Search Through Mental Health Grants in Minnesota in the U.S.

Our Approach

The Midwest Climate & Energy program uses its philanthropic funding to support efforts that build power through partnership, aligning climate and equity goals to advance bold action on the climate crisis.

Our program takes a systems change lens, focusing on shifting the conditions that perpetuate the climate crisis, which include structural racism. We direct grantmaking toward work that shifts mental models, changes power dynamics, engages communities, and advances transformative policies, practices, and resource flows, in order to dramatically cut carbon pollution in the Midwest by 2030.

Our Strategies

Transform the Energy System

We aim to ensure that the Midwest equitably transitions to an energy grid capable of powering an increasingly electrified society – a grid that’s powered by clean energy sources, accessible and affordable to ratepayers, and flexible and resilient to accommodate more clean power and withstand disruptive events.

Our grantmaking through this strategy will:

• Engage the utility sector and related decision-making venues as a crucial lever for system transformation.
• Amplify stories of the clean energy transition and combat mis- and disinformation.
• Expand solutions that advance customer options for clean energy that is accessible, equitable, and affordable.
• Elevate voices that are representative of the rich diversity of the Midwest.

Decarbonize Transportation

We aim to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector in the Midwest through electrification and reducing driving (vehicle miles traveled, or “VMT”) by increasing the use of transit, biking, and other mobility options. We support the Midwest States leading in transportation infrastructure implementation that is equitable, and sustainable and ensures that everyone has access to clean, affordable, and accessible transportation mobility options.

Our grantmaking through this strategy will:

• Support increased public sector investment in transit, active transportation modes, and other shared mobility options.
• Support the equitable deployment and implementation of electrification infrastructure.
• Elevate the engagement of diverse Midwest communities to advance transportation planning that prioritizes climate and equity and repairs historical harms resulting from discriminatory policies.

Decarbonize Buildings

We aim to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the buildings sector in the Midwest, cutting energy usage, electrifying equipment and appliances, and resolving the energy insecurities and burdens of under-resourced households.

Our grantmaking through this strategy will:

• Engage with the utility sector and related decision-making venues as a crucial lever for building decarbonization.
• Raise the bar on building performance to incorporate increasingly electrified end-uses, promote health, safety, and comfort, and center the real needs of people.
• Bridge across sectors and break down silos to fundamentally shift the paradigm for how buildings are built.
• Scale innovation to advance real-world examples of carbon-free buildings in the Midwest.

Support Working Lands

We aim to partner with the stewards of working lands to advance solutions that cut greenhouse gas emissions (carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide), sequester carbon, and build soil resiliency in the face of increasing climate disruptions, while centering the leadership of farmers and rural communities’ prosperity.

Our Grantmaking through this strategy will:

• Promote the leadership of farmers and farmer-led organizations to advance climate solutions.
• Build partnerships with public and private sectors to seed and scale farming practices that reduce emissions and sequester carbon.
• Support organizing and advocacy infrastructure in the Midwest for an inclusive farming system with strong workers’ rights that honors Indigenous farming knowledge and has equitable opportunities for low-income, communities of color, and emerging farmers.

Strengthen Democratic Participation

We aim to increase statewide infrastructure and capacity, engage diverse people in advancing our shared prosperity, and create platforms for broader participation in movements to realize vibrant, equitable, and climate-resilient communities.

Our grantmaking through this strategy will:

• Bolster organizations, networks, and intermediaries working to engage and organize communities toward more powerful participation in civic life.
• Ensure our democratic institutions and policymaking arenas are accessible and equipped to meet the challenge of the climate moment. ​

Our Purpose

The Foundation was established in 1968 to provide Rupert and Ruth Dunklau a systematic method of gifting to God’s people a portion of the blessings God had given them.

The Foundation exists to glorify God and serve His gracious will, by providing financial resources for the varied ministries related to the Lutheran tradition, especially the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, educational entities of the Lutheran Church and appropriate projects that promote the welfare of mankind

Focus Areas

• Lutheran Higher Education: The Foundation will support processes, efforts, and programs of ministries that engage people in furthering their education and continued learning opportunities, enabling them to become of greater service in meeting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of people.
• Health & Human Care: The Foundation will support processes, efforts and programs of ministries that take collaborative and results- oriented approaches that address the varied needs of people in His Church and the communities they serve, thus promoting the welfare of mankind.
• Faith Strengthening: The Foundation will support processes, efforts and programs of ministries that strengthen, enhance and embolden participants and their families to share their Christian faith in His Gospel Message, lived as well as spoken.

About Our Funding

The information provided on this page applies only to potential grantees located in the state of Minnesota. The Medica Foundation recognizes the importance of supporting the unique health needs of individual communities in our grantmaking.

Our overarching principles:

• Benefits local communities.
• Improves the availability of, access to and/or quality of health care.
• Achieves success or demonstrates effectiveness through measurable outcomes.

Minnesota: Rural Health Grant

We aim to fund community-led solutions that address health equity in rural communities. 

We prioritize proposals that address:

• Culturally-focused care
• Dental health
• Domestic violence and sexual assault services and prevention
• Independent living for seniors
• Maternal and birth health
• Mental health and chemical health
• Primary care for underserved communities
• Sexual health
• Transportation for medical/health appointments

Funding

Individual grants may be awarded between $5,000 - $10,000.

Andersen Corporate Foundation

The Andersen Corporate Foundation was established in 1941 with the mission to improve lives and strengthen communities where Andersen employees live and work. Since then, the Foundation has donated more than $65 million to worthy causes.

The Andersen Corporate Foundation supports nonprofit organizations working in the following areas: housing, healthcare, hunger relief, and education. 

Giving Areas

Housing: Funding to increase housing access and stability, including services to transition out of homelessness, and provide and maintain affordable housing.

Health: Funding to advance health access and equity, including support for critical access hospitals/clinics/providers, expanded access to mental health services, and expanded access to preventative healthcare.

Hunger Relief: Funding to address food insecurity and increase food access, including providing healthy and culturally relevant foods.

Education: Funding to advance equity and opportunity in education, and funding to support and raise the profile of trades and industrial education programs.

