At Minnesota’s largest Latino-led nonprofit, the arrival of federal agents during Operation Metro Surge required pivoting from the usual array of social services to more immediate needs.

To assist in that work, the Minneapolis Foundation awarded Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio, or CLUES, $185,000 in February.

“The money was transformative support—specifically because it was done so quickly,” said President and CEO Liliana Letrán-García. With that timely grant, CLUES helped families not only pay the rent but also plan how to keep being able to pay when financial support might not be available.

“The Minneapolis Foundation was a catalyst.”

The award showcases how the Foundation leverages relationships and partnerships to meet community needs. The grant came from the OneMPLS Fund, a responsive fund created for moments just like Metro Surge when dollars are needed urgently.

Efforts like these combine flexible Foundation funding with the power of its network—including hundreds of Donor Advised Fund holders. “Minnesotans—including our fundholders—were looking for ways to work together to help those in need,” said Foundation President and CEO R.T. Rybak. “The work we’ve done in recent years put us in a position to be responsive during this most recent crisis and help cultivate a community of generosity.”

In less than four months, the OneMPLS Fund distributed more than $3.7 million to 27 organizations helping neighbors affected by ICE. Of that, $2.3 million came from fundholders like Katie Anthony.

For Anthony, the surge hit home the day her son called to report federal agents were outside his school. “Our family knew this moment called for a bigger response,” she said.

“Grassroots efforts were meeting immediate needs, and OneMPLS became a way to pool resources with others to leverage the response needed for the moment.”

The Minneapolis Foundation has pushed itself in recent years to be nimbler in places where philanthropy hasn’t historically reacted quickly. In addition to OneMPLS, the Foundation created two funds this winter to assist restaurants and other small businesses that lost customers because of ICE.

The Foundation has also more actively engaged fundholders to advise them where their resources can have the most impact. This includes an advertising campaign that encourages those with Donor Advised Funds to “stop sitting on your assets” and move those dollars into the community.

“Our goal is to help generous individuals, families, and businesses connect with community in ways that expand their vision of what’s possible,” said Maggie McCracken, Vice President, Philanthropic Strategy & Engagement. “The community responded with what became a record year for grantmaking for the Minneapolis Foundation.”

In all, the Foundation and its generous fundholders moved $191 million into community—compared with just $59 million ten years ago.

Back at CLUES, as clients and staff slowly emerge, there’s already higher demand for the mental health services the organization has long offered.

“It’s taking people more time to recover,” said Letrán-García. “That’s why we need continued support in the next couple of years to ensure the community is well.”