At the McKnight Foundation, we envision a Minnesota where all residents have a voice in determining our shared future. As part of our goal to build a vibrant future for everyone, we are working with our partners to strengthen democratic participation statewide—building people power, engaging diverse communities, and nurturing movements that advance justice and equity. …
Jumping up and down with squeals of delight, a group of small children watched wide-eyed as a fire engine pulled up in front of their child care provider’s home. Fortunately, the responders were not there for an emergency but for a special outreach to meet providers in Grant County in west central Minnesota and distribute …
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report confirms what communities around the globe, including here in the Midwest, have known for decades: climate change is affecting the lives of billions of people around the world—creating dangerous disruptions that hit under-resourced communities hardest. Too often, these same communities are left out of conversations about …
Tonya Allen is president of the McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based family foundation that seeks to advance a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and planet thrive. McKnight annually grants about $100 million in support of climate solutions in the Midwest, an equitable and inclusive Minnesota, the arts, neuroscience, and international crop research. Allen …
After a plot of land he sold lost nearly 90% of its trees in a hail storm, Caleb Tommila saw firsthand the effect global climate change was having on his community. “My grandmother has lived in the area her whole life. She’s eighty-some years old, never seen anything like it. She doesn’t have a tree …
Trying times have the power to bring us together or tear us apart. With the ongoing pandemic, deep political and social divides, and devastating climate events, 2021 was another year of complexity and heartache. And yet, it was a time when many pulled together with renewed purpose, clarity, and hope. At McKnight, we welcomed new …
“America’s Cultural Treasures” initiative will provide multi-year grants in response to the Covid-19 pandemic Minneapolis, MN (September 24, 2020)—Today, the McKnight Foundation announced that it is joining the Ford Foundation in an unprecedented $156 million initiative to recognize “America’s Cultural Treasures,” including at least $10 million in new funding, over the next five years, to …
The following article was originally published by The Chronicle of Philanthropy on September 10, 2018. It is reprinted here with full permission. We live in a time of intense divisions and purposeful disinformation that corrodes trust in vital institutions of American democracy. To repair and strengthen our politics and governance, we need a deeper understanding of …
At McKnight and in the communities we support, we have a reason to celebrate today! The new Vibrant & Equitable Communities (V&EC) program announces its strategies and grantmaking guidelines, and the Midwest Climate & Energy (MC&E) program has updated its strategies to reflect its exciting next phase of work. We invite you to visit the …
River Alliance works to advocate for the protection, enhancement, and restoration of Wisconsin’s rivers and watersheds. Hatched in the 1990s by a university professor and his graduate student, along with a motley mix of trout anglers, paddlers and conservationists, the River Alliance of Wisconsin has grown into one of Wisconsin’s leading conservation groups. By encouraging …