McKnight Foundation

Thank you to all who joined us earlier this week to celebrate our 2024 Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honorees! These leaders are the heartbeat of Minnesota, showing up every day with empathy and dedication. This year's honorees are seven incredible individuals who have served their communities in profound but often quiet ways, recognizing the power of the individual to make and lead change and create a more inclusive state where everyone belongs and has an opportunity to thrive. Congratulations to: ? Zenebech Aly, Southeast region? ? Naima Dhore, Central region? ? Yoke-Sim Gunaratne, West Central region? ? Lynn Sue Mizner, Northeast region? ? Kevin Reese, Metro region? ? Aida Simon, Southwest region? ? Eman Yassin, West Central region “It is a joy to recognize these individuals who demonstrate empathetic leadership and the commitment it takes to build strong communities where all people belong and can contribute to a stronger future. These seven leaders represent the heart of their communities, showing up every day with generosity, compassion, and conviction to create more caring and connected Minnesota.” -McKnight president Tonya Allen? Learn more about the honorees and join us, in partnership with the Minnesota Council on Foundations, in celebrating their incredible work! ?? https://lnkd.in/ga78JiGg?? #CourageousCharacters #Philanthropy #CommunityLeadership #HeartOfCommunity #McKnightFoundation?

Democracy thrives when everyone has access to trustworthy, accurate local journalism. This Give to the Max Day, help local news rooms continue their mission to keep Minnesotans informed, engaged, and empowered. Today, McKnight is proud to match all donations to The Reporters Inc., Center for Broadcast Journalism, Access Press, Eden Prairie Local News (EPLN), MinnPost, and Sahan Journal dollar for dollar, doubling your impact for a stronger, better-informed Minnesota. When you support independent news, you invest in a brighter future for all. Donate today and make twice the difference! #GTMD24?#NewsMatch

We are excited to share that the GroundBreak Coalition and its early successes and momentum are featured in the cover article of this quarter’s issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review: “Collectively Owned Strategies”.??? https://lnkd.in/edpbcw2c ? As members of GroundBreak know, inclusive representation and collective ownership—both as a mindset and formally in the coalition’s leadership and governance—have been recognized as critical success factors from day one. The clarity of GroundBreak’s vision and goals and the facilitative roles of its project team, among other factors, were instrumental in building a cohesive coalition and shaping the support of its financial partners.? ? Led by community needs voiced by the coalition, we at McKnight Foundation are thankful to be able to contribute in multiple ways beyond our grantmaking, including our senior-most leadership engagement, staff time, operations, resource mobilization, and partnership support.?? ? With thanks to Stanford Social Innovation Review and to the article’s authors, Jordan Fabyanske, Sonila Cook, and Mariah Levin, we hope that our experience sparks the cross-sharing of ideas and knowledge.? #Philanthropy #SystemsChange #TransformativeCooperation #GroundBreakCoalition #GroundBreakMSP

?? Announcing the 2024 Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honorees! ?? https://lnkd.in/ga78JiGg In partnership with the?Minnesota Council on Foundations, we are thrilled to recognize seven outstanding Minnesotans for their compassionate contributions to their communities. This honor, named after Virginia McKnight Binger, celebrates everyday champions who embody the spirit of generosity and community service.?Congratulations to this year's honorees: Zenebech Aly, Southeast region? Naima Dhore, Central region? Yoke-Sim Gunaratne, West Central region? Lynn Sue Mizner, Northeast region? Kevin Reese, Metro region? Aida Simon, Southwest region? Eman Yassin, West Central region “It is a joy to recognize these individuals who demonstrate empathetic leadership and the commitment it takes to build strong communities where all people belong and can contribute to a stronger future. These seven leaders represent the heart of their communities, showing up every day with generosity, compassion, and conviction to create more caring and connected Minnesota.” -McKnight president Tonya Allen? These leaders are Minnesota's heartbeat, showing up daily with empathy and dedication. ??Join us in celebrating their incredible work! ?? https://lnkd.in/ga78JiGg United Way of Olmsted County Cultural Diversity Resources Until We Are All Free Initiative Foundation Northland Foundation Northwest Minnesota Foundation Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation Southwest Initiative Foundation West Central Initiative

Check out our latest #CourageousCharacter profile! Meet David Mura, a Minnesota-based memoirist, essayist, novelist, poet, critic, playwright, and performance artist. ??https://lnkd.in/gWHh4EQW David's work spans from contemporary Japan to the legacy of internment camps and the history of Japanese Americans. David's dedication to community-forward, selfless artistic practice has made him a mentor and role model for the next generation of artists. Discover his inspiring journey and vision for a future where equality, freedom, and democracy are realities. ??Read more in our #CourageousCharacter Q&A: ??https://lnkd.in/gWHh4EQW #Communityleadership #ArtForChange #CommunityEngagement #ArtsAndCulture #Philanthropy?#Democracy

McKnight president Tonya Allen was recently a guest on the "Becoming The Vision" podcast by Freedom Dreams in Philanthropy!???They discussed the importance of kindness and how it can support wellbeing and our work in philanthropy. Listen to the episode now! ??https://lnkd.in/gnvJWgHJ #BecomingTheVision #FreedomDreaming

?? Congratulations to distinguished journalist, media leader, and McKnight Board Member Duchesne Drew on being named to The Root 100, an annual list of the most influential Black Americans in the fields of arts, community, business, entertainment, media, and politics!

We're pleased to welcome Olivia Rasmussen as our new Program & Grants Associate for Arts & Culture today! In this role, Olivia will support all aspects of the grantmaking process for our Arts & Culture grantee partners. Olivia brings seven years of experience leading economic justice initiatives in the?nonprofit sector to the job. ?? Please join us in welcoming Olivia to the McKnight team!??? ?? Learn more about Olivia and her new role: https://lnkd.in/gb5PgnBN

?? We're so proud to join our partners at Black Collective Foundation MN to launch MN LEAD! ? MN LEAD will provide legal education and tools to help organizations understand their ability to conduct vital racial justice work in the current legal landscape. ?? Learn more: mnblackcf.org/mnlead #MNlead #RacialEquity #Minnesota #Philanthropy #RacialJustice

After the election, we remain steadfast in our mission to advance a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and the planet thrive. The McKnight Foundation is committed to prioritizing climate action and racial equity, ensuring that every community benefits from clean energy, resilient economies, and vibrant cultural corridors. Together, we will continue to build bridges, spark change, and create a future where everyone belongs. Read more in McKnight president Tonya Allen's latest blog post: https://lnkd.in/gAVQkxWn #ForwardTogether #ClimateAction #RacialEquity #CommunityStrength #Philanthropy