Best Grants for Charities in Minnesota

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation's Healthy Start Grant Program aims to enhance early childhood care and education by funding tax-exempt nonprofits, Tribal Nations, and fiscally sponsored groups in Minnesota. With a total of $2 million over two years, grants of up to $100,000 per year will support initiatives to improve access to quality care, screenings, and family support services, ultimately addressing health inequities and fostering healthy development for vulnerable children.

Mission:

Dakota and Ojibwe are spoken and valued as vibrant, living, and thriving languages throughout Minnesota.

Vision:

To protect and empower our children, parents, and elders in the ongoing revitalization of our languages, thereby maintaining Tribal sovereignty.

Minnesota Indian Affairs Council

2027 Dakota and Ojibwe Language Revitalization Grant

According to the language set forth in the 2025 Minnesota Session Laws, 94th Legislature, Chapter 36, Article 4, Sec. 9, funds were allocated for the Indian Affairs Council to provide grants to preserve Dakota and Ojibwe Indian language and to foster education programs and immersion programs in Dakota and Ojibwe language. There is $498,750 available for one-year competitive language grants.

The Dakota and Ojibwe Language Revitalization Grant program, which funds revitalization of Minnesota’s first languages, is underwritten by an appropriation from the state’s Legacy Fund Amendment, MN Legacy Fund Amendment Information. The eligible project areas are intentionally broad and somewhat flexible to allow creativity and innovation with intent that a diverse array of projects can be funded. Recognized educational institutions in Minnesota, and 510 (C)(3) non-profits located in the State of Minnesota and currently registered with the Secretary of State’s office are strongly encouraged to apply.

The NHLBI Career Transition Award (K22) supports postdoctoral fellows and research trainees in the NHLBI Division of Intramural Research, facilitating their transition to independent research roles at extramural institutions. Key deadlines for applications include October 12, 2024, and February 12, 2025, among others, providing ample opportunity for qualified investigators to advance their careers.

The Fence Authority Scholarship offers a $1,000 award to students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in fields that enhance community beautification, such as architecture, civil engineering, and environmental sciences. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, enrolled full-time, and involved in community service. This scholarship aims to empower students to contribute positively to society while furthering their education in impactful disciplines.

The LRAC Legacy Individual Grants offer up to $6,000 for individual artists in Minnesota's nine-county region, promoting arts access, learning, and cultural heritage. Eligible projects include public art production, artist residencies in schools, performances, educational experiences, workshops, and exhibits. First-time applicants are encouraged to contact LRAC for guidance before applying, ensuring they understand the program's requirements and maximize their chances for funding.

The Classroom-Focused Project Grants support licensed educators in enhancing their teaching practices and student outcomes, with funding up to $3,000 for innovative projects. This opportunity is designed for both first-time applicants and previous recipients looking to build on their past successes. Eligible applicants must be active members of Education Minnesota and demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion in their projects. Grants are awarded annually, emphasizing measurable results and collaborative efforts.

The Minnesota Chapter Peter Potvin Scholarship is available for full-time undergraduate mechanical or architectural engineering students enrolled in institutions within the Minnesota Chapter's geographic boundaries. Applicants must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 or be in the top 30% of their class, with additional criteria for program accreditation. This scholarship supports students pursuing degrees that prepare them for careers in the HVAC&R field, contributing to sustainable building practices.

The JFNY Grant for Arts & Cultural Exchange supports U.S. non-profit organizations aiming to enhance understanding of Japanese arts and culture. Eligible projects include performances, workshops, and exhibitions, with priority given to those with additional funding and in areas with limited access to cultural events. Applications must be submitted at least one month prior for online projects and three months for others. The grant covers expenses like travel, publicity, and artist fees, and is reimbursed upon project completion.

The American Electric Power Foundation provides grants to 501(c)(3) organizations focused on educational improvement, particularly in STEM fields, and basic human services such as hunger and housing. Organizations must operate within AEP's service territory or have a broader beneficial purpose. The Foundation also supports social justice initiatives and environmental protection efforts. Eligible applicants must affirm compliance with anti-discrimination policies and demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The Grow Your Own Competitive Grant Opportunity aims to diversify the teacher workforce in Minnesota by providing funding for innovative programs encouraging secondary students, particularly students of color and American Indian students, to pursue teaching careers. Eligible districts can apply for grants up to $500,000 to support future teacher clubs, develop education courses, and offer scholarships, ensuring that participation rates reflect district demographics. This initiative is part of the Minnesota Department of Education's commitment to educational equity.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is offering funding through the Small Business Transportation Technical Assistance Center (SBTTAC) program. This initiative aims to assist small businesses in Region 3 by providing essential technical support and business development resources. The cooperative agreement includes a base year of 10 months with two additional option years, fostering growth while ensuring regulatory compliance and reducing barriers for small businesses.

