Fluff Free Fundraising

From Access Philanthropy

____________________

November 2024

Raise A Glass #1:

The next time you’re out with friends or sitting alone in a pool of despair and sorrow, Raise a Glass to yourself, your crew, and Mother Hope.



“Despair is not just self-defeating; it’s unrealistic.” Susan Griffin 

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.” Emily Dickinson

In this Issue:

• Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Bigelow and Mardag Foundations Update Their Latest Plans to “Reimagine” Their Philanthropy
• News about upcoming Access Philanthropy Workshops

People in Philanthropy | Grant announcements | Fundraising news | Surveys and Reports | Fundraiser's Toolbox | Jobs in Philanthropy | Raise a Glass #2

WEBINAR: DECEMBER 5, 9:30 - 11

Unlocking the 990 and Other Prospecting Tools & Directories

Boost your fundraising as you head into the new year. Join us and sharpen your prospecting skills. Learn how to find and evaluate funders that align with your mission and goals. We'll walk you through key tools like Candid, Instrumentl, Cause IQ, 990s, and more.

Save the DATE: Feb 6, 2025 1-4 PM

National Foundations: Know Who and Know How

We are again joining with Minnesota Council of Nonprofits to present the top 100 national grantmakers that give in MN.

PEOPLE IN PHILANTHROPY

In our workshops and consultations, AP stresses the importance of developing relationships with foundation personnel, especially in your field of interest. Here are a bunch of new foundation folks you may want to contact.

Texas-based mega-funder Arnold Ventures has been focusing its recent work on infrastructure in policy and implementation. They recently hired two new VPs in these areas: Dr. Jenny Schuetz is now the Vice President of Infrastructure Housing and  Sara Schaumburg has joined as Vice President of Advocacy, Communications & External Affairs — Chief of Staff.

Dr. Erin Bogan is the new K-12 Program Officer at the Gates Foundation. She has led “projects, research, and initiatives funded by the Gates Foundation to support students from K-12 to Postsecondary.”.

Melanie Jiménez joined Ms. Foundation as a Program Officer. She’s originally from LA but has worked with the San Francisco Foundation. Melanie has expertise in program-related investments and other grantmaking portfolios that focus on anti-displacement efforts and community wealth-building through collective ownership. 

Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation recently hired Tod Herskovitz as Nonprofit Strategies Manager. Tod has twenty years of experience in building nonprofit partnerships. 

Sara Gangelhoff is the new Director of Advocacy and Innovation at the Women's Foundation of MN. Sara will lead their policy work, building a strong legislative agenda and advocating for statewide policies that advance racial and gender equity.

The Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation announced that Richard Burns has joined as Interim Executive Director to lead the Foundation into 2025. 

Interested in other local nonprofit personnel changes? Check out Lars Leafblad’s TLE Newsletter (That Lars Email) on LinkedIn. Full of interesting changes.

Need a sounding board for your development ideas? Need promising new ideas from the philanthropic sector? Need someone to think about the big picture or the day-to-day fundraising stuff? AP crew members offer 30-minute chats for free. Drop a note to 4info@accessphilanthropy.com to set up a time to chat. Email us!

GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Opportunities

Here are a few grant opportunities that AP has come across which may have broad interest.

Patrick and Aimee Butler Foundation’s Community Grants Program and Special Projects Grants Program provide two-year funding to 501(c)(3) organizations in three priority areas: the arts, environment, and human services.

Patrick and Aimee’s Community Grants Program: Opens December 1 for new applicants, with an LOI due April 1. Special Project Grants Program: will resume with two rounds in 2025. A letter-of-intent process for current grantees opened on October 1, 2024, and will close on December 2, 2024. 

The Minneapolis Foundation’s WCA Foundation announced its 2025 Project Investment grant round. WCA will accept grant applications from November 19, 2024, through 1 p.m., December 19, 2024.

The Stevens Square Foundation grant application opens on January 6. The Foundation is dedicated to inspiring and enabling older adults to live with dignity and independence.

Walmart Foundation’s Spark Good Local Grant amounts range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $5,000. Grant applications are accepted and reviewed during three submission periods this year. Adjusted deadlines Grant application timelines: 3/1 – 7/15, 8/6 – 10/15, and 11/1 – 12/31.

Northside Youth Enrichment Fund is now accepting applications with an available pool of $180,000. The application will be open from November 15, 2024, through January 13, 2025.

