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MPR News with Angela Davis
Angela Davis and Cari Dwyer

Advancing climate action and racial equity

a woman poses to get her portrait taken
Tonya Allen, president of the McKnight Foundation, poses for a portrait in the Kling Public Media Center in St. Paul on Monday.
Nikhil Kumaran | MPR News

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MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Tonya Allen, the president of the McKnight Foundation.

The Minnesota-based family foundation grants approximately $100 million dollars every year and is focused on advancing climate action and racial equity — two deeply connected issues.

Find out what’s driving the foundation’s priorities, how Allen shifted from working on education policy to climate change and racial justice and how she aims to center people who are farthest from power.

two women smiling in a broadcast studio
MPR News host Angela Davis (left) talks with Tonya Allen (right), president of the McKnight Foundation, in an MPR News studio on Monday.
Nikhil Kumaran | MPR News

Guest:

  • Tonya Allen, president of the McKnight Foundation. The McKnight Foundation is a Minnesota-based family foundation that grants approximately $100 million dollars every year. She heads a senior leadership team with a majority of women and a majority of people-of-color. Prior to joining McKnight, Tonya was president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation in Michigan. She also co-founded the Detroit Children’s Fund and was the founder and director of the Detroit Parent Network.

Editor’s note: MPR News is among the Minnesota organizations that have received McKnight Foundation grant money. 

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.  

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.