General Mills Foundation

Which state are you working in?

Minnesota

What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?

Current or former grantee

If you were funded, tell us the outcome

Funded for amount requested

What year was this experience?

2015

How would you rate this funder's accessibility?

Bad

The foundation doesn't publish any staff names or contact information on the website. The "contact us" form on the foundation's website (bottom lefthand corner) is broken. The 1800 number they provide goes to a general consumer inquiry line (often with wait times) - https://www.generalmills.com/Responsibility/general-mills-foundation.

How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its current philanthropic goals?

Bad

A peek at their 2018 990 tax filing (publicly available at the MN Attorney General's office) shows almost 30 percent of their grantmaking in 2018 went into a donor advised fund at the Minneapolis Foundation (almost $6 million). The public now has no idea where that money will go into the community (if indeed it ever goes anywhere). The foundation used to invest heavily in Minnesota's strong nonprofit community through meaningful operating support but then around 2014 offered exit grants to most nonprofits. It seems like they've adopted a hyper focus on food security now and agriculture, but leave the hometown communities grant program starving for funds.

If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?

Become more accessible (publish staff lists and contact information) and transparent (where does the grant money go after it goes into the donor advised fund at the Minneapolis Foundation?)

How many hours did the grant application process take?

20