53 survey respondents
Location: 30 7th St E, Ste 2900, Saint Paul, 55101 MN
EIN: 41-6019050
73%
27%
10 hours
Median
72%
28%
71%
29%
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 415 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
I reached out to the program officer to talk to her about our work. Keep in mind that we are a fiscally sponsored project and fully disclosed that before meeting with her. She was impressed with our work and encouraged us to apply.
We applied and had a phone call/site visit conversation over the phone. The program officer then disclosed to us questions the board had over our relationship with our fiscal sponsor. They wanted our missions to align, which makes no sense. They feared that if we couldn't fulfill the activities of the grant, the fiscal sponsor wasn't in the position of fulfilling them either. They wanted us to go find another fiscal sponsor that better aligned with our mission.
I found this to be a very ridiculous approach. We've received larger grants from other organizations that completely trusted our track record of performance and also our relationship with our fiscal sponsor. We were not in the position to go find another sponsor. We love our current sponsor and wouldn't be where we are without them. A funder should have no right in telling us who to be sponsored by.
We got rejected. I would never have applied if I knew this was how they assessed fiscal sponsorship. They should have been more transparent about it.
Friendly
Minnesota
Applied and not funded
2018
Average
Oh they are easy to reach. Just the experience just made everything stressful.
Average
This foundation wants to fund changemaker work but acts like big brother when it comes to who you partner with.
Don't ask fiscally sponsored projects to apply if you have an opposite view of what that relationship should be.
20
Thank you for your feedback. Fiscal sponsorships can be complicated. Our fiscal sponsorship policies and other guidelines are located on the Social Return page of our website. At OBT we require a fiscal sponsor to be in alignment with the work of the sponsored organization because the sponsor is ultimately responsible for fulfilling the requirements of the grant and therefore must be familiar with the funded work.
https://ottobremer.org/social-return/#How-To-Apply-Sponsorship
Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
They've changed their program funding direction over time. If you don't meet their social program area exactly, don't bother to apply. A better bet is to contact the local branch of Bremer Bank. They are much more responsive to local concerns.
Doesn't "get" nonprofits and issues
(Unknown)
Applied and not funded
Other
2016
Average
Average
Goals need to be reassessed to help the local communities the Bank serves. Use your local branches as a fund directing resource.
Expand beyond social services programs. Small, local heritage programs provide a major service to small communities and there is a crying need there due to a lack of available funding sources.
Declined and told to check with the local bank.
6
Thank you for your feedback. The Otto Bremer Trust continues to respond to community needs. Detailed information about our organization and our approach to philanthropy, including our relationship to Bremer Bank, can found on our website, ottobremer.org.
Reviewer 511 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
The program director was very interested in learning more about our program and had a strong base of knowledge to draw from when reviewing our proposal.
Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Openminded, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2016
Good
Good
Please continue to fund successful programs and not always be looking for something that is new or "innovative." Many times non-profits just need funding to keep up successful programs.
Otto Bremer is very responsive to questions ahead of the grant application submission.
15
Thanks so much for your feedback and insights.
Grant Applicant - applied before 2014
A former reviewer said it best: your program officer makes or breaks your relationship. Ours was very difficult at best and downright rude at worst.
Risk taker, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
Before 2014
Good
Average
Pray that you get a good program officer.
Accessibility
0
Professional in the field
The range of knowledge and awareness about community issues REALLY varies, depending upon the staff person you deal with.
Inadvertently exerts negative influence in the field, Doesn't "get" nonprofits and issues, Culturally incompetent
Minnesota
Professional in the field
Funded for lesser amount
2017
Good
Average
They have broad aims for social betterment, but appear to take a "white knight" approach, rather than an approach that deeply engages communities in identifying both barriers and solutions.
Do not send clueless program officers out to meet with community groups. Bremer needs more program officers who have a deep understanding of systemic barriers to success for communities, particularly an understanding structural racism and Bremer's institutional role in the systems that exist that prevent communities and community members from moving forward.
The particular program officer who conducted a site visit I witnessed was VERY culturally obtuse, had an extremely mainstream perspective on the issue at hand, and made comments about the community that not only demonstrated a lack of understanding of the institutional racism that creates barriers to success members of the community but also were directly offensive to the community members present. The program officer also came in with a "know it all" attitude that was very off-putting. I was shocked at the lack of cultural sensitivity and the lack of a deeper knowledge of the community the program officer displayed. I would never have thought a major funder like Otto Bremer would send someone so insensitive and unaware to a site visit.
20
Thank you for taking time to provide your insights and feedback.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2017
I find the Funder very accessible and willing to take the time to offer direction.
Culturally sensitive, Friendly
Minnesota
Grant currently pending
Other
2017
Good
Good
Pending.
12
Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
Great source of funding for agen cies working with poor and vulnerable people. One of the very few that will support Statewide (as well as Dakotas and, I believe, Wisconsin?)
Positive leader in the field, Culturally sensitive, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2016
Good
Bremer staff mostly very responsive and respectful. Some more than others, but all take their responsibility seriously it seems.
Good
They often conduct site visits which is very important, but not as common among foundations as it used to be.
Staff really seems to understand and appreciate the big picture and the role of non-profit service agencies in trying to carry out their work.
20
Reviewer 665 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
The program officer we interacted with was disrespectful, dismissive, and actively misinformed about some of the basic facts that inform our work. They came for a site visit and were bordering on hostile about having to entertain the idea of funding our program: they had a clear personal disinterest in our program which it seems inevitable impacted our chance of funding.
Difficult to work with, Culturally incompetent
Minnesota
Applied and not funded
2016
Bad
We felt unable to address the program officer directly and the power dynamics present in funding make us unable to share this feedback with their supervisors, but would have loved to feel the funder was accessible enough to address this.
Average
They are transitioning away from having subject experts as program officers. While we appreciate the idea in theory, in practice it requires program officers to be open and hold themselves to a higher standard of learning and knowledge, which we have not seen demonstrated.
Experimentation with traditional funder structure
20
Thank you for taking time to provide your insights and feedback.
Reviewer 278 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
Program officers at OBT have been remarkable. Most are down to earth, very approachable, and will give a good idea a fighting chance. Their funding priorities are broader than most foundations (poverty), which allows organizations, large and small, to innovate and try new things. Program officers are also diverse, which makes me feel like they relate better with the needs of communities. The only criticism I have is transparency in their staffing and leadership selection. Unfortunately, OBT tends to find themselves in the news for the wrong reasons. All in all, OBT is one of the BEST foundations to work with, hands down!!
Positive leader in the field, Gives more than money, Risk taker, Culturally sensitive, Insightful, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Openminded, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2016
Good
Program officers will call you back. But trying to schedule meetings at the highest level is a challenge. I'm not sure how connected the three trustees are in the community.
Mr. Otto Bremer was an immigrant who found success in banking. My challenge to the foundation is to reconnect with his roots by investing more in refugees and immigrants. Minnesota is a hub to some of the largest immigrant groups, namely, Hmong and Somali. With all of the negativity in the news surrounding DACA, undocumented workers, Islamophobia, etc., the Foundation should stand take more leadership in this area.
This is hard to access.
OBT takes risks, which is great for the community. They are able to do that because they don't report to a "parent" corporation or other stakeholders.
16
Reviewer 995 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2017
Our Program Officer is wonderful and very engaged with our mission and program. I understand this is the case with all of his applicants, not just us! Otto Bremer is specific in what they fund and will be direct with you about whether you are a good candidate, if you ask.
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
2017
Good
Good
Communicate with your Program Officer, ask them for feedback and input on what you wish to propose.
Communications and follow up.
20