Grant Watch has posted 12 grant opportunities for K12 teachers.

Microsoft Tools: Nonprofits can save on Microsoft Solutions—including Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365.

Our thanks to the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits for these grant opportunity leads:

Mayo Clinic Community Contributions Program supports nonprofit organizations in Olmsted County, Minnesota. It focuses on human services, education and workforce development, youth enrichment, diversity and inclusion, arts and cultural enrichment, capital campaigns, and community events.

Organizations can request grants from December to November, typically limited to 20 percent of an organization's operating or capital budget. Applications over $5,000 are reviewed quarterly with specific submission deadlines, while requests for $5,000 or less are reviewed biweekly with approximately four-week response times.

Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation Grants Inquiries are due December 10, and full applications are due January 15, 2025. The grants focus on four key areas to strengthen and support community well-being: Social Welfare, Arts and Culture, Education, and Community and Economic Development. Short-form and full-form proposals depend on the size of the requests.

Pohlad Family Foundation’s Housing Stability Direct Impact Program requests are due November 25, 2024. The program offers grants ranging from $100,000 to $400,000 over two years to support community-based efforts that help Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) families and youth increase and sustain long-term housing stability in the metro area.

Organizations must demonstrate strategies/efforts to increase racial equity and address racial disparities. For organizations with a specific BIPOC community focus, the foundation will look for your external efforts to help inform the field and stakeholders, as well as focus on the financial health of your organization. A portion of the grant awarded (up to 15%) can be used for capacity-building efforts. 

Announcements of grantees/ grant news:

Native Voices Rising grants 4 million to 145 indigenous-led nonprofits.

Constellation Fund’s 2024 Annual Report

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation awards more than $4M to 18 nonprofits.

FUNDRAISING NEWS

Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Bigelow and Mardag Foundations Update Their Latest Plans to “Reimagine” Their Philanthropy

The Foundations announced they’ve come through their first round of plans and changes.

From the announcement:

“The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation have been exploring how, as grantmaking organizations, we can best disperse our community resources to address current issues and better realize the goals of each of our organizations.

“We engaged in a community-informed process to redesign the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation's open, application-based grant programs.

“Beginning in 2026, each of the three Foundations will make grants using two new application processes for grant seekers: Responsive Grants and System-level Grants

(see the descriptions below).

“We anticipate posting detailed guidelines and application information late in 2025, with the first applications due and grants made in early 2026.

“To create the capacity our staff needs to operationalize these changes, the three Foundations will each implement transitional grant rounds in 2025. For more about our 2025 transitional grant round guidelines, please visit each Foundation’s grant guidelines page."

-Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Building Community Capacity grant program, F. R. Bigelow Foundation, Mardag Foundation

Responsive Grants

This rolling application process will provide grants within select funding priorities for each Foundation to support ongoing, urgent, emergent, and timely community opportunities. We anticipate making decisions quarterly. We will share full guidelines for these grants late in 2025 and will begin making responsive grants in 2026.

System-level Grants

Each Foundation will move to making fewer but larger, multi-year general operating grants for select funding priorities. We anticipate opening the first System-level grant round early in 2026. Given the nature and length of these grants, we will return to conducting site visits and anticipate the first set of these multi-year grants will be approved late in 2026

National Center for Family Philanthropy’s Report: “Where Family Foundations Were, Where They Are Now, and Where They are Heading”

National Center for Family Philanthropy’s Trends 2025 is the third iteration of the report. Conducted every five years, it captures and tracks leading trends in family philanthropy. The research aims to equip donors with data they can apply to their decision-making.

Key Takeaways:

• The rate at which foundations give general operating support, multiyear grants, and capacity-building grants has declined steadily since 2015.
• Boards primarily recruit independent board members through personal networks, which may limit their ability to reach diverse profiles and voices.
• Foundations communicate less than they did five years ago about giving priorities, grantmaking processes, feedback to grantees, and more.



Wellspring

Wellspring Philanthropic Fund announced it will complete all grantmaking by the end of 2028. The multi-billion dollar foundation has long supported global human rights, women’s rights, and LGBT causes.

McKnight is moving down the block

After 20 years at its current office in the Washburn A Mill building, the Foundation is relocating to 921 South Washington Avenue, a few blocks away.

Could this mean the revival of the Jostens Foundation?

