Land O'Lakes
BY THE NUMBERS

$13million

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

Foundation grants

$800000

HUNGER

$3.9 Million

EDUCATION

$2.4 Million

COMMUNITY

Corporate giving

$700000

dollar value of employee volunteer hours

$600000

in-kind product donations for hunger relief efforts

$2.7 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 2021:

  • Our member match program gave $3 million to support member communities, in partnership with our owners
  • Our annual employee giving campaign raised over $1.7 million for nonprofits nationwide
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Education

Land O’Lakes supports education, specifically education within the food and ag industry. We have been a long-time partner with Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANNRS) to help build a stronger pipeline of diverse talent into the industry

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Hunger

Our First Run Program with Feeding America™ provides a unique way for us to support hunger relief efforts nationwide. While food banks often receive corporate donations of food that is damaged or nearing the end of its shelf life, Land O’Lakes provides quality product specifically for donation – including macaroni and cheese and other dairy-based products. To date, we’ve donated over 6.4 million pounds of product through First Run, including nearly 900,000 pounds in 2020 and 2021.

All grantmaking, sponsorships, and in-kind donations are driven by employees and members or by invitation only. Unsolicited requests outside of the open grant rounds specified in the Region Grants Program section below 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, and 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 purpose is to improve the vibrancy of primarily rural communities through nonprofit donations where our member-owners live and work.
 
Community organizations applying for grants may be eligible for donations for local programs or projects from $1,000 to $20,000 annually.
 
Region Grants Open Grant Round: Hunger Relief
Open May 1-May 31. Award letters and checks sent in July/August.
Link to Application Here
 
Region Grants Open Grant Round: Community Support
Open September 1-September 30. 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

READY ?

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From Our Employees

VOLUNTEERISM IS JUST PART OF OUR DNA

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In 2021, our employees volunteered 23,960 hours.

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Please contact communityrelations@landolakes.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.

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