This piece was originally published by Pollen. It is posted here with full permission. The COVID-19 pandemic placed inequity into inescapable view, forcing more of us to ask how we can address the persistent and systemic divisions that leave too many outside of the circle of human concern. Community leaders with diverse lived experiences are …
Honoring our Culture Bearers Indigenous Roots and the McKnight Foundation are thrilled to announce the recipients of the first-ever McKnight Artist Fellowship for Culture Bearers. The McKnight Culture Bearers Fellowship supports four Culture Bearers who practice sacred and healing lifeways and share cultural art practices across generations. Fellows receive public recognition and a $25,000 unrestricted …
Four Minnesotans are being recognized for their outstanding, largely unrecognized contributions to our state’s high quality of life as recipients of the 2020 Virginia McKnight Binger Unsung Hero Award from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) and the McKnight Foundation. Patti Ballan (Rainer), Lisa Bellanger (Minneapolis), Desralynn Cole (Minneapolis), and Hani Jacobson (Saint Cloud) are unsung …
The McKnight Foundation and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) have selected Joseph Day of Bemidji, Memoona Ghani of Maple Grove, Carol Orban of Ely, and Wynfred Russell of Brooklyn Park as this year’s Virginia McKnight Binger Unsung Hero Award recipients. The 2018 awardees, who will each receive a cash prize of $10,000 from the McKnight …
The McKnight Foundation is pleased to welcome DeAnna Cummings as its new Arts program director.
Leaving With a Heart Full of Gratitude and a Head Full of Learnings As many of you know, the McKnight Foundation is sunsetting our Mississippi River program in light of other strategic priorities. For 27 years, this program has worked to restore the water quality and ensure a clean river system for communities across the …
Agriculture is a major part of the culture, livability, and vitality of rural communities in the Midwest. As a sector, it also accounts for 10% of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and even more in states like Minnesota and Iowa, where 25% and 30% of emissions come from agriculture. What role can agriculture play …
Please note: This post follows an announcement by McKnight president Kate Wolford and board chair Debby Landesman about upcoming grantmaking changes to move our mission forward. Equity is one of the four core values in the McKnight Foundation’s Strategic Framework. It is a value we challenge ourselves to uphold in our internal policies and practices, …
This past May, the McKnight Foundation’s board approved the addition of three new partners in the continued expansion of the McKnight Artist Fellowships program to include fellowships for fiber artists, book artists, and community-engaged practice artists. These new fellowships will provide important artistic and professional recognition and development opportunities for more midcareer artists living and …
The McKnight Foundation will say farewell to a beloved colleague at the end of July. After 10 years of extraordinary service and leadership, Aimee Witteman, program director for the Midwest Climate & Energy program, has decided to step down from her position. “Aimee has brought immense talent and skills to McKnight’s mission,” said Debby Landesman, …