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The Mortenson Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.7M
Grant Range
$20K - $0.1M
Decision Time
4mo

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The Mortenson Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,700,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Varies by programme cycle (annual cycles for each programme)
  • Grant Range: $20,000 - $150,000
  • Average Grant: $25,520
  • Geographic Focus: Minnesota (two programmes); 14 countries in Central America and East/West Africa (international programme)

Contact Details

Mailing Address:
700 Meadow Lane North
Minneapolis, MN 55422

Office Address:
4150 Olson Memorial Highway Suite 415
Minneapolis, MN 55422

Website: www.mortensonfamily.org

Programme-Specific Contacts:

Overview

Founded in 1999 by Alice and Mort Mortenson, the Mortenson Family Foundation was created as "an expression of gratitude for the privilege of living and working in a vital and vibrant community." With assets of approximately $136.6 million, the foundation distributed $6.7 million in 244 grants during 2023. Initial contributions came from individual family members and the M.A. Mortenson Company, a national engineering and construction firm founded by M.A. Mortenson Sr. in 1954.

The foundation's mission is to "build partnerships to strengthen community-driven approaches that advance equity, opportunity, and sustainable systems." In 2018, they formalised their mission with an explicit focus on equity, and in 2020 committed an additional $3 million over three years for equity grants and COVID-19 response. The foundation is recognised nationally for shifting power to communities through their innovative grantmaking structure. Executive Director Ambar Cristina Hanson, who joined in 2022, leads the organisation with deep commitment to community: "My commitment to community led me to this work. It's been an incredible privilege to work with such amazing community leaders."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

1. Expanding Opportunities for Children and Families

  • Amount: Varies; examples include $30,000-$100,000
  • Geography: Minnesota 7-County Metro Area
  • Focus: Organisations serving children (prenatal to age 18) and families living in poverty
  • Application: Annual cycle; applications typically open late February to late March

2. Sustaining Environmental Systems

  • Amount: Varies; examples include $135,000-$150,000
  • Geography: Minnesota statewide
  • Focus: Environmental solutions led by communities most affected by environmental harms
  • Application: Annual Letter of Inquiry process; may offer multi-year grants (capped at 33% of projected grantmaking budget)

3. Strengthening Developing Communities

  • Amount: Varies; examples include $20,000-$50,000
  • Geography: 14 countries across East and West Africa and Central America
  • Focus: Comprehensive support systems for youth and families in developing countries
  • Application: Annual LOI cycle; LOIs typically accepted early January to early February

4. Impact Investments

  • Selected invitation-based opportunities for funding outside the three main priority areas
  • Typically twice a year with invited organisations contacted directly

Priority Areas

For Expanding Opportunities:

  • Organisations with at least 60% of beneficiaries living in poverty
  • Public schools (district or charter) with at least 80% of students receiving free/reduced lunch
  • Programmes engaging beneficiaries in design and centring student and family voices
  • Support for children's social-emotional, academic, and mental health needs
  • Systems change for equitable access to resources
  • Leadership reflective of the community served
  • Racially equitable and culturally relevant approaches

For Environmental Systems:

  • Climate and racial justice priorities
  • Information and education about land/water relationships
  • Environmental stewardship opportunities for BIPOC communities
  • Sustainable economic options grounded in environmental approaches
  • Policy solutions centring community voices
  • Comprehensive approaches combining multiple strategies
  • Leadership by communities most affected by environmental impacts

For International Programmes:

  • Community-designed and community-delivered solutions
  • Gender equity ensuring women and girls have equitable access and decision-making power
  • Economic equity that doesn't leave any group behind
  • Comprehensive systems of support OR specific interventions integrated into comprehensive systems
  • Beneficiary involvement in designing, managing activities, and influencing outcomes

What They Don't Fund

  • Research (Expanding Opportunities programme)
  • Religious organisations or direct religious activities
  • Nonecumenical organisations or programmes (International programme)
  • Special events/sponsorships (Expanding Opportunities programme)
  • Individual support
  • U.S. volunteer engagement as primary objective (International programme)
  • Organisations receiving significant funding from sectarian solicitations (International programme)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (9 members):

  • Alice Mortenson, Chair and President
  • Nathalie Mortenson, Vice President
  • Mark Mortenson, Secretary
  • Additional board members: Chris, Dana, David, Kate, Katie, and Mathias Mortenson

Leadership Team:

  • Ambar Cristina Hanson, Executive Director (since July 2022)
  • Sara Boedecker-Johnston, Organisational Development Director

Alice Mortenson has stated: "My late husband, Mort, and I started the Foundation with the intent of bringing our family together around issues we all care deeply about" and emphasised their guiding principle: "We are bringing family together with and for community."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the Foundant online grant management system at www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=mortenson. Applicants must create an account to access open grant opportunities. If no grant opportunities are visible on the system, the LOI or application process is not currently open.

