March 13, 2020

Dear Community –

Along with all of you, we at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation have been grappling with how to best prepare for the impact of COVID-19.

In the face of so much unknown, we are clear about this: Our top priority is the health and safety of our staff, donors, grantees, partners — and the community at large.

Our leadership team has been meeting daily to assess the situation across the country and in Minnesota. As the situation evolves, we will take the prudent and necessary measures to ensure that we are tending to the health of our community.

As such, we have decided to postpone our Giving+Together event for our donors on March 25. We cannot in good conscience proceed with a large public gathering that could potentially put community members at risk of exposure.

Additionally, we are transitioning our in-office work culture to a remote working environment on Monday, March 16 and, when possible, moving external meetings to virtual platforms or phone calls.

During times like this, the role of philanthropy is especially critical. We are committed to responding to community needs as they arise, and will remain accessible and responsive by following a solid business continuity plan that balances business operations with the safety of our staff.

We also acknowledge that this is a fluid, fast moving situation that may change tomorrow, and we will keep you informed if anything changes.

At the Foundation we envision an equitable, just and vibrant Minnesota where all communities and people thrive. Though our shared challenge ahead may be a formidable one, we will not waver in our commitment to you, our community.

Eric J. Jolly, Ph.D., President and CEO