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BY THE NUMBERS

$million

total contributed to nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions and community initiatives

Foundation grants

$ Million

HUNGER

$ Million

EDUCATION

$ Million

COMMUNITY

Corporate giving

$

dollar value of employee volunteer hours

$

in-kind product donations for hunger relief efforts

$ Million

corporate contributions & nonprofit sponsorships
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Community

Our robust gift-matching programs allow our farmer member-owners and employees to increase the impact of their giving in their own communities across the nation. In 2019:

  • The Foundation gave $2.2 million to support member communities, in partnership with our owners
  • Our annual employee giving campaign raised over $2.3 million for nonprofi ts nationwide
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Education

Supporting next generation of agriculture talent through high school and college leadership development programs; empowering students to feed a growing population; holistic partnerships with land grant universities.

  • Land O’Lakes’ Global Food Challenge program has empowered more than 50 university students to address food insecurity around the world.
Land O' Lakes logo
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Bedellphoto image

Hunger

We work with foodbanks across the country through our partnership with Feeding America; as a food company we donated First Run product directly off the manufacturing line; our Community Gardens program helps students grow produce for local food shelves.

  • Pounds donated through the First Run program in 2019: 513,360 lbs.
  • Servings of produce generated by the Community Gardens program in 2019: 447,575
All grantmaking, sponsorships, and in-kind donations are by invitation only (or driven by employees and members). Unsolicited requests are not supported!!!!!!!!.
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Mission:

Land O’Lakes, Inc. and the Land O’Lakes Foundation are dedicated to serving the many communities where our cooperative has members, employees, plants and facilities. The Land O’Lakes Foundation proactively helps rural communities by donating resources that develop and strengthen organizations dedicated to hunger relief, education, and community.

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Organizations that receive Land O’Lakes, Inc. or Foundation support must:

  • Be a 501(c)(3) public charity, school, or unit of government.
  • Align with our giving priorities of hunger relief, education, and community.
  • Comply with our policies that prohibit discrimination based on protected status including race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran.
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Land O’Lakes, Inc. and the Foundation do not support grantmaking, sponsorships, or in-kind donations for:

  • Direct funding to individuals, including fundraisers or scholarships for individuals
  • Trade/Business Associations
  • Political, lobbying, or fraternal groups
  • Religious groups for religious activities

Contact us

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Region Grants Program

The Region Grants Program is a grassroots program developed specifically for Land O’Lakes dairy communities in the East and West Regions. The program works to improve vibrancy of member communities through donations to nonprofit organizations supporting areas where our members live and work, primarily rural communities.
 
Community organizations applying for grants may be eligible for donations for local projects and programs, up to a maximum range of $10,000 to $20,000 annually.
 
2022 Region Grants Open Grant Round: Hunger Relief
Open April 25-May 31. Award letters and checks sent in July/August.
Link to Application Here
 
2022 Region Grants Open Grant Round: Community Support
Open Summer 2022. Award letters and checks sent in November/December.
Link to Application Here 

Read the Overview of the Region Grants Program and the FAQ on changes for 2022 here.

What is the Global Food Challenge ?

The agriculture and food industries are growing fast, and we need passionate, innovative minds at the forefront of the movement to reimagine the global food web and to bridge urban and rural divides.

Land O'Lakes Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders for Food Security@ Program is a 12-week experiential, paid internship and leadership opportunity for college students of all majors, in the summer between their sophomore and junior year, funded by Land O'Lakes, Inc.

We're looking for big thinkers and big dreamers to help us imagine the future of food and to take up the challenge with us.


One-of-a-kind Internship Experiences

Students will travel to cooperatives in rural areas across the U.S., to the Minnesota State Capitol to connect with legislators and to the continent of Africa to learn about how nonprofits and agribusinesses are working to advance the development of agriculture across the globe.

Food security is a complex issue, which is why the Global Food Challenge internship allows students to experience agriculture across the broad system: From meeting with the farmers who produce our food, to deep dives into understanding supply chain considerations, to seeing local and international agribusinesses’ day-to-day operations firsthand, to understanding state and national policy.


Leadership & Mentorship

Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders gain a broad exposure to agribusiness, the Land O’Lakes, Inc. organization and its leadership team.

Students will travel to multiple African countries for a two-week study of agricultural practices where they debrief and reflect on their experiences, accompanied by Land O’Lakes, Inc. employees and university representatives.

The Global Food Challenge cohort will have the opportunity to work on a business consultation capstone project with high-level visibility and hands-on mentorship at Land O’Lakes, Inc., a Fortune 500 business and farmer-owned cooperative. For their capstone experience, students present their recommendations and team projects to Land O’Lakes, Inc. executive leaders.

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"Through the Global Food Challenge, I gained broad exposure to and even more respect for agriculture. I traveled 22,000 miles with passionate, driven peers from all walks of life, witnessing the hard work, heart and honesty associated with this industry.”

- Katie Atkins, former Emerging Leader -

Student Experiences

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From Our Employees

VOLUNTEERISM IS JUST PART OF OUR DNA

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In 2019, Land O’Lakes employees donated 31,505 hours of volunteerism at 301 different nonprofit organizations.

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Please contact communityrelations@landolakesinc.com with new and exciting volunteer opportunities for our employee populations at our headquarters, plant, and facility locations around the country.

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When employees log their volunteer hours – either for team or individual activities, the Foundation provides a grant to eligible nonprofit organizations through our Dollars for Doers program.

  • The Giver

    Hunger is a real problem in South Dakota. One in eight individuals is considered to be food insecure, with one in five being children. But there is help. Every day, Matt Gassen and his team at Feeding South Dakota are working to fight hunger. Part of the Land O'Lakes Foundation, First Run donates truckloads of fresh dairy products to food banks across the country each year to help alleviate hunger in local communities.

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