Bush Foundation

Name

Bush Foundation

Legal name

Bush Foundation

Website

https://bushfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Leadership fellowships
• Community innovation grants
• Impact investing
• Nonprofit foundation funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Endowment Investment Returns: The Bush Foundation's only source of revenue is investment earnings from its endowment - funds left by Archibald G. Bush. The foundation does not fundraise or earn money in any other way. The endowment was valued at $1.5 billion at the end of 2025, up 6.6% from the prior year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Bush Foundation is a private foundation that provides grants, the Bush Fellowship (up to $150,000 per individual), and program-related investments (PRIs) to support individuals, nonprofit organizations, and Native nations in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and 23 Native nations sharing that geography. It funds leadership development, community problem-solving ideas, and organizations that support regional change-makers, with total giving exceeding $1.5 billion since 1953.

Product overview

The Bush Foundation is a grantmaking foundation offering multiple programs to support leaders and organizations in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the 23 Native nations in that geography. The core offerings include the Bush Fellowship program (a self-designed leadership development program providing up to $150,000), Community Innovation grants & PRIs (flexible funding for promising ideas), Ecosystem grants (support for organizations that help problem solvers), Bush Prize (flexible capital for high-performing organizations), Giving Days support, Media partnerships, and the Partnership Fund for unique opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bush Fellowship: A self-designed leadership program that gives individuals flexibility to develop their capacity to lead effectively, providing up to $150,000 to pursue self-designed leadership plans.
• Community Innovation Grants & PRIs
• Bush Prize

Products and services

• Bush Fellowship program A self-designed leadership program providing up to $150,000 to help individual leaders from any sector (business, nonprofit, government) develop their capacity to lead effectively and create large-scale change in the region.
• Community Innovation grants & PRIs The Foundation's largest and most flexible grant program funding promising ideas to make the region better for everyone. Offers grants and program-related investments with no caps on amounts or duration.
• Ecosystem grants Flexible funding up to $150,000 annually or 25% of an organization's expenses, supporting organizations that help problem solvers in the region.
• Bush Prize A $250,000 award celebrating organizations highly valued within their communities that have a track record of successful community problem solving. Operated through 4 community grant partners.
• Giving Days support Funding for Giving Days events throughout the region to raise awareness and funds for nonprofit organizations.
• Media partnerships program Funding up to $150,000 total over 3 years for nonprofit media organizations doing work aligned with the Foundation's purpose.
• Partnership Fund Funding for unusual situations including attracting outside resources to the region, partnering with other funders on significant challenges, or unique opportunities outside other programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of funding advancing racial and/or economic equity
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered implementation partner, major partner, key partner and program partner.

