Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where does the Beim Foundation make its grants?
The Beim Foundation supports projects in Minnesota as well as a limited number in the counties of Park and Gallatin, Montana; the county of Cumberland, Maine; the city of Seattle, Washington; and the county of Fairfield, Connecticut.
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.
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. 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. 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 do I decide which funding deadline my proposal qualifies for? My organization qualifies for both.
This is your decision, based on your resources and needs. We cannot tell you to request money for one particular project over another. The Beim Foundation can consider only one proposal annually from an organization.
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 specific Directors are interested in visiting your organization, the consultant will call to arrange a visit.
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. The best indication for funding is a close fit with our guidelines with a project that meets community needs. Any organization receiving three consecutive grants will be required to take one year off from consideration from funding
How often can I receive small capital funding?
You are eligible to receive small capital funding once every three years.
Am I required to submit a final report?
If you received a grant from the Beim Foundation within the last three years, you are required to submit a final report.
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.