Pohlad Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $16,274,707 (2024)
• Total Assets: $76.4 million (2024)
• Decision Time: 4-6 months from LOI to award
• Grant Range: $20,000 - $5,000,000
• Geographic Focus: Twin Cities seven-county metro area (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties)

Contact Details

Website: pohladfoundation.org
Phone: 612-661-3859
Address: 250 Nicollet Mall, Suite 600, Minneapolis, MN 55401
EIN: 41-1768558

Overview

The Pohlad Family Foundation was established in 1993 by the late Carl and Eloise Pohlad, Minnesota business leaders who taught their children—Jim, Bob, and Bill—a set of shared values that became the family legacy: integrity, humility, empathy, respect, teamwork, and involvement. With total assets of $76.4 million and annual giving exceeding $16 million, the Foundation has evolved from broad charitable giving to a tightly focused strategic approach centered on two critical areas: Housing Stability and Racial Justice. Since 2018, the Foundation has supported 86 nonprofit partners with more than $26 million in program grants for housing stability initiatives. In 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, the Pohlad family committed $25 million to advance racial justice solutions in the Twin Cities area. In 2024, Susan Bass Roberts became the Foundation's first non-family president, marking a significant milestone in the organization's evolution toward community-centered philanthropy.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Housing Stability Programs

• Direct Impact Program: $50,000 - $600,000 for organizations providing social, financial, and legal services that directly help individual families and youth achieve housing stability
• Housing Affordability and Systemic Change: Supporting community-led efforts to increase homeownership for under-resourced groups

Racial Justice Programs

• Launched with $25 million commitment in 2020
• Racial Justice Grants Committee includes members of the Black community, Foundation board, and Pohlad Companies employees

Recent Grant Examples (2023-2024):

• $5 million to GroundBreak Coalition
• $2.1 million to Cultural Wellness Center
• $550,000 to Project for Pride In Living
• $500,000 to Alliance
• $400,000 to Greater Minnesota Housing Fund

Priority Areas

• Preventing and ending homelessness for families and youth
• Reducing racial disparities in housing for BIPOC communities
• Community-led solutions to systemic racism
• Building generational wealth through homeownership
• Expanding operational capacity for BIPOC-led organizations

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations outside the seven-county Twin Cities metro area
• Projects unrelated to housing stability or racial justice
• General operating support unrelated to their strategic priorities

Governance and Leadership

Board Members

• Bill Pohlad - Chairman
• Jim Pohlad - Board Member
• Bob Pohlad - Board Member
• Third generation members: Kiki McMillan, Allie Pohlad, and Joe Pohlad

Executive Leadership

• Susan Bass Roberts - President (first non-family president since 1993)

Susan Bass Roberts on their approach: "Communities must be at the table to help define the problem and create the solutions. Most of the time, people know what they need."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Pohlad Family Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited grant applications. Organizations must be invited to apply.

Getting on Their Radar

The Foundation identifies organizations through:

• Participation in Foundation-sponsored community events and the Racial Justice Grants Committee
• Engagement with Foundation's existing 86 nonprofit partners
• Active involvement in Twin Cities housing and homelessness coalitions
• Direct outreach to program staff (Foundation staff are available for phone conversations and meetings as time allows)
• Demonstrating BIPOC leadership (73% of Direct Impact funding went to BIPOC-led organizations in 2023)

Decision Timeline

Typically 4-6 months from Letter of Intent to grant award, including site visits and multiple review rounds

Success Rates

Not publicly available

Reapplication Policy

Not specified

Application Success Factors

• Community-Centered Approach: Organizations that center the voices of people with lived experience in homelessness are strongly preferred
• BIPOC Leadership: 73% of Direct Impact grant funding in 2023 went to BIPOC-led organizations
• Clear Strategic Alignment: Must directly address racial disparities in homelessness for BIPOC families and youth in the Twin Cities metro
• Systemic Solutions: Articulate how work addresses not just immediate needs but also systemic barriers
• Strong Infrastructure: Transparency about capacity needs and openness to capacity-building support
• Collaborative Spirit: Demonstrate connections to other organizations and participation in collaborative efforts
• Geographic Focus: Must demonstrate clear impact within the seven-county metro area

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation-only model: Focus on relationship-building and sector engagement to potentially be identified and invited to apply
• BIPOC leadership strongly preferred: 73% of Direct Impact funding goes to BIPOC-led organizations
• Tightly focused strategy: Only Housing Stability and Racial Justice in the Twin Cities metro area
• Community power-sharing central: First foundation in their history to include community members in decision-making
• Multi-year support available: Two-year funding commitments with capacity-building support
• Relationship-oriented funder: Grantees describe them as "a rare jewel among funders" that builds authentic relationships
• Streamlined processes: Online systems to reduce administrative burden

References

• Pohlad Family Foundation official website: pohladfoundation.org (accessed February 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990 filings (accessed February 2026)
• GrantAdvisor reviews from Pohlad Family Foundation grantees (accessed February 2026)
• Twin Cities Business: "Pohlads Promote Susan Bass Roberts to Foundation President" (accessed February 2026)
• Star Tribune: "Susan Bass Roberts leads Pohlad Foundation as first non-family president" (accessed February 2026)
• MPR News: "How philanthropy can support housing stability and racial justice" (accessed February 2026)
• Candid Foundation Directory profile (accessed February 2026)