Overview
Led by a Board comprised of employee volunteers, the mission of the Donaldson Foundation is to positively impact our communities by supporting education.
The Donaldson Foundation grants $1.2 million every year to non-profit organizations within our communities where our employees live and work. Our philanthropy focuses on:
- Supporting educational opportunities for those who otherwise would not have them
- Matching grants to educational institutions
- Providing scholarships for post-secondary institutions
- Partnering with our plant communities to address local education needs
Sarah Swenson, Donaldson Foundation President
Organizational Grants
Funding is available for organizations in the Bloomington, Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul), area and the following U.S. locations where we have a significant manufacturing or distribution presence:
Anderson, Indiana
Auburn, Alabama
Baldwin, Wisconsin
Chesterfield, Missouri
Chillicothe, Missouri
Cresco, Iowa
Dixon, Illinois
Feasterville, Pennsylvania
Frankfort, Indiana
Greeneville, Tennessee
Ivyland, Pennsylvania
Nicholasville, Kentucky
Rensselaer, Indiana
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Stockton, California
Valencia, California
Waterloo, Iowa
The Donaldson Foundation invites only those grant applications that are educational focused. Grant recipients must qualify for tax exemption by the IRS. The completion of the Minnesota Common Grant Application is preferred and proof of tax exemption 501(c)3 status is required. Each request will be evaluated against the criteria outlined below.
Grant Criteria
- Educational focus
- Degree of need for those benefited
- Impact
- Sustainability
- Connection to our communities
Grant applications that focus on impactful programs are preferred over funding requests for general operating expenses. Grant awards average from $5,000 to $20,000.
Funding Cycle
The Donaldson Foundation has two funding cycles. The first runs from August through January. Decisions for the first funding cycle are made in December with a payout in January. The second funding cycle runs from January through June with a payout in July. Proposals received after the deadline will be included in the subsequent funding cycle.
| Cycle I | Cycle II | |
|---|---|---|
| Proposal Submission Deadline | August 1 |
January 10 |
| Proposal Review Period | August 1 - December 31 |
January 10 - June 30 |
| Funding to Organizations | January 31 |
July 31 |
Contact Information:
Applications may be submitted via mail or email. To apply for funding, please fill out the Minnesota Common Grant Application along with your proposal and proof of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
The Donaldson Foundation
PO Box 1299, MS 100
Minneapolis, MN 55440
donaldsonfoundation@donaldson.com
$100k Challenge
Every year, the Donaldson Foundation invites three non-profits to propose how they would further educational initiatives in U.S. cities where our employees live and work.
All Donaldson U.S. employees have a vote and choose the proposal they think will make the greatest community impact. The organization with the most votes is awarded the $100,000 grant; the other two organizations each receive $10,000.
Recipients in past years include non-profit organizations such as 4-H, Junior Achievement, First Book, and Wounded Warrior Project.
Due to the crisis posed by the pandemic, the Foundation awarded international humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief $100,000 in support of its global COVID-19 medical response and treatment efforts.
Scholarships
Since 1981, we have offered a scholarship program for dependent children of U.S. employees, funded through the Donaldson Foundation. Scholarships are awarded without reference to race, creed, color, age, gender, religion, disability, or national origin.
The amount of the award can range from $4,000 to $6,000 for each year of full-time study and may be renewed for up to three additional years.
The program is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a division of Scholarship America, which establishes the award criteria and has sole authority for selecting award recipients. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic record, potential to succeed, leadership and participation in school and community activities.
