14 survey respondents
Location: 401 Carlson Parkway, Minnetonka, 55305 MN
EIN: 41-1812461
100%
0%
15 hours
Median
100%
0%
85%
15%
2017 Deadlines:
Types of Grants Awarded:
Geographic Focus:
For Fiscal Year
Total Assets:
Total Grants:
Change in Assets FY :
Amount of Grants to Minnesota Nonprofits:
Largest Grant:
Smallest Grant:
Average Grant:
Reviewer 7679 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
That whole "restricted program funding with new projects only" thing? It might sound like a great idea, but it's actually lousy for most non-profits and grantees.
This approach is essentially like forcing non-profits to be on a never-ending treadmill of new project proposals. Forget about sustaining their existing, 10-month-old initiative. Time to get back to churning out shiny new ideas just to keep the cash flowing. Is this how things should be set up to make a lasting impact? Does this reflect trust in the expertise of the people actually doing the work?
Don't even get me started on how this kind of funding just ignores the nitty-gritty of running a non-profit. You know, the unsexy stuff like paying the bills, keeping the lights on and making sure the staff can do their jobs. If all the funding is going to new projects, there's not much left for the backbone of the organization.
This is actually doing more harm than good. If I had to guess, the annual sum cost of hours and non-profit resources spent by the state's entire sector dealing with Medica - as grantees and applicants - far surpasses this foundations total annual dollars in grantmaking. We need to ditch it and start supporting non-profits in ways that actually help them make a difference.
Friendly, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2019
Good
All very professional, good people. They will respond. They will listen to your non-profit's ideas and challenges. They are pleasant, knowledgeable and do have constructive information to give you in terms of their application, mission and guidelines. (This will not stop a CEO from optistimically ignoring signs of ineligibility as well as what Medica clearly states and insisting the staff apply regardless.)
Bad
Does anyone think of the Twin Cities as a national model of mental and behavioral health that sincerely cares about equity? As an actual health insurance company, they could do a lot more to, say, help people who can't get care. Or, I don't know, advocacy for better universal public health care, may actually be part of the solution. Even just dialing it back on denials as a company would go a long way to help the collective "wellness" on Minnesota.
Be more pragmatic and offer General Operations funding as well as 2-5 year grants if they are going to be restricted to a program, new, repackaged, imaginary or otherwise.
In spite of my criticism, I am grateful for their contributions to the non-profits in MN.
Here's what makes it even more frustrating: Medica's got the right idea in terms of helping communities and does not just narrowly focus on mental health in-it-of-itself. Its focus in this and other categories rightly encompases a wide range of interdependant issues, including behavioral health, chronic disease management, access to care and social determinants of health.
15
We appreciate your feedback. Your input is relevant for conversations we are having as we plan for discussions with our board around changes for 2024. We look forward to making changes that are responsive to nonprofit needs. If you would like to discuss any of this in greater detail, we warmly welcome a deeper conversation so we can take into account your personal experiences and perspectives as we plan for the future.
Reviewer 7894 - Professional in the field
Medica Foundation has a wonderful video for grant seekers to watch which lays out their foundation priorities and tips for applying. This was INCREDIBLY helpful to learn from the Foundation about their priorities. In addition, they also have a Foundation Brochure which provides more information. I am excited to reach out to the staff to learn more as they seemed very welcoming of a phone conversation. Thanks Medica!
Minnesota
Professional in the field
2020
Good
None
Video and brochure for grant seekers
0
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are glad that our recorded webinar and Funding Opportunity Guide are helpful. It is nice to know these are useful to grant seekers.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
They are accessible, but their RFP process and application / reporting requirements are massive time-sucks. More importantly, they are in love with the idea of restricted program funding with new projects every year, but have no idea how badly they are hurting non-profits that simply need to keep their doors open. Orgs wind up chasing money and creating new projects that then cannot be funded.
Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for greater amount
2018
Good
Bad
GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS
They are good, kind people to work with for the most part. I think their process is well-intentioned but nevertheless harmful to the non-profit community, which must waste hundreds of thousands of dollars in staff time do to poorly-thought-out grantee processes.
25
Thank you for providing your candid input. We are concerned that it took you 25 hours to complete our grant application since we have been making ongoing efforts to streamline our questions and process. We would like to learn more about this to see where we can do better. Respond through Grant Advisor if that is an option, or if you feel comfortable, please reach out to any of our staff members so we can learn from your experience and make improvements to our application process. Our funding model is not perfect for every nonprofit, but we do hope it is a good fit and beneficial for the vast majority of our grant partners. Thank you again for your feedback. We are taking it to heart.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
Call the funder first and make sure it seems likely that your project will be considered eligible before applying.
Friendly, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2018
Good
Good
They are flexible and work hard on behalf of their grantees.
More than 15
Thanks for your input. We are happy to talk with grant seekers to determine fit with our programs and provide insight.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
Follow the guidelines, which are straightforward, and make sure to apply for the right area. We did not get funded the first year, but we were a good fit and applied again and received a grant.
