The McNeely Foundation aims to leverage human and financial resources to foster a thriving community in East Side St. Paul, Minnesota, the location where the McNeely business was developed. Established in the 1960s by Harry G. McNeely Sr. and Adelaide Frenzel McNeely with an initial stock gift from The St. Paul Terminal Warehouse Company, the Foundation focuses on enhancing the vibrancy and sustainability of this area.
The grant program focuses on organizations that contribute to a more vibrant and sustainable East Side of St. Paul, Minnesota. While primarily targeting the local geography and demographic, the foundation is open to supporting innovative projects outside these bounds if they offer potential benefits or replicability for the East Side. The four main areas of grantmaking focus include Youth Development Through Enrichment, Youth Development Through Employment Training, Environment, and Family & Neighborhood Stability. Specifically, within the environmental category, the goals are to increase public access to parks and open spaces, enhance connectivity between neighborhoods and these areas, and support activities that bolster utilization and care for these spaces.