WE ARE COMMITTED TO DISMANTLING A BELIEF IN A HIERARCHY OF HUMAN VALUE, WITH A FOCUS ON RACIAL EQUITY.
As we work to create a just and vibrant Minnesota where all communities and people thrive, we know we can never realize our vision unless we advocate for equity.
Facing Race Awards
Our annual Facing Race Awards celebrate Minnesotans working to create a racially equitable community.
Through these Awards, we celebrate and learn from those leading the way forward.
Countering Hate
Countering Hate is an annual gathering hosted by Minnesota Council of Churches, Muslim American Society of Minnesota and the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.
We convene philanthropic leaders — staff and board members — from across Minnesota to create a space for reflective conversation about hate, white supremacy and philanthropy’s responsibility to step into its power to combat these societal ills.
Art In This Present Moment
During challenging times, artists are at the forefront of expressing a community's response and demanding change. We launched Art in This Present Moment to support their work.
We are providing financial support to artists who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who are changing and challenging dominant narratives through their craft.
Equity Resources
These articles, links and other resources offer ways to act now and learn more about how to be anti-racist and advocate for racial equity.
Analyzing Our Grantmaking
In 2020, we undertook a project to assess our grantmaking and measure how we use our grant dollars to contribute to racial equity within the East Metro and the state of Minnesota as a whole.
To fully understand our contributions to the various racial and ethnic communities that live here, we set out to disaggregate all of our grantmaking data from the past few years. Our data disaggregation project methodology report is available for those who would like to learn more, and we wrote about our learnings in a recent blog post.
Stories of Advocating for Equity
Sara Ochs: Bridging Theater and Music in a New Artistic Journey
Sara Ochs is a multidisciplinary theater artist and songwriter. With support from Art in This Present Moment, Sara will be exploring her talents as a songwriter, writing new music and potentially a one woman play.
See the project
Mother and Son Duet Bridges the Gap Between Old and New
Mothers often have close relationships with their sons, but in the case of Maria Biagetti Cortez and Vladimir Garrido-Biagetti, that bond is deeply immersed in their culture and music.
See the project
Engaging Communities for Change Through Grantmaking
Learn how the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation is partnering with nonprofits, donors and anti-racism advocates to make a better Minnesota in this video with President and CEO Eric J. Jolly, Ph.D.
Hear from Dr. Jolly
Songs of Connection: Conductor Strives to Desegregate the Choral Community
Music is a universal language, and no one knows that more than Ahmed Fernando Anzaldúa El Samkary.
See the project