The foundation holds one annual grantmaking cycle for each of its three main programme areas with specific application windows (see Grant Programmes section above for typical timing).

Virtual informational sessions are offered to support applicants through the process. The foundation recommends reviewing detailed programme guidelines, evaluation rubrics, and previously awarded grants (available on their website) before applying.

Decision Timeline

Each programme operates on an annual cycle with varying timelines:

  • Applications typically take several months from submission to decision
  • Grantmaking committees review applications and make recommendations to the governing board
  • Board decisions typically align closely with committee recommendations
  • Notification is provided via email through the Foundant system

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. However, the foundation distributed 244 grants in 2023 and 285 in 2022, indicating substantial grantmaking activity. Accountability metrics from 2021 showed:

  • 88% of applicants were very or extremely satisfied with the grants process
  • 88% of grant partners received value beyond the grant
  • 81% of grant partners met their stated goals

Reapplication Policy

The foundation's reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is not explicitly stated on their website or in publicly available materials. Applicants should contact programme staff directly for guidance on reapplying after an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

Community-Driven Structure:
The foundation has fundamentally restructured its grantmaking to centre community voice. Each programme's grantmaking committee consists of five community leaders and no more than four Mortenson family members — ensuring those closest to the work hold the majority. This structure emerged from listening sessions with over 250 community leaders in 2020-2021.

Equity as Central Priority:
The foundation committed $3 million over three years starting in 2020 specifically for racial equity work, including $600,000 in grants to cultural Community Development Financial Institutions and $2.4 million for community participatory grantmaking. Major grants have included $1 million to the Minnesota Philanthropic Collective to Combat Anti-Blackness and $1 million to Linking Leaders. The foundation explicitly seeks to increase grantmaking to organisations "led by and for community" and leaders of colour.

What They Value:
According to their accountability framework, successful partnerships demonstrate:

  • Beneficiary engagement in programme design and delivery
  • Consistency and sustained support (not one-time interventions)
  • Quality outcomes and progress towards stated goals
  • Accurate, complete, and timely reporting
  • Community accountability and responsiveness

Recent Grant Examples Showing Priorities:

  • 826 MSP: $30,000 for After-School Writing Lab
  • Centro Tyrone Guzman: $100,000 unrestricted grant
  • Juxtaposition Arts: $50,000 for JXTALabs
  • Appetite For Change: $150,000 for Urban Agriculture
  • Dream of Wild Health: $150,000 unrestricted grant
  • Urban Roots MN: $135,000 for Youth Stewardship and Conservation

Foundation Philosophy:
The foundation acknowledges that "philanthropy often demands accountability from nonprofit partners...with no promise of accountability in return" and seeks to build "strong partnerships that are mutually accountable." Executive Director Ambar Hanson notes: "At the Foundation, we keep asking ourselves why things are the way they are," reflecting their commitment to examining systemic issues.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Community leadership is paramount: Ensure your organisation is led by and accountable to the communities you serve. The foundation prioritises organisations where leadership reflects the beneficiary population.

  • Demonstrate beneficiary engagement: Show clear evidence that the people you serve have voice and agency in designing, managing, and influencing your programmes.

  • Align with equity commitments: Explicitly address how your work advances racial equity, centres BIPOC communities, or contributes to systems change for equitable access.

  • Review funded organisations: Study their awarded grants page closely to understand the types of organisations and approaches they fund in your programme area.

  • Attend informational sessions: Take advantage of virtual sessions offered by the foundation to better understand their process and priorities.

  • Build relationships with programme officers: The foundation has dedicated Community Relationship Officers for each programme area who can provide guidance on fit and approach.

  • Emphasise partnership over transactional grantmaking: Frame your request as an opportunity for mutual accountability and shared learning, not just funding.

  • Consider multi-dimensional approaches: Particularly for environmental grants, the foundation favours comprehensive strategies combining multiple tactics over single-focus interventions.

  • Be prepared for a community-led review process: Your application will be evaluated primarily by community leaders who hold majority voice on grantmaking committees, not just foundation staff or family members.

References

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