Funding

The Andersen Corporate Foundation supports general operating, program/project, and capital campaign funding requests. Grants requests may range in size from $5,000 to $50,000 for general operating and program/project requests. The majority of general operating and program/project grants awarded fall between $5,000 and $20,000.

Best Life Community Awards

Nominate a nonprofit that you support with your time, talents, or money to receive a grant.

Funding

The winner will be awarded $10,000!

Program Description Minnesota Statute 145.929 authorizes the Commissioner of Health to award grants to support eligible mental health providers who serve the uninsured. Funds will be awarded each year proportionally among all eligible programs, based on the total number of uninsured patients under the age of 21 served.FundingThe Legislature appropriates up to $394,000 each Fiscal Year. Annual funding will be allocated by formula, among eligible applicants over a 3-year project period.Eligible mental health organizations will receive a percentage of the available funding based on a simple ratio of the number of individual uninsured patients under the age of 21 served by each provider as a portion of the total number of individual uninsured patients under the age of 21 served by all eligible providers. As determined by statute, no single eligible provider will receive less than 2 percent or more than 30 percent of the total appropriation for this grant. If the number of clinics is such that the minimum of 2 percent cannot be provided to each eligible provider, MDH will limit eligibility to the 20 eligible providers who serve the highest number of uninsured patients under the age of 21.No match requirement for this grant.

BackgroundWe fund in the state of Minnesota with priority given to the seven-county metro area. We work in settings that serve children who are at-risk or experiencing abuse or neglect, exposed to toxic stress/trauma, or have challenges developing reading, writing and math skills. This includes schools and early childhood settings, non-profit and research organizations, government agencies, collaboratives, and networks. The best use of Sauer Family Foundation funding is to create change, fill gaps, or help create something new in an organization, government agency, or system. The Sauer Family Foundation is particularly interested in grants that support work in systems and agencies that keep children in safe, supported families, decrease toxic stress and move them to resiliency. Funding Areas We fund direct service, research, field building, and systems change efforts in the following areas:Building Strong Family Relationships: Prevention and Intervention in Child Welfare

• Reducing child welfare placements away from family through parent support and family treatment services.
• Increasing family finding and natural connections for children & youth in child welfare. Our focus is reunification with primary caregiver, supporting kinship foster care & kinship permanency.
• Meeting the social emotional needs of foster children & youth and decreasing time to permanency, stopping the exit to homeless youth services.
• Increasing opportunities for the voice of foster youth in advocacy and increasing public awareness of the foster care experience.

Building Resilience to Trauma

• Early intervention models for preK-12 schools that support children to develop adaptive and flexible coping skills towards self-regulation.
• Professional development in trauma-informed practices in child welfare, children's mental health and education; including resiliency to secondary trauma.

Building Educational Success for Children: Literacy Skills and Learning Disabilities in Reading, Writing and Math PreK – 8th Grade

• Expansion of structured literacy and interventions based on the Science of Reading.
• Adoption of assessments that are indicated for learning disability screening and identification.
• Expansion of the accessibility and affordability of learning disability assessments and interventions.

Building a Workforce that Reflects the Diversity of Minnesota’s Children: Racially Equitable Career Pathways in our Funding Areas

• Programs that remove barriers to licensure for Black, Indigenous and People of Color to enter careers in child welfare, children’s mental health or education.
• Nontraditional pathways that lead to licensure and can move candidates from paraprofessional to professional positions in child welfare, children’s mental health, or education.
• Programs that increase support and mentoring for professionals of color in child welfare, children’s mental health or education allowing them to thrive.

In 2002 the Women’s Fund was established as a component fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation to benefit women and/or girls within a 30 mile radius of St. Cloud. The Women’s Fund seeks to leverage the efforts and dollars from local nonprofits to provide resources that will make a difference to single individuals or systems.

Favorable Considerations

Girls Ages 10-18

The Women’s Fund seeks to support programs to assure equality, success and health for girls. In evaluating proposals for girls, priority will be given to programs with goals aligned with one or more of the following emphases: (These goals may be addressed through culturally specific programs where appropriate.)

• Building self-esteem and helping girls make smart choices to avoid risky behaviors, make good relationship choices, and maintain a healthy body image.
• Increasing girls’ access to mentors and role models to help them increase their aspirations and envision success, make good educational and career choices, and choose healthy behaviors.
• Encouraging and preparing girls to pursue higher and/or post-secondary education, including math, science and other nontraditional education.
• Developing leadership skills and providing venues in which to practice these skills.

Women in Transition

Through its grants for women in transition, the Women’s Fund seeks to focus its grants on building the capacity of women who have experienced significant change in their lives. These goals may be addressed through culturally specific programs where appropriate. Priority will be given to proposals for programs with goals aligned with one or more of the following:

• Fostering women’s economic self sufficiency by increasing access to job training, education, support for searching for jobs, resume building and coaching.
• Encouraging low-income women to pursue job training or education to improve their financial status.
• Increasing access to quality, flexible childcare and/or early childhood education.
• Increasing access to support services, mentoring and mental health services for women during and after transitions.
• Supporting immigrant women and refugee women to achieve their aspirations and successfully integrate into the community.

Elder Women

Through its grants for elder women, the Women’s Fund seeks to focus on issues unique to women as they age, striving to improve the status of life for midlife and older women. These goals may be addressed through culturally specific programs, where appropriate. Priority will be given to programs with goals aligned with one or more of the following:

• Encouraging and increasing access to economic security, including information and support for employment opportunities in later life, financial planning, budgeting and saving.
• Encouraging healthy lifestyles and increasing access to reliable transportation allowing women to maintain an independent lifestyle as long as possible.
• Increasing access to quality health care coverage and mental health services, which includes access to direct fitness and exercise components and preventive care to help keep people active and healthy.
• Addressing the needs of older women living alone and/or caring for elderly parents, all facing major life changes, which could result in depression, loneliness, chemical abuse etc. Provide support for coping with life changes in a healthy manner.
• Encouraging lifelong learning, including non-traditional education, language classes, tutoring young students, to maintain an active mind and contribute to the community.

The Fund seeks to leverage the efforts and dollars from local nonprofits to provide resources that will make a difference to single individuals or systems.

