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MEDTRONIC FOUNDATION

Medtronic Foundation

Contact information:

710 Medtronic Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55432
Phone: 763-505-2639
Fax: 763-505-2648

Website: http://www.medtronic.com/foundation/

Type of foundation: Company-sponsored

Types of grants: Project grants; product donations; employee matching gifts and voluntarism.

Description: The Medtronic Foundation focuses on:

  • Health, especially related to chronic disease management (approximately 45 percent of giving).
  • Science education.
  • Enhancing communities where the company operates.

Grants to local community organizations (health, education, arts, civic, human services) are made through the Foundation's CommunityLink program, which operates in areas where the company has major operations. In the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, where Medtronic is based, local giving focuses on arts/civic, health and education organizations. Most grants to public media come out of the Foundation's Arts/Civic program area.

The Foundation has increased its international giving from 8 percent to 20 percent over the past five years and now makes grants in 28 countries.

Sample grants:

  • $360,000 to underwrite BBC World Service and The World (2009).
  • $199,992 to Minnesota Public Radio for sponsorship, and for Marketplace Morning and Performance Today (2009).
  • $84,000 to Educational Broadcasting Corporation for sponsorship of The Mysterious Human Heart (2008).
  • $47,500 to Twin Cities Public Television for science, health and educational programming, including local underwriting of NOVA and Dragonfly TV (2009).
  • $17,503 to WJCT in sponsorship for NOVA (2009).
  • $12,000 to Access Press, Minnesota's disability newspaper (2008).
  • $10,000 to Mid-South Public Communications Foundation (Memphis, TN) for sponsorship of NOVA (2009).
  • $5,000 to MinnPost (2008).

Fit for public broadcasting: There is a good fit with public broadcasting in areas where the company operates. The fit is best for programming that has a bearing on health, science or science education.

Eligibility: With the exception of educational institutions, organizations must have 501(c)(3) status. The Foundation does not support:

  • Capital projects.
  • Fiscal agents.
  • Fundraising events/activities, social events or goodwill advertising.
  • General operating support.
  • Individuals, including scholarships for individuals.
  • Lobbying, political or fraternal activities.
  • Program endowments.
  • Research.

Deadline: Applications for the CommunityLink program (except for the Twin Cities) are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis between May 1 and January 31. Decisions about funding are generally made within 90 days.

In the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, the following deadlines apply:

  • Health: July 15.
  • Education: January 31.
  • Arts: Unspecified.

How to apply: Apply via online application. There are several required documents that must be submitted as part of the application.

Giving range: Most grants are relatively small (below $50,000).

Assets: $112,621,032

Total giving: $29.2 million in grants (2009)

View 2009 Annual Report.