The Minneapolis Foundation

We bring together people, ideas, and resources to improve the lives of everyone. The Foundation is more than a grantmaker. We convene, collaborate, partner, invest, and advocate — that’s how we make a donor’s giving go further! It’s a 100-year-old tradition — and we have big plans for the future.

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Graze 4 Good

Join us for a culinary adventure featuring great food, a great cause and a chance to connect with some of our community’s best chefs. All proceeds will support Fourth Generation’s 2019 grantmaking.

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Investing in Our Community’s Future

We awarded nearly $4 million to 87 organizations for work in 2019. Learn more about the nonprofits we support through competitive grants to strengthen the economic vitality, education, and civic engagement of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

See our list of grant recipients

Make Your Giving Go Further

We are here to help you turn your passion into action.

1,400

Charitable funds administered

$890M

Total assets under management

$70M

Annual grants to community

10.2%

Investment returns, long-term growth portfolio, FY 2018

Each year, our donors support more than 2,000 different causes and charities in Minneapolis and beyond. We offer wise investment strategies, unmatched expertise about community issues, and first-class donor services.

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Our Community Impact

Our vision is of a greater Minneapolis that is vibrant, inclusive and positioned to thrive locally and compete globally. Through donor advised funds and competitive grants, we are investing in six key focus areas to help this vision come to life:

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Arts & Culture

We are committed to sustaining our robust and diverse arts community. That commitment is reflected in the ranking of The Minneapolis Foundation as one of the largest funders of the arts in Minnesota.

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Economic Vitality

We are working toward building an inclusive workforce, reflective of our changing demographics, as well as a business climate that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship, and self-sufficiency. Creating stable, well-paying jobs is critical to the long-term vitality of our economy.

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Environment & Conservation

Preserving our city’s rich river history and reducing our carbon footprint are two cornerstones of our community’s future. That’s why, on a monthly basis, the Foundation invests a quarter of a million dollars to support environmental causes.

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Civic Engagement

We are fostering a community where everyone is encouraged and motivated to participate in the democratic process and public decision making.

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Community Health

We are committed to building a healthy community where all people have access to critical necessities including excellent medical care, social services, stable housing and livable wages.

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Education

We believe that children are our future. That’s why we are investing in systems and programs that put all children on track to compete in a global economy, participate in civic life and pursue their dreams.

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Competitive Grantmaking

We are privileged to steward and invest gifts that have been entrusted to us throughout the past century
It’s our responsibility… and we take it very seriously.

We focus these resources on promoting social, economic and racial equity. We believe in realizing our community’s full potential, rather than simply resolving problems. Funding is available through a competitive process and the opportunities are targeted toward achieving a very select set of outcomes that bring us closer toward this vision.

Grantmaking Information
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Community Buzz

Learn the latest about upcoming events, community issues, community impact, and giving opportunities right here.

Foundation Announces New Director of Talent and Culture

The Minneapolis Foundation is thrilled to introduce Milpha Blamo as our new Director of Talent and Culture. In this role, Milpha will lead and support efforts to foster a collaborative and inclusive culture at one of the largest community foundations in the United States. Milpha brings to the Foundation significant…

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Called to Lead

Minnesota, we have a problem.   In 2017, 637 parents, children, siblings, neighbors, co-workers and friends died from overdoses in our state – part of 70,000 nationally. The availability of synthetic opioids is largely driving this increase, but alcohol still kills more people each year than drugs, about 88,000 in…

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Finding Common Ground

I was so happy to get back into my office at The Minneapolis Foundation after the new year because, honestly, I needed a vacation from the vacation. Over the holidays, I had some rare time to just veg out, so I got to see the “year in review” TV…

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Honoring Barbara Flanagan

A few years ago, I ran across a picture of downtown Minneapolis in the mid-70s and—even a person who loves this place as much as I do—has to admit it looked pretty sad. The historic buildings in The Gateway had been torn down and looking toward the river from the…

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Small Hands, Big Hearts

One bitterly cold night last winter, my family was driving home when we stopped at an intersection where a man stood with a sign asking for help. My eight-year-old daughter was distraught. She was freezing in the car and could not fathom how cold the man must be. She became…

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A Gift of Song

Marlene Hedberg loved music. There were few things she enjoyed more than singing in her church choir, and her children have fond memories of her playing Christmas carols on the piano when they were young. Many years later, she loved singing to her grandchildren. And when her health declined and…

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Strategic Partnerships