COLP 1: Building a Culture of Transformation and Belonging: Lessons from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

Foundation Spotlight Series

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About the Program

What are ways to build and sustain an organizational culture of transformation and belonging? 

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) has placed this question at the center of its organizational strategy. Their work is rooted in a vision where diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) have transformational influence on their organization, partnerships, and impact. This commitment involves sustained learning to examine assumptions and norms and a deep effort to strengthen a culture of belonging for all staff.

In this Foundation Spotlight, Anna Ostroushko, Katie McMurray, and Ted H. Chen from MACP will share two experiential learning approaches they have taken to encourage organizational transformation and belonging. The first involves staff and Board participation in learning trips to the Legacy Sites in Montgomery, AL (the Equal Justice Initiative's National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Legacy Museum). The second involves utilizing a Learning Map to guide peer-to-peer exchanges and exploration. The conversation will address:

• The challenges and opportunities in using experiential learning as the means to foster organizational transformation and belonging.
• The questions that continue to surface, including what’s working, what remains difficult, and what they’re still figuring out
• The signs that progress is being made, and what's next on the journey 

Take a look at MACP's Learning Map foundation. It was developed with Root Inc. and serves as a visual anchor for peer conversations about organizational identity, values, and transformation. 

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Program Flow

Who’s Invited

All Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) members are welcome. This work belongs to all of us, whether you’re in grantmaking, operations, leadership, communications, finance, board service, or any other foundation role.

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Anna Ostroushko, Grants Management Associate, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies 

Anna joined MACP in 2021 and assists with the management of the foundation’s grants management system, providing support to the Arts & Cultures, Quality of Life, and Environment domain teams. She serves as a committee co-lead on the foundation’s DEIJ Council. Previously, Anna worked at MacPhail Center for Music in their School Partnerships and Music for Life™ programs, and with National Public Radio as a producer on the touring show Going There with Michel Martin.

Katie McMurray, Program Officer, Animal Welfare, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

Katie joined MACP in 2014 and currently manages grants and relationships within the Animal Welfare domain, where she plays a significant role in evaluation and learning efforts. She has been a key contributor to the Foundation’s internal culture, particularly MACP’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice efforts since they formalized in 2020. She served on the organization’s first DEIJ staff advisory committee and later co-led several staff initiatives centered around learning and improving organizational practices. Previously, Katie worked at Maestral International strengthening child welfare systems and with recent immigrants in El Paso, Texas.

Ted H. Chen, Vice President of Equity, Culture, and Learning, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

Ted leads MACP’s organizational efforts to embed diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice into the foundation’s culture, practices, and relationships. He joined MACP in 2012 first as Director of Evaluation and Organizational Learning, and now overseeing equity, culture, and learning across the organization. Previously, he served at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Big Idea Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

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Awale (Wally) Osman, Director of Organizational Learning and Leadership Development for Equity and Belonging, Minnesota Council on Foundations

Wally leads the Minnesota Council on Foundations’ strategies for advancing internal equity, belonging, diversity, and inclusion (EBDI), as well as efforts to support the philanthropic sector in putting these values into practice through the Equity, Belonging, Diversity and Inclusion Institute (EBDI Institute). The EBDI Institute offerings include the Experiential Leadership Lab, Center for Organizational Learning and Practice, Rural Urban Bridging for Impact, People of Color and LGBTQ+ Community of Practice, learning and evaluation.

About the Series

The Foundation Spotlight series creates space to learn directly from peers about their work in advancing equity, belonging, diversity, and inclusion. In 60-minute virtual sessions, fellow philanthropy practitioners—from family foundations to community foundations—share what’s working, what’s not, and what they’re learning along the way. Each session includes small group discussions where participants give and receive support in applying these lessons to their own roles and organizational contexts.

Questions or Accessibility Needs? Connect with Wally!

Email Wally at [email protected].