The Cargill Foundation is expanding its grantmaking to Atlanta and Wichita, extending its work beyond Cargill’s headquarters community of Minneapolis-St. Paul for the first time in its 75-year history. Grantmaking has begun in both new communities, while the Foundation continues its longstanding work in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
For 75 years, The Cargill Foundation has worked alongside nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities to nourish and educate the next generation for success in school, work and life. Since 1951, it has invested more than $300 million in the community. Its endowment provides a steady source of long-term funding, allowing the Foundation to build lasting relationships with nonprofit partners while also giving it the flexibility to respond when communities face unexpected challenges, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Cargill Foundation’s 75-year history has shown us that lasting change begins with listening to communities and investing in nonprofit organizations equipped to address local needs,” said Katie Clark Sieben, executive director of The Cargill Foundation and senior director of Corporate Responsibility at Cargill. “As we expand our grantmaking to Atlanta and Wichita, we are committed to building trusted local partnerships and supporting young people and families for the long term.”
The Foundation’s 2026 grantmaking budget includes $14.5 million for its work in the Twin Cities and $1 million each for its first year of grantmaking in Atlanta and Wichita, where it has identified six nonprofit partners in each community for initial grants. Employee-led advisory councils in both new communities will help inform local giving priorities and partnerships.
In Wichita, the expansion builds on Cargill’s 47-year presence in the city, where the company employs more than 750 people and has a strong history of local giving and volunteerism. In Atlanta, where Cargill opened an office in June 2024 and continues to grow its presence, the Foundation’s expansion gives employees another way to deepen their engagement with local nonprofit partners and volunteer in the community.
The Foundation’s focus areas are childhood nutrition, STEM education, and college and career readiness. Examples of work supported by Foundation grants in the Twin Cities include:
- Saint Paul Public Schools’ Grow Our Own School Garden Program, which reaches nearly 5,000 students annually across 42 schools.
- MIGIZI’s Green Tech Institute, which provides youth with training and hands-on learning related to green-energy careers.
- Achieve Twin Cities’ College & Career Centers, which provide personalized school-based support to students in 26 public high schools as they plan for life after graduation.
The same focus areas will guide the Foundation’s work in Atlanta and Wichita. Beyond program grants, the Foundation also supports projects and initiatives that strengthen the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, including select capital projects for nonprofit partners.
To mark the Foundation’s 75th anniversary and expansion, Cargill employees across Minneapolis-St. Paul, Atlanta and Wichita have been participating in 75 Days of Service, which kicked off in September. The initiative gives employees a shared way to volunteer in support of local nonprofit organizations and the communities they call home.
About The Cargill Foundation
The Cargill Foundation’s mission is to nourish and educate the next generation for success in school, work and life. Founded in 1951 in Cargill’s headquarters community of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, the Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations across the Twin Cities; Wichita, Kansas; and Atlanta, Georgia. Through these partnerships, the Foundation supports programs focused on childhood nutrition, STEM education and college and career readiness. It has a goal of closing the opportunity gap for low-income youth facing the widest disparities.
The Cargill Foundation is a Minnesota nonprofit corporation and is a separate legal entity from Cargill, Incorporated. While the foundation receives support from Cargill, Incorporated, it operates independently with its own governance, mission, programs, and Board of Directors. The views, activities, and decisions of The Cargill Foundation do not necessarily reflect those of Cargill, Incorporated or its affiliates and subsidiaries.
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