506 S. High St., Suite B, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387

Advancing social equity is one of our major grantmaking themes. The Morgan Family has a long history of engagement with social equity issues, trying to make the world fairer and more inclusive. The Morgan Family Foundation seeks a just society in which all individuals have ample opportunity to thrive and outcomes are not determined by one’s heritage, physical characteristics, beliefs, residence or inclusion in any particular group. We aim to reduce or eliminate unfair differences among groups of people and we advocate for positive change in attitudes, practices and policies that leads to equitable outcomes. Geographically our focus is on central Minnesota.

The Morgan Family Foundation is proud to be advancing social equity in central Minnesota through grant support for the following organizations.

In 2023, the Morgan Family Foundation has approved these grants, which total $979,755:

180 Degrees, Paul, MN – $30,000
for Capital Support for 180 Degrees’ St. Cloud Youth Shelter

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, St. Paul, MN – $25,000
for Advancing equity with data: American Community Survey training series

Arrive Ministries, Minneapolis, MN – $30,000
for Arrive Ministries St. Cloud Program Center—a welcoming place for mutual learning, art exchange and friendship–bridging cultural divides over two years

Avivo, Minneapolis, MN – $30,000
for Avivo Career Education & Employment Services, Greater St. Cloud metro

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud, St. Cloud, MN – $40,000
for Increasing and Advancing Social Equity for Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Central Minnesota

Central Minnesota Community Empowerment Organization, St. Cloud, MN – $50,000
for General operating support for immigrant community work

Central Minnesota Housing Partnership Inc., St. Augusta, MN – $40,000
for CMHP Single-Family Housing Capacity Building

Create Community, St. Cloud, MN – $50,000
for Expanding Create CommUNITY’s Capacity to Engage in Conversations on Race

Friends of Career Solutions, St. Cloud, MN – $50,000
for CareerONE: Preparing Underserved Youth for the Workforce

Higher Works Collaborative, St. Cloud, MN – $50,000
for Supporting the Black Community of Central Minnesota

ISAIAH, St. Paul, MN – $60,000
for Building Community Leadership and Advancing Racial Equity in St. Cloud

Islamic Center of St Cloud (ICSC), St. Cloud, MN – $28,000
for The-Improve Achievement Project (TAP)

Jugaad Leadership Program, St. Cloud, MN – $35,000
for Support for Connections and Growth

Lyricality, Sauk Rapids, MN – $27,900
for Social Equity for BIPOC & Marginalized Gender Arts Practitioners in Greater St. Cloud

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, St. Paul, MN – $25,000
for Advancing Reproductive and Sexual Health Equity in St. Cloud

Promise Neighborhood Of Central Minnesota, St. Cloud, MN – $200,000
for Raise the Bar over three years

Queer Space Collective, Minneapolis, MN – $50,000
for QUEERSPACE hangouts LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program: St. Cloud

Rise Incorporated, Spring Lake Park, MN – $30,000
for Partnership for a Successful Re-entry

ServeMinnesota, Minneapolis, MN – $45,000
for Total Learning Classroom at Madison Elementary

Too Much Talent, St. Cloud, MN – $83,855
for Too Much Talent Programming Expansion

In 2022, the Morgan Family Foundation awarded these grants, which total $902,809:

Anna Marie’s Alliance, St. Cloud, MN – $15,000
for Developing a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan to eliminate oppression among the agency and community partners of Anna Marie’s Alliance

Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Minnesota, St. Cloud, MN – $100,000
for Eastside, Roosevelt & Southside Boys & Girls Clubs Programming for Youth

Central Minnesota Community Empowerment Organization, St. Cloud, MN – $40,200
for Equitable Access to Finance

City of Sartell, Sartell, MN – $10,000
for Sartell MN Regional Inclusive Playground

Connectability of MN Inc., St. Cloud, MN – $58,500
for 2022-2023 Connect: Access to Mobility Equipment and Filling Transportation gaps

Ellison Center, St. Cloud, MN – $55,000
for Providing Culturally Appropriate Care from the Inside Out

Gender Justice, St. Paul, MN – $10,000
for Community Education and Public Awareness Campaign on Abortion Care and Rights for St. Cloud Area Community

Great River Educational Arts Theatre, Waite Park, MN – $31,000
for GREAT Implementation of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan

Jugaad Leadership Program, St. Cloud, MN – $35,000
for Jugaad Leadership Program – Operating Support

Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest, St. Paul, MN – $38,000
for Junior Achievement High School Program Support for Schools with Student Populations of 51% or more Low and Moderate Income and Black Indigenous Person of Color

