Interview: Duane Carter, chair, Northwest Area Foundation

Duane Carter has been with the Northwest Area Foundation since 2016, and in his second year as chair of the nonprofit’s investment committee he manages the investing capital for the foundation’s endowment. The Northwest Area Foundation, based in St. Paul, supports efforts by people, organizations and communities to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable prosperity. Its region includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and 76 Native American nations. The nonprofit primarily directs resources and support to Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, and rural communities. Before joining the foundation, Carter worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, most recently serving as a senior vice president before retiring. Carter earned a doctor of education degree in organizational development as well as a master of business administration from the University of St. Thomas. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business from the University of Minnesota. In this interview with reporter Kelly Busche, Carter speaks about his role and his plans to continue supporting the foundation’s priority communities, and about how the foundation, in the midst of the pandemic and racial reckoning, is also allocating more funding to help communities in need.