Partnering With Grantees and Communities
At the start of a new year, it’s helpful to pause and reflect on the work that shaped the one behind us. In 2025, the Carlson Family Foundation partnered with grantees and communities to respond to the real, ongoing challenges they face.
Throughout 2025, our work centered on relationships and trust. We listened closely to grantees, learned alongside them, and invested in efforts grounded in community wisdom, culture, and place. In the face of challenges that threaten us all, we sought to create moments of hope. That hope showed up in practical ways: in trusted spaces for young people, opportunities to learn together, and work that helped communities stay connected and move forward. These moments did not erase the challenges our communities continue to face, but they created space for care and possibility.
As we look ahead to 2026, amid the strain, unrest, and uncertainty that persist in our neighborhoods and streets, we are reminded that hope is not something we hold in isolation. It is something we build together, by staying connected, continuing to act, and leaning on one another when the work is heavy. The future we hope for is shaped by the choices we make now, and we remain committed to moving forward alongside our grantees and communities with care, resolve, and shared purpose.
With gratitude,
David Nelson
Executive Director, Carlson Family Foundation
2025 in Review
In 2025, the Carlson Family Foundation continued to deepen our partnerships, sharpen alignment with our mission, and make a tangible impact across the community. Throughout the year, our work focused on listening closely to young people, responding to what our grantee partners said they needed most, and staying grounded in our commitment to racial equity.
Uplifting Youth Convening: Meeting the Moment
In September, we hosted our third Uplifting Youth Convening, bringing together young people, grantee partners, and community leaders. Youth shared openly about belonging, the pressures they face, and what meaningful support looks like in their lives. Their honesty shaped our understanding of the moment and reinforced the importance of listening, adapting, and walking alongside young people as they lead the way forward. The Convening also identified shared themes across our partner network, informing more coordinated and responsive action. The Convening also featured the release of Meeting the Moment: An Anthology of Youth Voices, a collaborative publication with 826 MSP and Wise Ink, featuring stories, reflections, and poetry from young people across the Twin Cities.
Communities of Practice: Connecting the Frontline
Across our Constellation, Sex Trafficking Prevention, and Vibrant Communities strategies, Communities of Practice continued to serve as important spaces for connection and shared learning. These gatherings gave partners opportunities to exchange insights, build relationships, and strengthen their work together. Whether focused on trauma-informed approaches, youth-adult relationships, or culturally grounded prevention strategies, these communities supported learning rooted in practice and experience.
Youth Participatory Grantmaking: Centering Youth Voice
Our Youth Participatory Grantmaking efforts continued to grow in 2025. Young people led conversations, assessed community needs, and made funding recommendations informed by their lived experiences. Their leadership shaped not only how resources were allocated, but also how we understand impact, accountability, and belonging. This work continues to demonstrate that when young people lead, systems become more responsive and reflective of their realities.
Board Day of Learning: Deepening Alignment
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees participated in a full-day learning session focused on relationship-building, racial equity, and place. Trustees visited Centro Tyrone Guzman to learn how cultural identity and intergenerational support shape Latine youth development, and Owámniyomni Okhódayapi to reflect on Indigenous leadership, land stewardship, and place-based justice. Together, these experiences reinforced our belief that meaningful learning happens through proximity and relationships.
Our Growing Impact
Across all strategies, 2025 brought stories of strengthened relationships, safer pathways for youth in high-risk situations, expanded access to arts and cultural experiences, and deeper collaboration among partners working toward transformational change.
Feedback from our 2024 grantee survey reinforced this impact. Grantees described the Foundation as accessible, responsive, and grounded in genuine relationships. They emphasized the value of site visits and convenings, and shared that our trust-based approach and general operating support allow them to focus more fully on serving young people and communities.
Our impact this year reflects a clear sense of purpose and a shared belief that opportunity, hope, and belonging are built through consistent investment, shared learning, and community-led wisdom.