The Express Health Information Outreach Awards aim to enhance public health by increasing access to biomedical information for U.S. health professionals and the general public. These awards support projects that improve health information literacy among consumers and caregivers, ensuring they can effectively find and utilize health information. Focused on partnerships and outreach to underrepresented communities, the initiative seeks to promote healthy behaviors, prevent illness, and improve health outcomes through informed decision-making.

The Ethnic Minorities and Women’s Internship Grant supports entry-level athletics administrative positions for one academic year, promoting diversity in NCAA Division II. It provides $30,000 for intern salaries and $3,000 for professional development, benefiting six schools annually from a total budget of $180,000. Eligible applicants must be active NCAA members, with a focus on enhancing ethnic minority and gender representation in athletics administration. This initiative encourages professional growth and compliance in diverse environments.

The ASPET Poster Awards for undergraduates recognize exceptional scientific presentations at the ASPET Annual Meeting. This competition showcases the best research from young scientists, including undergraduates, graduates, and postdoctoral fellows. Awards are presented by ASPET divisions and the Mentoring and Career Development committee, with cash prizes varying by category. Eligible applicants must be ASPET members and present their research in poster format. This initiative encourages participation in pharmacology-related research.

The Many Voices Fellowship supports early career Black and Indigenous playwrights in Minnesota, offering a $25,000 salary and $3,000 for play development. This two-year program focuses on enhancing artistic vision through collaboration with experienced theater professionals. Since its inception in 1994, it has awarded over 140 fellowships to diverse voices in theater, providing crucial financial support and mentorship to cultivate new works and enrich the American theater landscape.

About PCORI

PCORI funds patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER).

Our Mission

PCORI helps people make informed healthcare decisions, and improves healthcare delivery and outcomes, by producing and promoting high-integrity, evidence-based information that comes from research guided by patients, caregivers, and the broader healthcare community.

Broad Pragmatic Studies PCORI Funding

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) intends to issue a Broad Pragmatic Studies (BPS) PCORI Funding Announcement (PFA), seeking to fund patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) projects. 

Research Initiative Highlights

CER compares at least two available health treatments, services or care delivery strategies. PCORI seeks proposals that compare clinical interventions (e.g., pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments, screening and diagnostic approaches) and healthcare delivery system interventions (e.g., workforce, technologies, healthcare service delivery designs) to evaluate potential benefits and harms of different treatment and care delivery options, thus generating evidence that empowers patients, caregivers and the broader healthcare community with information to make informed choices that reflect their needs and preferences.

Special Areas of Emphasis

For Cycle 2 2026, PCORI is particularly interested in submissions that address the following Special Areas of Emphasis (SAE) within the BPS funding opportunity. The purpose of identifying these SAEs is to encourage submissions to these areas, rather than limiting submissions to these topics. Applicants addressing one of the below SAEs should identify the area that is best associated with their research approach:  

• Addressing Obesity
• Diabetes Prevention, Care and Treatment
• Management of Urogynecological and Pelvic Pain
• Pain Management for Individuals Living With Sickle Cell Disease

In PCORI-funded research, patients and other research partners are expected to meaningfully contribute their lived experience or professional expertise to ensure studies are patient-centered, relevant and useful for healthcare decision making. Applicants must address PCORI’s Foundational Expectations for Partnerships in Research — an evidence-based framework supported by tools and resources to guide effective engagement strategies. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to consider the inclusion of a broad range of patient-centered burdens and economic outcomes. 

Broad Pragmatic Studies PFA: Category 1, Category 2 and Category 3 Study Specifications

PCORI will commit up to $120 million in direct costs through this funding opportunity. This funding opportunity contains three categories for funding:

• Category 1: Category 1 will support research projects with direct costs up to and including $5 million.

• Category 2: Category 2 will support research projects with direct costs greater than $5 million and up to a maximum of $12 million. Applications for funding under Category 2 will be required to provide additional information in the Letter of Intent (LOI) and application to justify the size and scope of the proposed research projects and to explain how additional funds are necessary with respect to the scale, scope and complexity of personnel and material resources needed to address the research question.

• Category 3: Category 3 will support research projects with direct costs up to $12 million that utilize PCORnet® to conduct observational studies and/or pragmatic trials that are national in scale. Category 3 PCORnet Studies® must include two or more Clinical Research Networks and share study progress, performance metrics and best practices with the network to promote continuous learning and improvement. PCORnet Studies® will leverage the PCORnet Common Data Model® as appropriate. Additional details about Category 3 can be found on the PCORI website.  

The Ralph J. Torraco Scholarship for Seminarian Studies, funded by UNICO Foundation Inc, offers four scholarships worth $1,000 each to full-time seminarians attending accredited Catholic seminaries in the U.S. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old, and either reside in specific states or have a UNICO sponsor. This scholarship supports the educational journey of seminarians, reflecting UNICO's commitment to serving the community and promoting Italian American heritage.

