The McKnight Foundation
Accepts applications
The McKnight Foundation is a private foundation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In tax year 2024 it gave $153 million in 790 grants; the typical grant was $100,000 and the largest $10.0 million. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.
- Grants paid, 2024$153 million
- Number of grants790
- Typical grant$100,000
- Largest grant$10.0 million
- Assets$2.7 billion
- New grantees30%
Giving in 2024 was up from $115 million the year before.
30% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a mix of repeat and new grantees.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $106 million | 724 | $3.2 billion |
| 2023 | $115 million | 751 | $2.7 billion |
| 2024 | $153 million | 790 | $2.7 billion |
How to apply
| Contact | The McKnight Foundation 921 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1257 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (612) 333-4220, apply@mcknight.org |
| What to submit | Please see the end of the return for the additional attachments containing the information for Lines 2b - 2d. |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What The McKnight Foundation funds
Where it gives
Its US grants went to recipients in 34 states, the most to Minnesota. It also paid $8.9 million in 87 grants to recipients outside the US.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 450 | $84.2 million |
| California | 44 | $13.6 million |
| District of Columbia | 47 | $10.6 million |
| New York | 31 | $3.6 million |
| Illinois | 18 | $3.2 million |
| Ohio | 9 | $2.8 million |
| Wyoming | 5 | $2.4 million |
| Washington | 5 | $1.6 million |
| Massachusetts | 8 | $1.5 million |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | $1.4 million |
Grants paid in 2024
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis Foundation | for the GroundBreak Coalition special purpose fund | $10.0 million |
| United States Energy Foundation | to equitably decarbonize the Midwest by supporting powerful and inclusive coalitions with the ability to transform markets and the economy through state action in seven states | $9.6 million |
| Minneapolis Foundation | for the GroundBreak Coalition special purpose fund | $5.0 million |
| Minnesota Home Ownership Center | to bridge capacity needs and scale the deployment capacity of GroundBreak Coalition supported down payment assistance products | $2.2 million |
| Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund | for general operating support | $2.0 million |
| Rewiring America Inc | to advance equitable electrification in the Midwest through place-based demonstration projects and policy development | $2.0 million |
| The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience | for award programs supporting research in neuroscience | $2.0 million |
| Community Foundation of Jackson Hole | for family-directed giving | $1.9 million |
| Greater Minnesota Housing Fund | for general operating support | $1.8 million |
| Brick By Brick Training & Development Corporation | to purchase a 400+ single family rental portfolio of properties and equitably reposition them for homeownership | $1.5 million |
| Brick By Brick Training & Development Corporation | to purchase a 400+ single family rental portfolio of properties and equitably reposition them for homeownership | $1.5 million |
| Region Nine Development Commission | to provide technical assistance to cities, counties, and towns in Greater Minnesota applying for federal and state funding and deploying climate and clean energy projects | $1.5 million |
| The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience | for award programs supporting research in neuroscience | $1.5 million |
| Youthprise | for general operating support | $1.5 million |
| Local Initiatives Support Corporation | to support the operations of LISC Twin Cities | $1.3 million |
| Fresh Energy | to move Minnesota and the Midwest toward dramatic near-term reductions in carbon pollution through equity-centered policy work, partnerships, and innovation | $1.2 million |
| Family Housing Fund | for general operating support | $1.1 million |
| Innovia Foundation | for family-directed giving | $1.1 million |
| National Philanthropic Trust | for family-directed giving | $1.1 million |
| Park City Community Foundation | for family-directed giving | $1.1 million |
| Family Housing Fund | to support the stabilization of affordable rental housing properties and providers | $1.0 million |
| Global Philanthropy Partnership | to transform the transportation sector while centering equity, climate, and people | $1.0 million |
| Windward Fund | For program support | $1.0 million |
| Pillsbury United Communities | to complete Phase 1 of the Pillsbury Creative Commons (PCC) campus redevelopment project | $750,000 |
| Pangea World Theater | for capital campaign support to purchase land and a building for the future home of Pangea World Theater | $700,000 |
| Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development | to engage and support interested and affected parties toward equitably implementing the 100% clean energy legislation and reducing emissions from the building, energy, and transportation sectors | $600,000 |
| Lawyers for Good Government | to provide legal support to states, localities, and community organizations in the Midwest to advance climate equity | $575,000 |
| Nexus Community Partners | for general operating support | $550,000 |
| St Paul Transportation Management Organization | for general operating support | $550,000 |
| Meridian Institute | to support core capacity for a strategic alliance of philanthropic foundations | $544,000 |
| Association for Black Economic Power | for working capital to launch Arise Community Credit Union as the state's first Black-led community credit union and provide a pathway to stabilize and build community wealth | $500,000 |
| BMe Networks | For program support | $500,000 |
| Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund | for general operating support | $500,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota Inc | for general operating and re-granting support to provide leadership development, advocacy, and capacity building support for Habitat for Humanity affiliates across Minnesota | $500,000 |
| Headwaters Foundation for Justice | for general operating support | $500,000 |
| Indianapolis Foundation | to seed a collaboration of local and national foundations in Indiana to support strategies and policies at the intersection of environmental justice, federal funding implementation, and democracy | $500,000 |
| Initiative Foundation | for general operating support | $500,000 |
| Marin Community Foundation | to build the capacity ofmember foundations in the Community Foundation Climate Collaborative's Midwest Regional Action Network to implement climate and energy projects and to capitalize a revolving loan fund | $500,000 |
| Michigan Civic Education Fund | to advance civic engagement across the state of Michigan | $500,000 |
| Minneapolis Foundation | to support underserved communities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and its 35 tribes, through regranting, in addressing their most significant environmental justice, climate, and public health challenges | $500,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Erika Binger
- Noa Staryk
- Karen Coleman
- Dana Anderson
- Kathy Tunheim
- Luther M Ragin
- Meghan Brown
- Perry Moriearty
- Roger Sit
- Theodore Staryk
- Michael Barry
- Roy Swan
- Tonya Allen
- Nichol Higdon
- Tamara Wallace
Questions people ask
Does The McKnight Foundation accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications.
How much does The McKnight Foundation give?
$153 million in tax year 2024, across 790 grants, with a typical grant of $100,000.
Who runs The McKnight Foundation?
Its 2024 filing lists Erika Binger (Director, Treasurer), Noa Staryk (Director), Karen Coleman (Director) and Dana Anderson (Director) among 15 officers and trustees.
What does The McKnight Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly environment and conservation, community development and international.