Member Post: Grantmaking Transparency in the Age of YouTube

January 12, 2012

One of MCF’s Principles for Grantmakers is to be transparent in communications with the public, applicants, grantees and donors. Many foundations are now using video and social media to do just that. Naomi Pesky, director of marketing and communications at Minnesota Philanthropy Partners, shares here a recent example she’s been working on.

When planning the launch of Minnesota Philanthropy Partners, we knew creating a video about our grantmaking work was an important component. As we unveiled a new name for our network of 1,600 funds, foundations and organizations, we wanted to reassure nonprofits that the grantmaking for three of our anchor foundations,  The Saint Paul Foundation, F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation, remained the same.

Video is also a great way to make our grantmaking processes more transparent. We hope that an insider peek into our practices will help nonprofits be more informed when working with us, which would then result in more powerful collaborations. Our program team wants to work closely with nonprofits. We welcome conversations with organizations to learn about their work and understand if their programs and objectives fit with our funding priorities and commitments.

Ultimately, this new grantmaking video, along with other communication efforts like our Nonprofits to KnowTM  video series and MNSights magazine, is intended to help strengthen philanthropy in Minnesota. We hope the outcome of the new video is that more great programs find our foundations and that our community is the better for it. Have a look and let us know what you think!

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Posted by MCF Webmaster

The Top 11 of 2011

December 29, 2011

As the year draws to a close, we think it’s worthwhile to take a look back and highlight some of the favorite, most read pieces from the Philanthropy Potluck blog in 2011. From working with program officers to the education gap to teaching kids the value of philanthropy, here are some of our readers’ favorite posts!

  1. Pet Peeves from Program Officers – How to steer clear of some common annoyances in the grantmaker/grantee relationship.
  2. Program Evaluation or Research and Development? – We need both! Six principles for engaging in sound research & development.
  3. Grantmaking at Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies – Minnesota’s largest grantmaker gears up and starts granting.
  4. Blandin Foundation Names New CEO – We welcome Kathleen Annette to her new role.
  5. What Does It Take to Lead in Diversity and Inclusivity? – Excerpts from an interview with Headwaters Foundation for Justice program director David Nicholson.
  6. High Praise from Program Officers – The flip side of pet peeves: how to make that relationship a good one!
  7. Youthprise Launches to Champion Learning Beyond the Classroom – A new grantmaker and MCF member hits the scene.
  8. Five Critical Ways to Address the Education Gap – Recommendations from the Minnesota African American Leadership Forum.
  9. We All Lose: Impact of Deep Cuts to NEA – Thoughts on arts-related cuts passed in Congress earlier this year.
  10. Native Americans in Philanthropy Giving Research Shows Inequities – Some bad news (national funding to Native Americans is low), and some good (Minnesota-based grantees receive the largest share of grant dollars targeting Native Americans in the nation).
  11. Teaching Kids to Share, Save and Spend – Some lessons from Teach Your Kids to Share Day, presented by MCF member Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Join the conversation: What were your favorite blog posts of 2011?

2 Comments | children, diversity, ethnic philanthropy, evaluation, programs, promotion of philanthropy, research | Permalink
Posted by MCF Webmaster

Yes, We DO Know: Minnesotans Are Generous!

November 16, 2011

Give to the Max Day seems like the perfect time for the Star Tribune’s Guide to Giving Back to hit the streets. This special feature includes MCF research on where Minnesota’s charitable giving comes from. It also features highlights from our donor toolkit on ways to give, whether that means giving directly, through the workplace, through a community foundation, or though planned giving.

And don’t miss the What Gives, Minnesota? feature, reflecting on why Minnesotans rank near the top of national charts on giving their time and money. Reporter Jean Hopfensperger reflects that a reputation for giving goes back to some of the early pioneering Minnesotans, like William McKnight, an early leader of 3M who went on to found The McKnight Foundation, and George Dayton, who founded what would become Target Corporation and the Target Foundation. The McKnight Foundation and Target Foundation, both MCF members, are now two of the largest foundations in the state.