• Projects/Programs that support diversity, equity and inclusion.

Program Description

Per Minnesota Statute 145A.14, the purpose of the Indian Health Grant Program is to provide assistance to eligible applicants to furnish clinical health services, including culturally informed preventive, medical, dental, and/or mental health care services, for American Indian people that reside off reservations.

Funding

Funding will be allocated through a competitive process. If selected, you may only incur eligible expenditures when the grant agreement is fully executed, and the grant has reached its effective date. The Legislature appropriates up to $174,000 each Fiscal Year. Annual funding will be allocated among eligible applicants over a 2-year project period, from January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2026. The final six months of funding for July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 will be contingent upon favorable legislative action on the state budget request for the 2025/2026 biennium period.

Match Requirement

No match requirement for this grant.

Project Dates

January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2026

The Impact Fund awards recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms who seek to confront economic, environmental, racial, and social injustice. Since our founding in 1992, the Impact Fund has made more than 800 recoverable grants totaling more than $10 million for impact litigation. We award grants four times per year, most within the range of US$10,000 to US$50,000.

Social Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants and legal support to assist in human and civil rights cases. We have helped to change dozens of laws and win cases to improve the rights of thousands. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Texas and North Carolina, incarcerated people with mental health disabilities are forced to remain in jail despite being found not guilty and unable to proceed with a criminal trial.
• In Orange County, California there are currently 13 gang injunctions under effect, which disproportionately affect young men of color.
• In Chicago, Illinois, the city’s homeless shelter program is inaccessible to people with disabilities.
• In Springfield, Oregon, the city and its police department used excessive force against Black Lives Matter protesters.
• In West Virginia, the state fails to protect children in foster care from abuse and neglect. 
• In Montana, voter suppression laws disadvantage young adults and give priority to gun owners.
• In Gary, Indiana, a gun manufacturer negligently marketed and distributed its guns, leading to an epidemic of gun violence in the city. 
• In Vancouver, British Columbia, the police perpetuate systemic discrimination against Indigenous people through bureaucratic measures.

Environmental Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants to support local litigation for environmental justice. These grants are for cases aiming to help people or communities who are affected by environmental harm or who lack access to basic environmental needs, such as clean water, clean air, adequate waste treatment, and green spaces. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Centreville, Illinois, the city’s failure to maintain its sewer system has caused raw sewage to flood peoples’ homes, endangering the property and health of a predominantly Black community.
• In Fresno County, California, the California Department of Transportation approved a highway expansion project that would increase air pollution and traffic in one of the state’s most environmentally burdened communities.
• In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the proposed expansion of a highway would divide the region's Black, Asian, and Latine neighborhoods and cause pollution and ill health.
• In North Dakota, the five-month closure of a highway in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests disproportionately affected the livelihoods and health of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe members.
• In Ontario, Canada, mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system causes catastrophic environmental and health impacts for the Grassy Narrows First Nation.
• In Sacramento, California, the county government and Sacramento Area Sewer District violated the Clean Water Act by discharging raw sewage into nearby rivers.
• In the Eastern Coachella Valley in California, 1,900 residents of the Oasis Mobile Home Park suffer from arsenic-laced drinking water, wastewater contamination, and overcharging for utilities.

Economic Justice

The Impact Fund provides financial and other forms of support to cases fighting for economic justice. From workers' rights to consumer protection for vulnerable populations, impact litigation is a powerful tool to hold corporationss and the government accountable. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Brooklyn, New York, a prominent mortgage lender engaged in predatory practices, leaving homeowners of color at risk of losing their homes. 
• In Washington, live-in caregivers are unconstitutionally excluded from the state’s wage-and-hour protections.
• In Ravalli County, Montana, the county has created a “modern-day debtors’ prison” by incarcerating people unable to afford pre-trial fees. 
• In San Diego, California, vehicle ordinances target unhoused vehicle owners even when no adequate housing alternative exists.
• In New York, a federal immigration detention facility is violating minimum wage and forced labor laws by forcing detainees to work for just a dollar a day. 
• In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city and county destroy the property of unhoused individuals and conduct forced evictions from public spaces. 
• In Miami, Florida, insurance companies discriminate against a nonprofit community development corporation renting to tenants with Section 8 rental subsidies.

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) is a regional development and philanthropic organization that fosters economic and community vitality in the 20 counties of southern Minnesota through a culture of collaboration and partnership. .

Early Care and Education Grant Program

The Early Care and Education Grant program will help fund early care and education services for children birth to age five. Organizations that work with these children in SMIF’s 20-county region are eligible to apply. 

Grant funds could be used to support social, emotional, physical and mental health, training and development to operate and address the needs of young children, or other activities necessary to maintain the services in early care and education.

About Us

The Northland Foundation is a place-based, publicly supported foundation working within seven Northeast Minnesota counties and all or parts of five Native nations.

Mission & Values

Our mission is to support Northeast Minnesota people and communities working toward a future where everyone feels they belong and can thrive.

Integrity. Be solid partners: ethical, reliable, and transparent. Keep the mission and values at the forefront.

Respect. Honor different cultures, traditions, and beliefs. Trust communities to know their own challenges and strengths.

Empowerment. Help ensure people and communities can use their voice and power to shape their own lives for the better.

Inclusiveness. Actively work to reach and reflect the diversity of the people and communities served. Be intentional to break down barriers and bring people together.

What We Fund

Quarterly grants can be used for general operating support and are flexible to help grantees meet their funding needs. General operating grants are only available to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that are headquartered and have a staffing presence in our geographic region. Grants may also be used for capacity-building efforts that strengthen the organization or improve service delivery.

Program restricted grants are available for nonprofit organizations that 1) have operations or are headquartered outside our region or 2) are governmental organizations, such as school districts, colleges or universities, or Tribal nations. Program-restricted grants can only be used to support a specific program and associated activities that take place in our service area.

Grant Priorities

The most successful proposals will clearly address one or more of the following five priorities.

Basic Needs

Services and programming that address human needs essential to overall wellbeing. Proposals can address one or more of the following basic needs categories.