The politically conservative Koch Inc.’s investment arm invested $450 million in Jostens Inc. as part of a $640 million recapitalization corporate restructuring and debt refinancing deal by the Twin Cities maker of yearbooks and class rings.



Supporting Native communities is about listening and relationships. 

In a Candid blog post, Northwest Area Foundation CEO Kevin Walker and Board Member Wayne Ducheneaux reflect on their lessons and how the Foundation has grown as funders of Native communities.

Waste Management?

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust equity portfolio is valued at around $49 billion. Over two-thirds of that amount, about 69%, is invested in just three stocks:

• Microsoft. Gates' last significant donation ($20 billion) came from his company’s shares.
• Berkshire Hathaway. As of the end of 2024 Q2, the trust had 24.6 million shares of Warren Buffet’s investment company.
• Waste Management: The Gates Foundation owns about 35 million shares of Waste Management, making it the largest shareholder of the largest waste hauler in the US.

 

National Center for Family Philanthropy:

What’s an Intermediary, and why do funders like them?

In a blog post at the National Center for Family Philanthropy, Chloe Cockburn, Founder and CEO of Just Impact Advisors, discusses:

• The challenges of defining Intermediaries, 
• When donors should use them, and 
• How funders select an Intermediary fund. 

She never arrives at a standard definition of an intermediary fund - but that’s been a challenge for years. She does a pretty good job describing what they do:

“Intermediary funds run by expert philanthropic fund managers allow parent funders to access the high-quality field expertise, strategic thinking, and relationships with key leaders necessary to get a lot of bang for the buck, without hiring staff… 

And because they are aggregating money, intermediaries can give organizations the amounts they need to experiment and be ambitious.”

Bremer Bank is Looking For a Buyer

Bloomberg News, citing unnamed sources, reported that St. Paul-based Bremer Financial has retained financial advisers to find a buyer. What will this mean for the foundation? We haven’t received any responses from the Trust or the Bank about the effect of the change of ownership on grantmaking, but local business reporters say the three top prospective buyers are Associated Banks, BMO and Old National Bank. None of which have a great philanthropy record in Minnesota.



From #CrappyFundingPractices 

If you’ve never encountered #CrappyFundingPractices, their LinkedIn page is managed by Vu Le from Nonprofit AF. This month, they’re calling out Eagles for Children foundation for doing things backward: Charging your fund recipients. (he essentially says: If your administrative expenses are so high you can’t afford to give the money away, then don’t.)

Access Philanthropy will be making the Arts & Culture Funders in MN book available for sale

What's inside:

• 170 funder profiles and arts giving in Minnesota from 2018-2022
• Top Trends in MN Arts Grantmaking

Watch for an announcement in December.

Social Donor Giving

The 2023 Giving Experience Study examines how generosity has changed as donors enthusiastically return to in-person fundraising formats and reconnect with the causes they passionately care about.

Approximately 23% of U.S. adults surveyed self-identified as social donors in 2023. After an upward trend in social giving during the pandemic, this number came down 6 points from 29% to 23%—back to the same percentage seen during the first year of the study (2018).

Five Types of Social Donor Interactions

• Runs/Walks/Rides – (40% of social donors engaged in this giving). Runs/Walks/Rides donors sponsor someone or participate in a fundraising ride or similar activity.
• Occasions - (36% of social donors). Donors donated or requested donations for an occasion (like a birthday) or memorial/tribute.
• Events - (33% of social donors). Donated at or attended a fundraising event (like a gala, golf tournament, or similar event) virtually or in person.
• Giving Days - (31% of social donors). Donors donated or requested donations for a specific day/month (like Giving Tuesday, Black History Month, Cancer Awareness Month).
• Challenges - (24% of social donors). Donated to or participated in a fundraising challenge or virtual campaign (like the Ice Bucket Challenge).

Key Trends in Social Giving

Things are getting back to “normal.” During the pandemic, more people increased their screen time, and so did their participation in online giving opportunities. But in 2023, social donors returned to their 2018 pre-pandemic levels. The most notable decreases in social giving occurred in “Event” fundraising, clearly an online giving tools

Mission, trust, and ease share the podium as top motivators. Donors seem to be returning to their passions when it comes to philanthropy, with mission being the top motivator in this year’s study. Ease has been a top three motivator in each social donor study since 2018 and remains a core motivator for today’s donors. 

Social donor demographics indicate narrowing access. This year’s data show demographics shifting back to pre-pandemic levels. Younger donors, especially Black donors, were less likely to report participating in social giving.

