Best Quality of Life Grants in Minnesota

Women In Northfield Giving Support

WINGS inspires women in philanthropy, builds and strengthens community through pooled investments, and supports women and youth in the Northfield area through focused giving.

Grant Process

Overview

WINGS grants support programs that contribute to the health, safety, education, socialization, artistic growth, and economic stability of the Northfield area. WINGS grants, which are awarded to both new and existing projects, encourage innovative initiatives. In awarding grants, WINGS considers not only financial need, but also the immediate impact of the project and the ability of the project to build future capacity.

Guidelines

WINGS seeks projects with an emphasis on the following areas:

Basic Needs

Education

Physical and Mental Health

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.

The Episcopal Faith Communities Grants, offered by the Sheltering Arms Foundation, support Minnesota Episcopal congregations in their initiatives to aid vulnerable children. Grants up to $1,000 are available for projects that enhance the lives of children and youth, including tutoring programs and community outreach efforts. Preference is given to projects with multiple funding sources and those led by parishes that have not previously received funding. This initiative embodies a commitment to serving the community and fostering the well-being of children.

The Marvin R. and Pearl E. Patterson Family Fund Scholarship, offered by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, supports students aspiring to study graphic or fine arts, as well as those interested in environmental sciences. Open to high school graduates from the Tri-Cities area, this scholarship considers leadership, community involvement, and academic achievements, although financial need is not a requirement. Applicants must provide transcripts and relevant documents to qualify for this opportunity.

The Silver Bay Charitable Fund Grant aims to support low-income communities through initiatives in the arts, education, community, and economic development. The fund prioritizes projects that address urgent community needs, promote collaboration, and yield significant results with moderate funding. Eligible organizations must be classified as charitable and serve residents within designated areas. Examples of funded projects include community arts, housing, and job development programs, focusing on improving the quality of life for underserved populations.

Minnesota Department of Transportation

In creating the Department of Transportation in 1976, the Legislature determined that MnDOT would be the principal agency to develop, implement, administer, consolidate and coordinate state transportation policies, plans and programs (Minn. Stat. Ch. 174).

MnDOT makes special efforts to consider the social, economic and environmental effects of its decisions and aggressively promotes the efficient use of energy resources for transportation purposes. It also maintains close working relationships with the many public and private individuals, groups and associations involved in transportation.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) District Coordinator Grants 

We support coordinator positions in individual schools or districts. Coordinators will help communities with existing SRTS plans or other comprehensive approaches to promote non-infrastructure projects to keep students walking and bicycling to school.

Funding for the coordinators to support three full school years starts in the summer of 2024 and goes through June 2027.

The Rapid Response Fund, managed by Headwaters Foundation for Justice, offers grants up to $25,000 to support emergent grassroots organizing in Minnesota. With eight funding cycles annually, the fund prioritizes urgent social justice initiatives and allows organizations to address unexpected legislative changes or community needs. Eligibility requires organizations to be legally incorporated and based in Minnesota, emphasizing work led by marginalized communities. This fund is crucial for timely responses to pressing social issues.

The Luther I. Replogle Foundation Grant supports organizations in metro areas like Boston and Washington, DC, focusing on youth, women with children, and those in long-term poverty. Grants range from $5,000 to $10,000, emphasizing mental health, vocational training, and educational services. First-time applicants are welcome, but the foundation prioritizes innovative programs with annual expenses under $1 million. Certain areas, such as religious activities and for-profit businesses, are not funded.

CommonSpirit Health offers the Community Health Improvement Grant to enhance health equity and service systems for underserved populations. Through collaborative efforts with 501(c)(3) organizations, this initiative provides financial support for essential health projects. Grant amounts range from $19,500 for small grants to $150,000 for standard grants, varying by hospital. Participating hospitals include those under Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health, aimed at addressing significant community health needs.

About Us

Investing in the Future

We invest in innovative community-based, community-led solutions to ensure safety, opportunity and pathways to economic security for women, girls, gender-expansive people and families across Minnesota.

Our Mission

The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota invests in ending systemic inequities and driving innovation for gender and racial justice.

