Affinity Plus Foundation

What Affinity Plus Foundation does

Affinity Plus Foundation is a 501c3 charitable foundation established in 2000 and structurally embedded within Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, a Minnesota-based not-for-profit financial cooperative with over $2 billion in assets, 28 branches, and more than 200,000 members. The Foundation's mission is to end cycles of financial inequity through four program pillars: Housing Stability, Financial Well-Being, Food Security, and Access to Education. Its core products are a Community Grants Program (41 nonprofit grants totaling $1 million in 2025) and a Scholarship Program ($84,000 across 21 student members in 2025), supplemented by Friends of the Foundation recurring monthly donations, one-time donations via the OneCause platform, and MyPlus Rewards point contributions through credit union online banking.

The Foundation's go-to-market is community-led: it identifies nonprofit partners across Minnesota, awards grants typically ranging from $10,000 to $140,000, and amplifies impact through a flagship matching-fund partnership with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines' Member Impact Fund (up to 3:1 match). The 2025 portfolio includes statewide-scale commitments such as a three-year Train the Trainer grant to Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota ($100,000), multi-year homeownership mentorship with Three Rivers Community Action ($90,000), capital campaign grants to New Pathways ($100,000) and Joy Collaborative ($140,000), and food security grants to Kitchen Coalition ($45,000) and United Way of Bemidji Area ($10,000). The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union senior managers and counsel.

The Foundation's economic model is donation-driven, with no pricing or revenue from product sales. Funding inflows come primarily from credit union member donations (starting at $1/month recurring), corporate sponsors, and matching capital from institutional partners such as FHLB Des Moines. No technology is proprietary; the operational stack consists of the OneCause donation platform and integration with the parent credit union's online banking and mobile app for member contributions. Cumulative grantmaking since founding exceeds $3 million, with the 2025 fiscal year representing a material step-change in throughput driven by the new matching partnership.

Name

Affinity Plus Foundation

Legal name

Affinity Plus Foundation

Website

https://affinityplusfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Affinity Plus Foundation is a 501c3 charitable foundation, established in 2000 and affiliated with Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, that distributes grants to Minnesota nonprofits and scholarships to student members across four pillars: Housing Stability, Financial Well-Being, Food Security, and Access to Education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Charitable foundation grants
• Community scholarship program
• Nonprofit giving services
• Financial inequity programs
• Housing food security grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The Foundation receives donations primarily from Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union members and corporate sponsors. Donors can contribute through monthly recurring donations (Friends of the Foundation starting at $1/month), one-time monetary gifts, or MyPlus Rewards points. Donations support college scholarships and community organizations across Minnesota.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Affinity Plus Foundation is a 501c3 charitable foundation that distributes grants to Minnesota-based nonprofit organizations and scholarships to student members of Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union. Its work is organized around four focus areas — Housing Stability, Financial Well-Being, Food Security, and Access to Education — aimed at ending cycles of financial inequity. The Foundation is sustained through member donations, corporate sponsorships, MyPlus Rewards point contributions, and matching partnerships with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines.

Product overview

Affinity Plus Foundation operates as a 501c3 charitable organization focused on ending cycles of financial inequity through four core program areas: Housing Stability, Financial Well-Being, Food Security, and Access to Education. The Foundation's primary offerings consist of a Community Grants Program that distributes financial awards to Minnesota nonprofits, and a Scholarship Program providing $4,000 scholarships to student members. Additional giving mechanisms include the Friends of the Foundation monthly giving program, one-time donations via OneCause, and MyPlus Rewards point contributions for credit union members. These programs are delivered in partnership with Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded $1 million in grants to 41 nonprofit organizations across Minnesota in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered regional, statewide and core.