Be sure to look for the section on giving in today’s edition of the Star Tribune! You can also find all of the articles on their website.

-Chris Oien, web communications associate

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Posted by MCF Webmaster

Unassuming — But Not Insignificant — Philanthropy Beyond the Big City

June 1, 2011

While Minnesota’s reputation for philanthropy has been bolstered by celebrated names like Bush, Cargill, Dayton, McKnight and Pohlad, significant generosity among lesser-known central Minnesotans is no small potatoes.

Stories of unassuming farmers who have left thousands – and in some cases, millions – to their hometown schools, churches and favorite charities will become increasingly common, according to the “Minnesota Generational Transfer of Wealth” (TOW) study commissioned by the Minnesota Initiative Foundations. “Farmers and business owners, who retire and sell their assets because their children don’t want to carry on, often find themselves with sizeable estates,” explains Bill King, MCF president.

Between 2011 and 2030, as an entire generation of baby boomers reaches retirement age and beyond, the TOW research estimates that the historic sum of $47.9 billion will be passed on. In 14 central Minnesota counties, that wealth transfer is approximated to be $5.8 billion.

The magnitude of this is illustrated in “The Great Succession” graphics that accompany my article “New Dawn,” which appears in the spring issue of IQ Magazine. IQ is published by the Initiative Foundation, based in Little Falls, Minn.

What does being on the brink of this new horizon mean? Historic windfalls often trigger introspective moments when people consider whether charitable giving is something they value and want to pursue.

“Every person, no matter how much or how little they have, reaches a moment in their lifetime where they consider doing something greater than themselves,” says Matt Kilian, Initiative Foundation’s vice president for external relations.

Although only time will tell if the generational transfer of wealth will inspire increased nonprofit donations or endowed funds in central Minnesota, Kilian envisions the possibilities: “What if a tiny portion of those dollars – say 5 percent – were invested in permanently endowed funds? What a gift from one generation to future generations.”

Titled “Outpourings,” the IQ spring issue looks at the trends and tradition of charitable giving in central Minnesota. Among the features:

  • A profile of four silent, selfless and inspiring givers
  • Charitable giving strategies employed by central Minnesota businesses
  • Creative, win-win philanthropic vehicles for donors
  • How donors and nonprofits click with online giving
  • Young Americans’ belief that giving isn’t a spectator sport
  • How legacies begin
  • Raising kids who give

As the magazine’s subtitle notes, generosity is truly flowing in central Minnesota.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

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Posted by Chris Noonan

Giving Grounded in Native Values and Traditions

February 10, 2011

In Minnesota we have the good fortune to be the home base of Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP), an organization working toward the betterment and long-term success of Native communities.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the launch of their 20th Anniversary Journey: Weaving Leadership, Indigenous People & Resources. St. Paul was the first stop on a year-long journey across the nation to launch NAP’s Regional Action Networks.

As I sat in a room filled with Native people affiliated with local organizations and grantmakers, I was moved by their deep passion and commitment to the vision and mission of NAP. The organization is rooted in a vision of healthy and sustainable communities, enhanced by the Native spirit of generosity. They work to advance philanthropic practices grounded in Native values and traditions.

One program offered by NAP is called The Art of Giving. Grounded in Native experience, history and culture, it reflects the Native community’s culture of giving and draws on their personal experiences and visions of the future. Rooted in the seven directions of the Native medicine wheel, it inspired me to look at my family’s philanthropy in a way that draws its purpose and motivation from a grateful heart.

We at the Minnesota Council on Foundations offer our congratulations to NAP for their achievements in advancing Native philanthropy in our nation and their efforts in educating communities on the history and culture of Native peoples. We hope to be a continued partner for the next 20 years!

If you are interested in learning more about Native Americans in Philanthropy, their programs and the 20th Anniversary Journey, visit their website at nativephilanthropy.org. NAP will present their day-long program at least nine times in seven regions around the country this year.

