Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Your work fits best if it sits in one of the foundation's seven stated areas: animal welfare, arts and cultures, disaster relief and recovery, environment, legacy and opportunity, quality of life, or teachers and students.
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold proposal is unlikely to be the way in, and an existing connection or introduction is the more realistic route, though its website does not say how to make one.
- Its stated priority areas include national, international, Upper Midwest, Southern California, Minnesota, Twin Cities Metro Area and Rural Communities.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $1,500 and $1,350,000, and half are $300,000 or less, so a request in that range is in line with its typical grants, though that band is not a ceiling.
- In the filing, 85% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier years, so it is worth finding out whether it already knows your organisation before you approach it.
Overview
Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies is a US private foundation based in Eden Prairie, MN.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies supports organisations working in communities across seven domains: animal welfare; arts and cultures; disaster relief and recovery; environment; legacy and opportunity; quality of life; and teachers and students. It focuses on the wellbeing of domestic and injured wild animals, empathy for animals, folk and Native American arts, music and crafts, disaster preparedness, relief and recovery, and conservation of natural resources and habitats. Its quality-of-life work supports children, young adults, families and older adults, while its teachers and students work supports the teaching profession and student success. Its grantmaking partners with capable organisations, provides meaningful support to strategic grantees, and supports sustainable solutions developed with communities. It pays special attention to underserved or low-attention areas, populations or issues, and seeks measurable impact on focused goals.
Themes
- Animal welfare
- Arts and cultures
- Disaster relief and recovery
- Environment
- Legacy and opportunity
- Quality of life
- Teachers and students
Geographic Focus
Priority: National; international; Upper Midwest; Southern California; Minnesota; Twin Cities Metro Area; Rural Communities.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 85% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 875 grants to organisations were $300,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It partners with capable organisations that have demonstrated success in its interest areas and work consistently with its values.
- It provides meaningful support to strategic grantees.
- It supports work in and with communities towards sustainable solutions.
- It pays special attention to underserved or low-attention areas, populations or issues.
- It seeks measurable impact on focused goals.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 21%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 21%
- The largest single recipient received 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 85% of grant dollars went to organisations Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies had funded in earlier filings.
- 6% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom, Kenya, Belgium, Canada).
- 32% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 312 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $250k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- The Minneapolis Foundation · Support for the margaret a. cargill foundation fund at the minneapolis foundation$3,662,0002024 tax year
- Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation · Support for a donor advised fund at the mn community foundation$3,550,0002024 tax year
- Humane Society of the United States · Support for its pets for life program$3,405,0002024 tax year
- First Peoples Fund · Support for traditional arts across turtle island$2,575,0002024 tax year
- Mid Atlantic Arts · Support for folklife traditions and art in communities$2,400,0002024 tax year
- Oxfam-America · Strengthening community preparedness, rapid response and recovery in asia$2,382,0002024 tax year
- Regents of the University of Minnesota · Support for its partners for wildlife program$2,065,0002024 tax year
- Maliasili Initiatives · Supporting growth and impact of conservation efforts in east africa$2,000,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Shawn Wischmeier — Chief Investment Officer
- Kurian Thomas — VP of Programs
- Elizabeth Borer — Secretary & General Counsel
- Naomi Horsager — Treasurer / CFO
- Heather Kukla — President
- Antonia Hernandez — Program Committee Member
- Kevin Washington — Program Committee Member
- Kathy Annette — Program Committee Member
- Paul Busch — Director
- Stuart Tobisman — Director
- Win Neuger — Director
- Right Reverend John Chane — Director
- Christine Morse — Board Chair
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $163,821,284 | $147,739,261 | $3,273,900,352 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $227,342,307 | $163,002,065 | $3,254,912,640 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $189,969,985 | $146,746,000 | $3,269,487,524 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- localinfo@macphil.org
- Eden Prairie, MN
- macphilanthropies.org
Applying to Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- localinfo@macphil.org
- Eden Prairie, MN
- macphilanthropies.org