• Food Security
  • Support for food access programming such as meal services, food banks and food shelves, and child hunger programs (summer meal programs, backpack programs, school-based pantries, etc.).
• Affordable Housing
  • Support for affordable housing programs or services that help increase opportunities for people to access quality affordable housing.
  • Proposals should be for general operating or program support, not construction costs.
  • Examples are programs that provide downpayment assistance, home ownership programming, and landlord/tenant rights education.
• Homeless Services
  • Support for services to people experiencing homelessness such as support for shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, or warming shelters.
• Aging
  • Providing services to help older adults age in place, such as caregiver support, grocery services, or meal services.
• Health and Wellbeing
  • Programs that support the health, wellness, and mental wellbeing of people who otherwise would not have access to these services.
  • Examples are free health clinics, oral health care programs, and mental health services.
• Other Basic Needs
  • Services to people with disabilities, workforce programs, legal services, etc.

Belonging

Inequities exist in our society. Resources and opportunities are often limited based on place (where someone lives), race (skin color or cultural background), and class (economic status). Belonging seeks to support projects and initiatives designed to help everyone, especially those who are under-served or underrepresented in traditional power structures, to gain full and fair access to essentials like quality housing, education, and employment, and generally thrive. This may include broad, community-wide efforts or a specific focus on belonging within our existing priority areas.Domestic and Sexual Violence

Prevention and intervention efforts in relation to domestic abuse and family violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, such as shelter, advocacy, legal, and other supports or visitation programs that provide a place for safe and supervised parental visits.

Early Childhood Care and Education

Early care and education quality and access, parenting education, and supports. Note: the quarterly grant program does not include support for child care start-ups or child care operating expenses, but sometimes there is funding available for these activities through Special Grant Opportunities.

Out-of-School Time

Structured, consistent, and accessible out-of-school time educational programming and activities for broad groups of children and youth delivered by an organization whose primary focus is to serve youth/youth development.

Strategic Approaches that are Encouraged

High-impact programs and projects build in certain strategic approaches that can improve outcomes. We encourage including one or more of the following approaches in work considered for funding

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• Actively working to reach and fully reflect the diversity of communities served, facilitate inclusion, and counter systemic inequity.

Multi-Generational

• Considering the needs of multiple generations when addressing an issue. For example, programs for children may include components for parents and guardians.

Collaboration

• Bringing other partners into a program or project in order to tap others’ expertise, expand geographic or demographic reach, and/or improve outcomes.

Systems Change

• Seeking to change public policy and increase the civic engagement of under-represented populations.

Background

F. R. Bigelow Foundation believes that our community should not only benefit from our work, but inform and form it as well. Creating solutions to today’s issues requires a collaborative approach. Our work is also rooted in a commitment to racial equity.

We offer general operating, program and some capital support. The Foundation considers grant applications from nonprofit organizations and public entities fostering a vibrant East Metro region and seeking to achieve racially and economically equitable outcomes in the areas of arts & culture, economic & community development, education & youth development, health, housing and human services.

Funding Priorities

F. R. Bigelow Foundation has six focus areas and will consider proposals that address one or more of the following:

Arts & Culture

Strengthening the arts & culture sector to serve all individuals and all communities across the East Metro region by supporting general operations and capital projects

• The Foundation shares Grantmakers in the Arts’ view that all “peoples, their cultures, and their art contribute to the meaning and understanding of our humanity and should be honored and celebrated.”
• Priority will be given to arts and culture organizations that seek to amplify narratives and voices across BIPOC communities and other communities experiencing marginalization (e.g., people with disabilities, low-income communities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, formerly incarcerated people, etc.).
• Please note that the Foundation has not historically supported specific productions, performances, exhibits, artist fees, etc. through this application-based process.

Community and Economic Development

Building a strong and vital East Metro through community building, physical development and strengthening support for low-income individuals, families and underrepresented communities through workforce development and training 

• The Foundation seeks to invest and partner in solutions informed and formed by the people facing the highest barriers to wealth creation, economic security and family-sustaining career pathways. In the East Metro, this includes BIPOC, women, veterans, young people, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated people and LGBTQIA+ people.
• Specific priorities for wealth creation include strengthening the entrepreneur ecosystem and increasing local ownership of businesses and homes.
• Regarding economic security, the Foundation recognizes the importance of anchor institutions embedded at the neighborhood level. For workforce development, we will prioritize employment pathways that meet the needs of individuals and employers alike.

Education & Youth Development

Supporting under-served children, youth and young adults by investing in access to high-quality education and youth development both in and out of school from cradle to career

• The Foundation recognizes how important it is for students and young people to feel cared for, protected, valued and seen after a difficult period in their learning and growth. This is complex and urgent work, and the Foundation will prioritize organizations that blend academic, social and emotional support for young people most impacted by educational inequity.
• The Foundation will also prioritize support to organizations working to build a robust early childhood system that gives children and families access to high-quality care and education programs.

Health

Increasing health equity through quality, affordable, culturally relevant services, particularly for low-income, uninsured, under-insured and socially marginalized individuals.

• The Foundation continues to prioritize health organizations that focus on health equity and increasing access to affordable, culturally relevant health services.
• The Foundation hopes to better align its health grants to be inclusive of programs and organizations that serve low-income families, provide free or affordable, culturally relevant services, and holistic care.
• Given the increase in severity, cost of and demand for mental health services, urgent care and/or crisis prevention, access to reproductive health care, trauma-informed health care, and free or reduced services for uninsured or underinsured communities, the Foundation will prioritize these programs and organizations to continue to serve our most vulnerable and marginalized communities.

Housing

Improving access for low-income individuals and families to affordable quality housing, preventing and ending homelessness.

• The Foundation embraces the vision for housing justice articulated by the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness.
• The Foundation will prioritize work that ensures the most marginalized people experiencing housing instability and homelessness are able to access housing that is “safe, decent, affordable,” and “free of prejudice” while also receiving the additional support and services they need.

Human Services 

Investing in basic needs for individuals and families, helping them be safe, stable and independent.

• The Foundation will prioritize grants that assist residents in navigating life transitions, finding safety and stability, and promoting independence.
• In addition to supporting work that centers the voices of the people most impacted by an organization’s work, special priority will be given to disability support services, child welfare support services, family and parent support services, food relief and assistance, older adult services, immigration and legal services, and re-entry supports for formerly incarcerated people.

