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The Saint Paul Foundation

ISSUE AREA: LEADERSHIP

City: St. Paul

Contact:
Jo-Anne E. Stately
Senior Program Officer
The Saint Paul Foundation
600 Fifth Street Center
55 Fifth Street East
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101-1797
(651) 224-5463

Created in 1940, The Saint Paul Foundation is dedicated to serving the community. The foundation makes philanthropic grants, leads charitable projects, and provides other services that contribute to community well being. With assets under management of over $650 million, The Saint Paul Foundation is the 8th largest community foundation in the nation. At the end of 2000, The Saint Paul Foundation and Minnesota Foundation:

Managed 850 trusts and funds worth $666 million.
Received contributions totaling $27.2 million.
Approved grants and operated special projects totaling $28.6 million in 2000.
Involved more than 300 people on committees advising the Foundation.
Staffed two private foundations - F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation with combined assets of nearly $200 million and combined grants of more than $8 million

The Foundation is committed to working with donors to achieve their philanthropic goals. A prime example is the Jane Ring Hockey Scholarship Fund, which awards a $2,000 scholarship annually to a deserving Minnesota female hockey player entering college. Ms. Ring, a retired teacher, wanted to use some of her money to help girls who shared a passion for the sport she loves, ice hockey. The process of starting the scholarship, as with many projects, was difficult, as many foundations were not equipped to take on small funds. However, The Saint Paul Foundation was willing to start the fund in 1996 with less than $20,000. With Ms. Ring continuing her annual contributions of $10,000, the fund will eventually grow into a permanent scholarship fund large enough to sustain the annual award.

Some of the other projects The Saint Paul Foundation sponsors include:

Community Sharing Fund (CSF) – This fund works with community organizations to assist individuals and families in need. CSF approves small grants, ranging from $10-$700 to help alleviate crises and emergencies. Supported by foundations, corporations, and individuals, nearly $3 million has been donated to those in need over the years.

Census 2000 Fund – With the problems the U.S. Census Bureau faces obtaining an accurate count of minority groups, especially immigrants, The Saint Paul Foundation issued grants to community organizations to fund outreach positions and translation services. Ramsey County had a higher participation rate of 78 percent for Census 2000 as a result, compared with 67 percent nationally.

Como Zoo and Conservatory Society – The Como Zoo and Conservatory Society, which attracts nearly 2 million visitors annually, received a $750,000 grant to build a new Visitor and Education Resource Center and animal support buildings. Some of the funds will also be used for exhibit upgrades and facility improvements.

The Saint Paul Foundation is an asset to the community, as it raises awareness of the importance of philanthropy in meeting public needs. By encouraging participation in community initiatives, the Foundation aims to include all interested residents in development and revitalization projects. Similarly, this is also accomplished by providing services and grants to charitable organizations, allowing various agencies to engage in philanthropic activities. Saint Paul is a prime example of how a strong community foundation is beneficial to a thriving region.

References: The Saint Paul Found Foundation
http://www.saintpaulfoundation.org