Additional $500,000 Awarded in OneMPLS Pandemic Response Grants

The Minneapolis Foundation today announced that it has awarded a second round of pandemic response grants from its OneMPLS Fund, distributing an additional $500,000 to 35 nonprofit organizations.

These OneMPLS grants support regional efforts to address the economic impact of COVID-19, providing flexible resources to local organizations that serve communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic. The organizations funded in this round will use their grants to deliver groceries and other supplies to seniors, set up new food shelves, help small-business owners access state and federal assistance, support artists and restaurant employees who have lost work, and much more.

The Foundation is accepting applications for this funding opportunity on a rolling basis and expects to award a third round of OneMPLS grants. To date, the Foundation has distributed more than $950,000 from the OneMPLS Fund to 62 organizations, with an average award of just over $15,300.

Since the Foundation began accepting applications for this funding opportunity on March 30, 240 organizations have requested more than $11 million in support.

Businesses and members of the public are encouraged to contribute to the OneMPLS Fund, a collective impact fund that was launched in 2018 to expand The Minneapolis Foundation’s capacity to respond to emerging community needs. Contributions are welcome in any amount and can be made online here.

The complete list of organizations that will receive the OneMPLS grants announced today is as follows:

180 Degrees, Inc.

• $15,000 to support bridge funding to provide residential services for men exiting prison.

African Development Center of Minnesota

• $10,000 to help small-business owners access state and federal emergency assistance.

African Economic Development Solutions

• $10,000 to provide technical support and help immigrant small-business owners access state and federal assistance.

Babys Space – A Place to Grow

• $20,000 to address shortfalls in childcare assistance income and emergency support for families.

Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative

• $15,000 to support hazard work and additional cleaning of housing and shelter facilities.

Christians Reaching Out in Social Service

• $10,000 to support the delivery of groceries to seniors and families in mobile home parks.

CommonBond Communities

• $20,000 to ensure staff continuity and support low-income residents in Twin Cities housing communities.

Cookie Cart

• $12,000 to adapt the curriculum to a virtual format and provide wages to youth employees.

Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts

• $10,000 to support teaching artists and dance companies that have lost income due to pandemic-related cancellations.

East Side Neighborhood Services

• $10,000 to support food programs for older adults, people with disabilities, and other low-income public housing residents.

Elpis Enterprises

• $10,000 to support basic needs and emergency grants for youth trainees in social enterprise programs.

Exodus Financial Services

• $10,000 to support interest-free payday loan refinancing during the COVID-19 crisis.

Gethsemane Lutheran Church

• $25,000 to support the setup of four new church food shelves in North Minneapolis.

Hope Community

• $15,000 to offset reduced revenues.

HousingLink

• $15,000 to add 24-hour support and guidance on eviction rules, tenant protection, and overcoming housing barriers.

Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul

• $12,000 to support a culturally specific food shelf serving the American Indian community in St. Paul.

Juxtaposition Arts

• $25,000 to support paid youth apprentices for youth-staffed art and design center.

Keystone Community Services

• $10,000 to support increased staffing and expenses for their food shelf.

Korean Service Center

• $12,000 to provide medical supplies, shopping assistance, and other support for low-income seniors in public housing.

Latino Economic Development Center

• $10,000 to provide small-business owners with technical assistance and access to emergency aid.

Main Street Project

• $10,000 to support immigrant and undocumented farmers.

Matter

• $16,000 to support snacks and meal kits for families experiencing food insecurity.

Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers

• $10,000 to help small-business owners access emergency support.

MoveFwd, Inc.

• $20,000 to support middle and high school students experiencing homelessness.

Native American Community Development Institute

• $25,000 to support Native artists and Native-owned businesses.

New American Development Center

• $10,000 to provide technical support to low-income immigrant families experiencing job loss and business closures.

People Serving People

• $10,000 to offset one-time expenses and additional costs associated with the pandemic.

Project for Pride in Living, Inc.

• $20,000 to support hazard pay for essential building staff and basic needs services for residents who have lost income.

Red Eye Collaboration

• $10,000 to support payments for artists and contractors impacted by the postponement of the 2020 season.

Restaurant Opportunities Centers ROC United, Inc.

• $20,000 to provide stipends and employment services for hospitality and restaurant workers.

Springboard for the Arts

• $15,000 to support the Personal Emergency Relief Fund for BIPOC and Native artists.

Upstream Arts, Inc.

• $18,000 for artists to provide virtual programming for individuals of various abilities.

Way to Grow

• $15,000 to conduct virtual home visits to meet education and human service needs of children and their families.

YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities

• $15,000 for basic needs, support services, and housing expenses for unaccompanied youth in Minneapolis.

Zenon Dance Company and School

• $10,000 to pay dance instructors affected by canceled classes.

To apply for a grant or make a tax-deductible online donation to the OneMPLS Fund, go here.