Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

What Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies does

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) is a private charitable foundation established through the estate of Margaret A. Cargill following her death on August 1, 2006, and publicly surfaced in 2010 as Minnesota's largest philanthropic foundation with $2.12 billion in assets (22nd largest in the US at that time). Headquartered at 6889 Rowland Road, Eden Prairie, MN, with a workforce of 51–100 employees, MACP operates as the umbrella entity for the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, the Anne Ray Foundation, and Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropic Services, LLC. The organization distributes grants rather than selling products or services, conducting invitation-based grantmaking across seven defined program domains: Animal Welfare, Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Legacy & Opportunity, Quality of Life, and Teachers & Students.

MACP's grantmaking is concentrated in a seven-state US region (Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin) for animal welfare, with international work spanning Indonesia, Mexico, Guatemala, Nepal, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Kenya, Cambodia, and Mongolia. The foundation's execution model relies on long-standing intermediary partnerships—ASPCA for animal welfare, WWF and The Nature Conservancy for environmental conservation, Catholic Relief Services for disaster preparedness in Indonesia, Feeding America for Midwest food bank resilience, and American Indian College Fund for tribal college arts programming. Notable recent capital commitments include $12.6 million over five years to the Herencia Maya initiative protecting 1.4 million acres in Yucatán, Mexico, a $2.4 million renewal to the American Indian College Fund, and a $400,000 grant to the American Camp Association.

The foundation operates on an endowment-funded model with no operating revenue from product or service sales; its sole "revenue stream" is investment returns on assets managed internally with a dedicated Investments team. Technology infrastructure is limited to Fluxx, a third-party Grantee Client Portal used for grant management and reporting. Marketing and outreach occur through the macphilanthropies.org website, LinkedIn presence, and press releases for major initiatives. Governance was restructured in October 2022 following the retirement of President & CEO Paul Busch, with Jayson Smart named Managing Director, Programs in January 2024 and new Director-level hires in Enterprise Risk Management (Franco Cordeiro, April 2025) and Arts & Cultures (Cheryl T. Schiele, August 2024) signaling ongoing institutional maturation.

Name

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

Legal name

Margaret A. Cargill Foundation (operating as Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies/MACP)

Website

https://macphilanthropies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies is a private foundation that conducts invitation-based grantmaking across seven program domains—Animal Welfare, Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Legacy & Opportunity, Quality of Life, and Teachers & Students—serving nonprofit grantees in a seven-state US region and ten countries internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) / Emergency Social Assistance (BPADADAI)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Private foundation grants
• Nonprofit funding programs
• Charitable giving domains
• Grantmaking strategies

Headquarters

HQ city

Eden Prairie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grantmaking: As a philanthropic foundation, MACP generates no revenue from operations. The organization distributes grants to eligible nonprofit organizations and partners across its seven domains: Animal Welfare, Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Legacy & Opportunity, Quality of Life, and Teachers & Students. Grantmaking is invitation-based.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) is a private philanthropic foundation that develops and implements integrated grantmaking strategies across seven program domains: Animal Welfare, Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Legacy & Opportunity, Quality of Life, and Teachers & Students. The foundation distributes grants to eligible nonprofit organizations through an invitation-based process, working with intermediary partners and providing funding across regional (U.S. seven-state) and international geographies.

