Best Financial Assistance Grants in Minnesota

The Benton Telecommunications Foundation offers small grants under $2,000 to support initiatives in healthy living, basic human needs, educational development, and community improvement. The foundation emphasizes values, ethics, and character formation, aiming to make a positive impact on communities, particularly in Benton County, Minnesota. Applications are reviewed monthly, focusing on the potential benefits of proposed activities and the financial need of individuals affected by disasters.

The Community Sharing Fund Grant provides essential support for families and individuals in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington Counties facing unexpected financial emergencies. With grants ranging from $100 to $1,500, the fund helps address urgent health and human services needs while prioritizing those who have not received funds in the past 18 months. This initiative aims to prevent crises that could lead to unemployment or homelessness, making it a vital resource for community resilience.

The Edina Realty Foundation, established in 1996, is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless individuals and families in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. With over $12 million raised, the Foundation supports non-profits that provide housing, food, and emergency services, ensuring that more than 95% of funds directly aid those in need. Their mission highlights the belief that everyone deserves a place to call home, reinforcing community investment for a better tomorrow.

The IMPLICIT Grant, funded by the Minnesota Department of Health, aims to enhance maternal and perinatal care by implementing the IMPLICIT model in at least five clinics over three years. This initiative addresses critical factors such as smoking and maternal depression to reduce birth defects. A total funding of $130,000 is available, providing annual stipends of $18,000 to participating clinics, which will also receive essential training and support to ensure sustainable healthcare improvements.

The Jeffris Heartland Fund Grant, provided by the Jeffris Family Foundation, supports significant historic preservation projects across several Midwestern states, including Iowa and Wisconsin. Grants range from $5,000 to $50,000, covering 50% of costs for Historic Structure Reports, requiring a dollar-for-dollar match. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations and government agencies, focusing on projects with historical significance, architectural merit, and strong community ties. Applications are accepted anytime, with decisions made approximately 30 days after submission.

The WBD Opportunity Funds support nonprofit organizations that foster small business development in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With investment amounts ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, the fund emphasizes job creation and community growth. Applications for funding are accepted year-round, but early submission is advised, especially by August 15 for consideration in the current fiscal year. WBD is committed to a diverse array of projects aimed at enhancing economic development.

The Impact Fund provides recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits and small law firms working on social, environmental, and economic justice issues. With over $10 million awarded since 1992, the fund supports impactful litigation addressing systemic injustices. Grants range from $10,000 to $50,000 and prioritize cases directly involving affected communities. Recipients must repay the grant amount with interest if they recover fees or costs, ensuring sustainability for future funding.

The Community Homeownership Impact Fund, managed by the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, aims to enhance affordable housing in Minnesota by funding developers and administrators of single-family, owner-occupied homes. This program focuses on increasing the housing supply while ensuring safety and habitability. It offers interim loans, deferred forgivable loans, and grants to bridge financial gaps. Eligible applicants include cities, tribes, and nonprofits, all working towards improving housing accessibility and supporting community development.

The Old National Bank Foundation offers grants to nonprofit organizations for community impact initiatives across Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Focused on four key areas—Affordable Housing, Workforce Development, Economic Development, and Financial Empowerment—the foundation prioritizes programs that support underrepresented communities. Organizations must have 501(c)(3) status and align with the foundation’s funding priorities to qualify for grants, which can be applied for every two years.

The Joyce Foundation's Education & Economic Mobility Grants aim to close income and race disparities in college and career success. The foundation prioritizes equitable access to high-quality education, supporting policies for effective educators, high school graduation, and affordable college credentials. Focused on racial equity and economic mobility, it addresses the needs of historically underserved young people in the Great Lakes region and invests in research, policy development, and advocacy to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Benton Telecommunications Foundation Grant aims to enhance human development across spiritual, intellectual, physical, and psychological domains. The foundation prioritizes projects that promote healthy living, address basic human needs, and foster educational and personal development. It supports community improvement initiatives, particularly in Benton County, Minnesota, while considering the financial need of applicants and the potential community impact of proposed projects.

