institutions exist today due in part (or entirely) to the gifts of men and women ten, twenty, fifty, even eighty years ago.
By giving through The Minneapolis Foundation, their support has enabled these institutions to adapt and thrive to meet the changing needs and aspirations of the community.
To bring about lasting change
Each year, The Minneapolis Foundation distributes more than $30 million in grants to organizations recommended by our donors. These include organizations in Minnesota, across the country, and around the world. We manage more than 1,000 charitable funds and assets of nearly $700 million.
We also distribute approximately $5 million in grants from the community endowment, which is created by individuals who provide for the Foundation in their estate planning. These generous, flexible gifts allow us to meet the changing needs of our community as we have done for the past 90+ years. Our goal is for everyone in Minnesota to have an equal opportunity to thrive.
We invite you to learn more about The Minneapolis Foundation and to partner with us in making a difference in Minnesota.
Download these publications (click on the images above) or order copies to learn more.
Contact Us
We welcome your questions and feedback.
Feel free to contact us at (612) 627-3878 / (866) 305-0543 or
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