An organization must meet all requirements below to apply for a CAC Grant:

• Organizations must have a current 501(c)(3) Public Charity status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), be a school or a unit of government.
• Organizations must serve populations within 50 miles of the General Mills facility.
• The organization, its program or project, must support a broad and diverse audience.
• Organizations must apply for funding via the online grant application. Paper applications are no longer accepted from Community Action Council applicants.

General Mills Foundation grants will focus mainly on four areas:

• Youth Nutrition and Fitness - supporting innovative programs that help improve youth nutrition and fitness behaviors.
• Social Services - supporting programs that strengthen families and promote a safe, nurturing environment for children and youth.
• Education - supporting efforts that emphasize student academic achievement, particularly at the K-12 level.
Arts and Culture – supporting organizations that provide innovative performing arts and cultural programs as evidenced through innovation, program quality and contribution to their community.

To be eligible for funding from the General Mils Foundation, non profits must be located within a 50 mile radius from the plant facility and must serve communities within area as well. For a complete listing of Community Action Councils please click here CAC Contact List

When evaluating requests, the General Mills Foundation will favor nonprofit organizations meeting the following criteria:

• Mission is closely related to the Foundation's priorities.
• Programs or activities are based in communities within a 50 mile radius of General Mills facility.
• Services create sustainable community improvement.
• Organization's request falls within the youth nutrition and firness, social services, education or arts & culture categories.

The General Mills Foundation receives many more requests for this program than it can support. A decision to decline a funding request does not imply that the applicant's program is not needed or valued, but simply that it does not fall within our giving guidelines or priorities, or that funds are not available.
As a standard practice, Community Action Council grants will not fund:

• Organizations without 501(c)(3) and
• Organizations with 509(a)(3) Type III status
• Organizations that do not comply with the Foundation's Non-Discrimination Policy
• Annual appeals, federated campaigns, fund drives
• Recreational, sporting events, playground equipment or athletic associations
• Religious organizations for religious purposes
• Endowment or capital campaigns
• Individuals
• Health Care/Therapy
• Drug Abuse/smoking prevention programs
• Advocacy
• Research of any kind
• Social, labor, veterans, alumni or fraternal organizations serving a limited constituency
• Organizations seeking underwriting for advertising
• Political causes, candidates or legislative lobbying efforts
• Travel by groups
• Emergency funding
• Loans, debt reduction or operating deficits
• Conferences, seminars or workshops
• Publications, films or television programs
• Campaigns to eliminate or control specific diseases
• Underwriting for program sponsorship
• Special events or Fundraisers
• Organizations that regrant to other nonprofits
• Grant requests to fund salaries

Click here to complete inquiry form

If you have additional questions related to the General Mills Foundation or the grant application process please contact us at:

E-mail: Community.ActionQA@genmills.com
Phone: 763-764-2211
Fax: 763-764-4114

For any questions regarding grant making in your community, please contact your local CAC. CAC Contact List