The Northside is an area rich with opportunity and assets but has experienced years of disinvestment. It’s also the neighborhood where Rose and her family lived for many years. This historical sentiment, coupled with community opportunities, makes our focus on North Minneapolis a perfect evolution of our work and interests.

We embrace community-led decision-making practices to ensure that our overarching strategy and individual grants align with Northside residents’ aspirations. We currently make grants to support Northside youth as they transition from high school to college and careers.

On a case-by-case basis, we will consider funding special projects administered by units of government. However, we will not fund efforts that are traditionally the responsibility or function of government.

We predominantly fund entities that are classified by the Internal Revenue Service as tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations. We will consider funding through a fiscal agent on a case-by-case basis.

We generally do not make grants for capital needs. We may consider a strategic capital grant to an organization with which we have a working relationship if the capital needs advance the work of that organization and are related to our funding focus.

The Phillips Family Foundation is prohibited from funding direct lobbying activities aimed at influencing specific pending or proposed legislation, including referenda, local, statewide or federal ordinances and resolutions. This prohibition generally includes direct lobbying of legislators and other government officials with respect to specific legislation and mass media advertising campaigns aimed at influencing specific legislation. We will consider requests for efforts such as grassroots organizing, issue education that is neutral, nonpartisan, and grounded in recognized research, and policy research and education. If you have questions about the acceptability of a proposed activity, please review the provisions describing prohibited activities included in Section 4945(e) of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations Section 53.4945-2.

We currently do not make program related investments, nor loans of any kind.

We have a limited capacity to support important events in North Minneapolis. If you are seeking sponsorship support for a Northside event, please contact a staff member.

In 2021, the Phillips Family Foundation entered a strategic operating partnership with the Minneapolis Foundation. We remain an independent foundation with its own resources and Board of Directors while receiving a variety of impact and administrative services from the Minneapolis Foundation.