McKnight Helps Increase Affordable Housing in Greater Minnesota

To support the development of new affordable housing in Greater Minnesota, The McKnight Foundation's board of directors approved a grant of $10.5 million over two years to the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund as part of its fourth-quarter 2003 grantmaking. 

Through grants, loans and services, St. Paul-based GMHF has become the principal private funder and catalyst of affordable housing for working families in Greater Minnesota. The organization has encouraged employer investments and cost-reduction techniques, while linking best practices in affordable housing with more balanced regional development. McKnight's new funds will go toward increasing the supply of affordable housing in Greater Minnesota.

"In its first seven years, the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund has become a mainstay in rural Minnesota's future," said Noa Staryk, McKnight's board chair. "It's developed innovative programs to help rural Minnesota's low-wage workers, families with children, and individuals disadvantaged by homelessness to live in safe, decent homes. While creating 4,900 affordable housing units, the Fund also has established important new financial partnerships with major Minnesota employers. We are proud of the success so far and happy to continue our support."

McKnight's board also approved continued support of each of the five umbrella organizations within its Congregations in Community (CIC) program. The foundation initiated the CIC program eight years ago to link and strengthen ties between congregations and community programs through volunteer engagement, training and education opportunities, and programmatic efforts. In November, the foundation granted a total of $715,000 to Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas in Minneapolis, Masjid An-Nur Islamic Centers of Minneapolis & St. Paul in Minneapolis, St. Paul Area Council of Churches, and TURN Leadership Foundation in Minneapolis.

McKnight's funding in Southeast Asia is meant to strengthen the capacity of local leaders to deliver health services and human and economic development programs for the people of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. This quarter, the foundation approved grants totaling almost $300,000 over two years for Cambodian Medical Services Support Organization, Ratanikiri Province, Cambodia; Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Fauna and Flora International, San Francisco; International MarineLife Alliance, Honolulu; and PATH, Seattle.

In total, The McKnight Foundation awarded 83 grants totaling $18,680,000 in its fourth-quarter 2003 grantmaking for the following five program areas: Arts - 13 grants totaling $375,000; Children and Families - 28 grants totaling $3,019,000; Environment - 11 grants totaling $805,000; Region and Communities - 22 grants totaling $14,045,000; International - 9 grants totaling $436,000. For a complete list of grants, visit the foundation's Web site.

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