Public Policy & Government Relations

MCF has been involved in government relations since its inception in 1969. Read about the six principles that have guided our work for over 40 years.

Grantmakers of all types engage in public policy as a leadership strategy to advance their missions in ways that are more far-reaching and enduring than grantmaking alone. This is particularly true in Minnesota where grantmakers use philanthropic tools to pursue a broad spectrum of public policy and systems-change work addressing difficult community issues.

Overview of MCF's Government Relations Work

MCF actively reaches out to Minnesota’s members of Congress to seek support for measures that benefit the philanthropic and nonprofit sector. To learn more about the specific measures that MCF is actively working on, check out MCF's Legislative Priorities.

Why is Public Policy Important for Grantmakers?

• Why Supporting Public Policy Makes Sense for Foundations
  The Atlantic Philanthropies

Resources to Get You Started

• Advocacy & Public Policy: What Every Grantmaker Should Know
  Minnesota Council on Foundations
  This resource can help foundations understand legal requirements related to advocacy.
• Advocacy Toolkit
  Council on Foundations
  This section of COF's site features a toolkit and more.
• Foundation Practices for Public Policy Engagement (PDF)
  The Center on Philanthropy & Public Policy
• Foundations and Public Policy Grantmaking (PDF)
  The James Irvine Foundation
• MCF Program Resources
  Available exclusively to MCF members, see the resources from past public policy programs MCF has held.

Opportunities to Get Involved with Public Policy

• Attend Foundations on the Hill
  Learn about this annual opportunity for grantmakers to meet federal lawmakers. For information, contact Bill King.

Websites to Track Legislation

• Minnesota Legislation
  Use this section of the North Star site to track the status of state House and Senate bills.
• Federal Legislation
  Track U.S. bills, search by bill number or keyword, link to congressional directories and more.
• Minnesota Budget Project
  Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
  This site encourages active, effective and timely participation in Minnesota's public policy debate.

More Public Policy Resources

Bill King
president

Is your foundation considering public policy or government relations as strategies to ensure funding impact? Bill King can answer questions and connect you with other grantmakers doing similar work.

Photo Minnesota State Capitol, CC manyhighways