Product overview

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) is a private philanthropic foundation that operates as a grantmaking organization rather than a technology product company. MACP develops and implements integrated grantmaking strategies across seven program areas (domains): Animal Welfare, Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Legacy & Opportunity, Quality of Life, and Teachers & Students. The organization does not offer commercial software products but provides grant funding through various initiatives including the Northern Tier Shelter Initiative, Akaloa Program (aging), Youth Camping & Swimming Program, and Postsecondary Student Success. Grantees access the organization's grant management through a Fluxx-based online portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animal Welfare Domain Grantmaking program focused on improving care for domestic animals through building capacity of local animal welfare organizations across a seven-state region (Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin) and international locations.
• Arts & Cultures Domain Grantmaking program supporting folk arts, cultural preservation, music education, and arts organizations, including support for emerging traditional artists and Native American cultural programs.
• Disaster Relief & Recovery Domain Grantmaking program focused on disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, supporting community-led disaster risk management, anticipatory humanitarian financing, and resilience building across at-risk communities.
• Environment Domain Grantmaking program supporting environmental conservation, tropical forests, coastal ecosystems, climate resilience, and sustainable community livelihoods, including protected areas, Indigenous land stewardship, and biodiversity initiatives.
• Legacy & Opportunity Domain Grantmaking program supporting economic opportunity, wealth creation, and community development in underserved communities.
• Quality of Life Domain Grantmaking program supporting quality of life improvements for children, families, and older adults, including aging in place, senior services, and community health initiatives.
• Teachers & Students Domain Grantmaking program supporting education from early childhood through higher education, including Tribal Colleges and Universities support, rural teacher support, postsecondary student success, and youth camping/swimming programs.
• Northern Tier Shelter Initiative Initiative in partnership with ASPCA providing mentorship, funding, and technical assistance to local animal welfare organizations across a seven-state region since 2015, delivering more than $4 million in sub-grants to over 100 organizations.
• Akaloa Program Aging-focused program supporting senior living communities and quality care, including a long-standing partnership with St. Paul's Senior Services.
• Youth Camping & Swimming Program Program seeking to increase youth access to high-quality swim lessons and nature-based overnight camping, with focus on historically marginalized youth.
• Postsecondary Student Success Program supporting retention, attainment, and graduation of students from rural and Native American communities through holistic student supports at Tribal Colleges and Universities.
• Grantee Client Portal (Fluxx) Online portal for grantees to manage grant applications, awards, and reporting, built on the Fluxx grant management platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 local animal welfare organizations engaged and supported through Northern Tier Shelter Initiative with over $4 million in sub-grants
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WWF (World Wildlife Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026WWF is a key partner in the Herencia Maya initiative to protect 1.4 million acres of Yucatán state, Mexico. The initiative is part of Enduring Earth collaboration and employs Project Finance for Permanence approach.
• Enduring EarthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Partnership with Enduring Earth (collaboration between TNC, Pew, WWF, and ZOMA LAB) for the Herencia Maya initiative and Project Finance for Permanence model.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Partner in Enduring Earth collaboration supporting Herencia Maya initiative and broader conservation efforts.
• Government of Yucatán (Mexico)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Lead government partner for Herencia Maya initiative, establishing first Project Finance for Permanence scheme at subnational level in Mexico.
• Coca-Cola FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Partner in Herencia Maya coalition for Yucatán conservation.
• Global Environment Facility (GEF)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Partner in Herencia Maya coalition for Yucatán conservation.
• The Pew Charitable TrustscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Partner in Enduring Earth collaboration supporting Herencia Maya initiative.
• National Commission for Natural Protected Areas (CONANP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Mexican federal partner in Herencia Maya initiative.
• ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015MACP partnered with ASPCA for the Northern Tier Shelter Initiative, engaging over 100 local animal welfare organizations and delivering more than $4 million in sub-grants since 2015. ASPCA provides mentorship, funding, and support to local organizations on veterinary capacity, shelter conditions, and adoption programs.
• First Nations Development InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014MACP supports First Nations' tribal stewardship work and sustainable economic opportunities in Northern Great Plains since 2014.
• Climate and Land Use AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014MACP has supported ACOFOP through Climate and Land Use Alliance since 2014 for community forest management in Maya Biosphere Reserve.
• Alaska Conservation FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011MACP partnered with ACF for Coastal Temperate Rainforest Program in Southeast Alaska, making three grants totaling $5 million from 2011-2020.
• Catholic Relief ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRS implementing community-led disaster risk management programming in Indonesia, including PAR IV CORRECT project supporting 10 at-risk communities.
• Achieving the DreamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATD provides intensive coaching to tribal colleges on holistic student supports framework development through the Serving Native American Students with Holistic Student Supports project.
• RarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRare works with fishing villages and governments to strengthen community-based coastal fisheries management in Indonesia, supported by MACP through Coastal Ecosystems program.
• American Red Cross International Services DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMACP supports the 5-Point Plan for vaccination and maternal/child health expansion in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
• CARE BangladeshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARE Bangladesh implementing participatory health rights-based accountability initiative in Cox's Bazar for Rohingya women and girls.
• American Indian College FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFifth grant cycle for Native Arts and Culture Program supporting curriculum development at tribal colleges in eight states.
• American Camp AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year grant for national disaster preparedness and response initiative at camps, including cohort-based accreditation support for up to 50 financially vulnerable camps.
• Mingei International MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMACP has partnered with Mingei since 1995 (first grant), supporting major $55 million renovation including $10 million grant and additional matching funds.
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeeding America provides disaster-related training and capacity building to local food banks through Building a More Resilient and Disaster-Ready Midwest programming.
• Humane Society of the United States (Pets for Life)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPets for Life program mentoring tribal police department at Leech Lake in community outreach and addressing inequities in pet resources.
• South ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Arts implements In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Arts & Culture program supporting 24 emerging traditional artists aged 18-35.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Shelter Medicine ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity provides consulting on shelter operations and medical processes, coaching through Northern Tier Fellowship program for shelter leaders.
• Lutheran Services in AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSA's Rural Aging Action Network addresses social isolation and access to services for older adults in rural Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
• Minneapolis FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund for Catalyst Initiative and North High Scholarship Fund.
• Saint Paul & Minnesota FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Margaret A. Cargill Fund for Catalyst Initiative and Local Initiatives program support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The Gates Foundation is the largest US private foundation with multi-domain global grantmaking spanning global health, education, and poverty. It is comparable to MACP as a peer large private foundation with invitation/partnership-driven grantmaking and multi-billion-dollar multi-year programmatic commitments.
• Bloomberg Philanthropies: Bloomberg Philanthropies is a large global private foundation with multi-domain grantmaking spanning environment, public health, education, and the arts. Its multi-domain, multi-geography strategy and big-bet initiative approach parallel MACP's broader operating model.