- Chuck Peterson, MCF vice president of member relations

1 Comment | diversity, ethnic philanthropy, promotion of philanthropy | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Chuck Peterson

It’s the Season of Giving, and We’re the 6th Best at It!

December 10, 2010

The Daily Beast just came out with its ranking of the 25 most charitable cities, and the Twin Cities are #6.

According to the Beast, here’s proof that Minneapolis-St. Paulites have big hearts:

  • Percentage of earnings donated: 2.9 percent
  • Average household income: $98,578
  • Giving per foundation: $703,354
  • Annual volunteers: 905,400
  • Population that volunteers: 27.7 percent

By comparison, here’s the lowdown on the #1 most charitable city – Seattle:

  • Percentage of earnings donated: 3.2 percent
  • Average household income: $109,401
  • Giving per foundation: $2,633,739
  • Annual volunteers: 943,600
  • Population that volunteers: 27.7 percent

To dive deeper into giving in Minnesota, take a look at MCF’s just-published research report, Giving in Minnesota, 2010 Edition, which presents the most comprehensive look at charitable giving in our state during 2008, the most recent period for which complete data are available.

A bright spot in the data: Grantmakers contributed 26 percent of total charitable giving in Minnesota. Foundation and corporate giving in Minnesota totaled $1.42 billion, an increase of 3.6 percent, from $1.37 billion in 2007.

This increase occurred despite a decline in foundation assets to $17.3 billion in 2008 from $19.55 billion in 2007, an 11.5-percent decrease. This is the largest single-year decline since 1994. Without the first-time addition of the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation’s $2.12 billion in assets, the decline would have been much steeper – 22.4 percent – in 2008.

A summary and the full Giving in Minnesota report are available on the MCF website.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

Photo CC mmlolek

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Posted by Chris Noonan

Happy National Philanthropy Day!

November 15, 2010

Nov. 15, 2010, is National Philanthropy Day (NPD), a day is set aside to recognize and pay tribute to the great contributions that philanthropy – and those people active in the philanthropic community – have made to our lives, our communities and our world.

This year, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the chief sponsor of NPD, celebrates its 50th anniversary. Plus, it’s the 25th anniversary of this special day.

AFP’s Minnesota chapter will officially celebrate this Friday, Nov. 19, with an event in Minneapolis. One of the award recipients at the program will be Travelers Foundation, an MCF member, recognized as the outstanding philanthropic organization. Travelers provides support to charitable organizations through the Travelers Foundation and with corporate funding and in-kind services.

The foundation has a long tradition of supporting local communities by investing in community-based nonprofit organizations and their work serving others. In 2009, Travelers provided nearly $19 million in community support across the country. The company’s charitable grants are primarily focused on public education reform and improving academic and career success for underrepresented youth in Hartford, Conn., Saint Paul, Minn., and other cities where Travelers has a significant business presence. Employee volunteerism is also an important component of the company’s community relations work.

In addition to Travelers, AFP Minnesota will also honor:

  • Mark Davy, Outstanding Professional Fundraiser
  • Madi Arends, Outstanding Youth Award
  • Roger Hale, Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser
  • Lee & Penny Anderson, Outstanding Individual Philanthropists

In celebration of National Philanthropy Day, if you’d like some hard data on the incredible level of philanthropy in Minnesota, check out some research from the Minnesota Council on Foundations. MCF has compiled annual rankings of the top grantmakers in the state, as well as the most comprehensive analysis of charitable giving in Minnesota. (As a side note, if you’d like hot-off-the-press research, watch for MCF’s Giving in Minnesota, 2010 Edition report, scheduled to be released in early December.)

Happy National Philanthropy Day! And more importantly, THANK YOU to all of you who give and work in philanthropy. It goes without saying that our world would be a very different place without your generosity, hard work and vision.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

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Posted by Chris Noonan

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