Best History Grants in Minnesota

Minnesota public agencies, schools, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits working on traffic safety, driver education, or K–12 financial literacy can access funding through the Auto Club Group Foundation; awards US $5,000 - US $15,000. Eligible applicants must serve communities within the foundation’s 14-state footprint, which includes Minnesota, and may request support for passive speed enforcement equipment.

Organizations running cooperative education, leadership training, or professional development programs in Minnesota can access funding through the Ralph K. Morris Foundation; awards US $300 - US $1,500 to offset participant costs. Minnesota groups with history-focused cooperative or community programs may be eligible, with priority for organizational applicants and rural emerging leaders.

Minnesota nonprofits, tribal nations, schools, libraries, and public agencies can host the “Why Treaties Matter” exhibit to support history and humanities education in Minnesota. With a mission to connect past, present, and future, Minnesota Humanities Center provides contracts up to $2,000 for community-engaged host sites that develop Dakota and/or Ojibwe-focused programming.

Minnesota history and community-focused 501(c)(3) nonprofits with at least five years of successful operations and annual expenses of $2 million or more can access funding through Otto Bremer Trust for strategic community and economic development work benefiting Minnesota residents. Eligible organizations are identified proactively by the trust and invited into a streamlined discussion and reporting process.

Minnesota 501(c)(3) public charities offering direct community services, education, health access, or youth programs can access funding through the Hugh J. Andersen Foundation. Priority goes to asset-based, constituent-led efforts in the St. Croix Valley and nearby counties, which may include history-related or civic projects that build local capacity and independence.

Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofits and tax-exempt government entities can seek funding for community projects and operations that enhance educational, health, economic, cultural, and social opportunities. With a mission to strengthen the Cuyuna Lakes Area, EW Hallett Charitable Trusts prioritizes locally focused, broadly beneficial initiatives, which may include history-related programs that preserve or honor the Hallett heritage.

The W R Berkley Corporation Charitable Grant Program supports local 501(c)(3) organizations in Central Iowa, SW Minnesota, and Eastern Nebraska. With a focus on health, community betterment, youth development, education, and food insecurity, grants are awarded twice a year. There are no limitations on request sizes, but only one grant per organization is accepted annually. Funding decisions prioritize organizations with a proven track record of efficiency and success in serving their communities.

Qualified 501(c)(3) organizations in Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin can seek funding for charitable, arts, or other nonprofit programs. With a mission to support local charitable and arts institutions, Pachel Foundation provides flexible support that may benefit Minnesota organizations preserving or interpreting history within their broader community work.

Focused on community services and disease-related work, the Jean E. Thomson Foundation invites Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofits to apply for support. Eligible organizations are located in Minneapolis and work in religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational fields, including programs or research that advance local well-being or human disease treatments and cures.

Minnesota-based organizations preserving state history and culture can access funding for history, historic preservation, and archival projects through the Minnesota Historical Society, with awards up to US $20,000. Minnesota history groups, museums, archives, and similar entities may be eligible for projects like collections care, oral histories, digital conversion, and historic property evaluation.

Minnesota cultural and community organizations preserving or sharing diverse heritage can seek emergency funding to sustain arts, culture, and history work in Minnesota. Focused on cultural heritage and public humanities, the Minnesota Humanities Center invites groups, including Indigenous, underrepresented, immigrant, and veteran communities, to request up to US $50,000 for urgent needs affecting their programs.

Minnesota organizations and local governments preserving cultural heritage and history can apply for Minnesota Humanities Center’s Museum, Exhibits, and Collections Grant, with awards up to US $200,000 per year. Funding supports museums, exhibits, and collections that honor Minnesota’s diverse cultures, provide educational outreach, and strengthen community identity across the state.

Nonprofits, government entities, and state-recognized nonprofits in Minnesota can seek US $3,000 - US $5,000 to support firearms safety, shooting sports, and related educational programs. With a mission to promote safe firearms use and marksmanship, The NRA Foundation provides funding that may benefit organizations offering history or American history programming around firearms and hunting traditions.

Nonprofits and local governments in Minnesota can use this grant to fund cultural and history-focused festivals and events, including arts programming and public activities. Grants from Minnesota Humanities Center help Minnesota history organizations cover staffing, outreach, transportation, equipment rentals, signage, and public safety expenses for one or both eligible grant periods.

Minnesota educational institutions, government units, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes forming history-based partnerships can apply for Minnesota Historical Society’s MHS Heritage Partnership Program; awards are more than US $10,000 for capacity building and program development. Minnesota history organizations collaborating on shared workforce, services, or resources may be especially well-suited.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Minnesota’s Twin Cities metro can seek funding for work combating systemic racism or advancing community arts. Focused on equity and arts, Archie D & Bertha H Walker Foundation invites eligible groups in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington counties to apply for grants up to US $5,000.

Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofits improving health, well-being, or medical care can apply for the Jewish Community Foundation of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation’s Mount Sinai Community Foundation Grant, with awards up to US $10,000. Projects serving metro-area residents, including work in cancer, mental health, ethics, or patient advocacy, may benefit organizations with history-related programming in health or medicine.