In-person events are back in a big way, but donors want more than cold chicken at events. Eight in ten social donors reported their last event or peer-to-peer fundraising experience was in person. That number is even higher among event-goers who attended functions like galas and golf tournaments. Donor expectations of quality are changing. Fewer event-goers rated their experience as excellent this year, signaling a continued need for improvement on behalf of nonprofits in perfecting their event experiences. The majority of donors say it is important to offer choices and options at an event, like VIP experiences and different ticket packages.

Social donor loyalty is trending upward. This year, donors who participated in events runs/walks/rides reported they were more likely to continue supporting an organization. Three-quarters of these donors said they would “definitely sponsor or participate” in a similar format in the future. 

There are new opportunities for social donor retention and recurring giving. Certain groups of social donors, such as event donors, Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, men, donors who gave $500 or more, and urban donors, reported being more likely to become regular annual or monthly donors.



80% of Grantmakers Use Some Form of AI. 

The Technology Association of Grantmakers conducts a philanthropy tech survey every two years to understand the policies, practices, and perceptions within the grantmaking community.

Here are four AI developments from grantmakers from the 2024 survey worth noting:

• 80% are experimenting with AI; however, only 30% have implemented governance. 
• 69% plan to remain or move to a hybrid/remote workplace model for 2024.
• 20% will support tech and tools for nonprofits in 2024, down from 23% in 2022.
• 28% invest 6-10% of their operating budget in technology, down from 36% in 2022.

How Long Should a Donor Letter Be?

Donor Communications Specialist Lisa Sargent asks: If your team is agonizing over short letter vs. long, have them focus instead on what no reader wants: 

• No one wants a 4-page letter crammed onto 1-page/2-sides.
• No one wants an 8-point type with yawning wide line measures that skyrocket eye fatigue and create an Impenetrable Wall of Text.
• No supporter wants a boilerplate. They want emotion, a strong offer, life, authenticity, connection, urgency, and love. 

Three Interesting Articles on Reaching Donors

1. Digital marketer and writer Kaili Killpack examines How Millennials And Gen Z Are Redefining Philanthropy.
2. Matt Nash, executive director of The Blackbaud Giving Fund, offers tips on attracting corporate donors. 
3. Nonprofit Tech for Good lists 10 Donation Page Best Practices for Nonprofits



Headwaters Foundation for Justice’s Community News Submission Form

This form is used to submit job listings or event invitations to be included in HFJ’s monthly newsletter. Please note that they prioritize their grantee partners & community partners and that submissions are not guaranteed publication. The monthly newsletters generally goes out on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.

Language

A Toolkit on How to Implement Social Prescribing

We often discuss linking one interest area to another to reach a broader range of grantmakers (e.g., linking mental health to the arts to approach arts funders). 

This practice has a name! It’s called Social Prescribing, and at least in the arts field, it’s the connection between the arts and volunteering, programming, and other nonprofit activities. There are other cross-field connections, as you can imagine. Check out whether social prescribing can work for you. See the kit from the World Health Organization.

From Benzinga: 80% Of Young Wealthy Prefer To Be Called 'Givers'

Takeaways about Young Donors/Givers:

• 80% of young wealthy individuals prefer to be called "givers" rather than philanthropists, reflecting a shift in values and approach to charitable giving.
• Millennials and Gen Z are redefining philanthropy by getting directly involved through volunteering, fundraising, and sitting on nonprofit boards rather than just donating money.
• The 2016 election was a turning point for young adults, sparking a wave of charitable involvement and donations to progressive causes. What will happen in 2025?
• Younger generations prioritize social impact, focusing on causes like homelessness, climate change, and women's empowerment, and measure success by public recognition and amplifying their impact

JOBS IN PHILANTHROPY

This is a free job board that AP puts together. Our interest is getting good Minnesota nonprofit folks into good local and national foundation jobs.

