Donaldson Foundation

About Donaldson Foundation

Donaldson Foundation gives through two clear channels: competitive organizational grants for education and scholarships for dependents of U.S. Donaldson employees. The scholarship program is administered by Scholarship America, with awards of $4,000 to $6,000 for undergraduate college or vocational study. On the community side, the foundation funds nonprofit education programs in places where Donaldson has a manufacturing or distribution presence, with Bloomington, Minnesota, and U.S. communities such as Anderson, Indiana, and Auburn, Alabama among the named locations. The recent grant list shows a strong emphasis on schools, youth-serving nonprofits, and education intermediaries. Scholarship America received $133,000 for educational scholarships, while Normandale Community College Foundation received $30,000 and Dunwoody College of Technology received $25,000. The foundation also backed organizations such as PACER Center Inc, Wallin Education Partners, and Boys Girls Clubs TC, which points to support for both access and student enrichment. Its stated priorities include educational initiatives for people with little or no access to essential learning resources and opportunities, plus matching grants to educational institutions. Overall, the pattern is place-based and education-focused, with recurring support for scholarship administration and local learning organizations.

What Donaldson Foundation Funds

Education access is the clearest theme in Donaldson Foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $205,000 to Greater Twin Cities United Way for general support, which sits alongside support for local educational efforts in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. In a similar vein, the foundation awarded $100,000 to Boys Girls Clubs TC for contribution provided, aligning with youth-serving enrichment. Post-secondary and workforce preparation also appear in the portfolio. Donaldson Foundation gave $30,000 to Normandale Community College Foundation and $25,000 to Dunwoody College of Technology, both in Minneapolis-area institutions connected to higher education and technical training. STEM shows up through a $50,000 grant to Science Museum of MN for general support and an $18,000 grant to Girls Who Code for contribution provided. Those awards place the foundation’s STEM support within broader educational access and youth development rather than as a separate stand-alone strategy.

How Donaldson Foundation Gives