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Cargill Foundation

Annual Giving
$24.0M
Grant Range
$100K - $4.0M

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Cargill Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $24 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only process)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly by programme (individual grants from $100,000 to multi-million)
  • Geographic Focus: Minneapolis-Saint Paul Twin Cities region only

Contact Details

Website: www.cargill.com/about/community/cargill-foundation-headquarters

Address: Minneapolis, MN

Note: Specific phone and email contact information is not publicly listed. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The Cargill Foundation was incorporated in 1952 as the corporate foundation of Cargill, Incorporated. Operating as a separate legal entity with its own governance and Board of Directors, the foundation annually distributes approximately $24 million in grants to nonprofit organisations in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul headquarters community. The foundation's mission centres on closing the opportunity gap for Twin Cities youth, with nearly 80% of its programmatic investments ($10 million annually) directed towards advancing opportunities for low-income and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) youth in grades K-12. The foundation focuses exclusively on two strategic priority areas: Education (STEM and College & Career Readiness) and Childhood Nutrition. Unlike many corporate foundations, Cargill Foundation operates on a strictly invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited grant proposals.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Education Grants: STEM and College & Career Readiness

  • Supports K-12 schools and school districts in Minneapolis-St. Paul area
  • Funds STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) programmes
  • Supports college- and career-readiness programmes for grades 6-12
  • Professional development for STEM teachers
  • Programmes that encourage individuals to take STEM courses and pursue STEM careers
  • Application: Invitation only

Childhood Nutrition Grants

  • Supports nonprofits providing nutritious food to low-income children ages 2-12
  • Funds nutrition education programmes
  • Supports community-garden initiatives
  • Training and development for staff and educators to improve nutrition education
  • Application: Invitation only

Arts/Culture and Capital Grants

  • Limited to a select group of preeminent arts/culture organisations in the Twin Cities
  • Will consider capital requests in the Twin Cities headquarters community
  • Application: Invitation only

Priority Areas

What They Fund:

  • STEM education programmes that increase equitable access and participation
  • Programmes that improve STEM teacher effectiveness
  • College and career readiness programmes that improve academic and career knowledge, skills, and competencies
  • Hands-on nutrition education programmes and curriculum for children
  • Programmes for procurement and/or preparation of low-cost nutritious foods for children (gardens, cooking classes)
  • Organisations serving low-income and BIPOC populations in Minneapolis-St. Paul
  • Programmes specifically for students in grades K-12

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals or the general public
  • Organisations without 501(c)(3) public charity status (or schools/units of government)
  • Programmes outside the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Twin Cities region
  • Organisations that do not align with Cargill's principles around inclusion and diversity
  • Programmes not focused on K-12 education (STEM/college-career readiness) or childhood nutrition (ages 2-12)

Governance and Leadership

The Cargill Foundation operates independently from Cargill, Incorporated with its own governance, mission, programmes, and Board of Directors. While the foundation receives financial support from Cargill, it maintains separate legal status as a Minnesota nonprofit corporation.

Specific names and titles of board members and staff leadership are listed on the foundation's website, though this information was not accessible during research.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Cargill Foundation operates on a strictly invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding.

The foundation proactively identifies and invites organisations to apply for grants rather than accepting applications from nonprofits. Foundation staff research potential grantees that align with their focus areas and reach out to them directly as part of this invitation-only process.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation identifies grant recipients through research and relationship building within the Minneapolis-St. Paul nonprofit sector. Organisations working in STEM education, college/career readiness, or childhood nutrition for K-12 low-income and BIPOC youth in the Twin Cities may be discovered through:

  • The foundation's active research and monitoring of the local nonprofit landscape
  • Existing relationships and partnerships within the Twin Cities education and nutrition sectors
  • Board member connections and knowledge of the sector

Organisations meeting the foundation's eligibility criteria (501(c)(3) status, serving Minneapolis-St. Paul, focused on K-12 education or childhood nutrition for low-income youth) that demonstrate strong outcomes in these areas may eventually be contacted by foundation staff.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed as the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis without standard application cycles.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation distributed $23,993,713 in grants in 2023.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis without a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, organisations cannot directly apply. However, the foundation's publicly stated priorities and grant history provide insight into what they value:

Demonstrated Impact on the Opportunity Gap: The foundation explicitly focuses on "closing the opportunity gap for Twin Cities youth," with particular emphasis on low-income and BIPOC populations. Organisations must demonstrate measurable impact in improving educational or nutritional outcomes for these specific populations.

Geographic Commitment: Organisations must serve the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Twin Cities region exclusively. Nearly 80% of the foundation's grants support this specific geographic area.

Programme-Specific Examples of Funded Work:

  • Minneapolis Public Schools' Girls in Engineering, Maths and Science (GEMS) and Guys in Science and Engineering (GISE) programmes - received multi-million dollar, multi-year grants
  • Achieve Twin Cities Career & College Centres in MPS and Saint Paul Public Schools high schools - the foundation's largest partner with over $26.8 million in grants since 2000
  • Northside Achievement Zone's High School to College Success and Family Achievement Coaching Programme - received over $1.9 million in grants
  • National FFA Organisation - received $3.15 million three-year grant (2024) supporting sustainability, equity/diversity/inclusion pathway, and Living to Serve programme

Alignment with Corporate Values: Organisations must align with Cargill's principles around inclusion and diversity as embodied in their Guiding Principles and Code of Conduct.

Multi-Year Partnership Approach: The foundation appears to favour sustained, multi-year grants to proven partners rather than one-time funding, as evidenced by repeated multi-million dollar commitments to organisations like Achieve Twin Cities and Minneapolis Public Schools.

Focus on Systemic Change: The foundation supports programmes that work at scale (entire school districts, multiple schools) rather than isolated interventions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only process: You cannot submit an unsolicited application. Focus on building a strong track record in STEM education, college/career readiness, or childhood nutrition for K-12 low-income youth in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

  • Geographic restriction is absolute: Only organisations serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Twin Cities region are eligible. This is non-negotiable.

  • Target population specificity matters: Programmes must serve low-income and/or BIPOC youth in grades K-12 (or ages 2-12 for nutrition programmes). Demographics are central to the foundation's mission.

  • Scale and partnership approach: The foundation favours significant, multi-year investments in proven partners. Their largest grants go to organisations working at systems-level (school districts, multiple schools).

  • Proven track record is essential: With an invitation-only model, the foundation seeks out organisations already demonstrating strong outcomes. Build your reputation in the Twin Cities nonprofit sector.

  • Two programme areas only: Education (STEM and college/career readiness) and Childhood Nutrition are the only funded areas. Arts/culture and capital grants are extremely limited and also by invitation only.

  • Long-term relationships: The foundation has provided over $26.8 million to Achieve Twin Cities since 2000, indicating they value sustained partnerships with high-performing organisations over rotating grant recipients.

References

All sources accessed December 2025.

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