Spotlight on Minnesota Grants: The Land of 10,000 Thousand Lakes

Hey Princely Paisley Park to the serene shores of Lake Superior, can’t you hear Minnesota calling to you? The great state of Minnesota has a wide variety of fun and exciting things to do and places to see. As part of our ongoing series of articles highlighting our beautiful states, GrantWatch wants to beam a spotlight on Minnesota with listings of grants to help communities grow and prosper. In fact, GrantWatch offers a list of over 1600 grants in its Community and Economic Development grants category. These funding opportunities are countrywide as well as international. However, there is also a specific list of grants geared toward supporting Community and Economics in Minnesota.

Few Fun Facts About Minnesota That You Might Not Know

The Land of 10,000 Lakes actually has more than 14,000 named lakes that are 10 acres or larger.

We invented water skiing. Well, technically speaking, Ralph Samuelson of Lake City invented wat;er skiing – but we all take credit for it.

Post-It Notes were born here. Art Fry, a scientist at Minnesota’s own 3M Corporation, invented the product.

More turkeys are hatched in the Gopher State than anywhere in the country. Minnesota produces 40 million birds annually.

Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz were stolen in Minnesota.

OnlyInYourState.com, “14 Quirky Facts About Minnesota That Sound Made Up, But Are 100% Accurate“

Oops! We almost forgot. We’ve also got a place in Minnesota called the Mall of America. There are 520 stores, 50 restaurants, along with Nickelodeon Universe, the largest indoor theme park in the country. Come and visit sometime!

So, enough talking about what’s already happened in Minnesota. Instead, let’s see what grants we can use to do something great now!

Community (and Economic Development) Grants

1. Grants of up to $25,000 to eligible Minnesota nonprofits and government agencies for programming and organizational support. Moreover, funding is for services in the focus areas of health, economic security, and education.
2. There are grants to eligible Minnesota nonprofits and public organizations to enhance local communities. Focus areas include education, arts, economic development, and historic preservation.
3. In addition, grants to eligible Minnesota local government agencies, nonprofit fire departments, and tribal government entities to develop community facilities. As a result, funding is for projects and activities that help develop residential and public facilities.
4. Grants to eligible Minnesota local government agencies and tribal government entities to strengthen local communities. In fact, funding promotes economic development and building communities. Grant evaluation is based on job creation, economic impact, leverage, project readiness and timeliness. Grant evaluation will also be based on community benefit and partnerships, and projects that benefit underserved communities or populations.
5. There are grants of up to $20,000 to eligible Minnesota nonprofits for projects to benefit communities. Initiatives will receive grant awards in the following four areas: Youth and Education, Vibrant Communities (culture, arts, environment, recreation), Historically Marginalized Communities e.g., disability services, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+, and Basic Needs and Economic Mobility. Priority for funding will be general operations proposals.
6. Also, grants to eligible Minnesota nonprofits, government agencies, and academic Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) for community betterment projects. Additionally, funding is for community and civic affairs, social and economic growth, health and wellness, youth, the environment, and arts and humanities.

Additional Community (and Economic Development) Grants

1. Grants to Minnesota nonprofits, government agencies, and public school districts for community/economic development projects. Moreover, funding supports economic and community development.
2. There are grants of up to $5,000 to eligible Minnesota nonprofits, educational institutions, and neighborhood and community-based groups to serve the needs of residents. Priority areas include the following: encouraging business vitality, valuing the arts and music, improving the environment, learning opportunities, aging-in-place, and enhancing livability.
3. In addition, grants to Minnesota nonprofits, building owners, and property managers to install solar-power systems in new buildings. As a result, funding is to offer opportunities for commercial and multifamily buildings to lower electricity usage and reduce environmental hazards.
4. Grants to Minnesota elementary and secondary schools, IHEs, and organizations to support agricultural education. In addition, funding is to promote collaborative activities and projects with a focus on agriculture, food, and natural resource education programs at the primary, secondary, and postsecondary levels.
5. Lastly, grants to eligible Minnesota municipalities and private and public nonprofit and for-profit organizations and agencies to clean contaminated properties. In fact, funding will be for capital investments to redevelop contaminated and/or polluted property.

Tune in next time when we unveil some things about Oregon that we think you’ll find most interesting!

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Please Note: There is no guarantee by GrantWatch nor the author of grant awards as a result of this information.