Funding
Opportunities
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. After you submit your application, we will contact you with updates and ask for your feedback on the application process.
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.
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CLOSED - Economic Mobility applications will open in 2026.
Our latest grant round reflects updates to our Racial and Economic Justice grant program, which we made in response to feedback about the need for more flexible resources to support nonprofit organizations working in this space. Our 2025 grants will focus on capacity building and operating support as these organizations adjust to changes in the funding and policy landscape.
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CLOSED - Reimagine Education applications will open in 2026.
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.
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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.
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Fund for Safe Communities will invite organizations to apply for grants in Winter 2025 - 2026.
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.
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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.
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CLOSED - Climate Action applications will open in 2026
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.
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The WCA Foundation Grant Round is Closed. WCA Foundation will invite organizations to apply for grants in Winter 2025 - 2026. CLOSED - Fourth Generation will invite organizations to apply for grants in Winter 2025 - 2026.
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.
Learn more about 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
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Keep checking our website and sign up for our newsletter about future funding opportunities.
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Yes. If you fit the grant round guidelines, we encourage you to apply.
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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.
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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.
Meet our Grantmaking Team
Our diverse team brings a wealth of lived and professional experiences to the grantmaking process.
Darlynn provides high-level administrative support for grantmaking programs, community initiatives, and partnerships. She has more than 25 years of experience in administrative and operations leadership. Before joining the Foundation, she served as Vice President of Innovations and Collaboration at MACC, as a District Director for former Congressman Keith Ellison, as Principal and Co-founder of the McClung Consulting, LLC, and as a Director for two sizeable Minneapolis nonprofits. Her civic leadership includes serving on the boards of the YWCA Minneapolis and Appetite for Change. Darlynn is a native of Pittsburgh and holds a master’s degree in public management and policy from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Duquesne University. She is a wife and the mother of three sons.
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 bachelor’s degree in sociology and enjoys the outdoors.
Josh supports the Foundation’s grantmaking and community impact work, with a focus on economic mobility and the environment. Before joining the Foundation in 2021, he spent several years working at a Minneapolis nonprofit. Born and raised in South Dakota, he earned a bachelor’s degree in global studies from South Dakota State University before moving to Minnesota in 2014. In his free time, Josh enjoys traveling, attending MNUFC matches, collecting houseplants, and going to concerts.
Julia manages membership and grantmaking for the WCA Foundation, a Signature Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation. She also supports the Director of Collective Giving with launching and managing giving circles. Julia joined the Foundation in 2022, bringing over 20 years of experience in fundraising, communications, program development, and customer service, primarily in support of public libraries and public parks. Most recently, she served as Institutional Relations Manager at The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. Originally from Minnesota, Julia moved back to the Twin Cities in 2016 after living in Jackson, Wyoming, for over a decade. Julia received a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. She and her husband have two pandemic babies: A daughter, Matilda, and a golden retriever, Ruby. Outside working hours, you’re likely to find Julia nestled into a good book, making a delicious mess in the kitchen, or enjoying the outdoors with her family.
Jumana joined the Foundation in 2024 as Program Director of the Great Lakes Thriving Communities Grantmaking program, which she coordinates in collaboration with the Midwest Environmental Justice Network, NDN Collective, and the RE-AMP Network.
Jumana was formerly the Principal of JVasi Consulting, LLC. Her projects included managing the Small Grants program for the Midwest Environmental Justice Network, providing drinking water policy support to We the People of Detroit, and conducting strategic research for philanthropic clients. Prior to consulting, Jumana managed the $5 million Great Lakes grantmaking portfolio at the C.S. Mott Foundation. Jumana is currently the Treasurer of the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, a board member of the National Center for Healthy Housing, and on the steering committee for the Fund to Build Grassroots Power. She lives on Anishinaabe land in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband, two teenagers, two cats, and stacks of books.
Lindsey serves as Grants Administrator for the Foundation’s Impact team. She joined the Foundation in 2025 after moving to Minneapolis from Seattle. With a degree in civil engineering, Lindsey started her career as an engineer on the remote oil fields of northern Alaska before changing trajectory and focusing her talents on education, youth development, and philanthropy. Lindsey is passionate about community-led programs and participatory grantmaking. She is an avid reader and college sports fan. (You can often find her cheering on the Gophers!)
Patrice guides the Foundation’s Collective Impact and Giving strategies and related funds (OneMPLS Fund, WCA Foundation, Fund for Safe Communities, Fourth Generation, etc.) to ensure local philanthropy is more inclusive and responsive. She also partners with the its Philanthropic Services team to create engaging learning experiences related to key quality-of-life issues in the metro area. 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.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Patrice worked for People Serving People, homeless shelter in Minneapolis. 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.
Samuel joined the Foundation in 2022 as a Philanthropic Advisor. He works closely with fundholders to help them navigate the many causes that impact our community. Before joining the Foundation, he worked as a Business Consultant for Meda, where he focused on supporting entrepreneurs of color to help them grow their businesses. Samuel then transitioned to the Center for Economic Inclusion, where he served as Director of Employer Inclusivity and Director of Strategic Partnerships. Samuel is an entrepreneur himself and is very involved in the community. He was born and raised in Minneapolis and is a proud graduate of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He lives in Brooklyn Park with his wife, Cierra, and their dog, Marley.
Sara partners with community members to organize and host giving circles and collective giving strategies. Before joining the Foundation in 2021, she spent 14 years working for nonprofits in North Minneapolis, most recently as the Community Engagement Coordinator at NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center. 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 and amplify community voices.
Sara also volunteered with Fourth Generation, a giving circle at the Minneapolis Foundation that is composed of rising leaders who explore equity issues, philanthropy, and community needs to increase their collective impact. She participated in Fourth Generation for five years, including three years on its advisory board, before joining the Foundation’s staff.
Takara has almost two decades of experience in nonprofit program management, fundraising, and grantmaking. Before joining the Foundation in 2022, she was a Senior Program Developer at the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. She has also participated in many programs, including the James P. Shannon Leadership Institute, the Ron McKinley Philanthropy Fellowship, the New Strategies Program, and Voices for Racial Justice’s Organizing Apprenticeship Project. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, with a minor in business, as well as a master’s degree in nonprofit management and CPPM. She is on the board of her church and a volunteer for the AFP-MN IDEA Fellows Program. She was born and raised in Minneapolis.