Mortenson Family Foundation
Mortenson Family Foundation is a Minneapolis-based family foundation that builds partnerships to strengthen community-driven approaches advancing equity, opportunity, and sustainable systems. The site describes areas of interest (children and families, environmental systems, developing communities) and links to an online grant portal for applications.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A community-rooted nonprofit—especially Minnesota-based—or a program with strong Minnesota partnerships focused on children and families, environmental systems, or community development; small-to-mid sized organizations seeking project or general operating support and able to demonstrate community-driven partnerships and measurable impact.
Good Fit
- • Clear alignment with children/families, environmental systems, or developing communities priorities
- • Demonstrated community-driven or partnership-based work in Minnesota or with strong MN ties
- • Request sizes in the small-to-mid range (many grants under $100K and several larger awards up to $250K)
- • Willingness to apply through the online portal and engage with named program staff
- • Capacity to show equitable practices and measurable community outcomes
Geography
The foundation concentrates the majority of dollars in Minnesota (about four-fifths of 2024 giving) but made grants to organizations across 22 states, indicating a strong state focus with occasional out-of-state support.
Recipient Variety
In the latest year the foundation distributed 261 grants to 198 distinct recipients, with a mix of repeat grantees and many one-off awards, showing a broad and diverse recipient portfolio for its size.
New Applicants
Direct access routes are visible (online application forms and named program contacts) and behaviorally the foundation added many new recipients in recent years (73 new in 2024, over 100 new in 2023), so unfamiliar applicants appear plausibly able to enter the portfolio.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
