The Cargill Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 41-6020221 · since 1954cargill.com/about/community/cargill-foundation-headquarters·Atlanta, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Wichita·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$13M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$20,000 to $280k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$100k

Typical grant (median)

95 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

The foundation makes grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should seek an introduction rather than send a cold application, bearing in mind that 96% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had already funded in earlier filings.
Its work fits best where a programme is in STEM education, college and career readiness for students in grades 6–12, or childhood nutrition, and it is interested in organisations serving low-income young people.
Its stated geographic focus is Minneapolis – St. Paul Twin Cities, Wichita, Kansas and Atlanta, Georgia, and about 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations fall between $20,000 and $280,000, with half at $100,000 or less, so a request in that range is typical, though its largest grant was about $3,050,000.
Childhood Nutrition applications are due in spring and Education applications in summer, so plan your approach around those dates.
Do not apply if your organisation lacks 501c3 status or equivalent in-country charitable status, or if your request is for religious purposes, lobbying or political purposes, sporting events or athletic programmes, disease-related causes or research, individuals, travel, advertising or publications, or sponsorship, fundraising and special events.

Overview

The Cargill Foundation is a US private foundation based in Minneapolis, 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

The Cargill Foundation’s mission is to nourish and educate the next generation for success in school, work and life. It supports STEM education, college and career readiness, and childhood nutrition. Its education programmes are rigorous, curriculum-driven and embedded in school or district learning; STEM work aims to widen equitable access and participation, strengthen teacher effectiveness and improve student proficiency, while college and career readiness prepares students in grades 6–12 for post-secondary pathways. Its nutrition work improves access to nutritious, culturally preferred foods and healthy eating behaviours that support learning. It is interested in organisations serving low-income young people, including communities facing disparities, and in hands-on learning, nutrition education and access to low-cost nutritious food. Eligible recipients include registered nonprofits, schools and units of government.

Themes

STEM Education
College & Career Readiness
Childhood Nutrition

Geographic Focus

Minneapolis – St. Paul Twin Cities region; Wichita, Kansas; Atlanta, Georgia.

What They Don't Fund

Organizations without 501c3 status or the equivalent in-country charitable status
Religious groups for religious purposes
Lobbying/political organizations for political purposes
Sporting events and athletic programs or groups
Disease related causes or research
Individuals or individual needs
Travel
Advertising, Publications, films or television production or programming
Sponsorship, fundraising, special events

How to apply

The foundation sends applications to nonprofits by invitation only.

Deadlines:

Childhood Nutrition applications are due in spring.
Education applications are due in summer.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 96% 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 256 grants to organisations were $100,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

For education work, the foundation supports rigorous, curriculum-driven programmes embedded in learning at school or district level.
STEM programmes should increase equitable access and participation, teacher effectiveness and student proficiency.
College and career readiness programmes should improve academic and career knowledge, skills and competencies for students preparing for post-secondary pathways.
It is interested in community organisations serving low-income and BIPOC populations with a high proportion of young people.
It is interested in organisations providing hands-on nutrition education for children.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Minnesota99%

Massachusetts<1%

California<1%

Missouri<1%

Georgia<1%

The largest single recipient received 15% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to organisations The Cargill Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
7% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

95 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $100k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 95 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k2%

$1k–$2.5k0%

$2.5k–$5k0%

$5k–$10k6%

$10k–$25k8%

$25k–$50k6%

$50k–$100k26%

$100k–$250k37%

$250k–$500k9%

$500k–$1M3%

$1M and over1%

Median $100k (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Second Harvest Heartland · Moonshot campaign
$1,500,0002024 tax year
Achieve Twin Cities · Career and college readiness minneapolis (mps) and saint paul public schools (spps)
$708,3332024 tax year
Youthprise · Youthprise cooperative housing & community center (ychcc)
$500,0002024 tax year
Second Harvest Heartland · Child hunger initiative and kitchen coalition
$500,0002024 tax year
College Possible · College access & success programming and fafsa support services
$450,0002024 tax year
ServeMinnesota · Equitably expanding 4-8 math corps with participatory community research
$300,6062024 tax year
Pillsbury United Communities · Pillsbury united healthy food access program and ceo transition fund
$300,0002024 tax year
Achieve Twin Cities · Stem for all
$285,6002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Steph Lundquist — Director, Vice President
Susan Mercer — Director, Vice President
Kojo Amoo-Gottfried — Director, Vice President
Anna Richo — Director, Secretary / Vice President
Roger Watchorn — Director, Treasurer / Vice President
Sheila Riggs — Director
Ben Aase — Director
Colleen May — Director, President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$13,388,647	$14,000,079	$233,554,881	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$25,604,547	$13,314,442	$256,237,250	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$10,167,858	$13,000,000	$307,345,903	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.