Great Job Boards from Other Organizations: Minnesota Council On Foundations, Funders For LGBTQ, Emerging Practitioners In Philanthropy, Peak Grantmaking, Philanthropy Job Board Hub, Foundation List, and Association of Black Foundation Executives 

• Margaret A. Cargill, Philanthropic Services (MN) needs an Assistant Controller.
• Our own McKnight Foundation (MN) is hiring a Senior Program Officer, Midwest Climate & Energy.
• Minnesota’s Northwest Area Foundation (MN) is hiring a Program VP.
• Hometown’s United Way: Greater Twin Cities (MN) Director of Data Leadership & Program Officer, Pathways Home.
• Minnesota’s Indian Land Tenure Foundation (focused on “all reservation and important off-reservation lands are owned and managed by American Indian nations and people”) needs a Program Officer.
• Detroit’s Skillman Foundation (former home of McKnight’s Tonya Allen) needs a Program Manager.
• Irving, CA-based  Taco Bell Foundation (scholarships and youth program innovations) is hiring a Director.
• New Jersey’s Rita Allen Foundation (“big ideas in science and civil society”) wants a Senior Writer and Editor, Ideas and Impact.
• The national education foundation Ascendium (Madison, WI ) needs a Deputy Director of Education Grantmaking.
• Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (Oakland) is searching for a President and CEO. This is a funder collaborative for Asian American funders. Not much money but great collaborations and collective action.
• The premier US Lesbian funder, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (NY), is hiring an Associate Director for the Intersex Human Rights Fund.
• DC-based Wyss Foundation needs a Program Officer for its Women's Equality Program. Although the Foundation is primarily focused on nature and climate change, this program extends beyond those fields.
• The DC-based megafund Bezos Earth Fund needs a Chief of Staff. They make HUGE grants.
• The great Black-owned, Black-operated Black Collective Foundation MN is seeking a Vice President of Advancement & External Relations. A great opportunity to work with great folks.
• Silicon Valley-based and focused Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) has several openings. If you’re a scientist, look them up. They have hundreds of contractors.
• San Francisco family foundation Crankstart (San Francisco) is hiring a VP of Operations. They’re focused on housing, education, and civil rights. Mostly in Northern California.
• New Jersey-focused Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation is searching for a President and CEO
• Ford Foundation (NY) is hiring a West Africa Office Program Officer (Lagos, Nigeria).
• Ford also wants a Senior Officer US Economic Mobility Knowledge & Tools (LTE). This is Ford’s basic anti-poverty program. 
• (Bill and Melinda) Gates Foundation (Seattle) has several open positions.
• A national leader in climate, education, human rights, and science, the Heising-Simons Foundation is looking for a Director for Climate and Clean Energy. A great opportunity. 
• Justice Climate Fund (DC) is hiring for multiple remote roles, including two managing director roles. Their grants are distributed throughout the US, including nine communities in MN.
• One of our favorite foundations, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (Battle Creek, MI), is hiring a Communications Manager. They’re focused on MS, MI, NM, and New Orleans, but they’re also the largest strictly Racial Diversity funder in the U.S.
• Lemelson Foundation (Portland, OR) is hiring a Program Officer for Climate Action. Interesting grantmaker with some focus on Invention.
• Henry Luce Foundation (NY) has started a search for a new President and CEO.
• Indianapolis-based education funder Lumina Foundation is hiring a Director, Journalism and Digital Strategies. They know Minnesota.
• John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (Chicago) has several open internships and positions, including Grants Management Administrator.
• Mellon Foundation (NY) has several open positions, including Manager, Insights and Analytics.
• Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Palo Alto) is searching for a few Program Directors and a Communication Manager.
• The National Endowment for the Humanities (DC)  is hiring a Grants Management Specialist.
• NEO Philanthropy (NY) needs a Program Officer for the Economic Mobility & Opportunity Fund. Mostly a pass-through (see Intermediary article above) for other funders. Great contacts.
• The national Women’s Funding Network (San Francisco) has two open positions: Director of Philanthropy &  Community Engagement Coordinator.

Amid all the worry and uncertainty from the recent election, there is a vast, untapped reservoir of hope and joy. Lisa Blunt Rochester (Delaware) and Angela Alsobrooks (Maryland), two powerful Black women, were elected to the U.S. Senate this month. They are the third and fourth Black women elected to the Senate (following Carol Moseley Braun and Kamala Harris).  

Of course, it will be very rough terms for them. But they won easily against tremendous headwinds. And they WILL be a presence in the Senate. The next time you’re out with friends, Raise a Glass to the two new Senators and wish them well from the depth of your heart.

Thanks for joining us this month.

SO, WHAT EXACTLY DOES ACCESS PHILANTHROPY

DO FOR A LIVING? 

THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US.

Need some ideas, someone to talk to about fundraising, or just a fabulous listener/chatter?

4info@accessphilanthropy.com