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Opus Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.4M
Grant Range
$10K - $1.0M
Decision Time
3mo

Opus Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Approximately $3+ million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only grantmaking)
  • Decision Time: Varies (semi-annual Impact Fund cycle and monthly Opportunity Fund)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $1,000,000+ (typical grants $10,000-$40,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Colorado (where Opus Group operates)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.opus-group.com/About/Opus-Foundation
Address: 60 S 6th St Ste 2950, Minneapolis, MN 55402-2535
Executive Director: Kristin Ridley

Note: The Opus Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. The best option for groups seeking funding is to network with Opus team members who partner with local community organizations.

Overview

Established in 2000, the Opus Foundation is the philanthropic arm of The Opus Group, a commercial real estate development, design, and design-build company. Since its founding, the Foundation has awarded nearly $58.4 million to help build communities. As a separate entity with its own Board of Directors, the Foundation operates with a distinctive commitment: The Opus Group pledges 10% of annual pre-tax earnings to community support—9% through the Foundation and 1% through direct corporate giving. This commitment significantly exceeds the Minnesota Keystone Program's 2% threshold, reflecting deep dedication to community impact. In 2020, the Foundation expanded its approach by launching an impact investing initiative, making long-term investments from its endowment that generate both social impact and financial returns. The Foundation has also elevated racial equity as a core priority, implementing updated guiding principles, streamlined processes, revised internal structures, expanded funding criteria, and more diverse Board members.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Opus Foundation operates through two primary mechanisms:

Traditional Grantmaking

  • Impact Fund Grants: Awarded semi-annually through a competitive process for strategic investments
  • Opportunity Fund Grants: Awarded monthly to provide quick responses to community needs and opportunities
  • Grant amounts typically range from $10,000 to $40,000, though grants can significantly exceed this range

Impact Investing (launched 2020) Long-term program-related investments from the endowment generating both social impact and financial returns. Recent examples include:

  • $1,000,000 to IFF (Indianapolis electronics recycling and job training facility)
  • $750,000 to Project for Pride in Living (RE-Seed program, Minnesota)
  • $500,000 to AltCap (Kansas City workforce development for MWBE contractors)
  • $500,000 to Mercy Housing (Denver affordable housing)
  • $500,000 to CommonBond Communities (Minneapolis/St. Paul affordable housing)

Priority Areas

The Foundation focuses on four core areas, with emphasis on improving conditions in historically underinvested communities:

Early Childhood Education (17% of total grantmaking)

  • High-quality preschool experiences
  • Enhanced social/emotional skills development
  • School readiness programs
  • Examples: LUME (St. Louis), Operation Breakthrough MakerSpace

Youth Development (over 40% of total grantmaking - largest focus area)

  • Academic and social development programs
  • Education and career aspiration building
  • STEM learning initiatives
  • Examples: City Year Kansas City, MIGIZI Indigenous Pathways, Operation Breakthrough Ignition Lab

Workforce Development

  • Career readiness and advancement programs
  • Support for under/unemployed individuals
  • Construction and CRE career pathways
  • Examples: Construction Education Foundation (Denver), New Pathways for Youth

Community Revitalization

  • Revitalizing economically disinvested neighborhoods
  • Small business development
  • Affordable housing
  • Community assets development
  • Examples: Lake Street Council (Minneapolis), various impact investments

Racial Equity (cross-cutting priority)

  • Elevated as a guiding principle across all Foundation efforts
  • $50,000 granted to Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity's Digital Learning Fund

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside their geographic footprint (Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Colorado)
  • Organizations without connection to Opus team members or communities
  • Unsolicited proposals from unknown organizations

Governance and Leadership

The Opus Foundation operates as a separate entity from The Opus Group, led by its own Board of Directors. In recent years, the Foundation has welcomed more diverse members to the Board as part of its commitment to racial equity.

Executive Leadership

  • Kristin Ridley, Executive Director: Partners with senior leadership and the Foundation board to design, implement, and evaluate corporate citizenship strategies. Previously served as Corporate Giving Advisor.

Leadership Philosophy

Kristin Ridley has emphasized the Foundation's mission-driven approach: "Program related investments are one way the Foundation is working to better align investments with Opus' mission and values – prioritizing mission over market-rate financial returns."

On supporting youth pathways to careers: "Someone once told me you can't be what you don't see." This quote reflects the Foundation's emphasis on creating visible career pathways for youth, particularly in fields like construction and commercial real estate.

The Foundation's approach is characterized by flexibility when needed. As Ridley noted about their support for MIGIZI after the Lake Street corridor damage: "We broke from our normal grant cycle and funding criteria to support MIGIZI. We highly value the work they do in the community with Native American youth and their career pathway program."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

CRITICAL: The Opus Foundation does not have a public application process. The Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Getting on Their Radar

The Foundation identifies potential grantees through a unique associate-driven model:

Opus Associate Network: Associates in each Opus office serve as the link between the community and the Opus Foundation. They help increase scale and impact by:

  • Connecting the Foundation with community members
  • Recommending potential grantees based on local knowledge
  • Providing input on funding strategies
  • Supporting the involvement of Opus associates in their communities

Geographic Connection: The Foundation strongly prioritizes organizations that operate in regions where Opus Group has a business presence. Organizations should be located in or serving communities in Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, or Colorado.

