University of Minnesota Foundation

About University of Minnesota Foundation

University of Minnesota Foundation’s largest recent grants are direct transfers to the University of Minnesota itself, including $270,821,870 in 2025 and $251,175,356 in 2024. That pattern points to a funder built to sustain a single institution through philanthropy rather than a broad external grantmaking portfolio. Alongside the university-wide support, the foundation has backed hospital and clinical programming at M Health Fairview, student scholarships and emergency aid, and campus-based initiatives tied to wellbeing, food security, and research. Its recent grants also show support for affiliated university entities and recognized foundations, such as Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation and University of Minnesota Physicians. The foundation’s giving includes pass-through transfers to other 501(c)(3) organizations, restricted-purpose funds, and distributions tied to charitable remainder trusts and endowment payout. The overall picture is of a university-focused funder that uses philanthropy to support education, research, outreach, and student success across multiple units and programs within the University of Minnesota ecosystem.

What University of Minnesota Foundation Funds

Scholarship and student support appear as a recurring line of work. The foundation’s active programs include Maroon and Gold Scholars, Greatest Needs — Students, the Undergraduate Student Emergency Fund, and the Mooty Internship Program and Scholarship Fund, all aimed at tuition help, emergency support, paid micro-internships, and student financial aid. Health-related funding shows up through support for the University of Minnesota hospital and clinical programming at M Health Fairview, including a $10,305,846 grant to Fairview Health Services in 2025 and a $1,796,489 grant in 2023. Another medical line is the Medicine and Health Innovation Fund, which supports medical discovery and health innovation within the M Health Fairview joint clinical enterprise. The foundation also supports campus research and environmental work. Its Greatest Needs — Faculty & Research program covers research support, equipment, seed grants, and fellowships, while the Institute on the Environment Discretionary Fund supports collaborative environmental research and related activities.

How University of Minnesota Foundation Gives