The Minneapolis Foundation

Congratulations to Pillsbury United Communities on the grand opening of Pillsbury Creative Commons! This expanded arts and economic development hub is a huge win for South Minneapolis and our community. Located at 35th and Chicago, the campus includes a permanent home for @krsm KRSM 98.9 FM as well as the launchpad for TAT@P (Technical Arts Training at Pillsbury), a paid workforce development program focused on lighting, sound, carpentry, and scenic design. We were honored to invest $750,000 in this project through a Main Street Economic Revitalization grant made possible by state funding from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Pillsbury Creative Commons is an incredible example of what can happen when local residents and organizations come together and dream big. As Signe Harriday put it, “This project is possible because community decided it was possible.” We’re grateful to Signe, Noel Raymond, Michael Hoyt, Mike Brooks, and all the other leaders at Pillsbury House Theatre and KRSM who are driving positive change in South Minneapolis and beyond. The new campus is gorgeous—get down there and check it out!

Minnesota’s waters define our history, culture, and economy. But we’ve long taken our abundant fresh water for granted, and it’s now under threat. Water shortages, contamination, and competition for water rights are no longer hypothetical—they are immediate realities demanding our action. Without a united and immediate effort, we risk putting our most vital resources in jeopardy.      That’s why, two years ago, the Minneapolis Foundation helped launch a new statewide drive to imagine Minnesota as the water leader of the nation. Together with a cross-section of leaders in our state’s water ecosystem, we’re working to increase the collective sense of urgency about water issues and reshape the narrative of how Minnesotans think, feel, and act about water.      Today, we’re pleased to share a new tool to support this effort: PutWaterFirst.org is a new website offering a public blueprint and open-source hub for advancing Minnesota’s water future. It’s a resource for anyone working to protect water and grow Minnesota’s economy—from planners and policymakers to business leaders and nonprofits.      We’re excited to have this resource and look forward to partnering with Conservation Minnesota as they lead the next phase of this work!    Learn more about our work on this project: https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.plnkd.in/gKMA34g9

I absolutely love this fun reminder about the power of philanthropy from the The Minneapolis Foundation and the 3M Open. A donor advised fund is an incredible way to make change in your community. I know that our Board member, Joel Maturi, is out at the 3M Open today representing Second Harvest Heartland - so find Joel out there!

Got to spend a good chunk of the last two days in community with my local nonprofit and philanthropic sector folks. Feeling grateful to be connected in this larger ecosystem of care. Especially grateful for people willing and ready to have hard conversations (and ready to *fund* hard conversations). It's so important to make visible how we must all move differently right now. Really inspired by friends and colleagues talking about holding grief and love in our collective work - and how to tend to what matters most. Thank you Julia Hysell Ruther Allison Wagstrom Lissa Jones-Lofgren Emily Seddon Shereese Turner, M.A.

As someone who has worked as a consultant with nonprofits facing transitions and sunsets, and as the current board chair of an organization that is winding down, I really appreciated The Minneapolis Foundation hosting today’s conversation on Strategic Sunsetting, and the brilliance of Allison Wagstrom of Propel Nonprofits, and Lissa Jones-Lofgren, Shereese Turner, M.A., and Emily Seddon in sharing the story of Haven Housing. A few key quotes & thoughts that resonated with me: + Relationships are central in this work. I don’t know if we could have done that together if we didn’t trust each other. + Sustainability is not a destination, it is a pathway. There is never going to be a point where you can stop worrying about money. + Putting culture in contract is really hard. + Feel the fear and do it anyway. + Ask key questions – How much time do we have? What happens to the people? Who is hurt if you don’t change? How is your culture?

