Nonprofit organizations leverage our investments to support short-term needs and long-term change. Our investments are as diverse as the community we serve and we strive to offer a grant process that’s accessible and equitable. Each grant helps realize our vision for strong, vibrant communities.
If we have an open funding opportunity, read the grant guidelines to see if you are eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted through our online portal, GranteeView. If you’re a new applicant, you will need to set up an account first. After you submit your application, we will contact you with updates and ask for your feedback on the application process.
We offer a range of funding opportunities—some annual, some responsive, and some run by giving circles or membership groups. In addition to those listed below, we offer a variety of one-time and special opportunities. We encourage all grant seekers to sign up for our email list to receive notifications about funding opportunities as they are posted.
Racial and Economic Justice grants support organizations that advance systems change through policy advocacy and organizing, build wealth and stabilize communities, and promote narrative strategies focused on racial and economic justice.
Reimagine Education grants support schools, school districts, and nonprofits that are working to create a more equitable education system. Our investments elevate student and community voices, provide opportunities for educators to build their understanding of race and implement strategies that create inclusive schools, and advance policy changes at the school, local, and state level.
OneMPLS grants are designed to be nimble and responsive to emerging community needs aligned with our mission. Every year, we choose 1-3 topics and invite local organizations to apply for one-time funding to pursue a project with the potential to break new ground and forge new relationships on that issue. Previous OneMPLS grant rounds have addressed critical needs such as affordable housing, pandemic relief, and rebuilding support for small businesses recovering from the combined effects of COVID-19 and the destruction following the murder of George Floyd. Our most recent grant round focused on enhancing the capacity of local nonprofits as they navigate the ongoing pandemic and meeting the evolving needs of diverse communities.
Established in 2018, the Fund for Safe Communities supports meaningful actions to address and prevent violence, promote healing, and address systemic inequities. A key grantmaking component of our efforts to advance criminal justice reform, this fund emphasizes the importance of work led by young people and is advised by emerging leaders who have been personally affected by gun violence.
Main Street grants support businesses, property owners, developers, and nonprofit organizations advancing renovation or new construction projects in three of the Minneapolis business corridors worst hit by the combined impact of COVID-19 and the destruction following the murder of George Floyd.
Climate Action and Racial Equity grants support local action on climate change in diverse Minneapolis communities. They fuel place-based, community-driven organizations, initiatives, and projects that reduce local greenhouse gas emissions.
The WCA Foundation, a Signature Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation, makes grants to a diverse group of nonprofit human service agencies and programs, stewarding an endowment of approximately $18 million. The WCA Foundation is run by 50 volunteer members, all women. It holds two grant rounds each year, typically with deadlines in May and November.
Learn more about the WCA Foundation grants.
Fourth Generation grants are made by a giving circle that offers a hands-on experience in philanthropy for rising leaders who care about local issues and want to make a bigger impact. Every year, Fourth Generation members vote to choose an issue, then work together to research it, fundraise, review proposals, and award grants to local nonprofits. The group’s topic for the year is announced in the fall. Applications are by invitation only, with proposals reviewed in the winter and awards made in the spring. Previous Fourth Generation grant rounds have focused on climate justice, place-based disparities, mental health, small business development, and more.
Each grant round is different and we often fund work within and beyond the seven-county Twin Cities metro area. Please read the guidelines for each of our funding opportunities to see if you are eligible to apply.
Keep checking our website and sign up for our newsletter about future funding opportunities.
Yes. If you fit the grant round guidelines, we encourage you to apply.
Yes. Typically, we allow organizations to apply for additional funding oppoortunities even if they have an active grant with us. Please read the grant guidelines for more details.
No. Please submit outstanding items before applying to another grant round.
As a community foundation, we make grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofits and other organizations such as churches or public schools, which in turn provide direct services to individuals. On rare occasions, our grants are also open to individuals or community groups with a nonprofit fiscal agent. Please read the guidelines for each of our funding opportunities to see if you are eligible to apply.
Our diverse team brings a wealth of lived and professional experiences to the grantmaking process.
Brandon supports the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring safer communities through criminal justice reform and other targeted efforts. Before earning his B.A. in political science from Augsburg University in 2019, Brandon completed several internships, including positions with the Minnesota Department of Commerce and with a private criminal defense attorney, where he gained valuable insight into local government and the criminal justice system. You can bet money on him enjoying his free time either at a basketball court, debating with his siblings, catching up on one of his favorite TV shows, or listening to throwback hits.
Chanda has more than 20 years of experience working in, for, and with underestimated communities. At the Foundation, which she joined in 2017, Chanda oversees grantmaking programs, provides strategic direction to community initiatives and partnerships, and is the founder and host of the award-winning podcast Conversations with Chanda. Previously, Chanda spent 17 years at Pillsbury United Communities, a complex community-based nonprofit where she served in a variety of leadership positions before assuming the role of president and CEO in 2011. In addition to leading Pillsbury in pursuing bold strategies to address systemic inequities, Chanda has served on numerous nonprofit and philanthropic boards throughout her career, and her civic leadership has been recognized with several awards and commendations. She unwinds by spending time with family and loves to travel, shop, and watch football.
Jo-Anne’s areas of focus include workforce development, job creation, support for BIPOC businesses, housing, and family financial security. A member of the Foundation’s team since 2009, Jo-Anne has more than 30 years of experience in philanthropy. She serves as co-chair of the Northside Funders Group and as a member of the Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative. Nationally, she is the past chair and has now served six years as treasurer of the board of Native Americans in Philanthropy. She holds a B.A. in sociology and enjoys the outdoors.
Patrice joined the Foundation in 2015 as a policy associate and Ron McKinley Philanthropy Fellow. She was promoted to lead the Foundation’s education grantmaking and strategy later that year. Patrice continues to guide the Foundation’s Reimagine Education strategy which focuses on advancing equity and closing opportunity gaps. However, she also guides our Collective Giving and related strategies (OneMPLS Fund, Giving Circles, etc.) to ensure local philanthropy is more inclusive and responsive.
Patrice worked for People Serving People homeless shelter in Minneapolis prior to joining the Foundation. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia and began her career as a K-12 education reporter at the Star Tribune. Patrice also completed a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Patrice is a proud first-generation college graduate who credits her parents, brother, mentors, and public high school for her accomplishments.
Sara partners with community members to organize and host giving circles and collective giving strategies. She previously worked as the Community Engagement Coordinator at NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center. She has spent the last 14 years working for nonprofits in North Minneapolis. Throughout this work, she learned about tenacity and resilience from individuals overcoming barriers to gain personal success and support their families. She has also seen the inequities, gaps, and scarcity of resources to support people on this journey. Working in a community-led organization, Sara learned how to listen to community voice and amplify that message.
Sara also volunteered with Fourth Generation, a Minneapolis Foundation supported grantmaking group of rising leaders that explore equity, philanthropy, and community to increase their collective impact. She participated in Fourth Generation for five years including three years on the advisory board before joining the Minneapolis Foundation staff in February 2021.
Leave us a note and a member of our team will circle back with you. You can also send us an email at impact@mplsfoundation.org.
