Where Giving Grows

Who We Are

We are a partner to thousands of donors and nonprofit organizations working to help us meet our aspiration: A just and vibrant Minnesota where all people and communities thrive.

Building a Vibrant Minnesota

As Minnesota’s largest community foundation, we inspire generosity, advocate for equity and invest in community-led solutions. This purpose guides our work in and for Minnesota and the Twin Cities’ East Metro.

Learn What We Do

Top Stories

Announcing the 2024 Facing Race Award Recipients

The Facing Race Awards recognize anti-racism advocates in Minnesota working for justice and equity.

Join us in celebrating our 2024 Facing Race Award recipients: Ma Elena Gutierrez, Tish Jones, Jametta Raspberry and Larry Tucker!

Meet the Award Recipients

Minnesota Couple Cultivates a Brighter Future

Local giving is a significant part of donors Scott and Holly’s lives.

To support their favorite causes, the couple opened three funds with the Foundation. “I think our relationship with the Foundation is what has taken our charitable giving to a higher level,” Holly said.

Meet Scott and Holly

Scott and Holly outside surrounded by trees 3x2

Pawsitively Generous: A Couple’s Legacy for Animals

Steve and Betsy leave a lasting impact on animal welfare as part of their estate plan.

The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation recently made over $360,000 in grants to organizations in Minnesota that are focused on animal welfare. The grants were made possible by the Nordberg McDonald Fund, a realized planned gift from animal lovers Steve Nordberg and Betsy McDonald.

Read Their Story

Foundations Announce $8.7 Million in 2024 First-Round Community Grants

Grants will provide funding resources for community organizations that provide critical resources to Minnesotans across the state.

Many grants support the arts, embrace culture and cultural differences to grow and restore our communities. These organizations also address a variety of concerns including navigating the criminal justice system, the US school system, immigrant communities and preserving Indigenous practices and traditions.

See The Impact

Sowing the Seeds of Change

Watch our latest Corner Conversations to see how agricultural nonprofit Sharing Our Roots is providing BIPOC, queer and immigrant individuals with equitable access to land.

For the last eight years Sharing Our Roots has been a safe space for over 200 farmers in southeast Minnesota looking to raise, grow and sell livestock, botanicals, flowers and produce.

Watch the Video

Serving Our Community

Donors

Make the most impact with your charitable dollars. Learn why we are the choice partner for thousands of donors.

Professional Advisors

You can expect that we will take great care of your clients to ensure their unique giving visions are realized.

Nonprofits

Through grants and partnership, we support innovative organizations across the state of Minnesota.

Stay Connected

Grant Opportunities

The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation and our partners F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation offer a variety of grant programs to support nonprofits meeting diverse community needs across the East Metro and Minnesota.

We offer two Building Community Capacity grant rounds a year. We also offer other grant programs with rolling application dates, including the Community Sharing Fund and Management Improvement Fund.

On June 17, 2024, we announced a community-informed process to redesign our twice-yearly Building Community Capacity grant program. View our grant redesign hub for the latest information.

See All Grant Opportunities

Our Impact

9,604

Grants given

To organizations, initiatives and projects in 2023

$106M

Granted

To communities by the Foundation in 2023

3,253

Number of organizations

receiving grants in 2023

$1.8B

Combined charitable assets

The largest community foundation in the state

See our impact in 2023