The Minneapolis Foundation, Headwaters Foundation Form Partnership for Social Change

The Minneapolis Foundation, one of the country's first community foundations, and the Headwaters Foundation for Justice, one of the country's leading social justice foundations, have announced a new partnership for social change that is unique in the nation.

In keeping with a grantmaking strategy focused on the long-term health and vitality of the community, The Minneapolis Foundation 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.

"This partnership puts The Minneapolis Foundation's long-range grantmaking strategy of systems change into action," said Emmett Carson, president and CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation. 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."

The two foundations' new partnership aligns with the recent demand for increased accountability in both the private and nonprofit sectors, according to Carson. "This progressive collaboration produces the kind of efficiency and accountability that those watching the foundation community have called for," he said. He notes that the donor-advised fund provides a mechanism that allows other foundations and funding partners to participate in the effort.

The 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, according to Newcom.

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," said Carson.

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