Frey Foundation Evolving to Meet Dynamic Community Needs
Clarified focus on Housing and Education, changes to the grantmaking process and new team members are advancing the next generation of impact and collaboration.
Continuing a 25-year legacy, the Frey Foundation of Minnesota is implementing strategic changes designed to strengthen community partnerships, create a more responsive funding process and provide clarity about the Foundation’s focus on Housing and Education.
We invite you to learn more about how the Frey Foundation is leaning into the exciting and important work we do alongside incredible community partners.
First, we are sunsetting the Health & Human Services impact area.
In October of 2023, the Frey Foundation Board voted to sunset the Foundation’s Health & Human Services (HHS) impact area and formally clarify its focus on two core impact areas – Housing and Education. This transition is about creating clarity; it is not a narrowing of impact or reduction of overall funding. Historically, our HHS portfolio prioritized and consisted of organizations working to improve Housing and Education outcomes. Partners currently in this category will continue to receive funding and remain a part of the overall portfolio.
Importantly, we are sharpening our focus on two priority impact areas: Housing and Education.
These two areas have been at the core of the Foundation’s work for more than 25 years and constitute more than 80% of our funding portfolio. Driven by our mission to promote self-sufficiency and advance creative change to strengthen the community, the Foundation will continue its commitment in these areas.
We're hopeful this strategic refinement will provide greater clarity to prospective partners about our keen focus on Housing and Education and expand our ability to reach organizations doing important work in those areas.
Next, we are implementing a rolling, year-round Letter of Inquiry (LOI) process to enhance engagement with potential partners and increase responsive funding opportunities.
Rather than a short, fixed window in which to submit an LOI, the Frey Foundation has shifted to a rolling, year-round LOI process. Interested organizations may submit an LOI at any time throughout the year. Foundation staff will review LOIs regularly and select organizations to proceed with a full grant application.
The shift to a rolling LOI process builds on our long-time practice of having an ‘open’ LOI, allowing any interested organization to submit an LOI without requiring a formal invitation from the Foundation.
The new, more flexible process removes a false sense of urgency, allowing organizations to submit inquiries on their own schedule. It also enables the Foundation to be more responsive to emerging community needs and to engage more intentionally with prospective partners.
Our intent with both of these operational actions is to adapt and improve our approach to better meet the needs of our community.
Finally, exciting new hires and a strong team is ready to partner and lead.
The Frey Foundation began an intentional, long-planned transition process to usher in the third generation of Frey family leadership and the next chapter of the Foundation’s impact. Flor Treviño Frey was elected President of the Frey Foundation in 2021 and since then, the Foundation has restructured to add three incredible team members who bring passion, experience and capacity to deepen engagement with community partners.
Most recently, Libby Rau joined the Frey Foundation of Minnesota as Impact Director of Education, bringing decades of experience working in and among some of the most incredible youth and education organizations in our community. Libby joins Brian Pittman, Impact Director of Housing, and Cara Jones, Executive Support and Operations, both of whom have been critical to shaping the recent evolution of the Foundation.
We hope you will reach out to the team with opportunities to connect, learn, and collaborate!