Types of Grants

The Foundation will consider grant applications for:

General Operating Support

• These grants provide flexible funding for nonprofits in which at least 50% of the organization’s services benefit residents in the East Metro (Dakota, Washington and Ramsey counties).

Capital Projects

• The Foundation supports capital projects located in the East Metro with 50% or more of services from that facility benefiting East Metro residents.
• Grants are designed to support investment in buildings, facilities and equipment. Foundation investments are typically limited to buildings owned by nonprofits or held by long-term lease agreement.
• These grants are generally paid over multiple years.

The Sheltering Arms Foundation supports high quality direct service programs and a limited number of advocacy efforts that raises the level of public awareness and commitment to the well-being of children. Advocacy programs might include public education campaigns, public policy development, research, coalition building, or community organizing

What We Fund

Advocacy

The Sheltering Arms Foundation’s vision of success is that the opportunity gap will be significantly diminished because broad public will exists to make investments to assure that all Minnesota children succeed in school and life. To achieve this goal, we fund advocacy efforts that increase access to high quality, culturally appropriate early childhood care and education and youth development/out of school time opportunities.

We fund political networks, coalitions and campaigns that lobby, advocate and organize for children’s early learning and life success. We also support training to help parents become advocates for their children’s early learning and out of school time success.

Early Childhood

The Sheltering Arms Foundation’s vision of success is that all Minnesota children with the least access to resources are socially and emotionally, as well as physically and cognitively ready for kindergarten. To achieve this goal, we fund high quality culturally appropriate early childhood programs that support children’s social, emotional, physical and academic development with strong family engagement strategies.

Eligible programs include innovative early care and education, targeted home visiting and parent education, and early childhood mental health programs.

A high quality early care and education program has the following elements:

• A 3 or 4 star Parent Aware rating or is on a pathway to attain it
• A research based high quality curriculum
• Opportunities for family engagement in programming
• Quality assessment tools where data informs program improvement
• Access to professional development for staff that supports growth in their job in areas such as: program design, evaluation and assessment, inter-cultural skills, and child development.

A high quality parent education and targeted home visiting program has the following elements:

• A focus on strength-based whole child and family development that includes cognitive, physical, social and emotional development
• A research based high quality curriculum and evidenced based model
• A parent-child interaction component
• Active involvement of parents/caregivers in their child’s learning process
• Intensity and duration of contact appropriate for goals of the program
• Quality assessment tools where data informs program improvement
• Access to professional development for staff that supports growth in their job in areas such as: program design, evaluation and assessment, inter-cultural skills, and child development.

A high quality early childhood mental health program has the following elements:

• Priority given to mental health programs that align with high quality early care education and targeted home visiting programs
• Primary focus on Relationships
• Culturally appropriate interventions
• Research based high quality methodology
• Opportunities for family engagement in programming
• Initial assessment of each child including for trauma and chronic stress
• Intensity and duration of client services appropriate to the goals of the intervention
• Quality assessment tools where data informs program improvement
• Access to professional development for staff that supports growth in their job in areas such as: new developments in early childhood mental health treatments, program design, evaluation and assessment, and inter-cultural skills.

Youth Development

The Sheltering Arms Foundation’s vision of success is that all Minnesota children are socially and emotionally, as well as physically and academically prepared to succeed by 7th grade. To achieve this goal, we fund high quality culturally appropriate youth development programs for 5-12 year olds that support children’s social, emotional, physical and academic development with strong family engagement strategies.

Eligible programs are out of school time and mentoring programs in school based settings, community settings or affordable housing locations.

A high-quality youth development programming should include the following elements:

• Sequential activities that teach skills
• Active and experiential learning
• Focused and explicit skill development
• Developmentally and culturally appropriate program design
• Intensity and duration of contact
• Social and Emotional Learning competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making)
• Opportunities for family involvement and participation in programming
• Quality assessment tools where data informs program improvement
• Access to professional development for staff that supports growth in their job in areas such as: youth programming, evaluation and assessment, inter-cultural skills, and program design.

Mardag Foundation Grants

Mardag Foundation has three primary interest areas for its grantmaking.

Improving the lives of low-income Children, Youth and Families that lack access to critical opportunities and resources that they need

Mardag Foundation seeks to support organizations focused on eliminating barriers and increasing access to equitable opportunities for children, youth and families.

This round, priority will be given to organizations working with marginalized communities (especially Black, Indigenous and communities of color) at the intersections of education, basic needs, mental health, access to healthcare, pathways to employment, and stable and affordable housing.

Supporting older adults across Minnesota who lack access or have barriers to critical opportunities to thrive and create community connections

Mardag Foundation supports organizations directly serving low-income older adults who may also be experiencing other forms of marginality (e.g., Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, etc.).

Priorities include meeting basic needs, improving the well-being and quality of caregiving, addressing isolation and mental health issues, services to help older Minnesotans age in place and/or in safe and stable housing, and intergenerational programming.

Building capacity to improve community vitality through Arts and Culture

Mardag Foundation shares Grantmakers in the Arts’ view that “all peoples, their cultures, and their art contribute to the meaning and understanding of our humanity and should be honored and celebrated.”

Priority will be given to arts and culture organizations that seek to amplify narratives and voices across BIPOC communities and other communities experiencing marginalization (e.g., older adults, people with disabilities, low-income children/youth/families, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, etc.) through the arts.

UNICO Foundation

The UNICO Foundation Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation. This classification by the IRS allows various contributions to the Foundation to be tax-deductible. The Foundation was incorporated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1962. The purpose of the Foundation shall be to receive, accept and make gifts, donations, grants, awards, scholarships, fellowships, and the like, for charitable, scientific, educational, literary and religious purposes.  Every member of UNICO National is also a member of the Foundation. The Foundation also offers specific grants for cancer research & prevention and food bank/shelter. 

The UNICO Foundation makes substantial grants to:

• Cooley's Anemia
• Mental Health Organizations
• Italian Studies

Ralph J. Torraco Food Bank/Shelter Fund Grant

Mission: To feed the hungry and provide shelter for those homeless or the indigent.

