CHS Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $4.3 million (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Varies by program
• Grant Range: $1,000 - Multiple thousands (specific upper limits not disclosed)
• Geographic Focus: 18 states including ID, IL, MN, ND, and others

Contact Details

• Website: www.chsfoundation.org (redirects to www.chsinc.com/stewardship)
• Phone: 651-355-6000
• Address: 5500 Cenex Drive, Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077
• Email: Not publicly listed

Overview

CHS Foundation, established in 1996 as the philanthropic arm of CHS Inc., is a private grantmaking foundation with assets of $58.4 million (2024). The foundation distributes approximately $4.3 million annually to support rural America, agriculture, and cooperative business development. With a mission to invest in the future of rural communities, the foundation focuses on building agricultural career pathways, educating rural youth, supporting agricultural safety, and developing future agricultural leaders. In 2024, CHS Inc. and the foundation together invested $8.2 million in stewardship initiatives.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Ag Leadership Programs: Rolling basis (year-round applications)
• University Funding: Application period January 1 - February 28
• Ag Health and Safety: Rolling basis (year-round applications)
• Cooperative Education: Application period January 1 - February 15
• Mini-Grants: Up to $1,000
• Rural Youth Leadership Grants: Amount varies
• Scholarship Programs: 200 college scholarships ($1,000-$2,000); 100 high school scholarships ($1,000)

Priority Areas

• Agriculture education and career development
• Rural youth development
• Agricultural health and safety
• Cooperative business education
• Leadership development in agriculture
• Support for 25 partner colleges and universities
• Curriculum development (e.g., "Cooperative Minds" with Discovery Education)

What They Don't Fund

• Individual requests (except through scholarship programs)
• Sports teams or sporting events
• Medical causes
• Religious groups
• Political campaigns
• Dairy industry requests

Governance and Leadership

• Executive Director: Megan Wolle (Compensation: $153,506)
• Senior Stewardship: Tera Stoddard (Compensation: $60,236)
• Board Chair: Kevin Throener (Unpaid)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation operates multiple grant programs with different application windows:

• Ag Leadership and Ag Health & Safety: Accept applications year-round on a rolling basis
• University Funding: Applications accepted January 1 through February 28
• Cooperative Education: Applications accepted January 1 through February 15
• Organizations must be 501(c)(3) charities to be eligible

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by program and are not publicly specified. Rolling basis programs likely have faster turnaround times than those with fixed application windows.

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly available. The foundation supports 25 partner colleges and universities and awards 300 total scholarships annually.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly documented.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and funding patterns:

• Strong alignment with rural America and agricultural development
• Clear connection to cooperative business principles
• Programs that build career pathways in agriculture
• Emphasis on youth education and development
• Projects in one of the 18 states where CHS operates
• Demonstrable impact on agricultural safety or leadership development
• Educational initiatives that can scale or be replicated

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Focus applications on the intersection of agriculture, education, and rural development
• Highlight how your program builds the agricultural workforce pipeline
• Emphasize youth development and career pathway components
• Consider partnering with educational institutions already in their network
• Apply during the appropriate window for your program type
• Ensure your organization has 501(c)(3) status before applying
• Avoid requests related to dairy, medical causes, or political activities

References

• GuideStar Profile for CHS Foundation (EIN 41-6025858), accessed January 2025
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - CHS Foundation 2024 Form 990 data, accessed January 2025
• CHS Inc. Stewardship webpage (www.chsinc.com/stewardship), accessed January 2025
• CHS Foundation original website redirect (www.chsfoundation.org), accessed January 2025