Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does the Beim Foundation support?
Through the Minnesota Legacy Program, the Beim Foundation supports literacy and college readiness efforts in Minnesota. Through the Regional Grant Program, the Beim Foundation also supports arts, education, environment, and human service programs in some counties of California, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana and Washington State, through an invitation only process.
Will the Beim Foundation accept unsolicited proposals in arts, environment and human services from Minnesota?
No, the Beim Foundation only accepts proposals from Minnesota through the Minnesota Legacy Program (see guidelines and application procedures for more information).
Will the Beim Foundation still consider applications from Colorado, Connecticut, New Mexico or the District of Columbia?
No, the Beim Foundation no longer funds in these geographic areas.
Where does the Beim Foundation make its grants?
The Beim Foundation accepts unsolicited proposals from Minnesota through the Minnesota Legacy Program.
The Beim Foundation invites proposals in the areas of arts, education, environment and human services from specific counties in California, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana and Washington State.
Does the Beim Foundation accept the Minnesota Common Grant Application?
No. The Foundation has a specific proposal format outlined on the Application Procedure page of this website. This format must be followed in order for an application to be considered for funding by the Foundation.
May I submit a partial request in order to meet the deadline and send the rest later?
No. All requests must be received by the deadline date. A good idea is to submit a proposal before the deadline date in case information is omitted. Then there is time to submit additional information before the deadline.
Ideally, send your proposal by the Friday before the deadline so it can be checked for completeness. That way, your organization will be notified if information is missing.
May I mail the request on the deadline date and still meet the deadline?
No. Your proposal must be received by the application deadline in order to be considered.
May I hand-deliver or have a courier service or someone like FedEx deliver the request?
Yes, deliveries will be received by office staff between 8AM and 5PM on the deadline day. It is important that you note that there will be no one from the Foundation available to talk with you about your organization or your proposal at the time of delivery. Please have all deliveries sent with "no signature required" status. Our regular office hours are intermittent and the office is closed on weekends.
May I submit my proposal by email or fax or send my DVD?
We are not able to accept proposals via email or fax, nor can we guarantee we will watch DVDs. Please do not submit them.
How much money should my organization request?
That is up to you based on your project. The Beim Foundation can't answer this question in a specific way because projects vary. The vast majority of our grants are between $5,000 and $15,000.
I live in one of the funding communities outside Minnesota. Is there a local Director I could talk to about my needs?
Please begin by emailing or phoning the foundation office in Minneapolis. Directors may or may not be available to answer your questions, but the consultant in Minneapolis can handle most of them.
How can we make a presentation to the Board or consultant?
If the Foundation is interested in learning more about your organization, the Foundation will contact you.
How do we know if you decide to fund us or not?
A letter with check is sent within six weeks of our spring and fall board meetings to those organizations that are funded. A letter of notification is sent within six weeks of our the board meetings to organizations we cannot fund. See Application Procedures for more information.
If you fund us one year, can we count on receiving funding in future years?
Funding decisions are made each year. We do not commit to multi-year projects.
Am I required to submit a final report?
If you received a grant from the Beim Foundation, you are required to submit a final report on the timeline outlined in your grant award letter.
Why did you choose rosemaling as a visual image? Who created the rosemaling for the website?
Rosemaling is a Norwegian art form. Thus it symbolizes the heritage of the Beim family. The specific image used was created by Lois Mueller of Nordic Designs.
What does the Minnesota Council on Foundations logo on the bottom of the home page refer to?
The logo indicates that the Beim Foundation subscribes to the Minnesota Council on Foundations' commitment to excellence by adopting the Principles for Grantmakers. For further information, please see http://www.mcf.org/mcf/about/principle.htm
I have questions not answered here or anywhere on your website. How can I contact you?
Please email us at or call 612-825-1404.