Sponsorship Request Process

The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota (WFM) invests in ending systemic inequities and driving innovation for gender and racial justice. The WFM sponsorship grant is a limited fund dedicated to supporting events, projects, and/or convenings of leaders and communities working to advance gender and racial equity through WFM’s impact areas.

The Women’s Foundation of MN provides sponsorship grants between $1,000-$5,000.

The Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship, offered by Nexus Community Partners, provides a unique 8-month program for BIPOC leaders in Minnesota, emphasizing the importance of deep rest. From April to November 2025, selected fellows will participate in monthly sabbatical experiences designed to support their well-being and community impact. With opportunities to join retreats, receive stipends, and access resources, this fellowship aims to empower individuals dedicated to community change while acknowledging the challenges they face in taking time off.

The Rupert Dunklau Foundation Grant supports organizations with 501(c)(3) status, focusing on Lutheran Higher Education, Health and Human Care, and Faith Strengthening. Since its establishment in 1968, the foundation has aimed to provide financial resources to ministries within the Lutheran tradition, particularly in Nebraska and surrounding states. Eligible projects must align with the foundation's mission to promote the welfare of mankind through educational and health initiatives.

The Minnesota Section, Society of Mining Metallurgy and Exploration Scholarship Fund offers scholarships for undergraduate studies in engineering or geology to Minnesota residents or students attending Minnesota colleges. With awards of $1,000 per year for up to four years, this fund prioritizes applicants demonstrating financial need and a strong academic record in STEM fields, fostering the next generation of professionals in the Minnesota mining industry.

The Enbridge Community Grant aims to enhance the quality of life in North American communities through strategic donations and sponsorships. With funding ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, the grant supports organizations focused on safety, education, environmental stewardship, and Indigenous culture. Enbridge encourages early applications, with decisions typically made within eight weeks. The grant seeks to empower local initiatives that foster community strength, vibrancy, and sustainability.

The Connecting Joy Grant, provided by the Joy in Childhood Foundation, aims to enhance the hospital experience for children battling illness through engaging gaming programs. This initiative supports children's hospitals and nonprofits by funding equipment, staffing, and connectivity, ensuring children can enjoy gaming at their bedside. With grants ranging from $25,000 to $150,000, the program focuses on offering joy and distraction, helping young patients cope with their hospital stays while facilitating connections with peers.

The Anderson-Rogers Foundation Grant supports U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations focused on environmental protection, animal welfare, climate change mitigation, and social support. Established in 2001, this family foundation prioritizes innovative projects and general operating support for small organizations facing financial constraints. Note that applicants must first submit a letter of inquiry, as the foundation does not fund scholarships or grants to individuals or religious organizations, nor does it support organizations outside the U.S.

The MN Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP): Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) supports landowners in protecting croplands and grasslands through conservation easements. This program aims to maintain the agricultural viability of working lands, ensuring environmental quality, historic preservation, and wildlife habitats. Eligible partners can receive financial assistance to purchase these easements, which can cover up to 75% of the land's value, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural practices and protecting vital ecosystems.

The Growing Tribal Economies Through Forest Market Innovations grant program, initiated by First Nations Development Institute, aims to empower Tribes and Alaska Native Villages to engage in emerging markets that enhance forest health and resilience. With funding of $200,000 to $500,000 per grant, this initiative supports projects focusing on sustainability, innovation, and traditional knowledge. Eligible applicants are encouraged to develop forest products, certifications, and practices that contribute positively to biodiversity and ecosystem management.

The Minnesota Hospital Registered Nurse Loan Forgiveness program aims to recruit and retain healthcare professionals in underserved areas. Funded by the Minnesota Department of Health, it offers forgiveness for qualified educational loans, with a minimum eligible debt of $6,000. Registered nurses in nonprofit and public hospitals are eligible, provided they live in Minnesota. The program supports healthcare access by alleviating financial burdens, ensuring more nurses can serve communities in need.

Lead Safe Home Grants Program

The Lead Safe Home Grants program will make homes safer through lead testing and hazard reduction.

