Getting to Know the Corporate Giving of the Cargill Foundation in Minnesota

There are many major companies headquartered in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, including Cargill, a multi-faceted company involved with food ingredients, bio-industrial operations, animal nutrition, protein and salt, agricultural supply chain, metals and shipping. Cargill has been in business for over 155 years and has around 155,000 employees in 70 countries and regions. The company’s foundation is especially dedicated to the Twin Cities region.

Here are a few things to know about this corporate grantmaker and its local giving in the Upper Midwest.

It’s All About Education and Children

Unlike some corporate givers in the region with broad interests across a wide spectrum of causes, Cargill has very specific things in mind for its grantmaking. For Cargill, it’s all about minimizing the opportunity gap for low-income children. Its strategy prioritizes supporting equitable access to STEM education and helping prepare children for post-secondary education, to open pathways to prosperous careers for local youth. Another major interest is providing children with access to nutritious food so they can grow and learn well. Overall, this is a funder that prioritizes the needs of low-income youth in grades K-12.

Almost All Funding Stays Local

One of the main requirements for Cargill Foundation grants is that organizations must serve the geographic area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The foundation is based in Minneapolis and has awarded around $9 million annually in recent years. Recent local grantees include the KIPP Minnesota, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities and the Minnesota Business Partnership Education Foundation. Most funding outside of the region only goes towards scholarships for students.

Only Some Unsolicited Requests Are Welcome

This corporate foundation’s application process has shifted over the years, so it’s best to contact the funder directly to inquire about open opportunities. The Cargill Foundation does not provide grant application deadlines or guidelines on its website at this time. However, recent tax records indicate that it has accepted education-related grant requests in advance of May 10 and September 10 deadlines. For childhood nutrition, the funder has accepted applications for a September 10 deadline, but has reserved its March 30 deadline for invitation-only grantseekers. Arts and culture submissions and requests for capital grants are typically by invitation only.

To learn more about the Cargill Foundation and other corporate givers that make Minnesota a priority, check out IP’s Upper Midwest and Plains funding guide.

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