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Funding
Opportunities

Investing in our communities
Funding Opportunities
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Pangea Theater grantee

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.

How To Apply

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.

Set up a GranteeView account

Our Grant Programs

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

    CLOSED – Racial and Economic Justice applications will open in 2024.

    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.

    Read our 2023 guidelines.

    View our 2023 grant recipients.

  • Reimagine Education

    OPEN

    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.

    Read our 2023 guidelines.

    View our 2022 grant recipients.

  • OneMPLS

    CLOSED – OneMPLS grants are responsive to community needs. 

    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.

    Learn more about OneMPLS grants.

    View our 2022 grant recipients.

  • Fund for Safe Communities

    CLOSED – Safe Communities grants are responsive to community needs. 

    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.

    Learn more about Safe Communities grants.

    View our 2022 micro grant recipients.

  • Main Street Economic Revitalization

    CLOSED

    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.

    Learn more about Main Street grants.

    View guidelines for the second phase of Main Street grants.

  • Climate Action and Racial Equity

    CLOSED - Applications will open in late 2023.

    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.

    Read our 2022 grant guidelines.

    View our 2021 grant recipients.

  • Collective Giving (Giving Circles)

    The WCA Foundation grant round is closed and will reopen in the fall of 2023. Fourth Generation will invite organizations to apply for grants in spring 2023.

    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.

    Learn more about Fourth Generation grants.

Testimonials

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“With the Minneapolis Foundation’s support, the Cultural Wellness Center is fostering self-determination, community cohesion and economic opportunity among people of African descent in south Minneapolis. When we combine our respective strengths to leverage community assets, we can promote economic vitality and opportunity without generating displacement or expanding gentrification.”
–Elder Atum Azzahir, Cultural Wellness Center
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“Pangea is deeply grateful for the Minneapolis Foundation’s support, which has helped us to remain connected and active with the artists and audiences that our work arises from.” ”
–Ellen Hinchcliffe, Pangea World Theater
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“Agreeing that those who have been impacted by mass incarceration warrant deep investment, the Minneapolis Foundation not only helps us keep the doors of our social enterprise open — they helped us get them open. This ground-level investment is what renders the Foundation more than a funder, but a steadfast partner committed to responsible philanthropy.”
–Emily Hunt Turner, Founder & CEO, All Square
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“There is nothing better than partnering with an organization that lives its values, and that is our experience working with the Minneapolis Foundation. The Foundation is willing to support vital programs for at-risk youth that address issues that are a direct result of systemic lack of equity for BIPOC communities. Our interactions with the Foundation have been filled with clarity and warmth – their humanity is evident in all their dealings.”
–Janet Collins, Co-Executive Director, Conflict Resolution Center
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“We deeply appreciate the Minneapolis Foundation’s strong commitment to supporting a diverse, safe, and healthy community while leading critical systems change.”
–Eloisa Echavez, Executive Director, La Oportunidad
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“Receiving a grant from the Minneapolis Foundation gave us the room to build our capacity as an emerging organization. Their staff offered critical support, ensuring we were set up to succeed as a grantee so that we could continue cultivating space for Black artists in Minnesota.”
–Keno Evol, Executive Director, Black Table Arts
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“The Minneapolis Foundation listens to its community. In a hurting community, the foundation's responsive philanthropy is exactly the partnership nonprofits need. The streamlined application process, availability of program staff, and quick turn-around time get people the right help, right away.”
–Margaret Miles, Empower Campaign Coordinator, Urban Ventures

Frequently Asked Questions

  • My organization is not in Minneapolis. Am I eligible to apply for funding?

    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.

  • What if I want to apply for funding but no opportunities are available?

    Keep checking our website and sign up for our newsletter about future funding opportunities.

  • I was denied for a grant this year. Can I apply again for a different funding opportunity?

    Yes. If you fit the grant round guidelines, we encourage you to apply.

  • I currently have a grant from the Minneapolis Foundation. Am I eligible to apply for another funding opportunity?

    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.

  • If I have an outstanding grant report due, can I apply for the next grant round?

    No. Please submit outstanding items before applying to another grant round.

  • I’m an individual in need of assistance. How can I apply for a grant from the Minneapolis Foundation?

    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.

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Our Team

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