Funding Criteria: To provide funds through community established food/shelter programs that provide food and shelter to those in need.

The program should not be located in a private home, and must meet all local and State health department regulations. The food/shelter program should have an established track record of providing food and or shelter to low-income clientele. Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens or Shelters should use 100% of the grant to purchase food or provide shelter. The program must be located in the United States and serve people in the United States.

About School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN).

Utilizing a unique framework of funding systems offered by the Department of Health and Human Services, managed care organizations, health insurers, and private donors, SBHSN promotes a system of care model (Coaching Model℠) offering a mix of evidenced-based intervention, prevention, and care coordination services to children in grades K-12. The Coaching Model aims to expand quality mental healthcare access on public school campuses and improve children's social, emotional, behavioral, family, and wellness outcomes.

School-Based Mental Health Implementation Grant

In response to the growing number of students who need mental health counseling, the School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN) is accepting applications from Local Education Agencies (LEA), Public and Private Universities, State and local Colleges, Charter School Management Companies, Public Schools, Charter Schools, and Non-Profit Organizations (501c3) to implement and expand mental health program services on local school campuses. Grantees will receive direct funding and reimbursement to support the following activities: 

• Expanding access to School-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
• Coordinating mental healthcare services with school administration and staff. 
• Delivering mental healthcare services and coordinating academic-support activities to students with a history of attendance, behavior, and poor academic performance.

FUNDING

5-Years, renewable based on meeting performance goals 5-year award ceiling is $5,500,000.

The Boston Scientific Foundation’s mission is to improve health and open up educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged persons, with an emphasis on communities where Boston Scientific employees live and work in the United States.

Education

The Foundation supports programs focused on improving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) educational opportunities and academic development for K-12 students who are economically disadvantaged.

Grants to benefit economically disadvantaged in education programs is defined as programs with:

• Minimum of 50% of program participants at 185% of poverty or lower OR
• Funding directed to participants at 185% of poverty or lower
• We do not fund dollars towards stipends for program participation

How do you select applicants?

We support programs that improve health and STEM education for economically disadvantaged persons. Applications are initially pre-screened, with qualified submissions then vetted by regional grant review committees. We are particularity interested in proposals that contain these elements:

Evidence based approaches that include a methodology for tracking and measuring improvements in STEM learning or specific health outcomes related to our focus areas.

Clear identification of the target audience and data used to determine the majority of grant beneficiaries (participants) are economically disadvantaged (e.g., household income, enrollment in Medicaid or SNAP benefits, census data for the neighborhood or community, etc.)

Cost-effective and results-oriented programs, where our contributions can make a long-term measurable difference in the quality of people’s lives and serve as a catalyst for positive change.

Community Wealth Building Grants

Weaving together financial, intellectual, cultural, and social assets for healthy communities.

About Blandin Foundation and 2025 Grantmaking

Mission: We connect, fund, and advocate for ideas and people to inspire resourcefulness and move rural places forward.

As one of the few foundations in the nation devoted exclusively to rural needs, Blandin Foundation has shifted our strategic focus to better meet rural Minnesota’s urgent challenges. The COVID pandemic and racial turmoil accelerated many of the economic and social disparities that originally inspired our collective passion for rural philanthropy, and we realized we had to take bold steps to meet the moment. Our intent is to support rural communities and Native Nations in tapping courage, ingenuity, and resourcefulness to rebuild connections that have long been a source of their strength and identity.

Community Context for our Focus on Community Wealth Building

We know that land ownership inequality is growing, wealth and income gaps persist, and that this inequality harms economic growth. Community wealth building’s focus on collaborative work aimed at reducing disparities and support for projects that promote equitable access and outcomes will help push back against these harmful trends. Knowing that Community Wealth Building concepts were developed in urban settings, one objective of this grant program is to gather data from partners’ community wealth-building activities to more deeply inform rural practice and impact.

What is Community Wealth Building?

In a nutshell, it is building the rural bases of knowledge, money, workforce, entrepreneurship, and investment – and keeping those powerful resources close to home. Its goal is to reduce disparities in outcomes that too often fall along the lines of place, race, and class.

Community Wealth Building is a community development approach that considers the full spectrum of assets needed for healthy communities – financial, intellectual, environmental, cultural, and social – and weaves them together in a way that roots all development locally, focusing on sustainable, shared community benefit and reducing disparities.

Outcomes We Seek

Affordable Housing and Housing Stability

• Increased Affordable Housing Units:
  • Creation, preservation, or rehabilitation of a significant number of affordable housing units for low- and moderate-income residents, particularly in communities facing housing shortages in Itasca County.
• Improved Housing Stability for Disadvantaged Populations:
  • Reduction in housing instability and homelessness through initiatives that provide direct support services such as rental assistance, legal aid, and tenant education for marginalized groups (e.g., low-income, Indigenous, and people of color communities). Increases in the number of homeowners from historically underserved populations and from lower-income households as a core household wealth-building strategy.
• Green and Sustainable Housing Development:
  • Development of energy-efficient, climate-resilient housing projects that reduce long-term living costs for lower-income families and address environmental justice concerns.
• System Capacity Building:
  • Expand local expertise, organizational capacity, and access to capital to accelerate and sustain long-term capacity for strategic development of affordable housing in rural communities.

Community-Based Economic Development

• Local Business Growth and Job Creation:
  • Support for community-based businesses, particularly those owned by people of color, Indigenous individuals, and women, leading to new living-wage job creation and economic opportunities for marginalized groups.
• Strengthened Community Land Ownership:
  • Increased access to community land trusts and co-operative business models, giving local communities, especially people of color and Indigenous populations, greater control over their land and economic resources.
• Increased Economic Diversification:
  • Enhanced economic resilience through the development of new industries or revitalization of key sectors in rural areas, such as sustainable food systems, clean energy, or creative industries, benefiting rural communities.
• Whole-community Development:
  • Support Indigenous approaches to wealth—rooted in relational, cultural, and environmental well-being— that build not only financial capital but also value the health of relationships, the stewardship of natural resources, and the preservation of language, cultural knowledge, and traditions to build community.

