McKnight Foundation

The Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities grantmaking program is now live! This initiative will support community-visioned projects to advance public health and environmental justice, and support workforce development and training for developing and installing clean technologies. Nonprofits, local and tribal governments, and institutions of higher education in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply. Congratulations to our partners at The Minneapolis Foundation, Midwest Environmental Justice Network, RE-AMP Network, and the team at NDN Collective on launching this effort!

The clean energy economy is unstoppable. The McKnight Foundation is enthusiastic about both investing in energy transition innovation and the Blue Bear’s team identifying promising digital solutions and applied AI for climate, energy, and industry to increase performance and efficiency This is our second Blue Bear fund. Learn more about it, which we joined alongside Rockefeller Brothers Fund, UBS, WovenEarth Ventures, and ZOMA Capital: https://lnkd.in/g_ppe2yZ

We're thankful for the Hmong farmers who lead the Twin Cities’ local food economy, comprising over 50% of the growers at the more than 70 farmers markets in the metro, many of which they helped revitalize or start, greatly increasing the region’s supply of nutritious, affordable food. 🍅 👨🏼🌾🥕👩🏽🌾🌻 Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA), whose farm is located in rural Dakota County, is working to advance the economic, social, and cultural prosperity of Hmong American farmers through capacity building, cooperative endeavors, and advocacy work to build a pathway to inter-generational community wealth. This is especially important in Minnesota, where only 1% of farmers are people of color, despite people of color making up 22% of the state’s population. “We have to support farmers, not just in being stewards of the land, and not just from a food production perspective, but from an economic perspective as well,” says Janssen Hang, executive director of HAFA. “And from a social, cultural, racial perspective, too, because these are underserved communities.” HAFA and other pioneers are creating a blueprint for how advancing sustainable agriculture and climate action go hand in hand with building generational wealth and racial justice. 👀 Watch our new video and read more about their work to grow a just and resilient food system in the Midwest: https://lnkd.in/gjqTTgyK 🫱🏾🫲🏼 A huge thank you to our other incredible partners like The Food Group, Regenerative Agriculture Alliance, and Midwest Farmers of Color Coalition who are also working hard to uplift historically marginalized farmers and elevate land stewards to their rightful position as climate leaders. 🎥 Line Break 📝 Lauren Boritzke Smith #climateaction #agroecology #regenerativeagriculture #sustainableagriculture #foodsystems

Exciting updates in our latest #McKnews newsletter! 👨🏽🌾 Midwest Climate & Energy Program Officer Michael Roberts shares his heartfelt gratitude for family farmers growing a just and sustainable food system for future generations 🌉 McKnight president Tonya Allen reflects on how we move forward together after the election 💚 Get to know the seven powerful community leaders who were honored at last week's 2024 Virginia McKnight Binger #HeartOfCommunity ceremony, hosted in partnership with Minnesota Council on Foundations 🎇 Read our latest #CourageousCharacter Q&A with LISC Duluth Executive Director Sumair S. ...and more! Stay informed and inspired by reading the full newsletter. 📖✨ And don't forget to hit that "Subscribe" button! ✅ #McKnews #SustainableFood #CommunityHonor #Leadership #TogetherForward #Philanthropy #CommunityLeadership #FamilyFarmers

Thank you to all who joined us earlier this week to celebrate our 2024 Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honorees! These leaders are the heartbeat of Minnesota, showing up every day with empathy and dedication. This year's honorees are seven incredible individuals who have served their communities in profound but often quiet ways, recognizing the power of the individual to make and lead change and create a more inclusive state where everyone belongs and has an opportunity to thrive. Congratulations to: ✨ Zenebech Aly, Southeast region  ✨ Naima Dhore, Central region  ✨ Yoke-Sim Gunaratne, West Central region  ✨ Lynn Sue Mizner, Northeast region  ✨ Kevin Reese, Metro region  ✨ Aida Simon, Southwest region  ✨ Eman Yassin, West Central region “It is a joy to recognize these individuals who demonstrate empathetic leadership and the commitment it takes to build strong communities where all people belong and can contribute to a stronger future. These seven leaders represent the heart of their communities, showing up every day with generosity, compassion, and conviction to create more caring and connected Minnesota.” -McKnight president Tonya Allen  Learn more about the honorees and join us, in partnership with the Minnesota Council on Foundations, in celebrating their incredible work! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ga78JiGg   #CourageousCharacters #Philanthropy #CommunityLeadership #HeartOfCommunity #McKnightFoundation 