Loaves & Fishes Too, Minneapolis, MN – $20,000
for St. Cloud Meal Programming

Lutheran Social Service Of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN – $25,000
for Empowering Refugee Families

Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance, Inc., Minneapolis, MN – $53,109
for Legal Aid/Promise Neighborhood Partnership

Planned Parenthood Minnesota North Dakota South Dakota, St. Paul, MN – $50,000
for Building the Healthiest Generation in St. Cloud

Queer Space Collective, Minneapolis, MN – $70,000
for QUEERSPACE hangouts LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program: St. Cloud Expansion

Rise Incorporated, Spring Lake Park, MN – $15,000 for Partnership
for a Successful Re-entry: Pre-Release Employment Supports for Incarcerated Individuals with Mental Illness in Central Minnesota

ServeMinnesota, Minneapolis, MN – $55,000
for Total Learning Classroom at Madison Elementary

St. Cloud Technical & Community College Foundation, St. Cloud, MN – $67,000
for Cultivating Community for Our Students: Equity by Design Faculty Academy and Intercultural Leadership Development as Transformative Tools

Terebinth Refuge, Waite Park, MN – $35,000
for Increasing Mental Health Wellness in Our Shelter Program

Too Much Talent, St. Cloud, MN – $70,000
for Too Much Talent Social Equity Program Expansion

In 2021, the Morgan Family Foundation awarded these grants, which totaled $899,280:

180 Degrees, St. Cloud, MN – $20,000
for St. Cloud Youth Shelter

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, St. Paul, MN – $7,500
for Qualitative Data for St. Cloud Equity Dashboard

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, St. Paul, MN – $10,000
for Data Parties to engage community members in how to use the St. Cloud Equity Dashboard

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, St. Cloud, MN – $80,000
for CareerSTART Workforce Development Expansion Programs

Center for Victims of Torture, Waite Park, MN – $30,000
for CVT St. Cloud

CentraCare Health System, St. Cloud, MN – $63,000
for Reducing Health Disparities for Sexual & Gender Medicine Patients Through a Patient Navigator

CommunityGiving/Central Minnesota Community Foundation, St. Cloud, MN – $70,000
for Building Racial Equity in Our Community

Friends of Career Solutions, St. Cloud, MN – $30,000
for Increasing Employment Opportunities for Somali Immigrants and Refugees

Higher Works Collaborative, St. Cloud, MN – $65,780
for Building the Black (African-American) Community with Impactful Leadership, Meaningful Change, and Qualified Support

Higher Works Collaborative, St. Cloud, MN – $5,000
for General Operating Support

Homeless Helping Homeless, St. Cloud, MN – $75,000
for Lincoln Center

ISAIAH, St. Paul, MN – $50,000
for Building Community and Advancing Racial Equity in St. Cloud

Islamic Center of St. Cloud, St. Cloud, MN – $33,000
for The-Improve Achievement Project (TAP)

Jugaad Leadership Program, St. Cloud, MN – $35,000
for Jugaad Leadership Program General Operating Support

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, St. Paul, MN – $25,000
for Addressing Inequities in Reproductive and Sexual Health Outcomes in St. Cloud

Promise Neighborhood of Central Minnesota, St. Cloud, MN – $60,000
for Policy, System, and Environment

Promise Neighborhood of Central Minnesota, St. Cloud, MN – $5,000
for General Operating Support

Reach-Up Inc., St. Cloud, MN – $25,000
for Supporting Two-Generation Learning For Disadvantaged Communities

ServeMinnesota, Minneapolis, MN – $50,000
for Total Learning Classroom at Madison Elementary

Terebinth Refuge, Waite Park, MN – $25,000
for Terebinth Refuge Transition Program Home

Too Much Talent, St. Cloud, MN – $40,000
for Too Much Talent (2MT) Social Equity Grant

Too Much Talent, St. Cloud, MN – $5,000
for General Operating Support

unitecloud, St. Cloud, MN – $5,000
for General Operating Support

United Way of Central Minnesota, St. Cloud, MN – $85,000
for Black Leaders for Student Success

In 2020, the Morgan Family Foundation awarded these grants, which totaled $868,017:

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, St. Paul, MN – $80,000
for Minnesota Compass: Understanding Central MN Inequities Through Data

Avivo, Minneapolis, MN – $30,000
for St. Cloud Career Education

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, St. Cloud, MN – $60,000
for CareerSTART Workforce Development Program