Workforce and Talent Development Systems

• Improved Workforce Participation:
  • Increased participation of underrepresented groups (especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), rural women, immigrants, and low-income residents) in the workforce through tailored job training programs, apprenticeships, and support for re-entry populations.
• Industry-Specific Workforce Development:
  • Development of workforce pipelines in high-demand sectors like healthcare, housing construction, renewable energy, and technology, with pathways that are specifically inclusive of rural residents with greater barriers to success.
• Leadership Development for Underrepresented Groups:
  • Increased representation of BIPOC, women, and rural populations in leadership roles in both the public and private sectors through mentorship programs, leadership training, and capacity-building initiatives.
• K-12 and Higher Education Partnerships:
  • Enhanced collaborations between local schools, community colleges, and businesses to create career pathways for youth, particularly in underserved communities, including mentorship programs, internships, and dual-credit opportunities. Emphasis on collaborative regional approaches versus support for individual programs or organizations. Pathways should lead to living-wage work.

Equitable Access to Capital

• Increased Access to Small Business Financing:
  • Strengthening the rural economic development ecosystem to support small businesses and entrepreneurs from marginalized communities in Itasca County and across rural Minnesota, particularly those owned by BIPOC, women, and low-income individuals.
• Community Investment Funds:
  • Creation of community investment funds that pool resources from residents and local organizations to fund community development projects and businesses that directly benefit local residents, with a focus on rooting economic activity and wealth building in Minnesota’s rural communities.
• Financial Empowerment and Capital Access Education:
  • Increased financial empowerment programs aimed at BIPOC and low-income communities to improve financial management, investment strategies, knowledge of household wealth-building pathways, and access to credit for both businesses and households.
• Partnerships for Equitable Economic Investment:
  • Formation of strategic partnerships between local governments, financial institutions, and community organizations to increase investment in rural communities, prioritizing equitable access to capital for underserved populations.

Cross-cutting and Community-Level Outcomes

• Reduction of Racial and Economic Disparities:
  • Demonstrable reductions in economic disparities across racial, class, and geographic lines, with a focus on lifting up communities of color, Indigenous populations, immigrant communities, and rural low-income residents in Itasca County and across rural Minnesota.
• Strengthened Social Cohesion and Community Leadership:
  • Increased capacity of local community leaders, to advocate for and drive economic development and policy change that addresses racial, economic, and geographic disparities and emphasizes community benefit and inclusive prosperity.
• Improved Public Health and Economic Well-Being:
  • Measurable improvement in health outcomes (mental, physical, economic) through the combined impact of affordable housing, access to quality jobs, financial stability, and reduced systemic barriers.
• Sustainable Rural Development:
  • Enhance rural resilience by integrating climate adaptation, sustainable practices, and long-term economic sustainability into all community wealth-building efforts in rural, underserved areas.
• Community-focused Procurement and Purchasing Practices:
  • Grow resilient local and regional rural economies by prioritizing procurement for local businesses and producers, supporting conditions for increased economic activity, living-wage job growth, and inclusive, locally-created wealth.

Funding Range

Please request an amount that speaks to what you need to complete your proposal. Typical grant awards will be between $25,000 and $150,000. Funded projects can have a timeframe of up to 3 years. Requests over $250,000 may follow a different timeline for review and approval.

We expect funding decisions to be made around the end of May 2025; however, depending on the volume of proposals received, the timeline may shift.

Please see FAQs on the Grant Eligibility & Applications page for additional guidelines and information.

Background

Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) seeks proposals to prevent cannabis and other substance use among Minnesota youth using the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention program within local communities.

CTC is a community-based prevention system proven to reduce youth health and behavior problems community wide. The CTC program provides a framework for local coalitions to develop community-specific prevention plans based on their unique levels of health risk behaviors and risk and protective factors. CTC’s five-phase process provides communities with a step-by-step guide and tools to build a high functioning community prevention coalition, develop a community profile using a community youth survey, create a community action plan for prevention, and then implement and evaluate those activities.

Goal

The goal of this grant program is to prevent youth substance use, including but not limited to alcohol, cannabis, and commercial tobacco use, through a multi-faceted approach. Reducing risk factors associated with substance use and enhancing protective factors in a community- wide, sustainable way will reduce youth substance use as well as impact other health (e.g., mental health, violence), and social areas (e.g., academics). Funding will be provided to organizations with the capacity to develop and lead local coalitions, implement prevention strategies, and evaluate progress based on measurable outcomes.

MDH is committed to supporting communities around capacity building and multi-sector partnerships to focus on youth substance use prevention. MDH will fund up to 12 communities to implement the CTC prevention system, with a focus on strengthening protective factors and reducing risk factors for substance use.

Funding

$1,500,000 is available for up to 12 communities to implement the CTC prevention system annually for five years.

Background

The Central Minnesota Community Foundation (CMCF) seeks to make significant grants that will be the “Difference Maker” in bringing about a positive change in racial equity for Central Minnesota. CMCF is looking to build partnerships during the grant period and hopes that this partnership will advance the project or initiatives.

What We Fund

Support Strategies:

• Program support and development
• Program implementation

Funding Amount Range: $10,000-$30,000

About Our Funding

The information provided on this page applies only to potential grantees located in the state of Minnesota. The Medica Foundation recognizes the importance of supporting the unique health needs of individual communities in our grantmaking. 

Our overarching principles:

• Benefits local communities.
• Improves the availability of, access to and/or quality of health care.
• Achieves success or demonstrates effectiveness through measurable outcomes.

Minnesota: Behavioral Health Grant

We seek proposals that provide support for people of all ages experiencing serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders. We also seek proposals that creatively or collaboratively address the behavioral health workforce shortage. This includes programs that address service delivery gaps; integrate physical and mental health care; address co-occurring disorders; attend to the mental health needs of children; and/or provide supportive and intensive case management services.

We focus on promoting improvements to health outcomes and equitable solutions to reduce health disparities. Priority is given to proposals that build partnerships and collaborations within the community and embrace trauma-sensitive practices, with a strengths-based approach to care and treatment.

