The San Diego Humane Society is setting the model for what humane societies nationwide can achieve. An innovative feline nursery and canine behavior center have helped bring the number of adoptable animals who are euthanized each year to zero.
Our Mission
To provide meaningful assistance and support to society, the arts, and the environment.
ABOUT
Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) supports efforts to enhance quality of life and prevent and relieve suffering of children, families, and seniors; preserve and promote the environment and the arts; and encourage the humane treatment of animals.
Founded by the late Margaret A. Cargill, MACP actively partners with capable organizations to make a lasting difference for individuals and communities, with particular attention to overlooked causes. MACP’s combined assets (Margaret A. Cargill Foundation and Anne Ray Foundation) place us among the top ten foundations in the United States.
MACP develops and implements integrated grantmaking strategies across seven programmatic areas we call domains: Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Animal Welfare, Quality of Life, Teachers, and Legacy & Opportunity.
Our grantmaking approach is rooted in direction from our founder and reflects our Philosophy of Grantmaking.
Grant proposals are by invitation only, and we do not consider unsolicited requests for support.
OUR APPROACH
Within our domains, our program strategies are anchored in compelling issues where we want to make a meaningful, measurable, and sustainable difference in a defined period of time.
We limit the number of issues we choose to address, set clear goals for the difference we wish to make on each one, and allocate our resources accordingly. We pay special attention to underserved or low-attention areas and causes, and we favor community-based, on-the-ground programs rather than policy initiatives or endowments.
We continually hone strategies within our domains, investing in evaluation efforts and making substantial learning grants to inform decision-making and program development.
Core to our approach is strengthening the effectiveness and capacity of our key grantee partners by investing in their leadership, management, and operational capabilities.
We believe the best way to make a lasting difference on issues we care about is by investing in long-term relationships with key grantees, strengthening our combined abilities to make a meaningful difference in the world. Because of this, we look to our key grantees as partners, and they help us shape what we do. We work with these partners to find solutions that are consistent with the objectives and values of both our organization and theirs.
Philosophy of Grantmaking
Our grantmaking reflects our values and Margaret Cargill’s guiding principles and is always directed toward our mission and core purposes.
We expect our grantmaking to have these characteristics:
- We lead with our values, internally and externally.
- We partner with capable organizations that have demonstrated their ability to work successfully in our interest areas and in a manner consistent with our values. We look to our grantees as partners and co-learners.
- We provide meaningful support to strategic grantees.
- We support work in and with communities toward sustainable solutions.
- We pay special attention to underserved or low-attention areas, populations, or issues.
- We value and affirm the integration of all functions of the Philanthropies in our grantmaking.
- We make measurable impact on focused goals.
- We evaluate our work, reshape our approaches as we learn, share and apply our learning to future grantmaking.
All this we do, not to bring recognition to ourselves, but to support our grantees in the work they do to provide meaningful assistance and support to society, the arts, and the environment, in a manner consistent with our founder’s wishes and intent. Done well, this will distinguish us.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
MACP’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) Vision Statement guides our work.
The motivation and guidance for this statement is drawn from our mission and vision, our direction from Margaret Cargill, and the caring and compassionate culture we strive for with grantees, partners, and each other. Embracing this vision will have a transformational influence on our organization, our partnerships, the work we do, and the impact we ultimately seek.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice at MACP: A Vision for Our Journey
Our Grantmaking Entities

Margaret A. Cargill Foundation (MACF) is a private foundation that came into existence upon Ms. Cargill’s death in August 2006. In 2020, MACF’s assets were approximately $3.4 billion.

Anne Ray Foundation (ARF) is a supporting organization, which may make grants only to beneficiary organizations specifically named by Ms. Cargill. In 2020, ARF’s assets were approximately $4.8 billion.
Our Reach
In 2020, our national and international grantmaking efforts consisted of 454 grants, totaling more than $263 million.


Southern California Grantmaking (Akaloa)
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT: SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY Go to Case Study
Quality of Life
Program Highlight: Y-USA Go to Case Study
Tropical Forests
Program Highlight: CLUA Go to Case StudyOur History

Our Home
A home that reflects our mission
With one of our key philanthropic priorities centered on the environment, we saw our headquarters as a chance to lead by example. In spring 2016, we completed a major building expansion. Through sustainable design practices we tripled our building’s size while reducing its environmental impact.

A sustainable model
Our building is among the greenest in the country, using 95% reused or recycled materials and designed to the platinum LEED standard for energy conservation and sustainability.

Recycling our water
The project includes Minnesota’s first greywater drip irrigation system and 19 water storage tanks, which store 55,000 gallons of rainwater to sustain the native plantings, vegetable gardens, and orchards on our property.

Here comes the sun
Our rooftop photovoltaic and solar thermal panels will provide 15% of the electricity to operate our facility and 70% of the energy to heat our water.

Harnessing geothermal energy
The building has an extensive geothermal system that uses the earth’s constant underground temperature for heating and cooling the building. This innovative system is estimated to reduce energy costs by 60-70%.
OUR PEOPLE
Our people are at the core of all that we do. What started out as three friends around a kitchen table has now grown to an organization of more than 100 employees dedicated to achieving our mission and honoring the intent of our founder, Margaret Cargill.
Our Senior Leadership Team

Pictured left to right: Ted Chen, Director, Evaluation and Organizational Learning; Heather Kukla, Vice President and General Counsel; Terry Meersman, Vice President, Programs; Naomi Horsager, Chief Financial Officer; Shawn Wischmeier, Chief Investment Officer; Kim Christianson, Director, Human Resources and Administration; Paul Busch, President & CEO; and Amber Rudell, Director, Strategic Planning and Project Management
Our Board and Committee members bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to our organization. Committee members provide deep expertise related to investments, finance, and programs.