Yesterday we gathered to hear from a panel of women leaders with an incredible story about the “sunset to sunrise” of a beloved organization providing much-needed services in their community. Faced with an unsustainable funding model, the leaders of Haven Housing did not stick their heads in the sand. - They were brave. - They faced the financial facts. - They explored their options. - They made plans and took action. And, crucially, they didn’t put off hard decisions. They gave themselves time. Their courage, honesty, and care allowed them to do something extraordinary: Even as they dissolved this 40-year-old organization, they ensured that critical services for women and their families would continue to be provided in their community. They did so by arranging to gift St. Anne’s Place—an emergency shelter in North Minneapolis that is a thriving and needed resource—to People Serving People, a partner aligned with them in mission and values. This was a truly impactful conversation that left everyone in the room—donors, nonprofit leaders, board members—with insight on how we can show up for our communities in times of change and challenge. Many thanks to Emily Seddon, Lissa Jones-Lofgren, and Shereese Turner, M.A. for sharing their experiences as leaders at Haven Housing, and to Allison Wagstrom, who in her role at Propel Nonprofits has walked alongside many nonprofits facing similar challenges. We’re also deeply grateful to our colleague Julia Hysell Ruther, who recognized the importance of Haven Housing’s accomplishment and organized this event to help amplify their story.

Heads-up, grantseekers! We are pleased to announce that the Minneapolis Climate Action and Racial Equity Fund is now accepting applications for its next round of grants. Applications are due by 1 p.m. on August 21. In partnership with the City of Minneapolis and the McKnight Foundation, we offer this funding to support place-based, community-driven work that reduces local greenhouse gas emissions and increases the livability and resilience of local communities. Learn more and apply: https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.plnkd.in/eUbSd_bV

🏡 What would it take to close the homeownership gap—for good? That’s the question at the center of GroundBreak Coalition’s latest feature: “How the GroundBreak Coalition Is Taking on the Racial Home Ownership Gap.” 📖 This new piece, written by Dawn Wolfe and Inside Philanthropy, dives into the bold, community-rooted strategy behind our $5.3 billion capital commitment, the shared financial system we’re building, and the power of collaboration across philanthropy, government, and grassroots organizations. Thank you for the feature, Inside Philanthropy! This is a must-read. #GroundBreakCoalition #BlackHomeownership #RacialWealthGap #SystemsChange #EquityInAction #CommunityInvestment #TwinCities #BoldLeadership Tonya Allen R.T. Rybak David Mortenson Stan Alleyne Kaitlyn Adelle Erin Imon Gavin, Ed.D. Teresa Barnhill Ruby DeBellis Charlie Vander Aarde Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON) Neighborhood Development Center, Land Bank Twin Cities, Inc., LISC Twin Cities Minnesota Homeownership Center NeighborWorks Home Partners, Project for Pride in Living (PPL), Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity The Minneapolis Foundation McKnight Foundation GREATER MSP Partnership Inside Philanthropy

We're pleased to announce $210,000 in grants from the Fund for Safe Communities. Congratulations to all our grantee partners! We are honored to support the work you're doing to prevent violence and promote healing in local communities. We're also grateful to the fund's advisory committee, including Fredrick Emdin, Kaylin M., KJ Rolenc, Lewis McCaleb, Deven Nebo, Malik Rucker, Matthew Seawood, NeAsha Griffin, Shakia McDavid, Shamaria J., Ty Rehm, Taylor Tidwell-Bennett, Larry Wright III, Ramiyah Jackson, Gabriel Spinks, Bianca Monique Dawkins, and Jennifer Ridgeway. The emerging leaders in this group have seen the effects of community violence and are deeply invested in preventing it. As our colleague Sara Lueben put it, “This grant round was a great opportunity not only to listen, but to be led by community members who are close to the issues and have a deep understanding of what they see working for the people they care about.” See who we funded: https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.plnkd.in/gg6PvpmR

Young people benefit enormously when they have early opportunities to explore and build careers—and so does our community. That’s why we commissioned a new report on the local landscape of career pathway programs. BrookLynk is one program that stands out. Watch this 3-minute video to see how two suburbs, the City of Brooklyn Park, MN and the City of Brooklyn Center, are collaborating to invest in our future workforce. Dig into the full report: https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.plnkd.in/gFbEiDRJ