Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

Quick Stats

Total Assets: $1.55 billion
Annual Giving: $126.9 million (2023)
Total Grants Made: 8,500+ annually (including donor-advised grants)
Foundation-Directed Grants: 1,663 annually
Decision Time: 1 week (Community Sharing Fund); varies by programme
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 over $1.5 billion in charitable assets. The Foundation and its donors grant over $100 million annually to thousands of organisations across Minnesota. The Foundation's mission centres on "creating an equitable, just, and vibrant Minnesota" through equity-centred grantmaking and community-driven philanthropy.

The Foundation has undergone a major community-informed redesign of its grant programmes in partnership with F.R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation. This redesign prioritises 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."

Chanda Smith Baker serves as President & CEO, bringing a strong commitment to equity-centred leadership and community relationships. Under her leadership, the Foundation continues to emphasise listening to community voices and building bridges across differences.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The Foundation offers multiple grant programmes with varying application methods:

Minnesota Community IDEAS Programme (Statewide)

Amount: $160,000 per organisation over 3 years ($100,000 in year 1, $40,000 in year 2, $20,000 in year 3)
Total Available: $1.6 million annually
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 organisations, Greater Minnesota, and Twin Cities 7-county metro area

Bush Prize: Minnesota

Focus: Honours Minnesota individuals and organisations creating significant community impact
Application Method: Nomination-based; administered as community grant partner to Bush Foundation

Arts & Culture Grant Programme

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

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 (Invitation-only transitional period)

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: During transitional periods, applications may be by invitation only; new open application processes launch periodically

Priority Areas

The Foundation prioritises:

Racial equity and social justice: Core to all grantmaking decisions
Community-identified needs: Programmes responsive to what communities say they need
Capacity building: Strengthening nonprofit sector infrastructure
Indigenous communities: Dedicated support for Native-led and Native-serving organisations
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

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

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO

Chanda Smith Baker serves as President & CEO of the Foundation. Previously founder and CEO of Smith Baker, she brings extensive experience in equity-centred 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 organisation. Recent 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 programmes 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 programme eligibility and funding priorities on the Foundation's website
Contact the Grants Team before applying (strongly encouraged) to ensure programme 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

Programme-Specific Methods:

Rolling programmes (Community Sharing Fund, Management Improvement Fund): Applications accepted year-round
Annual programmes (Minnesota Community IDEAS, Arts & Culture): Fixed annual deadlines
Invitation-only (transitional grants): Limited to organisations 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 Programmes: Timelines vary by programme. As part of the 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). Foundation-directed grant programmes make approximately 1,663 grants annually. In recent transitional grant rounds, hundreds of grants totalling millions of dollars have been awarded.

For the Minnesota Community IDEAS Programme: 15 organisations are typically selected from across Minnesota to receive funding in each cohort.

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 organisations that have previously applied, whether successful or not. There are no stated restrictions on reapplying. Organisations 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 programme fits your needs." This pre-application conversation is strongly recommended and can help identify the best-fit programme for your organisation.

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

Community-Centred Approach: The Foundation emphasises 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 Organisations as Examples

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 recognised 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 organisation advancing Indigenous sovereignty, safety, and justice

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

Strategic Considerations

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

Geographic Distribution: While the Foundation has statewide reach, programmes like Building Community Capacity specifically target the East Metro. Understand which geographic tier your organisation 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 programme fit before investing in a full application.
Emphasise 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 programmes.
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 programmes with updated priorities launch periodically. Review the latest guidelines carefully, as historical information may not reflect current priorities.
Build relationships over time: While some programmes have rolling applications, the Foundation values ongoing relationships. Consider starting with smaller programmes like Management Improvement Fund to establish connection.

References

All sources accessed December 2024.

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