McKnight Foundation

❄ Happy holidays from the McKnight team! ❄ We're taking a winter break from Dec. 21-30 to rest and recharge. We hope the coming weeks bring you peace, joy, and hope. We look forward to being in community and continuing the work with you in the new year. ✨

Get to know LISC Duluth executive director Sumair S. in our latest Courageous Character Q&A! “Sumair’s enthusiasm on the possibilities of proactive change is infectious and inspiring. The same intense curiosity and optimism that drove his success in the classroom and the community has translated wonderfully into the economic development work where authentic inquiry has helped to bridge communities, spark ideas, and drive a coalition of partners toward a common goal for a better Duluth,” says McKnight senior program officer Marcq Sung, who leads our Build Community Wealth strategy in the Vibrant & Equitable Communities program. 🔗https://lnkd.in/gSgiUjDQ Photo credit: Cory Ryan, CT Ryan Photography #CourageousCharacters #Philanthropy #LISC #CommunityLeadership #CommunityDevelopment #CDFI

Yoke-Sim Gunaratne and Eman Yassin's journeys started in different parts of the world, but their paths have converged in many ways. Both immigrated to the United States and settled in Moorhead. Both help others in the community connect with resources. And both were awarded the 2024 Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honor. Learn more about Yoke-Sim and Eman in this story from InForum! https://lnkd.in/gKBKSS2c

“What bridging says is, ‘Let’s take the time to be curious about each other,’” said powell. “It’s not saying we agree with each other. It’s not even saying we like each other. It’s saying it’s basic human dignity to have curiosity. We’re trying to see each other’s humanity.”   john a. powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley and McKnight Foundation board member, recently spoke with the The Minnesota Star Tribune's Evan Ramstad about insights on how to bridge across divides at this complex moment in our country's history. This includes leaning into the concept of Targeted Universalism, which "begins with the notion that all groups ultimately have the same, or universal, goal. Everyone is trying to get to the same place regardless of what anyone already has. 'It may be higher, or harder to reach, in some communities than in some other communities and so you may need different strategies,' powell said. 'But the goal is universal and the strategy is targeted based on how groups are situated.'”   Read more from john powell in the column here: https://lnkd.in/gRXU6FZs #Bridging #belonging #TargetedUniversalism #Philanthropy #johnpowell #racialequity

🌟 Congratulations to McKnight Vice President of Finance & Operations Nichol Higdon on being named one of Twin Cities Business's 2024 Notable Chief Financial Officers! From centering our commitment to climate action and equity in our upcoming office move to redesigning our professional development plan to invest in and develop employees so that they can drive impact and reach their maximum potential, Nichol boldly leads our Enterprise Operations Team in advancing our mission through strategic finance, streamlined operations, and a strong organizational culture. 🌟 https://lnkd.in/gYdunjNe #CFO #Philanthropy #MissionDriven #FinanceExcellence

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