Strategic Philanthropy

Impact Investing
Carolyn Foundation currently holds $7+ million in social impact-generating bonds in Minneapolis, MN, and New Haven, CT. Our primary interests are in affordable housing, clean energy, and education. Our other investment holdings have been screened to ensure we are not unwittingly holding investments that run counter to our priorities, particularly our Climate Change objectives.

Grantmaking
For more than 25 years, Carolyn Foundation has invested in foundation-initiated strategic grants that advance our core funding priorities:

  • Youth Development in New Haven and Minneapolis
  • Climate Change in Minnesota

We believe long-term strategic investments are one of the most effective ways to create meaningful impact. By focusing on root causes and supporting systems-level change, these grants help build lasting solutions rather than short-term fixes.

As new opportunities emerge, we intend to continue growing this area of our grantmaking.

What Makes an Opportunity Strategic?

At Carolyn Foundation, we look for opportunities that are:

  • Closely aligned with our existing funding priorities
  • Community-driven and responsive to emerging opportunities rather than foundation-created initiatives
  • Informed by community needs assessments and/or systems mapping
  • Focused on systems change and addressing underlying causes
  • Built through strong partnerships and shared commitment, including:
    • Community members most impacted by the issue
    • Relevant service providers, practitioners, and process leaders
    • Philanthropic partners and other funders
  • Designed for long-term sustainability and impact

Strategic Grantmaking Partners:

Great MN Schools
At Carolyn Foundation, we invest in long-term strategies that address root causes and create lasting systems change. Our partnership with Great MN Schools reflects this approach by expanding access to excellent and equitable schools for Minneapolis students.

We believe schools are foundational to opportunity. When students have access to strong learning environments, supported educators, engaged families, and high expectations, children and communities thrive.

Great MN Schools works to increase the number of Minneapolis students attending excellent schools by:

  • Strengthening schools through support for school leaders, instructional improvement, and high-quality learning environments
  • Empowering families with tools and resources that help parents navigate school choices, including Minneapolis School Finder
  • Building community partnerships that connect families with information, support, and advocacy
  • Advancing long-term systems change that helps create conditions where great schools can grow and succeed

Through this partnership, we are helping to advance a future in which every Minneapolis student has access to a school that enables them to learn, thrive, and reach their full potential.

Clean Heat Minnesota

At Carolyn Foundation, we support long-term climate solutions that address root causes, strengthen communities, and accelerate systemic change. Our partnership with Clean Heat Minnesota reflects this approach by helping advance an equitable transition to cleaner, healthier, and more affordable energy across the state.

Clean Heat Minnesota is a statewide, multi-racial coalition working to ensure all Minnesotans have access to safe, reliable, and affordable energy for heating, cooking, and powering homes and buildings. The coalition brings together community organizations, advocates, and partners to build a clean energy future that benefits all Minnesotans.

We believe climate action is strongest when it improves everyday lives. The transition to clean energy creates opportunities to reduce pollution, improve health, strengthen energy affordability, and build a more resilient future for communities throughout Minnesota.

Clean Heat Minnesota advances this work by:

  • Supporting an equitable energy transition that helps Minnesota move toward cleaner and more affordable heating and energy systems
  • Building community awareness and engagement so residents understand energy choices and can participate in decisions that affect their homes and communities
  • Elevating community voices, particularly those historically underrepresented in energy planning and policy discussions
  • Strengthening long-term climate solutions that align environmental progress with economic opportunity and community well-being

Through this partnership, we are helping build a future where clean, affordable energy supports healthier homes, stronger communities, and a more sustainable Minnesota.