• Second Harvest Heartland (Kitchen Coalition)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025$45,000 Heat & Eat Meal Expansion Grant to increase culturally connected meals across service territory. Kitchen Coalition partners with local restaurants and catering companies to deliver meals to people lacking food preparation access. Partnership includes FHLB Des Moines.
• United Way of Bemidji ArearegionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2025$10,000 Food Security Grant to expand Backpack Buddies program serving rural Minnesota schools. Partnership includes FHLB Des Moines. Grant serves students in Beltrami, Hubbard, and Clearwater Counties.
• Partners for Affordable HousingregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2025$25,000 Housing Stability Grant to support staffing, admin costs, and repairs to convert seven transitional housing units into temporary shelter rooms at Union Street Place in St. Peter. Partnership includes FHLB Des Moines. Serves Mankato community.
• New PathwaysregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2025$100,000 Transitional Housing Capital Campaign Grant for design and construction of new facility in Cambridge serving Isanti County families experiencing homelessness. Partnership includes FHLB Des Moines.
• Lutheran Social Service of MinnesotastatewideStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2025$100,000 Train the Trainer Program Grant to reactivate financial education training sessions across Minnesota over three years. LSS operates in all 87 counties serving 100,000+ people annually. Partnership includes FHLB Des Moines.
• Junior Achievement NorthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Charity of Choice partnership. Foundation sponsored the Philanthropy Center at JA BizTown for the third consecutive year, helping welcome more than 30,000 students. Affinity Plus volunteers brought financial education directly into classrooms, reaching more than 900 students statewide. Foundation donated $50,000 in 2025.
• Feeding America Food BankscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Charity of Choice partnership supporting food banks across Minnesota including Second Harvest Heartland, Second Harvest Northland, North Country Food Bank, and Channel One Regional Food Bank. Foundation donated $50,000 in 2025. Partnership includes Kitchen Coalition programming for heat-and-eat meals and annual Donate to Defeat Hunger campaign providing 87,000+ meals.
• Three Rivers Community ActionregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Foundation awarded $90,000 over two years to support the Achieve Homeownership Program in Rochester, which connects aspiring homeowners with mentors to navigate home financing and ownership. Mentorship program helps first-time buyers with credit scores, down payments, lenders, and inspections.
• Leech Lake Financial ServicesregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025$10,000 Housing Stability Grant to support Homeownership Coaching Program providing education on homebuying process, credit and down payments, and saving strategies. Affinity Plus Mortgage Loan Officer Ian Week serves as program instructor.
• Joy CollaborativeregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025$140,000 Joy Zone Development Grant for mobile sensory experience vehicle for youth and adults with intellectual disabilities or life-limiting diseases. Partnership includes FHLB Des Moines. Vehicle will appear at Special Olympics events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• The Minneapolis Foundation: Large Minnesota community foundation supporting housing, education, and economic development. Comparable regional grantmaker with overlapping focus areas but independent, multi-donor endowment structure.
• Otto Bremer Foundation: Minnesota-based community foundation distributing tens of millions annually across housing, education, and community development. Comparable as a regional Minnesota funder in overlapping focus areas but operating at materially larger scale and independent of credit union affiliation.
• Greater Minnesota Community Foundation: Central Minnesota community foundation serving rural and small metro communities. Comparable as a regional grantmaker serving overlapping Minnesota communities with housing and food security priorities.

Direct peers

• VyStar Foundation: Charitable arm of VyStar Credit Union supporting education, financial literacy, and community programs. Comparable as a credit union-affiliated foundation with similar grantmaking and scholarship programs.
• BCU Foundation: Foundation associated with BCU (Beacon Credit Union) providing scholarships, community grants, and emergency hardship assistance to credit union members. Directly comparable model of credit-union-aligned philanthropy targeting member and community needs.
• TopLine Financial Credit Union Foundation: Minnesota-based credit union foundation supporting community programs and scholarships. Comparable as a regional credit union foundation operating in overlapping Minnesota geography with similar grant and scholarship focus.
• Minnesota Credit Union Foundation: Statewide credit union league foundation providing grants, scholarships, and disaster relief across Minnesota. Directly comparable as a credit union-affiliated grantmaking entity serving a similar Minnesota geographic footprint and member base.
• Wings Financial Foundation: Charitable arm of Wings Financial Credit Union offering scholarships and community grants. Comparable as a credit union-affiliated foundation providing similar grant and scholarship programs to member segments.
• BECU Foundation: Charitable foundation of BECU, one of the largest US credit unions, supporting financial education, housing, and community stability. Comparable as a large credit union foundation with overlapping focus areas (housing stability, financial well-being, education).

Others

• Junior Achievement North (JA BizTown): Educational nonprofit partner recipient for financial literacy programming. Comparable as a downstream nonprofit partner in the foundation's education and financial well-being portfolio rather than a peer grantmaker.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Affinity Plus Foundation