Center for Victims of Torture, Waite Park, MN – $50,000
for CVT St. Cloud

CentraCare Health System, St. Cloud, MN – $59,280
for Improving Health and Social Equity for the Central Minnesota Latino Community (IHSE)

Child Care Choices, Inc. DBA Milestones, Waite Park, MN – $60,400
for Welcoming All Babies in Our Community

Council on American-Islamic Relations, Minnesota Chapter, Minneapolis, MN – $10,000
for Partners in Change: Building Resiliency Within St. Cloud’s Muslim Community

District 742 Local Education & Activities Foundation (LEAF), St. Cloud, MN – $41,000
for PAKCAT (Partners And Kids Counting Alot Together)

Ellison Center, St. Cloud, MN – $51,130
for Embedding Social Justice into Mental Health Services

Great River Educational Arts Theatre, Waite Park, MN – $25,000
for GREAT action on anti-racism commitment

Greater Minnesota Worker Center, St. Cloud, MN – $42,898
for Immigrant Workers, Meatpacking Plants, and COVID-19 Health Disparities

Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, St. Cloud, MN – $50,000
for Shape Tomorrow: Cultivating a Diverse, Equitable & Inclusive Community

ISAIAH, St. Paul, MN – $50,000
for Building Resilience and Belonging in St. Cloud Through Multi-Racial Leadership Development

Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance, St. Cloud, MN – $53,109
for Legal Aid/Promise Neighborhood Partnership

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, St. Paul, MN – $25,000
for Building the Healthiest Generation in St. Cloud

St. Cloud Technical & Community College Foundation, St. Cloud, MN – $61,000
for Cultivating Community for Our Students: Intercultural Leadership Development as a Transformative Tool for SCTCC Faculty & Staff

The Advocates for Human Rights, Minneapolis, MN – $12,000
for Supporting Asylum Seekers & Labor Trafficking Victims in St. Cloud

The Sanneh Foundation, St. Paul, MN – $40,000
for Dreamline Program – St. Cloud School District

The Yes Network, St. Cloud, MN- $50,000
for Disrupting Inequities Through Youth Leadership Development

WACOSA, Waite Park, MN – $17,200
for WACOSA’s Adaptive Media Project (AMP)

For more information on our Social Equity grant program, please contact our Social Equity Program Officer Jama Mohamed.

Leaders Committed to Place Equity

The following statement was published in the St. Cloud Times on April 17, 18, and 19, 2021 in the wake of the killing of Daunte Wright. We are proud to have been included as one of over 60 signatories and to reaffirm our commitment to social equity in Minnesota.

The verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial, announced shortly thereafter on April 20, gives us hope that justice is possible. However, we recognize there is a long road still ahead. Recent events remind us that a new era of justice is not at hand. We must work work collectively and unrelentingly for equity.

We are living in troubling times and once again we are faced with the uncomfortable reality that change is difficult to achieve. Another African American male has lost his life. While this event didn’t happen in our community, we’re not immune from its implications.

We are compelled to ask many questions. How did this happen? Could it have been prevented? What should we do now? What can we do now? These are questions that arise naturally in tragedy, and in the absence of a plan, they speak to a greater question… Why?

Many of us are in pain, many of us are conflicted, many of us are angry, many of us are tired. But, together we remain committed to securing a deeper understanding of the problem and creating solutions that lift us all. Our call to action is to ask the right questions, find the right answers, and change despite the discomfort it might cause. We’ve done much, but we know it’s not enough.

What will we do?

Action Step 1 – Create a Safe Space for Brave Conversations

Create a space (virtual or in-person) where youth, friends, family, or neighbors can share what they are feeling and support one another.

Action Step 2 – Place Based Equity/Anti-racist Interventions

• In 10 days, we are going to assemble and communicate a comprehensive list of equity/anti-racist programs and events that are currently happening and/or planned in the near future in Central Minnesota to show that sustained work of meaningful change is occurring right now in our area.

• We will convene again to find the gaps in the current and/or planned offerings and strategize solutions to fill those gaps. We will welcome feedback.

This is our community! We have all the talent and expertise needed to bring about and maintain substantive change for our children and families. We sign this letter to indicate that we are dedicated to the success of all in OUR COMMUNITY and we commit to the work of making it happen.

Following the death of George Floyd, the Morgan Family Foundation also partnered with the Minnesota Philanthropic Collective to Combat Anti-Blackness and Realize Racial Justice. We are one of 26 organizations that signed the joint statement issued by the Minnesota Philanthropic Collective.