3m Foundation-
Saint Paul, MN -
20 Survey Respondents
"3M Foundation favors supporting organizations across different giving streams. We have a board member who works at 3M, and engage more employees in gr"
"Near impossible to understand how to get a larger grant. Seem to match the guidelines in a significant way, but gift stays (at best) low and flat year"
"Best Buy is no longer giving community grants. This is a disappointment. I do appreciate all they are doing nationally, especially for underserved you"
"My biggest criticism of this funder is that their grantmaking is opaque. They have a list of grantees they work with and if your organization is outsi"
"We have had a relationship with Blandin since May 2018. We were turned down from a grant but given access to much needed consultation. Since that ti"
"My relationship with the program officer is nothing but exceptional. I cannot compare the relationship that BCBS MN Foundation program officers have w"
"We had a site visit from a board member and program officer. One hour tour and review of our application. Went really well, I think they were impresse"
"My perception about how Bush is approaching the community innovation grants is that they only want to fund innovation work AFTER you've done the e"
"I had a video call with the Vice President of impact first and they were very helpful in directing me to the right kind of grant we could apply for. E"
"The funder's healthcare Program Officer makes herself very accessible via email, cell phone and face to face meetings. Although she is very busy,"
"Foundation staff are very approachable and helpful. Foundation has donor-advised funds as well as general funding opportunities, technical assistance"
"Be sure you understand the gaps in service provision that exists in the community for which your project plans to address. Have clear goals and objec"
"Be ready to discuss racial equity in depth. It's a priority for them, and they will ask. Sadly, other forms of diversity and inclusion are barely"
"Volunteering for a WI public school in need of technology for students during the initial phase of COVID, I was asked to make contact with the program"
"If you apply, make sure you are requesting funding for something really needed and that will truly make a difference for your organization. They don&"
"Check out Headwaters website. They offer webinars and in person grant info sessions. Take advantage of those. You get a chance at better understanding"
"HRK Foundation is one of our organization's favorite funders. They take the time to understand the needs of our organization. They have a simplifi"
"I work with a grant-making organization that made a grant to JCNI that was to be used for a particular purpose, within a particular time frame, and th"
"If you are successful expect a lot of supervision, not to say micromanaging by the foundation, and be prepared to file frequent reports. It’s clear"
"The grant application is similar to the Colorado Common Grant. There is enough character space for reasonable responses. There is not a focus on DEI,"
"I very much appreciated how responsive the people at the Trust were from our first call all the way through the process. It is an in-depth process, bu"
"Reach out to staff before beginning your request. I have had success with capital requests and general operating requests for Duluth organizations, bo"
"A collective groan went up when this foundation was mentioned in a Dec. 2018 gathering of several hundred Twin Cities grantseekers. And given their l"
"Medica Foundation has a wonderful video for grant seekers to watch which lays out their foundation priorities and tips for applying. This was INCREDI"
"We have never applied this is our first time because we were told too by FESS. We find the application dates confuse us if we applied to the correct p"
"Meyer takes grant requirements extremely seriously. If your project does not align exactly with their terms it’s not likely to be funded. It does"
"The foundation is fine - their RFPs are pretty clear about what they want, and if you connect with staff beforehand you get a good sense of whether it"
"In 2021, there were many unique questions just to move to the second phase - which is full proposal. Then, four more full questions were introduced,"
"The Director of Grantmaking makes snap judgments about potential grantee organizations based on assumptions that are inaccurate, without nuance and ig"
"NW Fund has some of the most informed and inquisitive program managers and trustees of any of our Foundation funders. Be ready to answer tough questi"
"Communicate with this funder often as the website guidelines might not always be up to date. Funder is very responsive and willing to work with the p"
"This funder does something very specific and wonderful - provide bridge grants and bridge loans when organizations hit roadblocks or unexpected opport"
"Program staff is great, they provide good guidance for what they'll fund, and they take time to learn from their grantees. Plus they show up at ev"
"While I have had a tremendously positive experience working with the Peery Foundation to date, I am concerned that they have recently let go all of th"
"Petco has a high emphasis on grantees promoting them. Your grant award is directly proportional to how many times you use their hashtags on social med"
"The Tower Foundation is professional, transparent and caring in its process to apply and in its engagement with grantees. They ask great questions an"
"Quirky and frequently unpredictable. Many of the grants are made for specific individual donors, so there aren't consistent priorities or processe"
"Pierce focused its giving on organizations that serve the homeless community. Foundation staff are responsive and give honest assessments of its givin"
"The Pohlad Family Foundation is a rare jewel among funders. They seek to find out your true needs and trust their grantees. The grants and reporting p"
"I would not recommend applying to this funder. They make you do way too much for a small grant, and then won't fund you again after the $1000 they"
"They are very responsive and willing to assist in giving guidance on the grant application if needed. The application is very straightforward and doe"
"We have found the program staff at the Rasmuson Foundation to be extremely approachable and helpful. We have been working with them for many years and"
"Our experience with RWJF was fantastic. We received funding for a three-year project, with the project officer always available for questions and ann"
"Having an initial conversation with a program officer is a crucial first step on the path to receiving funding, and yet it's been exceptionally di"
"Fels staff is very approachable. If you are just starting and have any questions about your application process/eligibility, they will make sure to pr"
"This was when they were of the fiscal sponsor for the East Bay foundation on aging. I am very glad that you spray foundation has left SFF because whe"
"To get started I went on-line and got their phone number. I gave them a call and told them what we had in mind and they encouraged me to apply. Ques"
"The website is filled with marketing information, but there it has NO sustenance. I tried to contact the Foundation four times, to no avail. For point"
"As a corporation funding from its headquarters, it is important to have the local branch manager knowledgeable on your organization and aware of the g"
"Make sure to meet with UWWC staff prior to the grant application. It will help you understand the funder's grant guidelines and focus, and allow y"
"The online application is a nightmare. Various prompts appear as you move through 17 pages; prompts are not always clear or specific to what you just"
"Never hear anything. They generally either instantly decline or let the computer auto-decline grants. Grants should not be decided by store managers."
"I would recommend that the trusted colleague establish a relationship with the funders' staff. The staff are empowered to work with community orga"
"Weingart Foundation professes to be forward-thinking, but isn't. Moving into an invitation-only model, dropping recent grantees without explanati"
"The Weitz Family Foundation makes things incredibly easy. They are completely transparent and make themselves available to ensure your questions are a"
"You will not be able to receive funding without having a conversation with the grant officer in the Foundation beforehand. During our conversations th"
"Keep in mind that this funder is almost always in a state of strategic planning and will regularly shift the funding focus of smaller grants to suit t"
"We Raise is very open and friendly. They understand the power dynamics as a funder and seek to level the playing field as much as possible to understa"