Headwaters Foundation for Justice is a Minneapolis-based left-of-center grantmaking organization officially formed in 1985. The organization was created to support various left-progressive issues and has focused on grants to support left-of-center activism on behalf of Black and Native American communities in Minnesota.

Founded by various donors, the organization more recently has targeted its grantmaking to organizations owned and operated by Black and Native American people. Most recently, the organization has moved towards funding anti-police and anti-law enforcement organizations since the death of George Floyd in police custody sparked Black Lives Matter-aligned demonstrations and riots in 2020. Headwaters Foundation for Justice has dispersed over $10 million to such organizations across Minnesota. ^{1 2}

Organizational Structure

Initially, money for the organization was raised form the friends and networks of a small group of Minnesota donors. As recently as 2014, most donations came from a small group of wealthy donors whom the group described as “white upper-middle-class and high-net-worth baby boomers”. Since then, Headwaters Foundation for Justice President Maria De La Cruz changed sources of funding to focus on acquiring donors based on race, sexual identity, and income level. This focus can be seen in the establishment of new programs such as the Emergency Fund for Black Lives in 2015. ^{3 4}

Racial Ideology

Headwater Foundation for Justice claims to work for “black liberation” and “native sovereignty,” claiming the United States is founded on a violent history against black and “indigenous” people. ⁵

The foundation published an article in July 2020 asserting that “non-black people of color” benefit from the vilification of black people. The group also asserts that everyone is raised with inherently racist attitudes. ⁶

Grantmaking Programs

New Majority Fund

Headwaters Foundation created the New Majority Fund as a fund for “communities of color” requiring at least 50% of grant recipients to be “people of color.” ⁷

The Emergency Fund for Black Lives

The foundation established the Emergency Fund for Black Lives in 2015. It considers the grantmaking program an “emergency fund” for Black Lives Matter Minneapolis, which has appeared to advocate for violence,⁸ and Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC). ⁹

The Transformation Fund

The Transformation Fund was created in relation to the police-custody death of George Floyd, and in response to claims of “white supremacy in our society’s systems and institutions.” The fund raised $1.1 million to help businesses run by Black people. After the death of George Floyd, the group took the framework of race-based donations and worked with two donors who put forward $2 million in seed money with the goal of making $2.1 million in grants. ¹⁰

The organization has asserted that riots that ensued in the wake of George Floyd’s death in May 2020 were “peaceful protests” and asserted without evidence that “far-right militias” and “anti-government extremists” were responsible for actions related to rioting; including setting fires, looting, and “massive destruction.” ¹¹

Notable Donors

The Bush Foundation, a left-progressive institutional grantmaker in Minnesota, has donated $4.6 million to Headwaters Foundation for Justice since 1998. ¹²

Other known donors include Education Minnesota, Minnesota’s state affiliate of the NEA and AFT teachers unions;¹³ Global Greengrants Fund, an environmentalist group;¹⁴ the community foundation Minneapolis Foundation; Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors;¹⁵ Social Justice Fund Northwest;¹⁶ the Surdna Foundation;¹⁷ and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. ¹⁸

1. “SPNN Forum: Headwaters Foundation for Justice FRM869.” MySPNN. June 25, 2020. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WArZJkvUwH4
2. “Our History.” Headwaters Foundation for Justice. 2020. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://headwatersfoundation.org/about/mission-history/
3. “SPNN Forum: Headwaters Foundation for Justice FRM869.” MySPNN. June 25, 2020. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WArZJkvUwH4
4. Haynes, Emily & Stiffman, Eden. “How to Connect with Donors of Color.” The Chronicle of Philanthropy. March 3, 2020. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://www.philanthropy.com/article/How-to-Connect-With-Donors-of/248150
5. “The Transformation Fund: Rapid Response Grantmaking Continues.” Headwaters Foundation for Justice. July 15, 2020. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://headwatersfoundation.org/ttf/
6. “Doing Your Work To Challenge Your Racist Assumptions.” Giving Compass. July 17, 2020. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://www.givingcompass.org/article/doing-your-work-to-challenge-your-racist-assumptions/
7. “Member Spotlight: Headwaters Foundation for Justice.” Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy. October 16, 2017. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://aapip.org/our-stories/member-spotlight-headwaters-foundation-for-justice
8. “Black Lives Matter Minneapolis.” Facebook. November 11, 2016. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/blacklivesmatterminneapolis/photos/pb.838424259534702.-2207520000../1249869135056877/?type=3&theater
9. “Headwaters Foundation for Justice Launches Emergency Fund for Black Lives.” Neighborhood Funders Group. December 9, 2015. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://www.nfg.org/news/headwaters-foundation-justice-launches-emergency-fund-black-lives
10. “The Transformation Fund.” Headwaters Foundation for Justice.” 2020. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://headwatersfoundation.org/donate/the-transformation-fund/
11. “The Transformation Fund.” Headwaters Foundation for Justice.” 2020. Accessed September 1, 2020. https://headwatersfoundation.org/donate/the-transformation-fund/
12. “Headwaters Foundation for Justice.” Bush Foundation. 2020. Accesed September 1, 2020. https://www.bushfoundation.org/headwaters-foundation-justice
13. Education Minnesota, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2014, Schedule I https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/411916882/201620959349300302/IRS990ScheduleI
14. Global Greengrants Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2016, Schedule I https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/841612422/201831359349313163/IRS990ScheduleI
15. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2015, Schedule I https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133615533/201612819349301506/IRS990ScheduleI
16. Social Justice Fund Northwest, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2016, Schedule I https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/911036971/201723179349308137/IRS990ScheduleI
17. Surdna Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3 https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136108163/201921339349103542/IRS990PF
18. W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2011, Part XV Line 3 https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/381359264/2013_02_PF%2F38-1359264_990PF_201208