Community Grant

Grants to Minneapolis, Minnesota nonprofit organizations for programs and projects that focus on promoting economic vitality and civic engagement. Priority is given to programs serving minority populations. Funding is intended for both project support and general operating support.

The community grants provide two types of support:

- General Operating Support: These grants support the core operations of nonprofit organizations with missions and activities that are highly aligned with the key drivers and results in our focus areas.

- Project Support: These grants support specific projects or programs that are highly aligned with the key drivers and results in the Foundation's focus areas. These include programs that meet community needs, as well as activities that will enhance the nonprofit’s ability to achieve its mission, increase the scale of its operations, and deliver services more effectively.

Focus Areas

Civic Engagement

Goal: All communities participate in democracy and in public decision making.

Fundable Activities:
- Community organizing that adds more people of color to the voter base and increases voter turnout.
- Initiatives to educate disenfranchised individuals about voter eligibility and elections.
- Community-based initiatives to educate individuals about equity issues pertinent to upcoming elections.
- Research and advocacy to reduce systemic barriers to voting.
- Community organizing and advocacy to expand voting rights.
- Technical assistance, training or capacity building.
- Community-based initiatives for advocacy, organizing or leadership development to advance equitable public policies.

Economic Vitality

Goal: A competitive and inclusive workforce.

Fundable Activities:
- Implementation of new career pathways and innovative living wage job programs designed to meet future workforce needs for the chronically unemployed and underemployed (e.g., communities of color, immigrants, and ex-offenders).
- Participation of the chronically un- and underemployed (e.g., communities of color, immigrants and ex-offenders) in current and next-generation jobs.
- Initiatives to increase the success of postsecondary training and career laddering opportunities (e.g., community colleges, professional certification programs) in serving underrepresented communities of color.
- Comprehensive community projects that link job creation, new business development, minority entrepreneurship and wealth creation.
- New and existing community-based networks that incubate, provide technical assistance to, or expand alternative financing options for minority-owned businesses.
- Research and advocacy to encourage policy and systemic improvements in workforce development, minority entrepreneurship and wealth creation.