Agricultural education programs in Minnesota that teach the cooperative business model and serve middle school through college students and young producers can use this grant for program-related costs. Grants from CHS Foundation help initiatives with state or national reach, strong ag industry connections, innovative approaches, and clearly measurable outcomes within the CHS trade area.

Nonprofit organizations in the Winona, Minnesota area preserving local culture, history, and education can seek funding to strengthen existing programs or launch innovative heritage projects. Winona Foundation supports cultural, historical, and educational initiatives that conserve or expand organizations and programs contributing to Winona’s historical legacy in Minnesota.

Nonprofit arts organizations in Minnesota’s Region 7E can receive US $3,000 - US $10,000 to cover essential operating costs and strengthen arts programming. With a mission to support regional arts, East Central Regional Arts Council provides 501(c)(3) arts groups with funding for general operations, capacity-building, equipment, and accessibility needs, which may benefit history-focused cultural programs.

Ethnic media organizations in Minnesota creating non-English video content about cultural heritage and history can apply for Minnesota Humanities Center grants of up to US $75,000. Focused on preserving and honoring Minnesota’s diverse cultures, this funding supports education, student outreach, culturally diverse humanities and arts programming, and community identity-building projects.

About Bush Prize: Minnesota

The Bush Prize program identifies and honors extraordinary organizations that consistently engage and lead their community toward creative solutions, provides them with flexible support to keep doing that work, and supports them to amplify their story to inspire others.

In 2026, two organizations will be selected as Bush Prize: Minnesota honorees. Honorees will receive an award of $250,000. The award is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purposes in the state of Minnesota, including operating costs, program-related expenses, capital expenditures or whatever else would best support the organization's ongoing work.

The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation was selected as the community grant partner for Minnesota and began implementing Bush Prize: Minnesota in 2024. The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation operates Bush Prize: Minnesota as a Community Grant Partner of the Bush Foundation.

History of Creative Solutions

Bush Prize: Minnesota honors organizations which have at least three years of history using innovative approaches that offer real solutions for the challenges and issues affecting their community. Bush Prize finalists will be able to identify specific examples of processes, programs or projects that use creative approaches, technologies, collaborations, and methods to drive sustainable change and solve problems more effectively.

Community-led Solutions

Bush Prize: Minnesota honors organizations which understand that communities are best positioned to articulate and effectively respond to today's challenges. Bush Prize finalists will show a consistent commitment to listen, engage and involve the community to ensure the people they serve inform, form and benefit from the organization’s impact.

• Benefits - The community served realizes significant impact and change for the issues and challenges they identify as most critical to them.
• Informs - Work should be shaped by input from the community itself. This means the organization listens to the experiences, needs, and feedback from the community it serves to align its goals and initiatives with the actual needs and priorities of the community.
• Forms - Beyond being informed by the community, the community has an active role in shaping the work. The community is directly involved in designing and implementing programs and solutions, and the organization’s work reflects the values, culture, and strengths of the community.

Culture of Creative Problem Solving

Bush Prize: Minnesota honors organizations that exemplify a culture of innovation and creative community problem solving. Bush Prize finalists will articulate how their organization’s values, policies, practices, people and partnerships allow them to innovate and utilize community assets and resources in creative ways to develop sustainable solutions to community issues.

Transformational Impact

Bush Prize: Minnesota honors organizations which have created meaningful, long-lasting change to address the challenges and issues affecting their community. Transformational impact can happen through ideas of all sizes, within communities of all sizes, and through organizations of all sizes. Bush Prize finalists will have approaches and outcomes that:

• Challenge the status quo and address the root causes of significant community issues and systemic challenges.
• Create sustainable and equitable solutions for community, particularly for communities which have been historically underserved.
• Inspire others in the region and serve as a model for future success.

Native-led 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) organizations in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, or nearby Native Nations can receive flexible operating funds to advance innovative, community-driven solutions in Native communities. Good Relatives Collaborative’s Bush Prize: Native Nations offers up to US $250,000, which may support work preserving Native history, culture, and heritage alongside broader community problem-solving efforts.

Minnesota-based organizations preserving state history and culture can receive large grants to support history projects, historic preservation, and structured projects. Minnesota Historical Society provides Minnesota history groups with funding for activities like oral histories, collections care, interpretive programs, digital conversion, and historic property planning, as long as final products are publicly accessible in Minnesota.

Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofits working on entrepreneurship, workforce development, housing, or asset building for underserved and low-income communities can apply for Target Foundation’s Hometown Program grants of US $25,000 - US $200,000. Grants from Target Foundation help Minnesota organizations strengthen economic opportunity, which may benefit groups interpreting or preserving local and community history through their programs.

Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in land conservation, environmental protection, human services, animal welfare, or related community services can seek project support from the Steven C Leuthold Family Foundation. Focused on conservation and human and social services, this national funder invites eligible organizations to apply by June 30, 2025, for 2025 distributions.

Minnesota K–12 schools, higher education institutions, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving children and youth can seek funding for programs that advance educational equity and opportunity. Ciresi Walburn Foundation provides Minnesota education organizations with support for high-performing schools, educator development, family engagement, literacy, early learning, tutoring, and equitable career pathways, which may benefit history-related education initiatives.