Medtronic Foundation sought to better understand how its investments, governance structures, and engagement approaches were working together to support its mission. While the organization had made significant commitments, there was an opportunity to bring greater alignment, clarity, and consistency to how decisions were made and how impact was achieved over time.

DSG Consulting conducted a strategic evaluation of the Foundation’s investment portfolio, governance practices, and engagement model. This included a review of past funding decisions to assess alignment with core priorities, as well as interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders to understand how decisions were made and where gaps existed.

We also examined internal processes and ways of working to identify opportunities to strengthen coordination, improve decision-making, and ensure resources were being directed toward the highest-impact initiatives.

The work informed a $100M+ reinvestment strategy designed to improve focus, alignment, and long-term impact. DSG developed region-specific white papers that provided data-driven insights to guide future funding priorities and support more targeted investment decisions.

The Foundation also strengthened its governance and decision-making processes, improving transparency and consistency across how investments were evaluated and managed. In parallel, a shift in engagement strategy moved the organization away from large-scale, event-driven approaches toward more direct, community-based partnerships, enabling deeper relationships and more sustainable impact over time.