Funding

Individual grants may be awarded up to $50,000

Program Overview

The Twin Cities Metropolitan area, often lauded for its quality of life, still grapples with deep-seated disparities disproportionately affecting Indigenous youth and young people of color. Neighborhoods like North Minneapolis, the East and Westside of Saint Paul, parts of South Minneapolis including George Floyd Square, and historic communities like Rondo and Frogtown have faced significant challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of George Floyd's murder. These communities suffer from economic hardship, underinvestment, and higher crime rates compared to other parts of the region.

The pandemic has also cast a light on mental health, especially for young people. Young people experience these hardships in their own unique ways and have shared the need for safe spaces to connect with their peers. According to Mental Health America (Davis et al, 2022) “Nonclinical and community-driven approaches are especially important for youth, as they are most comfortable turning to their peers, often motivated to support their friends, and aware of rapidly changing youth culture.”

Non-clinical mental health services encompass a variety of supportive care that do not involve traditional therapy. Examples include (but are not confined to):

• Peer support groups
• Meals
• Hotlines and helplines
• Self-help resources (books, apps, websites)
• Wellness activities (yoga, meditation, exercise)
• Community programs (workshops, classes)
• Creative arts therapies (art therapy, music therapy)
• Peer counseling and mentoring
•  Sports (participating, attending a game)
• Spiritual support (drum circle, praise dance)

If it brings joy , connection and friendships so that young people are connected, heard, feeling belonged and supported its aligned!

Grant Program

Youthprise envisions a Minnesota where the outcomes for youth are not determined by race, geography, or socioeconomic status. In alignment with this vision and recognizing the existing challenges, we have partnered with the Minnesota Institute for Trauma-Informed Education (MITIE)* to bolster non-clinical, culturally centered, and community-based healing and wellness programs for youth of color. MITIE's role will be to support the collection of data points that paint a full picture of how each organization is contributing to the health and well-being of youth of color in the community through engaging in continuous improvement cycles, reflective and restorative practices, storytelling, and asset mapping. Together our focus is on addressing the gaps in access and availability of such programs in the Twin Cities Metro areas.

Through this 18-month grant program, we will provide financial support of up to $75,000, prioritizing small organizations with annual budgets of $750,000 or less that are led by people of color and dedicated to serving youth of color. Additionally, selected organizations will benefit from capacity-building support through a cohort model**. This model is designed to facilitate feedback, foster the sharing of learnings, and harness collective expertise as part of a broader initiative aimed at understanding and enhancing nonclinical supports for the health and well-being of youth identifying as youth of color.

Grant Priorities

In addition to prioritizing small organizations with annual budgets of $750,000 or less, led by people of color and dedicated to serving the youth of color in the Twin Cities metro, this opportunity focuses on bringing joy, connecting individuals, building friendships and relationships through healthy, cultural, traditional, joyful so that young people are connected, heard, feeling belonged and supported. We have selected two priorities learn more about your organization's practice:

Racial Equity

• The elimination of racial disparities and improving outcomes for everyone. It is the intentional and continual practice of changing policies, practices, systems, and structures by prioritizing measurable change in the lives of young people of color.

Mental Health/Wellness

• Non-clinical, culturally centered, and community-based approaches that address gaps in availability, as well as work that increases access to mental health and well-being services for underserved communities statewide.

Awards Amount

• 20-25 local youth-serving community partners (subgrantees) to be selected.
• Organizations can request up to $75,000.

Grantmaking

Since its founding, the Foundation has developed trusted working relationships with grantees, building sustained engagement. 

The George Family Foundations supports programs, organizations and initiatives that transform lives by working to change the systems affecting those lives.

Environment

We Believe:

We believe that natural spaces are vital to the health and wellbeing of individuals, local communities, and the common good — and that people who feel connected to the outdoors will actively protect our shared natural resources.

Our Aspiration:

• Ensure that all people have access to natural spaces and the mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing they provide.
• Increase opportunities for youth to participate in outdoor activities.
• Encourage lifelong stewards of nature as well as active lifestyles.

What We Fund:

To support achievement of our aspirations, we seek to fund an intentional mix of Environment endeavors, including:

• Youth Participation
  • We predominantly invest in efforts to expand opportunities for youth — particularly youth from under-resourced and underrepresented communities — to participate in outdoor and environment-related activities. 
• Parks and Public Spaces
  • We also invest in organizations that steward local and national parks and seek to engage people with those public resources.
• Protecting Land
  • We provide limited support to organizations that primarily seek to protect land and natural resources from development.

The Minneapolis Foundation announces a call for proposals from nonprofits, schools, and school districts seeking grants for work that advances equity and supports youth voice in local K-12 schools. Our Reimagine Education grants prioritize efforts to:

• Support public schools and school districts with the implementation of literacy strategies grounded in the science of reading, with the goal of ensuring all children can read at or above grade level.
• Elevate student and community voices and leadership to build bridges between schools, families, and communities in order to improve school climate, learning environments, and academic outcomes.
• Provide opportunities for educators to build their understanding of race and equity and implement strategies that create culturally responsive and inclusive schools.
• Advocate for policies at the school, local, and state level to address systemic disparities in Minnesota’s education system.

WHAT WE WILL FUND

We plan to award between $1 million and $1.2 million to 25 to 30 organizations. Grants will range from $25,000 to $75,000, with an average award of roughly $40,000.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of  the types of work we plan to support:

• Professional development and training to support teachers and school leaders to implement evidence-based literacy instruction
• Recruitment and retention of diverse educators with equity-focused mindsets
• Principal and teacher leadership and collaboration
• Student leadership and power building
• Development of equity and climate frameworks
• Local or state policy advocacy
• Development and implementation of strategies to support student mental health and improve school climate and culture
• Efforts to engage students and their families in district and school-level decision-making

We are also open to other ideas that help create equitable outcomes for children and youth from local Black, Indigenous and communities of color.

The Boston Scientific Foundation

The Boston Scientific Foundation’s mission is to improve health and open up educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged persons, with an emphasis on communities where Boston Scientific employees live and work in the United States.

Health

Programs that aim to improve the health of those who are economically disadvantaged, with a focus on cancer, diabetes, respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, mental wellness, gastrointestinal and urologic diseases and disorders through any one of these approaches.

• Disease prevention
• Disease awareness and diagnosis
• Access to care
• Quality of care