About Mortenson Family Foundation
The Mortenson Family Foundation is directing sizable, unrestricted investments into Minnesota-based racial equity infrastructure, prioritizing support for community-led philanthropic collaboratives and leadership organizations that advance racial justice for Black and Asian American communities. Their giving favors strategic, large-capital grants to intermediary organizations that build capacity, coordinate local philanthropic responses, and strengthen civic leadership rather than funding many small programs directly.
Focus Areas
Unrestricted support for local philanthropic collaboratives focused on racial justice (Minnesota Philanthropic Collective)Anti-Blackness mitigation and broader racial justice infrastructure in MinnesotaAsian American civic leadership and organizational capacity-building in Minnesota
Who They Fund
Black communitiesIndigenous / Native Nations communitiesemerging and immigrant farmersyouth and children (including therapeutic preschool participants)students and university beneficiaries (scholarships, endowed chairs)
About Mortenson Family Foundation
MORTENSON FAMILY FOUNDATION is based in Minneapolis, MN. It gives $14,911,000 in annual grants and reports $141,813,340 in total assets on its latest 990 year on file, 2025. Its grantmaking is concentrated in Minnesota and is organized around racial justice, environmental stewardship, and support for children and families. The foundation’s recent grants show substantial support for intermediary organizations and community-led institutions rather than many small awards. Named recipients include NEXUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS, which received $1,000,000 in 2023 for the Minnesota Philanthropic Collective to combat anti-Blackness and realize racial justice; COALITION OF ASIAN AMERICAN LEADERS, which received $600,000 in 2023 unrestricted; and AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM, which received $300,000 in 2023 unrestricted for United by Black. Other large grants include the UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION at $500,000 in 2023 and HAWAIIAN ISLANDS LAND TRUST (DBA HAWAII LAND TRUST) at $250,000 in 2025. The foundation also funds education, food systems, land access, and international development work through selected programs and invite-only grantmaking.
What Mortenson Family Foundation Funds
Recent grantmaking spans racial justice infrastructure, environmental stewardship and land access, and education and family support. Notable grants include NEXUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS for the Minnesota Philanthropic Collective to combat anti-Blackness and realize racial justice, COALITION OF ASIAN AMERICAN LEADERS for unrestricted support, and THE FOOD GROUP for enabling solar facility land access for emerging and immigrant farmer empowerment. The foundation also funded HAWAIIAN ISLANDS LAND TRUST and THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, both tied to land and environmental work, as well as NORTHSIDE ACHIEVEMENT ZONE and ALLINA HEALTH FOUNDATION for youth and family-serving programs. Its broader taxonomy also includes indigenous rights, treaty rights, Native Nations cultural institutions, and international development, education, and food security in Honduras and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
How Mortenson Family Foundation Gives
MORTENSON FAMILY FOUNDATION’s typical grant size, based on recent grants, falls between $5,000 at the 25th percentile and $28,125 at the 75th percentile, with a median grant of $16,850. The recent grants list shows a preference for unrestricted support, though it also funds program-specific work, endowed support, and project-based requests. It gives through both open and invite-only programs. Active programs accept unsolicited requests in some areas, including Sustaining Environmental Systems and Expanding Opportunities for Children and Families, while Strengthening Developing Communities is invite-only. The foundation also makes impact investments, and some investment-related opportunities accept submissions.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$7.4M
Total Assets
$141.8M
Total Revenue
$17.2M
Total Expenses
$11.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $5K and $28K, with a median of $17K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$17K
75th Percentile
$28K
Geographic Reach
Local26 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Mortenson Family Foundation Funds
Top 6 recipient countries by grant volume for Mortenson Family Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 793 | $21.2M | 98.5% |
| 2 | United Kingdom |
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