Dedicated to the support of local organizations since 1941
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Online Application Form

Grant Requirements & Appllication

 

* Application Acceptance Period for 2026 Funding has now closed *

The Hormel Foundation application portal for the 2027 funding year opens on Monday, June 1, 2026, for calendar year 2027 expenditures.

The Hormel Foundation now requires multi‑factor authentication (MFA) to access the grant application portal. Additional details and instructions are provided below.


To qualify for a Foundation grant your organization:

  • Must be ruled tax exempt by the Internal Revenue Service and must be operated for charitable, educational or scientific purposes.
  • Must be located in and/or directly affect the Austin, Minnesota area.
Individuals do not qualify for Foundation grant funds.


Requirements Checklist

In preparation for the online application, here is a quick checklist of items that may be required of your organization.

    1. The exact name of the organization or agency making application.
    2. A brief description of the organization.
    3. Federal Tax ID #.
    4. Provide a copy of your most recent Form 990.
    5. A copy of the organization’s most recent tax-exempt ruling from the Internal Revenue Service.
    6. A list of current board members.
    7. A clear description of the project, the need, its purpose, the number of individuals affected, goals and expectations.
    8. Description of similar programs in the community.
    9. Total of all funds required for the project and other sources of funding.
    10. Amount requested from The Hormel Foundation.
    11. Expected completion date.
    12. A detailed expense budget for the project, showing where and how the requested funds would be spent.
    13. Audited accounting statements for the previous year, if available, and if not available, then most recently prepared internal accounting statements (balance sheet and income statement).
    14. Within 90 days following the end of the period for which funds were granted, the grantee must provide The Hormel Foundation with a Grant Use Report providing an evaluation and summary of the results obtained.


General Grant and Giving Information

  • The bulk of the assets that were contributed to establish The Hormel Foundation bore restrictions that permit grants only to organizations in the Austin and/or Mower County area.
  • Grants are made only to organizations ruled tax exempt by the Internal Revenue Service and no grants are made to individuals. Recipient organizations must be operated for charitable, educational or scientific purposes.
  • The Foundation prefers to participate with other donors.
  • No grants are made to support projects which attempt to influence legislation or to organizations whose activities are substantially in the area of promoting or publicizing a particular cause or view in an attempt to influence legislation.


Online Application

Register and complete an online application by clicking on the "Online Application Form" box below:
Online Application Form

Multi‑Factor Authentication Requirement

The Hormel Foundation now requires multi‑factor authentication (MFA) for all users accessing the grant application portal. MFA adds an extra layer of security to help protect your account and application data. We recommend using the Microsoft Authenticator app.

A blue and white logo AI-generated content may be incorrect. Set-up Instructions:

  • Download the Microsoft Authenticator app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
  • When prompted during portal login, follow the on‑screen steps to scan the QR code and approve sign‑in requests through the app.
  • Keep your mobile device available when logging in, as approval will be required each time.
If you need assistance setting up MFA or have any questions, please contact us at 507-437-9800 or info@thehormelfoundation.com

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