The Management Improvement Fund Grant supports small to midsize nonprofits in Minnesota by providing up to $15,000 for technical assistance aimed at enhancing organizational capacity and nurturing BIPOC leadership. With a history of distributing $7 million to over 470 organizations since 1991, the fund prioritizes initiatives that benefit low-income communities and address pressing operational needs, fostering sustainable growth and community impact.

The Bayer Fund Health & Wellness Grant Program aims to support organizations that provide education and resources for patients and caregivers facing cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Grants focus on assisting communities, particularly the African American population, in managing these health issues. Funding covers educational services, disease awareness, and access to care, with all activities to commence post-funding decisions. Eligible organizations must hold a 501(c)(3) status and operate within 55 miles of Bayer sites.

The Minnesota Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides essential technical assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses, fostering startup growth and economic development. As a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration and various local stakeholders, the SBDC offers no-cost consultations and educational resources to ensure businesses can secure necessary funding and thrive. This network emphasizes collaboration with higher education institutions to enhance service delivery and support diverse business needs across Minnesota.

The Five Wings Art Council offers General Operating Support Grants to Minnesota non-profit arts organizations that have held their 501(c)(3) status for at least three years. These grants provide unrestricted funds for administrative and capital expenditures, supporting artistic quality and community access. Organizations in Cass, Crow Wing, Todd, Morrison, and Wadena counties can apply, fostering local arts and enhancing community engagement through diverse artistic initiatives.

The National Trust Preservation Funds provide grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 to support local preservation projects and ongoing work. These funds aim to enhance community engagement in preservation, foster technical expertise, and stimulate financial participation from the private sector. Eligible applicants include public agencies and nonprofit organizations focused on planning and education efforts related to preservation. The program is particularly interested in initiatives that reach new audiences and further the preservation movement.

The Laura Jane Musser Fund was established by the estate of Laura Jane Musser of Little Falls, Minnesota to continue the personal philanthropy, which she practiced in her lifetime.

Environmental Initiative Program

The Laura Jane Musser Fund assists public or not-for-profit entities to initiate or implement projects that enhance the ecological integrity of publicly owned open spaces, while encouraging compatible human activities. The Fund’s goal is to promote public use of open space that improves a community’s quality of life and public health, while also ensuring the protection of healthy, viable and sustainable ecosystems by protecting or restoring habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species.

Projects must..

• Focus on protecting/restoring a sustainable ecosystem that is a defined, public open space.
• Promote public access to and use of the defined open space.
• Involve active participation of local community members, with a particular appreciation for volunteer and youth engagement and stakeholder contributions.
• Contain measurable outcomes within the first 12-18 months.
• Include a plan for the long term financial and environmental sustainability of the proposed program.

Projects during any one grant period will be eligible for either:

• implementation grants or 
• planning grants

Environmental Initiative - Implementation Grant Program

Implementation grant applications must demonstrate clear evidence of local community active participation and support.

Projects will be eligible for either planning or implementation funds during any one grant period.

The Environmental Initiative Grant Program by the Laura Jane Musser Fund aims to support public and nonprofit entities in enhancing the ecological integrity of open spaces. It promotes community involvement in planning and implementing projects that improve quality of life and public health while protecting ecosystems. Grants range from $8,000 for planning to $35,000 for implementation, targeting projects in specific states, fostering sustainability, and ensuring active local participation.

The Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) provides essential funding to cities, townships, and counties for housing, public infrastructure, and commercial rehabilitation projects. Aimed at benefiting low-and-moderate income households, SCDP enhances community viability by facilitating economic opportunities and improving living conditions. Administered by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), this program offers competitive grants for diverse development needs, with funding caps of $600,000 for single-purpose projects and $1.4 million for comprehensive initiatives.

The Green Fertilizer Program Grant in Minnesota offers approximately $3.8 million to agricultural and rural electric cooperatives for investments in green fertilizer production facilities. Eligible projects must utilize renewable energy and green hydrogen, with a minimum grant award of $250,000. The program emphasizes strong business readiness and requires matching funds from cooperatives. Successful applicants must be licensed, in good standing, and committed to sustainable practices for fertilizer production, ensuring environmental responsibility in the agricultural sector.