Networking Strategy: The most effective approach is to network with Opus team members who are actively seeking to partner with local community organizations. Building relationships with Opus associates in your region who are engaged in community work is the pathway to Foundation consideration.

Building Community Awards: The Foundation periodically recognizes outstanding nonprofit partners with special awards (e.g., the Gerry Rauenhorst Building Community Award), which suggests that demonstrating exceptional impact in the Foundation's focus areas can lead to recognition and support.

Decision Timeline

Impact Fund: Semi-annual grant cycles (timing not publicly specified)

Opportunity Fund: Monthly awards for time-sensitive opportunities

Recent grant announcements have occurred in May and December, suggesting possible semi-annual cycles, though organizations cannot apply directly.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to invitation-only model. The Foundation made 177 grants in one recent year and 164 awards in 2022, awarding $263,000 through 46 Opportunity Fund grants in a six-month period (July-December 2023).

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. For organizations already in relationship with the Foundation, the model appears to support ongoing partnerships, as evidenced by multi-year grants and repeated support to organizations like Operation Breakthrough (over $575,000 total).

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Values

1. Geographic Alignment Organizations must operate in communities where Opus does business (Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Colorado). This is a non-negotiable criterion.

2. Connection to Opus Associates The Foundation's model relies on Opus team members identifying and recommending community partners. Organizations with existing relationships with Opus associates or employees have the pathway to funding.

3. Alignment with Focus Areas Projects must clearly address one or more priority areas: early childhood education, youth development, workforce development, or community revitalization. Youth development receives the largest share of funding (40%+).

4. Impact on Underinvested Communities The Foundation is committed to improving conditions for "historically underinvested individuals and communities." Projects serving low-income communities, communities of color, and economically disinvested neighborhoods align with current priorities.

5. Racial Equity Lens Since elevating racial equity as a core priority, the Foundation evaluates all efforts through this lens. Organizations demonstrating commitment to racial equity are favored.

6. Measurable Outcomes The Foundation highlights grantee results in communications. Operation Breakthrough's documented outcomes (90% kindergarten readiness vs. 50% national average; 80% of students reporting improved problem-solving abilities) exemplify the impact metrics valued.

7. Mission-Values Alignment Over Market Returns For impact investments, the Foundation prioritizes "mission over market-rate financial returns," indicating they value social impact as the primary metric.

8. Innovation and Career Pathway Development Multiple grants support innovative programs exposing youth to careers in construction, STEM, and commercial real estate—sectors directly connected to Opus Group's business.

Examples of Funded Projects

Operation Breakthrough (Kansas City) - Over $575,000 total

  • MakerSpace for early childhood education (90% kindergarten readiness)
  • MakerCity for school-age STEM learning (tripled enrollment to 350+ children)
  • Ignition Lab with five entrepreneurial pathways (hydroponic farming, computer repair, food truck, product design, video production)

MIGIZI (Minneapolis) - $100,000+

  • Capital campaign for new building after Lake Street corridor damage
  • Indigenous Pathways career training in green tech and media

City Year Kansas City - $72,000

  • Addressing lack of equitable access to educational opportunities

IFF (Indianapolis) - $1,000,000 impact investment

  • $13 million electronics recycling center creating job training opportunities

Strategic Insights

Flexibility for Exceptional Impact: The Foundation has demonstrated willingness to "break from normal grant cycle and funding criteria" for organizations doing exceptional work (Kristin Ridley on MIGIZI support).

Multi-Year Commitment: The Foundation makes both single-year and multi-year grants, suggesting they invest in long-term partnerships with effective organizations.

Leveraging Private Sector Expertise: Projects that connect Foundation priorities with Opus Group's commercial real estate and construction expertise appear particularly successful.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This Foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant applications. Focus networking efforts on building relationships with Opus Group employees and associates in your region.

  • Geographic Constraint is Absolute: Organizations outside Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Colorado should not pursue this funder. Even within these states, proximity to Opus Group operations matters.

  • Youth Development is the Flagship: With over 40% of grantmaking dedicated to youth development, programs serving young people—especially career pathway and STEM programs—align with the Foundation's strongest priority.

  • Opus Associate Champions are Essential: The Foundation's model relies on Opus team members identifying and recommending partners. Cultivating relationships with Opus employees engaged in community work is the pathway to consideration.

  • Think Long-Term Partnership: Evidence of multi-year grants and repeated funding to proven partners (Operation Breakthrough's $575,000+ total) suggests the Foundation values sustained relationships with high-impact organizations.

  • Document Measurable Outcomes: The Foundation highlights specific metrics in success stories (90% kindergarten readiness, 80% improved problem-solving). Organizations with strong evaluation capacity and documented results align with Foundation values.

  • Racial Equity is Non-Negotiable: Since elevating racial equity as a core priority with structural changes, organizations must demonstrate commitment to serving historically underinvested communities and advancing equity.

  • Consider Impact Investment Model: Organizations with capacity for program-related investments ($500,000-$1,000,000 range) that generate both social and financial returns may access larger funding through the Foundation's impact investing mechanism.

References

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