Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

Quick Stats

Total Assets: $1.9 billion
Annual Giving: $106 million (2023)
Total Grants Made: 8,500+ annually (including donor-advised grants)
Foundation-Directed Grants: 1,663 (2024)
Decision Time: 1 week (Community Sharing Fund); varies by program
Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,000,000
Geographic Focus: Minnesota statewide, with emphasis on East Metro (Dakota, Ramsey, Washington counties)

Contact Details

Website: spmcf.org
Phone: 651.224.5463 or 800.875.6167
Email: grantsadmin@spmcf.org (grants-related inquiries)
Address: 370 Wabasha Street North, Suite 300, Saint Paul, MN 55102

Pre-Application Support: All interested applicants are encouraged to contact a member of the Grants Team before applying. The Foundation hosts virtual information sessions and Q&A lunch hours prior to application deadlines.

Overview

Founded in 1940, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation is Minnesota's largest community foundation, stewarding $1.9 billion in charitable assets. In 2023, the Foundation and its donors granted $106 million to 3,253 organizations across Minnesota. The Foundation's mission centers on "creating an equitable, just, and vibrant Minnesota" through equity-centered grantmaking and community-driven philanthropy.

Throughout 2024-2025, the Foundation underwent a major community-informed redesign of its grant programs in partnership with F.R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation. This redesign prioritizes increased transparency in timelines and decision-making, community input, and alignment with community-identified priorities. The Foundation's work is rooted in racial equity and guided by the principle that "community should not only benefit from their work, but inform and form it."

In August 2025, Chanda Smith Baker became President & CEO, bringing a strong commitment to equity-centered leadership and community relationships. Under her leadership, the Foundation continues to emphasize listening to community voices and building bridges across differences.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation offers multiple grant programs with varying application methods:

Minnesota Community IDEAS Program (Statewide)

Amount: $160,000 per organization over 3 years ($100,000 in year 1, $40,000 in year 2, $20,000 in year 3)
Total Available: $1.6 million annually (2025-2027)
Focus: Design, test, and spread ideas that make communities better; inspire, equip, and connect people through community-led change
Application Method: Annual competitive application
Special Notes: Targets three communities: Native-led/serving organizations, Greater Minnesota, and Twin Cities 7-county metro area

Bush Prize: Minnesota

Focus: Honors Minnesota individuals and organizations creating significant community impact
Application Method: Nomination-based; administered as community grant partner to Bush Foundation
Recent Activity: 2 honorees and 6 finalists selected in 2025

Arts & Culture Grant Program

Amount: Up to $1,000,000 available in 2026
Number of Grants: Approximately 10 grants anticipated
Focus: Strengthening arts and culture sector across East Metro and Greater Minnesota
Application Method: Opens January 2026

Management Improvement Fund (Rolling)

Amount: Up to $15,000
Eligibility: Nonprofits with operating budgets under $5 million
Focus: Technical assistance and consultation for capacity building (strategic planning, board development, technology systems, financial management, fundraising, etc.)
Application Method: Rolling applications

Community Sharing Fund (Rolling)

Focus: Rapid response grants for community needs
Application Method: Rolling applications
Decision Timeline: Decisions typically made within one week

Building Community Capacity Grants (Transitional; invitation-only for 2025)

Focus: Community-identified priorities in East Metro (Dakota, Ramsey, Washington counties)
Priority Areas: Community connectedness, economic opportunity and security, education, health, housing and transportation, human services and family support
Note: 2025 applications by invitation only; new open application process begins 2026

Priority Areas

The Foundation prioritizes:

Racial equity and social justice: Core to all grantmaking decisions
Community-identified needs: Programs responsive to what communities say they need
Capacity building: Strengthening nonprofit sector infrastructure
Indigenous communities: Dedicated support for Native-led and Native-serving organizations
Arts and culture: Sector strengthening across Minnesota
Economic opportunity: Supporting pathways to financial security
Health and human services: Family support and community wellbeing

What They Don't Fund

Organizations not classified as 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6) nonprofits, government entities, educational institutions, or organizations with fiscal sponsors
Organizations exclusively serving the West Metro (Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, or Scott counties)
Religious organizations for expressly religious purposes (varies by program)
Projects duplicative of work funded by specific partner initiatives
Proposals to fill budget gaps or replace government grants due to federal changes (specific programs)

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO

Chanda Smith Baker joined the Foundation as President & CEO in August 2025. Previously founder and CEO of Smith Baker, she brings extensive experience in equity-centered leadership and community engagement.

On her vision: "We are living in a moment defined by both challenge and possibility. I believe philanthropy has a vital role in building bridges and relationships across differences."

On the Foundation's approach: "Listening to community, allowing community to be the compass, convening across differences — those are values that I lead with."

On current challenges: "There are people living in fear, with disparities becoming more obvious. Our responsibility is to demonstrate that we're about community. That we understand the struggle, and that we are showing up with integrity and relationship."