Enterprise Community Partners

Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) is a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. We support community development organizations on the ground, aggregate and invest capital for impact, advance housing policy at every level of government, and build and manage communities ourselves. Since 1982, we have invested $80.9 billion and created 1 million homes across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands – all to make home and community places of pride, power and belonging.

Midwest Asset Management University Program

Operating, maintaining, and preserving affordable housing is complex and requires a specialized set of skills and a deep organizational commitment to asset management. Today, affordable housing providers face a variety of economic, operational, and compliance challenges, including rising operating costs, rental arrears, staffing shortages, and an aging portfolio.

Enterprise is launching its first Asset Management University (AMU) Program in the Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, and/or Minnesota) in March 2026 to support mission-aligned, affordable housing providers in meeting these challenges in their efforts to provide housing stability to residents and preserve the long-term affordability of properties.

The Midwest AMU is a comprehensive, five-month training program that seeks to strengthen the asset and property management capabilities of participating housing providers, improving organizations’ capacity to oversee the financial, physical, and operational health of their housing portfolios.

Midwest Asset Management University Cohort 

Enterprise is excited to offer this application for participation in the Asset Management University (AMU) Cohort (the “Cohort”). Up to fifteen (15) eligible organizations will be selected for this Cohort and will receive access to online training offered by the Consortium of Housing and Asset Management (CHAM), peer learning opportunities, and post-training technical assistance.

The East Central Regional Arts Council (ECRAC) offers the Essentials Support Grant, providing funding between $3,000 to $5,000 to non-profit arts organizations in Minnesota's Region 7E. This grant supports ongoing operational expenses, fostering arts access and education while enhancing community engagement through cultural heritage activities. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)3 organizations with a history of arts programming. This funding is crucial for sustaining the arts and enriching local cultural landscapes.

The Food Retail Improvement and Development Grant (FRIDG) Program by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture aims to enhance access to affordable, nutritious food in underserved communities. This program provides up to $50,000 in competitive grants for equipment purchases and facility improvements. Eligible projects include grocery stores and small food retailers, focusing on increasing the availability of culturally appropriate food. The initiative supports sustainable public-private partnerships to improve food access and consumption in low-income areas.

The Small Communities Grant Program by the Blandin Foundation aims to empower Minnesota's smallest, most diverse, and economically challenged communities by providing essential funding for projects that enhance community well-being. By fostering collaboration and trust among residents, the program seeks to drive meaningful economic, social, and physical changes. Grant awards typically range from $25,000 to $150,000, with a focus on sustainable initiatives that build local capacity and pride.

The Dairy Business Planning Grant supports Minnesota dairy farms and processors by funding 50% of the cost, up to $5,000, for hiring experts to provide technical assistance. This includes evaluations of operations, legal advice for transitions, and expansion plans. Approximately $83,000 is available each fiscal year, enabling applicants to request grants between $500 and $5,000. The grant also requires a comprehensive business plan report to be submitted with reimbursement requests, outlining goals and financial projections.

The Battlefield Preservation Fund Grant aims to support initiatives that preserve battlefields and related historic sites. This funding encourages planning and educational efforts, particularly those that engage new audiences in preservation activities. Eligible applicants include public agencies and nonprofits in specified states. Grants can be used for staff support, consultant fees, and educational materials. Applicants must provide a one-to-one match for funding, ensuring strong community involvement in preservation efforts.

The Target Foundation's Hometown Racial Equity Grant aims to advance racial equity for underserved communities in the Twin Cities. With over a century of commitment to social responsibility, the Foundation addresses systemic barriers by investing in entrepreneurship, workforce development, housing, and asset building. By supporting BIPOC-led organizations, the Foundation seeks to create equitable economic opportunities, ensuring that all families can thrive and contribute to a vibrant community. Grants range from $25,000 to $200,000, focusing on sustainable impact.