A Journey in Hope
Annual Report 2025
The grace of God precedes and accompanies his people as they press forward firm in faith, active in charity, and steadfast in hope.
Though the late Pope Francis wrote the words that inspired this year’s annual report theme in the context of physical pilgrimages, they apply to this journey we have embarked on together: a journey in generosity where our community continually shows up firm in faith, active in charity, and steadfast in hope — recognizing, always, that God’s grace precedes and accompanies us and weaves us together.
“As I write this final message as president of the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota, my heart is full — of gratitude, awe, and hope. Over my 17+ years at CCF, I have witnessed the power of faith-filled generosity to transform not only lives, but our entire community. What began as a shared vision among a few has grown into a vibrant ministry of stewardship, service, and enduring hope.
As I reflect on this journey, I am deeply proud of what we have built together — not only an organization, but a community of believers committed to ensuring that generosity endures and faith thrives. CCF’s strength today reflects the dedication of so many — our board, staff, donors, clergy, religious, and partners — all inspired by a shared desire to serve.”
Read the Full Letter from Our President
Dear Friends,
As I write this final message as president of the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota, my heart is full — of gratitude, awe, and hope. Over my 17+ years at CCF, I have witnessed the power of faith-filled generosity to transform not only lives, but our entire community. What began as a shared vision among a few has grown into a vibrant ministry of stewardship, service, and enduring hope.
Through the generosity of donors past and present, and through durable, faith-consistent investment activity, CCF ended fiscal year 2025 stronger than ever. Together, we surpassed $750 million in charitable assets and distributed a record $45 million in grants, bringing our total grantmaking since our founding to more than $333 million. Each one of those grants represents an act of faith, a relationship of trust, and a story of hope made real in our community.
As I reflect on this journey, I am deeply proud of what we have built together — not only an organization, but a community of believers committed to ensuring that generosity endures and faith thrives. CCF’s strength today reflects the dedication of so many — our board, staff, donors, clergy, religious, and partners — all inspired by a shared desire to serve.
While this marks the conclusion of my time as president, it is by no means an ending. The seeds planted through your generosity will continue to bear fruit for years to come. I have every confidence in CCF’s future leadership and in God’s ongoing presence in this work. Though the late Pope Francis wrote the words that inspired this year’s annual report theme in the context of physical pilgrimages, they apply to this journey we have embarked on together: a journey in generosity where our community continually shows up firm in faith, active in charity, and steadfast in hope — recognizing, always, that God’s grace precedes and accompanies us and weaves us together.
With gratitude,
Anne Cullen Miller, MBA
President
Snapshot 2025
$752 Million
Assets Held by CCF
$45 Million Granted
4,639 Individual Grants to 1,201 Organizations
How One Vision of Philanthropy Took Root
For decades, the philanthropic efforts of Eugene and Mary Frey have fueled transformational change in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul community. Their generosity to a breadth of organizations has inspired hope and empowered countless individuals. In 1985, the Freys formalized the family’s tradition of giving, setting up the Frey Foundation of Minnesota. When CCF was founded seven years later, Mary and Gene took a leap of faith and moved a portion of the Frey Foundation to CCF’s stewardship in the form of a donor advised fund.
“There is an adage ‘to whom much is given, much is required,’” Gene Frey says. “This principle suggests that blessings such as wealth, knowledge, or talents come with a significant obligation to serve your community and use those gifts wisely. I feel that is good sense, and for that reason — among others — we felt the work of the Catholic Community Foundation fit our philanthropic desire very well.”
Mary, who passed away in 2021 after celebrating 66 years of marriage with Gene, extended her philanthropy to CCF beyond financial gifts. She served as the founding vice chair of CCF’s Board of Directors for many years.
Spiritual Grants Plant Seeds that Multiply
Ten years ago the CCF Board of Directors set a goal that is still fresh today: to be a catalyst for strength and vitality in the Catholic community.
“We do this by proactively listening and learning about community needs, providing access to information about those needs and services to our donors and the greater community, and working collaboratively with other local funders and Catholic thought leaders to maximize the impact of our grantmaking,” says CCF President Anne Cullen Miller.
Presentation of Mary in Maplewood received a spiritual impact grant to translate small group materials from English into Hmong.
Choua Yang is one of the small group participants. “This year is our first time being part of a small group, and we focused on learning about the Mass,” she says. “This helped us to better understand God’s love and His presence with us, and it has drawn us closer to Him.”
Growing Endowments to Build a More Resilient Faith Community
St. Jude of the Lake sits in a residential neighborhood in Mahtomedi, near the southeast shore of White Bear Lake. Its pastor jokes that you find the campus only if you’re lost. While tucked away, St. Jude of the Lake includes a beautiful church, a thriving school, and many members who’ve been around since the parish was founded in 1940. “It’s easy to build community here because everybody’s related to everybody,” says Father Michael Johnson with a smile.
Father Michael was named pastor of St. Jude of the Lake in 2024, and since his arrival, he’s been leading an effort to ensure its future. With help from CCF, the parish is building and growing endowments that will provide financial support for the school and parish for generations to come.
“The people who built this church didn’t just build it for themselves, they built it for their children, their grandchildren, and great-grandchildren — people who hadn’t even been born,” says Father Michael. “That’s the way I see the endowments. They’ll help fund our school and our ministries for future generations so they can experience the richness of our faith.”
Grounded in Hope, Growing in Faith
CCF’s Journey of the Last 13 Years
Over the past thirteen years, CCF has experienced a remarkable season of growth, purpose, and faith in action. Under the leadership of President Anne Cullen Miller, CCF has deepened its commitment to steward the financial gifts of the faithful while responding boldly to the needs of our time. What began as a strong regional foundation has matured into a self-sustaining, impact-driven organization with national reach — and a continued focus on supporting our local Catholic community.
Click the link below to learn about nine ways Anne helped advance CCF’s mission during her tenure.
Inside CCF
Each day, the staff of CCF serves our community faithfully. They are supported by a talented board of directors who bring extensive expertise from a variety of fields and industries. We are grateful to all of them for their commitment to our mission.
Our Mission
To support financially the spiritual, educational, and social needs of our Catholic community.
Our Guiding Principles
CATHOLIC IDENTITY
We reflect our Catholic faith in all we do; embrace the breadth, diversity, and commonality of Catholic interests; and assure that investments and grant recipients are in alignment with Catholic values.
SERVICE
We respond to the financial needs of the Catholic community and contribute to effective solutions; collaborate with other nonprofit organizations when consistent with our mission; and provide for the needs of future generations.
PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
We recognize and act on the understanding that community foundations are sustained by public trust, which is earned by full, open, and public disclosure.