Meet Our Board of Directors: Don Mulligan

Meet Our Board of Directors series is an invitation for supporters and friends of Aim Higher Foundation to meet the talented and dedicated individuals who give so much of themselves to the students and families we serve.

Don Mulligan delivers Aim Higher Foundation scholarship support to students at Immaculate Conception Catholic School.

In the fall of 2011 upon learning of the significant financial barriers thousands of families faced to access Catholic schools, a handful of Twin Cities philanthropists stepped up with an answer:  they formed the Aim Higher Foundation with a singular mission: to provide needs-based scholarships for children whose parents could not meet the full cost of tuition of K-8 Catholic schools.

This laser focus became known as “our one thing” and remains our steadfast focus today, thanks in large part to the founding members’ continued commitment to the mission over a decade later.  Don Mulligan has been a central figure since the beginning. For the foundation’s entire 13 years, Don has worked tirelessly to serve families, engage benefactors, and support the management team. The impact of Don’s leadership and unwavering commitment cannot be overstated. Don has served on every committee, multiple working groups, and as Chair of the Board from 2022 – 2024.

As retired Chief Financial Officer of General Mills, Don’s track record of igniting organization growth, developing top talent, and strengthening key relationships have proven to be extraordinarily valuable assets as the Aim Higher Foundation strives to broaden its impact. His financial acumen, strategic planning expertise, and executive management experience have been paramount to the organization’s measured and sustained growth. Don’s leadership sets the tone for efficiency, forward thinking, and confidence. Always focused on the mission, he believes in hiring for mission and developing skill.

Ricky Austin, President, shares, “Don’s compassion for the underserved is genuine. His extraordinary generosity of time, talent, and treasure stems from a deep faith and a foundational belief that all children deserve a chance at a great education. Don embodies servant leadership. He steps into leadership roles humbly and intentionally to share his talents for no other reason than ‘our one thing’- so that more children might experience the life-changing benefits of a Catholic education.”

Don is a strong advocate for Catholic schools. He shares, “ I have personally experienced and witnessed the transformational power of Catholic education. No child should be denied this life-changing opportunity because of an inability to meet the full cost of tuition. No parent should have to carry the burden of not being able to afford the education they believe is best for their children. This is why the Aim Higher Foundation exists.”

Today, some 13 years later, this laser-focused mission has awarded more than 16,000 scholarships worth over $15 million. More than 12% of all K-8 students enrolled in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis are supported by the Aim Higher Foundation.