2008 Edition

Education regained the highest share position (26 percent) in 2006, an increase from 21 percent (the second-largest) in 2005 (see Table 4). The Human Services share decreased from 25 percent in 2005 (the largest share) to 22 percent (the second-largest) in 2006. Public Affairs/Society Benefit, with a 17-percent share in 2006, continued as third-largest.

Environment/Animals share of Minnesota grant dollars increased from 4 percent in 2005 to 5 percent in 2006. The Arts, Culture & Humanities share decreased from 16 percent in 2005 to 14 percent in 2006. The portions going to Health, International Affairs and Religion stayed the same (11 percent, 2 percent, and 3 percent, respectively) from 2005 to 2006.


Subject Area by Grantmaker Type

In 2006, corporate grantmakers provided the largest share of grants to Arts, Culture, & Humanities, Education, and Public Affairs/ Society Benefit.

Private foundations were the top grantmaker type for Environment/ Animals, Health, Human Services and International Affairs. Shares for Public Affairs/Society Benefit were comparable for private foundations (42 percent) and corporate grantmakers (46 percent). Religion received the smallest share of its funding from private foundations (22 percent).

Community/public foundations gave Religion’s largest share, representing just under half (49 percent) of that category’s grantmaking. These foundations gave International Affairs 33 percent of its grant dollars. The community/public foundations had the smallest amount of giving in the sample; thus, they contributed the lowest share of grant dollars to the other six subject areas.


Comparisons to National Grantmaking

In 2006, Education received the largest share (26 percent) of Minnesota grant dollars, and Human Services received the second largest (22 percent). At the national level, Education and Health tied for first, each with a 23-percent share.

Public Affairs/Society Benefit ranked third in Minnesota (17 percent) and nationally (15 percent).

The greatest differences between Minnesota and national grantmaking were in Human Services and Health. Although Minnesota grantmakers devoted 22 percent of their grant dollars to Human Services, the national share was 14 percent. Conversely, Health received a 11-percent share in Minnesota, compared to 23 percent nationally.