How to Apply

Guidelines  |  Feedback |  Lobbying Regulations 

Follow the links below to determine if your organization and project fit our grantmaking guidelines, and to prepare an initial letter of inquiry for funding. In the coming months, check here for details about our upcoming online application process. NOTE: If you are a current McKnight grantee working to support homeless or runaway youth, family economic success, parenting skills-building, or fatherhood, and you have funding questions, please call Christine Ganzlin at 612-333-4220. If you are an early childhood grantee with funding questions, contact Mariam Mohamed at 612-333-4220. ARTS General Guidelines ENVIRONMENT Mississippi River Guidelines Climate Change Unsolicited climate change requests not accepted. INTERNATIONAL East Africa Guidelines Not currently accepting letters of inquiry. Collaborative Crop Research Factsheet Grants made only through requests for proposals. Southeast Asia Guidelines LITERACY Webpage Not currently accepting letters of inquiry. MULTISERVICE 2009 Guidelines, deadline passed 2010 guidelines will be posted mid-March OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME 2010 Guidelines, deadline passed REGION & COMMUNITIES General Guidelines MINNESOTA INITIATIVE FOUNDATIONS Webpage Contact your region's MIF for program guidelines. NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH Webpage Funding only through annual competitive awards.

Feedback We welcome your feedback on the clarity of our guidelines: Note on lobbying and public policy analysis The Foundation may consider funding requests for efforts such as advocacy to improve the policies and administrative rules of executive, judicial, and administrative agencies; information-sharing that is neutral, nonpartisan, and fully describes both sides of a pending legislative issue; and policy research and education. As required by the Internal Revenue Code, the Foundation will not fund attempts to influence specific pending or proposed legislation, including referenda, local ordinances, and resolutions. This prohibition generally includes direct lobbying of legislators and other government officials with respect to specific legislation and mass media advertising campaigns aimed at influencing specific legislation. If you have questions about the acceptability of a proposed activity, please review the detailed provisions describing prohibited activities included in Section 4945(e) of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations Section 53.4945-2. More Information: What We Fund Frequently Asked Questions: Grantmaking