Service Objects In-Kind Grants support non-profit organizations dedicated to environmental conservation and sustainability. By leveraging their data validation services, they aim to assist projects that promote ecological health and responsible resource management. The program prioritizes applications with clear, measurable objectives and impactful outcomes within one to three years. Organizations with 501(c)(3) status in the U.S. are eligible, while initiatives lacking detailed plans or focusing on generalized education will not qualify. This grant fosters community involvement in environmental stewardship.

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 New American Long-term Care (LTC) Workforce Development Legal Services initiative, led by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, aims to enhance the long-term care workforce by providing immigration legal services to New Americans. This program focuses on culturally responsive support to ensure that individuals born abroad can successfully enter and thrive in the LTC sector, promoting workforce integration and stability for these communities.

Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

The Asia-Pacific region, home to over half the world's population, faces challenges due to its development goals, which strain natural resources, communities, and cultural heritage. These issues are exacerbated by adverse environmental changes. While research has shed light on these problems, it's clear that more challenges lie ahead. The Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) is well-positioned to generate new knowledge and solutions for these evolving global change and sustainability issues by supporting collaborative research and scientific capacity development activities, particularly those aimed at training the next generation of early career professionals.

APN 2025 Call for Proposals: CAPaBLE Programmes

CAPaBLE, our scientific capacity development programme, aims to enhance the capacity of scientists, policymakers and practitioners to assess global change issues, and explore options to resolve issues towards achieving sustainability. Through CAPaBLE, we support activities that enhance capacity at individual, organizational and systemic levels.

Activities of interest under the CAPaBLE Programme

APN supports CAPaBLE activities that enhance existing capacities of developing countries at three levels of individual-based capacity development; group, organisation, network-based capacity development; and societies, governance, and system level capacity development. APN accepts CAPaBLE proposals that engage 1 or more member/approved countries. Proposals must address one or more of the following activities:

SCIENTIFIC CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES that promote the following approaches related to one or more of the six thematic areas of APN:

• Utilising and strengthening existing capacity, 
• Creating opportunities to use/instil capacity, 
• Developing new capacity through innovative approaches.

AWARENESS-RAISING AND DISSEMINATION activities through policy- and decision-making communities, civil society, and/or the general public.

SCIENCE-POLICY interfacing in the context of the priority topics.

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES that contribute to the capacity development components of the evolving global change arena, including the UNFCCC Paris Agreement, IPCC, IPBES, post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science, and ongoing and new global change and sustainability research programmes.

Activities geared towards using SCIENCE COMMUNICATION to disseminate knowledge generated from projects, particularly to non-science audiences.

The Lubov Arnold Conference Scholarship, funded by the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance, supports Minnesota oncology nurses and physician assistants in attending educational conferences. This initiative aims to enhance the care of women with ovarian cancer by providing financial assistance for travel, lodging, and conference fees. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000, promoting knowledge and skills development in ovarian cancer treatment and education. Applications are open year-round, with a deadline of 30 days before the conference.

The Ethnic Studies Course Development grant supports Minnesota districts and charters in creating K-12 ethnic studies courses, as mandated by state legislation. It offers funding up to $50,000 for collaborative projects among schools, district-level initiatives, and individual educators. This initiative aims to enrich curriculum and promote understanding of diverse cultures, fostering a more inclusive educational environment for students across Minnesota.

Grants for Brownfield Investigation

Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or underused properties where reuse is complicated by actual or suspected contamination. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has grant money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) available to pay for assessment of contaminated properties to support redevelopment and reuse. The work is overseen by the MPCA Brownfield Program and performed by MPCA contractors at no cost to the recipients. 

Available funds

Typical funding requests range from $10,000 to 50,000 but any request is considered provided it meets eligibility requirements.

The MPCA has two sources of funding available from the U.S. EPA for environmental assessment of brownfield properties:

• approximately $90,000 per year, made possible by national brownfields legislation enacted in 2002
• $2 million for 2025 to 2030 from a competitive U.S. EPA Brownfields Assessment grant for States & Tribes

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) offers the Cooperative Development Grant Program (CDG), a competitive funding opportunity aimed at assisting farmers in establishing new cooperatives. These cooperatives focus on operating agricultural product processing facilities or marketing agricultural products and services. With over 125 years of service, MDA is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all Minnesotans by ensuring a safe food supply and a robust agricultural economy.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is inviting proposals for the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Provider Capacity Grants aimed at enhancing service delivery in rural and underserved communities. This funding opportunity focuses on improving access and quality of life for older adults and individuals with disabilities, particularly those facing systemic barriers. Proposals should align with HCBS licensing requirements and demonstrate effective capacity building to better serve these communities.

The Low Income Worker Training Program, offered by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, provides essential job-specific training grants of up to $200,000 for entities helping low-income individuals. This initiative aims to enhance workforce development by enabling individuals earning at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines to acquire skills necessary for higher-paying jobs. The program supports training-related materials and certification fees, promoting economic self-sufficiency in Minnesota.