The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation (the Foundation) today announced that Carrie Jo Short has been promoted to senior director, community impact.

Carrie Jo is a 25-year veteran of the Foundation. As director, Carrie Jo drove permanent change to advance the Foundation’s impact in the community and led initiatives across departments to establish new ways of working, which included spearheading the creation of a new financial tool with loan guarantees, permitting the Foundation to scale at a rate the community needs. Carrie Jo will continue to manage multiple portfolios, two of which total nearly $90 million in assets and made 76 grants totaling close to $3.7 million in 2019.

In her role, Carrie Jo partners with nonprofit organizations to develop and finance solutions for economic development, environmental issues and land use. Prior to the Foundation, Carrie Jo worked as a grants consultant for several private foundations and giving programs. She has a Master of Business Administration in nonprofit management from the University of St. Thomas and a bachelor’s degree in political science and American studies from St. Olaf College.

“Carrie Jo has provided essential leadership on our team at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation and in our community," said Eric J. Jolly, Ph.D., president and CEO. "Through her dedication, hard work and vision, she has evolved the Foundation’s ability to have impact by moving us into important spaces such as program related and impact investing. In her new role, I know she will continue to push us to innovate in service to our many stakeholders — especially those we serve in the community.”

“I know that every day I spend at work, I’ve helped to make the community stronger in some way, large or small,” said Carrie Jo. “That’s an excellent way to invest a career and the reason I have been showing up to work for the past 25 years. It just feels good.”