Democracy thrives when everyone has access to trustworthy, accurate local journalism. This Give to the Max Day, help local news rooms continue their mission to keep Minnesotans informed, engaged, and empowered. Today, McKnight is proud to match all donations to The Reporters Inc., Center for Broadcast Journalism, Access Press, Eden Prairie Local News (EPLN), MinnPost, and Sahan Journal dollar for dollar, doubling your impact for a stronger, better-informed Minnesota. When you support independent news, you invest in a brighter future for all. Donate today and make twice the difference! #GTMD24 #NewsMatch

We are excited to share that the GroundBreak Coalition and its early successes and momentum are featured in the cover article of this quarter’s issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review: “Collectively Owned Strategies”. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/edpbcw2c   As members of GroundBreak know, inclusive representation and collective ownership—both as a mindset and formally in the coalition’s leadership and governance—have been recognized as critical success factors from day one. The clarity of GroundBreak’s vision and goals and the facilitative roles of its project team, among other factors, were instrumental in building a cohesive coalition and shaping the support of its financial partners.    Led by community needs voiced by the coalition, we at McKnight Foundation are thankful to be able to contribute in multiple ways beyond our grantmaking, including our senior-most leadership engagement, staff time, operations, resource mobilization, and partnership support.     With thanks to Stanford Social Innovation Review and to the article’s authors, Jordan Fabyanske, Sonila Cook, and Mariah Levin, we hope that our experience sparks the cross-sharing of ideas and knowledge.  #Philanthropy #SystemsChange #TransformativeCooperation #GroundBreakCoalition #GroundBreakMSP

🌟 Announcing the 2024 Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honorees! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ga78JiGg In partnership with the Minnesota Council on Foundations, we are thrilled to recognize seven outstanding Minnesotans for their compassionate contributions to their communities. This honor, named after Virginia McKnight Binger, celebrates everyday champions who embody the spirit of generosity and community service. Congratulations to this year's honorees: Zenebech Aly, Southeast region  Naima Dhore, Central region  Yoke-Sim Gunaratne, West Central region  Lynn Sue Mizner, Northeast region  Kevin Reese, Metro region  Aida Simon, Southwest region  Eman Yassin, West Central region “It is a joy to recognize these individuals who demonstrate empathetic leadership and the commitment it takes to build strong communities where all people belong and can contribute to a stronger future. These seven leaders represent the heart of their communities, showing up every day with generosity, compassion, and conviction to create more caring and connected Minnesota.” -McKnight president Tonya Allen  These leaders are Minnesota's heartbeat, showing up daily with empathy and dedication. 🎉Join us in celebrating their incredible work! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ga78JiGg United Way of Olmsted County Cultural Diversity Resources Until We Are All Free Initiative Foundation Northland Foundation Northwest Minnesota Foundation Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation Southwest Initiative Foundation West Central Initiative

Check out our latest #CourageousCharacter profile! Meet David Mura, a Minnesota-based memoirist, essayist, novelist, poet, critic, playwright, and performance artist. 🔗https://lnkd.in/gWHh4EQW David's work spans from contemporary Japan to the legacy of internment camps and the history of Japanese Americans. David's dedication to community-forward, selfless artistic practice has made him a mentor and role model for the next generation of artists. Discover his inspiring journey and vision for a future where equality, freedom, and democracy are realities. 📖Read more in our #CourageousCharacter Q&A: 🔗https://lnkd.in/gWHh4EQW #Communityleadership #ArtForChange #CommunityEngagement #ArtsAndCulture #Philanthropy #Democracy

McKnight president Tonya Allen was recently a guest on the "Becoming The Vision" podcast by Freedom Dreams in Philanthropy!🎙️They discussed the importance of kindness and how it can support wellbeing and our work in philanthropy. Listen to the episode now! 🔗https://lnkd.in/gnvJWgHJ #BecomingTheVision #FreedomDreaming