OVERVIEW: 3M’s broad grantmaking supports education, community development and the environment. 3M also broadly funds human services and arts programs across its communities.
IP TAKE: This funder awards both project specific and general operating support grants, but funding is limited to areas where 3M maintains operations. It is not accessible and grantmaking can be bureaucratic, which is common for corporate funding. Grantseekers are advised not to reach out to this funder repeatedly, as they are not open to continued contact. The best tactic here is to engage 3M employees, and encourage them to advocate for your organization. 3M is dedicated to expanding its philanthropic role through employee volunteerism and employee outreach. According to other grantees, 3M can become a loyal, long-term grant partner, but those sending unsolicited LOIs without first building relationships within the company will encounter less success.
PROFILE: The philanthropic arm of the global corporation, the 3M Foundation was established in 1953. Indeed, 3M was one of the first corporations to establish a foundation. The foundation “improves lives and builds sustainable communities through social investments and thoughtful engagement of 3Mers worldwide.” 3M funds programs in Education, Community, and the Environment. through its Corporate Giving program, while its separate 3M Foundation primarily awards local, community-based grants.
Grants for Education
Heavily focused on all aspects of STEM education, the foundation’s Education program awards academic institutions and organizations that increase student achievement in STEM, attract and retain post-secondary students, and promote equity and education in all communities.
Grants for Higher Education
The foundation’s Education program works mainly through signature programs. In the area of teacher education, 3M runs a program that involves science and math teachers in summer research projects at 3M laboratories. 3M also offers scholarships, including endowed scholarships at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania and others.
Grants for STEM Education
The 3M Foundation’s Education program awards STEM-related grants to K-12 schools, universities, and community organizations in the United States and around the world. Its giving primarily seeks to increase student achievement in STEM, promote equity in the field, and support post-secondary programs that attract and retain students as well as help to develop graduate students. Not only do grants fund STEM and science education programs, but they are also support teacher development, scholarship and fellowship programs.
Grants for Work and Opportunity
Notable programs include WorldSkills, which “showcases the value of skills and raises recognition of skilled professionals worldwide,” and the Frontline Sales Initiative, a broad partnership that “enhances sales education at colleges with the goal of elevating sales as a discipline and profession.”
Grants for Environmental Conservation
The foundation’s environmental grants focus on the sustainable management and maintenance of at-risk habitats, improving the lives of indigenous peoples “through green development and the promotion of green livelihoods; and increasing environmental learning activities for children.” The 3M Foundation’s environmental and conservation grants support a range of activities, such as closing the loop between municipalities and recycling programs. Some of this program’s initiatives include a focus on Canada’s Boreal Forest, as well as 3M Eco Grants, which help organizations “turn parks and playgrounds into science labs.” Eco Grants work to “help students connect science, technology, engineering and math to the world around them.” Recipients are environmental organizations in communities near a 3M facility. 3M has also partnered with the Closed Loop Fund, which invests in recycling infrastructure to create a circular economy.
Grants for Marine and Freshwater Conservation
The 3M Foundation’s marine conservation grants support an array of activities, such as the Mississippi River Fund and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. To learn more about the types of marine conservation organizations 3M supports, and at what level, download its environmental grants list.
Grants for Arts and Culture
The 3M Foundation’s Community grantmaking is dedicated to increasing community vitality through programs that “improve the quality of life in underserved families,” “increase access to youth development programs for underrepresented children,” and “provide access to vibrant and diverse art opportunities.” This includes both arts education opportunities and community artistic institutions such as theaters and museums. Past grantees include, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society, and Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Grants for Theater
The 3M Foundation primarily supports major arts institutions in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area. Grantees include Ordway Center for Performing Arts and Minnesota Opera.
Grants for Music
The 3M Foundation primarily supports major arts institutions in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area. Grantees include the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society and Minnesota Orchestra.
Grants for Dance
The 3M Foundation primarily supports major arts institutions in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area. Grantees include Ordway Center for Performing Arts.
Grants for Arts Education
The 3M Foundation primarily supports arts education initiatives in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area. Past grantees include The Arts Partnership, Minneapolis Institute of Art, and Children’s Theatre Company.
Important Grantmaking Details:
Grants may typically range from $5,000 to $500,000. The foundation primarily awards grants to organizations located in areas in which 3M has a business presence. Grantseekers whose work concerns education or the environment should apply through 3M’s corporate giving program rather than the 3M Foundation.
The 3M Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications or requests for funding from organizations located in St. Paul, Minnesota and Austin, Texas. Applicants located in other states must direct their funding requests to their local 3M office. The application period varies from April to November depending on the giving area.
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