Direct peers

• Ford Foundation: Ford Foundation is a major US private foundation with global grantmaking across inequality, governance, education, and arts/cultures. Its multi-domain integrated strategy, international footprint, and partner-driven grantmaking model closely mirror MACP's structure.
• William & Flora Hewlett Foundation: Hewlett is a large US private foundation focused on environment, education, and other defined program areas with invitation-based grantmaking. Its structure — multi-domain grantmaking with defined geographies and intermediary partnerships — is closely comparable to MACP.
• David and Lucile Packard Foundation: Packard Foundation is a California-based private foundation with multi-domain grantmaking including environment, children/families, and conservation. Its defined-program-area strategy with long-tenured grantee relationships parallels MACP's seven-domain model.
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation: WKKF is a major US private foundation with grantmaking in education, health, and economic development, focused on vulnerable children and families. Comparable to MACP's Quality of Life and Teachers & Students domains and its community-focused partnership approach.
• Andrew W. Mellon Foundation: Mellon Foundation is the largest US foundation focused on arts, humanities, and higher education, with a portfolio strategy approach. Its Arts & Cultures domain and educational grantmaking closely mirror two of MACP's seven program areas.
• John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation: MacArthur Foundation is a major US private foundation with grantmaking across multiple defined areas including conservation, journalism, and human rights. Its big-bet initiative approach and partnership-driven model are comparable to MACP's Herencia Maya-style multi-year commitments.
• Walton Family Foundation: Walton Family Foundation is a large private foundation with multi-domain grantmaking including environment, education, and quality of life in defined geographies. Its regional-plus-international strategy and K-12/education focus parallel MACP's structure.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: RWJF is the largest US health-focused private foundation with grantmaking in health equity, healthy communities, and healthcare systems. Comparable to MACP in scale, multi-program-area structure, and quality-of-life/health adjacent domain strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/margaret-a--cargill-philanthropies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments3 records

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Frequently asked questions about Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies