2022 Safe Communities
Micro Grants

The Minneapolis Foundation announces a call for proposals for Micro Grants from the Fund for Safe Communities. This funding opportunity opens at 1 p.m. on January 13 and closes at 4 p.m. on February 4.

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A Message from Chanda Smith Baker & Brandon Williams

Minneapolis has been at the center of a racial, economic, and social reckoning that’s decades in the making and shined a light on disparities in our education, public health, criminal justice, and community safety systems. Meanwhile thousands of families, youth, and adults in Minneapolis have also struggled with financial, physical, and emotional challenges during the pandemic. However, to quote the poet and rapper Tupac Shakur, “Long live the rose that grew from concrete.”

Despite these obstacles, we know “roses” have continued to grow in Minneapolis as individuals and organizations have stepped up and found ways to make sure their neighbors do not fall through the cracks. The Minneapolis Foundation wants to support the continued resilience of our community by ensuring youth and adults have places to gather safely and resources available to promote connection and healing this winter as we prepare for the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers.

This funding opportunity is designed to support gatherings and activities to address community trauma and promote wellness among Minneapolis youth and adults. Here are some examples of activities we are interested in supporting:

• Healing spaces that provide a safe place for community members.
• Activities that promote wellness and help manage stress and trauma.
• Art, poetry, writing, and other creative actions that provide opportunities to process, reflect, and consider our path forward as a community.

However, we welcome your ideas and additional input about what is needed to diffuse pain and promote wellness and healing in our community. It’s important to note that we want to support people and organizations that are already deeply connected in the community. These modest funds are not for newly established efforts, but to strengthen existing relationships and networks. We also encourage organizations to consider what they need to host gatherings that support social distancing and safety as we grapple with the latest phase of the pandemic.

We will begin accepting applications at 1 p.m. on Thursday, January 13. The Foundation plans to award a total of up to $250,000, with grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 and an average award of $3,000. The typical grant period for this award will be 1 to 3 months. However, we strive to be flexible as the community navigates this spring’s challenging events, including the trial and the pandemic.

Applications must be submitted online via the Minneapolis Foundation’s online portal. We recommend downloading this preview document, which will help you prepare to apply online. Once the application portal opens, we encourage you to log in to ensure that you have access to it and that your organization’s contact information is current. This funding opportunity closes at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 4.

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Funding will be awarded to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, schools, and religious organizations that support youth, adults, and families in Minneapolis neighborhoods. Proposals to serve areas of Minneapolis that were directly affected by the social unrest of 2020 will receive priority for support. New applicants and current and past grantees of the Minneapolis Foundation are eligible for this opportunity.

Brandon Williams is available to answer questions about the guidelines and content of your proposal. If you have technical questions about our online application portal, please contact our Grants Administration team at grantsupport@mplsfoundation.org or 612-672-8665.