Grant Funding to Strengthen Communities and Culture in Minnesota (USA)
GrantID: 8027
Grant Funding Amount Low: Open
Deadline: Ongoing
Grant Amount High: Open
Summary
If you are part of a nonprofit organization, a tribal community, a youth-led group, or an Indigenous individual/collective working in rural or tribal communities of northeastern Minnesota, this grant program could help support your initiatives. The foundation serves several counties in Northeast Minnesota — as well as a number of Native nations — and seeks to strengthen community well-being, equity, culture, youth opportunities, economic and social support, and local capacity.
There are several grant types available depending on the nature of your work:
One stream offers larger grants to nonprofit organizations, school districts, tribal nations, or governmental entities, to support community services, youth and family programs, health and social-service initiatives, child care, housing or basic needs, community development, education and after-school programming, or other community-benefit projects. These grants typically start at a baseline funding level and are meant for substantial community impact.
Another stream is explicitly for Indigenous-led or Native-community projects: individuals or small groups who are tribal citizens or have kinship/affiliation ties are eligible to apply for modest grassroots grants. These funds support cultural programming, language preservation, youth and family projects, traditional arts and cultural practices, community gatherings, and other initiatives that strengthen Indigenous identity, community cohesion, and local heritage.
There is also a youth-focused grant option for school- or community-based projects planned and run by young people (with adult mentorship), enabling youth leadership, local engagement, and community improvement.
Occasionally the foundation offers special or time-limited funding opportunities, which may support nonprofits, small businesses, or community enterprises — especially when tied to specific needs (e.g., housing planning support, community development, child-care expansion, or emergent community priorities).
Grant amounts vary depending on the grant type: larger community or nonprofit grants may be substantial (supporting major projects or organizational capacity), while grassroots or youth-led grants are modest but meaningful — enough to fund community events, cultural activities, or small-scale initiatives.
Applications are generally open multiple times per year rather than only once annually. Depending on the grant stream, there are quarterly or periodic cycles, so organizations or individuals don’t need to wait for a single fixed annual window.
If your initiative is community-centered, culturally grounded, youth-driven, or focused on improving rural or tribal community life — whether through social services, cultural heritage, youth engagement, or grassroots activism — this grant program may provide flexible, supportive funding that respects local context and community-led design.
This grant may be available to individuals and organizations in Minnesota that are actively involved in Black, Indigenous, People of Color. To locate more funding opportunities in your field, visit The Grant Portal and search by interest area using the Search Grant tool.
Eligible Regions
Interests
Eligible Requirements