Senior Leadership

Jeremy Wells, Senior Vice President of Philanthropic Services
Rhonda Cox, Vice President of People and Culture
Tsega Tamene, Senior Director of Community Impact
Tiffany Kong, Director of Community Impact

Board of Directors

The Foundation's Board includes committed volunteers who govern the organization. Recent 2025 additions include:

Christine Marvin, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer at Marvin
Andre Creighton, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Revenue Operations at PB&J TV
Allison Gettings, President and CEO of Red Wing Shoe Company

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Most grant programs require registration in GranteeView, the online grant application portal shared by Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, F.R. Bigelow Foundation, and Mardag Foundation.

Application Steps:

Review grant program eligibility and funding priorities on the Foundation's website
Contact the Grants Team before applying (strongly encouraged) to ensure program fit
Register for GranteeView (begin early; each person needs their own account)
Attend virtual information sessions or Q&A lunch hours (offered prior to deadlines)
Submit application through GranteeView portal

Program-Specific Methods:

Rolling programs (Community Sharing Fund, Management Improvement Fund): Applications accepted year-round
Annual programs (Minnesota Community IDEAS, Arts & Culture): Fixed annual deadlines starting January 2026
Invitation-only (2025 transitional grants): Limited to organizations with existing Foundation relationships

Portal Access: spmf.iphiview.com/spmf/LogIn

Decision Timeline

Community Sharing Fund: Decisions typically made within one week of application receipt; staff reviews within 5 business days.

Other Programs: Timelines vary by program. As part of the 2024-2025 grant redesign, the Foundation committed to "increased visibility into timelines and decision-making, and earlier insight into decisions."

Applicants are notified of decisions through the GranteeView portal and may receive additional communication via email or phone.

Success Rates

The Foundation makes over 8,500 grants annually (including donor-advised grants). In 2024, Foundation-directed grant programs made 1,663 grants. In the first 2025 transitional grant round, 456 grants totaling $14 million were awarded.

For the Minnesota Community IDEAS Program 2025: 15 organizations were selected from across Minnesota to receive funding.

Specific application-to-award ratios are not publicly disclosed, but the Foundation shares data from past grant rounds to help frame grantseeker expectations.

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation welcomes applications from organizations that have previously applied, whether successful or not. There are no stated restrictions on reapplying. Organizations are encouraged to contact the Grants Team to discuss feedback from previous applications and improve future submissions.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Foundation

Before Applying: "All interested applicants are encouraged to contact a member of the Grants Team before applying to ensure that the grant program fits your needs." This pre-application conversation is strongly recommended and can help identify the best-fit program for your organization.

Advisor Support: For the Minnesota Community IDEAS Program, "Organizations invited to apply will be matched with an advisor/mentor who will help you navigate the application process and support your organization in preparing a successful application."

Community-Centered Approach: The Foundation emphasizes that it "believes that the community should not only benefit from their work, but inform and form it." Applications should demonstrate how communities have shaped the proposed work and will guide implementation.

Equity Lens: All applications are reviewed through the Foundation's commitment to racial equity. Projects should demonstrate understanding of and commitment to addressing systemic inequities.

Recent Funded Organizations as Examples

2025 Minnesota Community IDEAS Grantees demonstrate the Foundation's priorities:

All Nations Rise: Uplifts and empowers Indigenous families by strengthening systems that nurture and protect them
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa: Federally recognized tribe in northern Minnesota's Arrowhead region
Dakota Wicohan: Regional nonprofit in Morton, MN, grounded in Indigenous self-determination
Indigenous Protector Movement: South Minneapolis-based organization advancing Indigenous sovereignty, safety, and justice

These examples show the Foundation values: Indigenous-led initiatives, community self-determination, systemic approaches, and organizations deeply rooted in the communities they serve.

Strategic Considerations

Organizational Capacity: For the Management Improvement Fund, organizations with operating budgets under $5 million serving primarily low-income communities are prioritized. This suggests the Foundation values supporting smaller organizations building their infrastructure.

Geographic Distribution: While the Foundation has statewide reach, programs like Building Community Capacity specifically target the East Metro. Understand which geographic tier your organization falls into.

Data and Transparency: The Foundation shares grant data to help applicants understand funding patterns. Review their nonprofits funded page and annual reports before applying.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Contact the Grants Team first: This pre-application conversation is strongly encouraged and can save time by ensuring program fit before investing in a full application.
Emphasize community voice: Applications should demonstrate how community members have shaped the project design and will guide implementation—not just benefit from it.
Start GranteeView registration early: The portal registration process takes time, and you'll need it completed before applying to most programs.
Attend information sessions: The Foundation offers virtual Q&A sessions before deadlines—attend these to understand reviewer priorities and ask clarifying questions.
Align with equity values: The Foundation's commitment to racial equity is central. Applications should explicitly address how the project advances equity and addresses systemic barriers.
Consider the grant redesign timing: New programs with updated priorities launched in January 2026. Review the latest guidelines carefully, as historical information may not reflect current priorities.
Build relationships over time: While some programs have rolling applications, the Foundation values ongoing relationships. Consider starting with smaller programs like Management Improvement Fund to establish connection.

References

All sources accessed December 2024.