Available for nonprofits and local governments, the program:

• Allows funding to be used for risk assessment and remediation of lead hazards
• Prioritizes areas with a high concentration of children with lead poisoning
• Requires 50% of units in multifamily properties to be occupied by renters at or below 60% area median income
• Allows up to 10% of award to be used for administration, education and outreach about lead hazards

The $4 million one-time appropriation and this program are known as the Dustin Luke Shields Act.

Federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grant

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to increase charter school quality and authorizer accountability. The three objectives identified in MDE’s application to ED are designed to support a landscape of high-quality/high-performing charter schools that all parents from all communities can access by making informed decisions about the best education choices for their children through empowered access to information.

Native Language Revitalization Grant

Grant purpose

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) makes funding available to school districts, charter schools, and Tribal contract schools in Minnesota to provide language instruction in Dakota and Anishinaabe languages or another language indigenous to the United States or Canada, pursuant to Laws of Minnesota 2025, 1st Special Sess. chapter 10, article 6, section 6, subdivision 5.

Funding

Funding is made available through Laws of Minnesota 2025, 1st Special Sess. chapter 10, article 6, section 6, subdivision 5. MDE estimates that up to $13,500,000 is available for the initial grant round. Any funds remaining after the initial round will be available for subsequent grant rounds. Applicants are encouraged to apply during the initial round as the timing and funding available for subsequent rounds will be determined after the first round is complete.

Applicants are encouraged to request no more than $500,000 for the two-year grant period. However, applicants may request more than $500,000 if they can clearly demonstrate the need for such funding.

Our Home State Capital & Reserve Grant Program

Our Home State works to ensure Minnesota’s housing organizations have the power and resources to create an equitable future where all Minnesotans have a stable home they can afford.

Program Overview

A collaborative effort by the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation, with additional support from businesses, peer foundations and individual donors, the Our Home State Grant Program seeks to increase access to housing across Minnesota. Our Home State North Star: Minnesota’s housing ecosystem has the power and resources to create an equitable future where all Minnesotans have a stable home they can afford.

The grants prioritize organizations and programs that ensure access to affordable housing or housing stability.

The Minnesota Department of Education is offering the Concurrent Enrollment Introduction to Teaching Grant to enhance the teacher workforce by funding programs under the Postsecondary Education Options (PSEO). This initiative aims to develop and expand dual-credit courses in education for high school students, particularly focusing on American Indian and students of color, thus promoting diversity and inclusion in teaching careers across Minnesota.

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 Harold Leonard Memorial Fellowship in Film Study supports doctoral students at the University of Minnesota focusing on film history, criticism, theory, or aesthetics. Awardees receive a $25,000 stipend, tuition for up to 14 credits per semester, and health insurance for one year. Eligible candidates include U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international students who are PhD students in good standing, having completed at least one year of graduate studies.

The AGRI Crop Research Grant Program offers funding for applied crop research that benefits Minnesota's farmers and economy within three to seven years. This program aims to translate scientific knowledge into practical applications, ensuring that research findings are publicly accessible. Proposals must include a plan for outreach to disseminate results, focusing on enhancing the quality, quantity, or value of agricultural products.

Enterprise Community Partners

Enterprise Community Partners 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. We aggregate and invest billions to improve housing and strengthen communities across the U.S. We advance housing policy at every level of government. We build and manage communities ourselves. Everything we do is informed by the residents we serve. 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. We do all this to make home and community places of pride, power, and belonging.

Southwest Tribal Resilience Academy - Resilience Capacity Grant

Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) is seeking Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from eligible tribal entities, Community Development Corporations (CDCs), and Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) that have participated in the Southwest Tribal Resilience Academy.

The Academy provides cohort-based learning opportunities for Southwest Tribal housing organizations to connect with one another, engage with subject-matter experts, and collaborate with local stakeholders to address the unique climate-related hazards facing their region.

To build on the knowledge and technical assistance gained through the Academy, Enterprise will award grant funding to participants of the Southwest Tribal Resilience Academy to support the implementation of resilient, community-driven solutions.