Partnership between The Minneapolis Foundation
and Headwaters Foundation for Justice Unique in Nation

New relationship focuses on grassroots community & systems change

October 2004 Minneapolis, MN- The Minneapolis Foundation (TMF), in keeping with a grant making strategy focused on the long-term health and vitality of the community, and Headwaters Foundation for Justice, with a focus on grassroots communities and social change, have forged a unique, new relationship

TMF will match contributions that Headwaters Foundation makes to a newly created Donor Advised Fund. The matching contribution of up to $750,000 will result in a total of $1.5 million in new resources to support the work of grassroots, community organizations. The well-being and rights of immigrants in Minnesota is also of particular interest to TMF, as the Foundation plans to lead a major public information effort focused on issues of immigration in the coming months.

This partnership between one of the country's first community foundations and one of the country's leading social justice foundations is unique in the nation.

The community benefits from win-win relationship

"This partnership puts the Minneapolis Foundation's long-range grant making strategy of systems change into action," said TMF President and CEO Emmett Carson. Headwaters Foundation for Justice Executive Director Steven Newcom added, "The matching contribution extends our mutual support for grassroots organizations and helps ensure the long term health of our community."

Carson also pointed to recent demand for increased accountability in both the private and nonprofit sectors. "This progressive collaboration produces the kind of efficiency and accountability that those watching the foundation community have called for," he said. He further points out that the donor-advised fund provides a mechanism that allows other foundations and funding partners to participate in the effort.

The new partnership builds on a history of support between the two foundations. "The Minneapolis Foundation has supported the grassroots capacity building efforts of Headwaters for more than five years," Newcom said.

One example is Headwaters' bi-annual Allies for Justice Institute. The Institute aims to build grassroots capacity in a range of areas including fundraising, media strategies, technology, organizing, and coalition building and offers regular training conferences for grassroots volunteers, staff and leaders. "These activities provide the necessary technical and organizational assistance that grassroots organizations need to be effective and powerful," noted Newcom.

Background on Headwaters Foundation

Headwaters Foundation supports organizations that, instead of treating symptoms, address issues at the core. They define the approach as social change, not social service. Typically, Headwaters Foundation funds organizations with under a $200,000 total budget. Specialty funds of the Headwaters Foundation include:

• The Social Change Fund supports grassroots groups or projects engaged in social change organizing - particularly focusing on racial and economic justice.
• Fund of the Sacred Circle is directed toward social change work within the American Indian community.
• The Environmental Justice Fund is directed toward communities of color and low-income communities disproportionately affected by environmental health issues.
• The Democracy! Fund supports nonprofit voter participation efforts.

Newcom and Carson agree that this new relationship will ultimately enhance the effectiveness of both Foundations and their knowledge of the community. "This new partnership will increase Headwaters Foundation's impact, extend the Minneapolis Foundation's support to the grassroots community, and strengthen our historic collaboration," stated Carson.

The well-being and rights of immigrants in Minnesota is also of particular interest to TMF, as the Foundation plans to lead a major public information effort focused on issues of immigration in the coming months.
Since 1994, Headwaters has made the following grants:

• 84 grants to assist those working in the American Indian community. Most recently, Headwaters provided funding to the Minnesota Indian Economic Development Fund's Tribal Economic Well-Being Project. The project will research tribal poverty with a detailed analysis of the role of Indian entrepreneurs in developing a healthy and balanced economy on and near the reservations.
• 20 grants to assist those working in the African American community. Recently, Headwaters provided funding to Breaking Free and the Community Stabilization Project. In addition, Headwaters has provided operating funds for Harvest Prep/Seed Academy.
• 63 grants to assist those working in GLBT communities, for example, Headwaters has provided funding to strengthen the leadership capacity of aMaze. In addition, for two consecutive years Headwaters has supported PFLAG's efforts to make public schools safe and welcoming learning environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, families and staff.
• 47 grants to assist those working in the Asian American community. Headwaters provided funding to strengthen the leadership efforts of Progressive MN in the Hmong community. In addition, Headwaters has provided funds for Pan Asian teen girls to produce a public education campaign, What About Us.
• 36 grants to assist those working in the Latino and Chicano communities, including providing funding to several efforts that advance immigrant rights in both the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. Organizations that have recently received funding include the St. Paul Labor Studies and Resource Center, Mujeres Unidas del Red River Valley and Centro Campesino.

# # #

Headwaters Foundation for Justice | Overview

Headwaters Foundation for Justice is a catalyst for social change that supports grassroots communities working to create social, economic, and racial justice. Headwaters Foundation provides grants and organizational assistance to grassroots groups addressing the root causes of injustice in our community. Headwaters encourages proposals from people historically excluded from resources and power, including people of color, women, poor and working class people, gay and lesbian, bisexual and transgender, low-income activists and those with disabilities.

Contact: Steven Newcom, Executive Director
612-879-0602 ext. 13
Address: 2801 21st Avenue South, Suite 132B, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Founded: 1984
Financial: Has funded 850 projects with more than $3 million in grants since created.
Purpose: Social justice foundation granting funds to grassroots organizations that make social change possible.
Website: www.headwatersfoundation.org

# # #