Friendly, Builds relationships, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2018
Good
Good
They communicate well and have a clear process for funding.
10 to 15 hours
Thanks for sharing your experience. You bring up an interesting point. Some projects might be a better fit than others so fit with our funding objectives might vary from year to year. A “no” one year does not mean another project down the road wouldn’t be an enthusiastic “yes”.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
The foundation staff is very approachable and accessible. Whenever we have questions about something grant related, we will reach out to them and get back to us quickly. Very easy to work with and the grant application process is straight forward.
Positive leader in the field, Culturally sensitive, Insightful, Friendly, Builds relationships, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Openminded, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2019
Good
Good
Can't think of anything.
No.
They are very responsive.
10 to 15 hours
Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. We strive to be approachable and helpful to nonprofits seeking funding and are glad to hear you had a positive experience.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2015
The Letter of Inquiry is more 'detailed' than the typical LOI. You really need to have the program well planned and thought out. They also clearly know the overall issue (e.g. national, state) and prefer you to focus sharing need data specific to your community.
Positive leader in the field, Gives more than money, Risk taker, Insightful, Friendly, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Openminded, Responsive
Minnesota
Applied and not funded
2015
Good
They are 100% accessible. We called up for feedback after being turned down at the LOI stage and the foundation staff took the effort to look not just at that particular request submitted but past ones that had been submitted and clearly they read/reviewed current and past to prep for the phone call.
Good
They are very intentional and clear in what they fund.
They know overall trends and public policy in early childhood/young children and area of behavioral health at national and state level. They value what you know about your own community.
Supports good innovation in the behavioral health and also young children sector.
8
Thank you for sharing your experience. We value your input and feedback. You are correct, we have a two-step application process starting with an initial application rather than a traditional LOI. The initial application is an application and more detailed than a standard LOI as you mentioned. We will make an extra effort to communicate this to potential applicants in our next funding cycle so they can prepare. We are glad you took the time to learn more about why your proposal was declined. We encourage applicants to contact us to learn more and how proposals can be strengthened and more competitive in the future. These conversations can also help determine if our grant programs are a fit for your work. We know writing grant applications is a lot of work and want to be respectful of your time and effort. Thank you for your input!
Reviewer 1186 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
Very easy people to deal with. Give them a call to discuss your program and they will advise if meets their requirements and answer your questions.
Positive leader in the field, Culturally sensitive, Insightful, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Openminded, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2018
Good
Good
They work very hard to spread their funds on as reasonable a basis as they can. They do their homework and make their awards to make the best impact they can.
Keep up the good work. You have always operated in an open and fair manner. And while it is obvious you are all pressed for time, you always make yourselves available to us applicants. That is very impressive.
Communicates their interests and requirements.
25
Thank you for taking the time to review us. We are happy to hear you had a positive experience in getting your questions answered through the application process. It is always a challenge to make funding decisions but we make an effort to take geography, program approach, population served, issues addressed and other factors into consideration to make a meaningful impact with our funding. Thank you!
Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
The LOI is more like a full proposal. Definitely more work than your usual two pager format
Positive leader in the field, Insightful, Friendly, Builds relationships, Openminded, Responsive
Minnesota
Applied and not funded
2016
Good
Everyone on the foundation staff is accessible. We asked to talk to someone about what our proposals were missing since we were turned down more than once. The two staff members during the phone call scheduled had clearly read our previous submissions and gave concrete feedback that was useful in helping us figure out whether to apply again and also in just improving our grant proposal in general. The staff clearly wants to help you even when you don't fit.
Good
Attend the online workshops before preparing the application and treat the LOI as you would a full proposal-give yourself time. The staff knows how to google and know the national stats-they want you to explain the local community
One of the few foundations that understands behavioral health. They also know what is going on in the area at the state and local government level in terms of funding, as well as private sector giving.
15
We appreciate you taking the time to review us. We have a two-step application process that starts with an initial application rather than an LOI. We try to be clear about our approach in communication with prospective grant applicants and will make an effort to emphasize this point in the future so others know what to expect and can plan accordingly. Thank you for this helpful feedback.
Reviewer 918 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2017
The Medica Foundation usually has a workshop to discuss all of their grant opportunities and they are very helpful. They will take a phone call and are also responsive to emails.
Friendly, Openminded, Responsive
Minnesota
Grant currently pending
Other
2017
Good
Good
Here in Greater Minnesota, we especially appreciate the opportunity to apply for Core Mission funding as it is often difficult for smaller, rural nonprofits to compete with larger nonprofits located in the Twin Cities.
Don't be afraid to contact the foundation with questions. They have a small staff but are so kind and very responsive.
Grant pending
Communication.
More than 15
Glad you found the workshops helpful. Thanks for your feedback. 2018 workshops will be announced early in the year.