• St. Paul Downtown Development Corporationimplementation partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2026The St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation, a subsidiary of the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance, administers the $30 million St. Paul Downtown Investment Fund with Securian Financial and Bush Foundation as lead investors.
• Saint Paul Downtown Allianceimplementation partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2026The Saint Paul Downtown Alliance operates through its subsidiary St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation to manage the $30 million investment fund for downtown redevelopment.
• First Peoples Fundmajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Peoples Fund works to support Native artists and culture bearers through grants, training, and national research. Bush Foundation has funded the organization and co-develops programs including the Intercultural Leadership Institute.
• Nexus Community Partnerskey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerNexus Community Partners operates programs including the North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship, Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute, and stewarded one of the community trust funds.
• Native Governance Centermajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Native Governance Center operates the Native Nation Rebuilders program, supported by Bush Foundation, which helps future Rebuilders develop skills around community engagement, movement building, wellness, and Indigenized governance practices.
• African American Leadership Forummajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAALF builds and supports networks of leaders within the African American community. Bush funded the startup of the Josie R. Johnson Leadership Academy operated by AALF.
• Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL)major partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBush Foundation provided first grant funding for CAAL. The organization builds and supports networks within Minnesota's Asian American communities with wide range of programs.
• Voices for Racial Justicemajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoices for Racial Justice operates the Education Equity Parent Fellowship and supports hundreds of alumni from training programs engaged in racial justice work across Minnesota.
• Candidkey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBush partnered with Candid and Native Americans in Philanthropy on a project to track overall giving to Native issues and provide resources to help funders do more.
• Native Americans in Philanthropykey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBush Foundation partnered with NAP and Candid on tracking giving to Native issues. NAP provides professional development centered on Indigenous values.
• Finnovation Labprogram partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFINNOVATION Fellowship supports impact-driven entrepreneurs with training, dedicated space, $50,000 stipend plus $3,000 towards health care.
• Initiative Foundationprogram partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInitiative Foundation operates the Initiators Fellowship supporting early-stage social entrepreneurs in Greater Minnesota with two-year program and $30,000 annual stipend.
• Tiwahe Foundationprogram partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTiwahe Foundation operates the American Indian Family Empowerment Program (AIFEP) providing microgrants to American Indians in the Twin Cities metro area.
• Springboard for the Artsprogram partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpringboard for the Arts provides resources to support creative changemakers in Minnesota with Growth Fund grants of $2,500 for artists and creative business owners.
• Good Relatives Collaborativekey partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGood Relatives Collaborative is a Bush Foundation community grant program partner focused specifically on supporting Native organizations with grants of $20,000 to $60,000.
• Itasca Projectkey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn employer-led civic alliance focused on building a thriving economy and expanding prosperity for all. Co-convened MYALP with University of Minnesota and Harvard Business School.
• Wilder Researchkey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerWilder Research created Minnesota Compass which Bush partners on for 'Who Leads in Minnesota' project tracking leadership diversity across sectors.
• South Dakota Community Foundationprogram partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth Dakota Community Foundation operates the Beyond Idea Grant Program ($5,000 to $100,000) serving South Dakota organizations.
• Strengthen NDprogram partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrengthen ND operates Creative Community Solutions program (up to $300,000 for up to 6 years) funding promising ideas across issue areas in North Dakota.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: One of the largest U.S. private foundations with significant focus on racial equity, economic justice, and Indigenous rights. Comparable in equity-focused strategy though operating at much larger national/international scale.
• Kresge Foundation: National private foundation with place-based programming, climate action, and equity focus. Comparable as a large U.S. private foundation deploying grants and program-related investments.
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation: Large national private foundation with explicit focus on racial equity, community engagement, and children's wellbeing. Comparable in equity-first mission and commitment to Indigenous communities through place-based work.
• MacArthur Foundation: Large international private foundation supporting creative problem solving across equity, climate, and journalism. Comparable in 'great ideas and the people who power them' framing and fellowship-style programs.

Regional players

• Otto Bremer Trust: Minnesota-based private trust supporting communities in MN, ND, and WI through grants to nonprofits and humanitarian causes. Comparable regional grantmaking focus though with broader geographic reach.
• Blandin Foundation: Rural Minnesota-focused private foundation with similar emphasis on rural community vitality and leadership development. Comparable scale and rural-equity orientation.

Direct peers

• Northwest Area Foundation: Regional foundation serving Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and surrounding states with a focus on economic opportunity and community vitality. Highly comparable given shared geographic focus and similar grantmaking approach.
• Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation: Community foundation serving the Twin Cities region with donor-advised funds and grantmaking programs. Explicitly partners with Bush Foundation and operates programs like Minnesota Community IDEAS, making it a direct operational peer.
• McKnight Foundation: Minnesota-based private foundation with similar regional focus and comparable endowment size, supporting communities in Minnesota and beyond through grants across climate, equity, and economic mobility. Most directly comparable peer given shared geography and programmatic overlap.
• Marguerite Casey Foundation: National private foundation focused on racial, economic, and gender equity with movement-building grants. Comparable in equity-first grantmaking strategy and commitment to community-led change.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bushfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/644935
• Instagraminstagram.com/bushfoundation
• Xx.com/bushfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles30 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bush Foundation