2020

Northwest Area Foundation made 298 grants in Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) worth $17,962,512. The fiscal year runs Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2020.

New grants of $10,000 or more that were agreed upon in FY20 are included in the list below. For grants of less than $10,000, please see see our grants database.

*Indicates COVID-19 or crisis response emergency grants. (Includes only those grants that were awarded via our crisis response initiative or were approved for crisis response before the initiative was passed.) 

African American Leadership Forum
Minneapolis, MN
$25,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2021
General operating support for advancing racial equity

*African Economic Development Solutions
St. Paul, MN
$15,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

*American Indian College Fund
Denver, CO
$100,000
10/01/2020 – 05/31/2021
Support for American Indian College Fund, to be regranted to Tribal Colleges and Universities in response to COVID-19

*American Indian Community Housing Organization
Duluth, MN
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

*Appetite for Change Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
$25,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2021
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Association for Black Economic Power
Minneapolis, MN
$100,000
11/01/2020 – 12/31/2022
Renewal support for establishment of a Black-owned, Black-operated financial institution in North Minneapolis

Black Hills Community Loan Fund Inc.
Rapid City, SD
$375,000
09/01/2020 – 08/31/2023
General operating support

Blackfeet Community College
Browning, MT
$150,000
01/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for financial education program

*Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Atlanta, GA
$55,000
05/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for COVID-19 Relief Fund, to be regranted to Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country (BGCIC) located in NWAF’s region

*Byrd Barr Place
Seattle, WA
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Fort Totten, ND
$199,300
01/01/2020 – 12/31/2021
Support for comprehensive career life skills program

Center for Economic Inclusion
Minneapolis, MN
$10,000
04/30/2020 – 12/31/2020
Sponsorship for 2020 Powering Inclusion Summit: Reexamining History to Build an Inclusive Economy

*The Center Pole
Garryowen, MT
$20,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*General operating support in response to COVID-19

$200,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
Support for Indigenous Sustainable Workforce Training project

*Cheyenne River Youth Project
Eagle Butte, SD
$15,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Chief Seattle Club
Seattle, WA
$1,000,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2022
General operating support

$200,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
Support for Sovereignty Farm and Good Medicine Café, social enterprises for urban Indians in King County

Coeur d’Alene Tribe Department of Education
Plummer, ID
$170,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2022
Support for Coeur d’Alene Tribe workforce advancement project

*Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
Des Moines, IA
$50,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for Disaster Recovery Fund in response to COVID-19

*Community LendingWorks
Springfield, OR
$50,000
06/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

*Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES)
St. Paul, MN
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for Latino Families Emergency Relief Fund

*Des Moines Area Community College Foundation
Ankeny, IA
$150,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2022
Support for Evelyn K. Davis (EKD) Center

*Dream of Wild Health
Minneapolis, MN
$25,000
07/01/2020 – 01/31/2021
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Equitable Food Initiative
Washington, DC
$150,000
09/01/2020 – 02/28/2022
Support for expanding impact on farm workers in the Northwest by including smaller growers

*Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center
Des Moines, IA
$30,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*General operating support in response to COVID-19

$60,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2021
*Support for helpline assistance to Latino immigrants and refugees in Iowa

$450,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2023
Support for building capacity, sustainability, and impact

First Children’s Finance
Minneapolis, MN
$175,000
03/01/2020 – 02/28/2022
Support for business development capacity-building project for low-income and rural child care

*First Nations Development Institute
Longmont, CO
$483,850
03/01/2020 – 02/28/2022
Support for Changing Native Food Economies project

$50,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*Support for COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund

$100,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
Support for COVID-19 Emergency Response and Resiliency Fund 

*First Peoples Fund
Rapid City, SD
$25,000
05/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for Resilience Fund

Global to Local Health Initiative
SeaTac, WA
$100,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2022
General operating support

*Headwaters Foundation for Justice
Minneapolis, MN
$50,000
03/17/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for Communities First Fund

*Hmong American Farmers Association
West St. Paul, MN
$30,000
07/01/2020 – 06/30/2021
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Homes of Oakridge Human Services
Des Moines, IA
$95,000
08/01/2020 – 07/30/2021
General operating support

*Hopa Mountain Inc.
Bozeman, MT
$50,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
Support for COVID-19 Response Fund

*Idaho Community Foundation
Boise, ID
$50,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund for Idaho

*Immigrant Development Center
Moorhead, MN
$15,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*General operating support in response to COVID-19

$20,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
*Support for immigrant entrepreneur loan fund in response to COVID-19

*Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul
St. Paul, MN
$20,000
07/01/2020 – 06/30/2021
General operating support in response to COVID-19

*Iowa CareGivers
West Des Moines, IA
$30,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Jobs Foundation
Golden Valley, MN
$100,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2021
Support for Tech Dump’s “Train to Retain” adult job skills program

*The Lakota Fund Inc.
Kyle, SD
$50,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
Fiscal sponsorship for South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition to support a Native homeownership protection plan in response to COVID-19

*Lakota Youth Development
Herrick, SD
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 06/30/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Latino Community Association
Bend, OR
$150,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2022
Support for a full-time Workforce Navigator position to help Latino residents in Central Oregon access training, education, and jobs

Latino Economic Development Center
St. Paul, MN
$200,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2022
General operating support for Latinx businesses and entrepreneurs

Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota
Morton, MN
$225,356
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2023
Support for Lower Sioux Intergenerational Cultural Incubator project

Main Street Project
Northfield, MN
$500,000
07/01/2020 – 06/30/2022
Support for Innovating Resiliency and Equity in the Midwest project

Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial Inc.
Pine Ridge, SD
$375,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2023
General operating support

*McKenzie River Gathering (MRG) Foundation
Portland, OR
$100,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
Support for Oregon Workers Relief Fund in response to COVID-19

*Metropolitan Economic Development Association
Minneapolis, MN
$150,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2022
Support for Catalyst COVID-19 Response: Technical Assistance for Minority Entrepreneurs project

MICA Group Inc.
Baltimore, MD
$25,000
06/01/2020 – 11/30/2020
Support for Tribal Outreach for 2.5GB Broadband Opportunity project

Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon
Portland, OR
$200,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2022
General operating support to meet lending and technical assistance needs of low-income and entrepreneurs of color in Oregon

Migizi Communications Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
$175,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2022
Support for restructuring and growth through capacity building in operations and implementation of youth-centered American Indian cultural approaches

Montana Nonprofit Association
Helena, MT
$30,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
Support for diversity, equity, and inclusion assessment and strategic planning

The Montana Racial Equity Project
Bozeman, MT
$105,000 (amended from original grant amount)
05/01/2020 – 04/30/2022
General operating support

NACDC Financial Services Inc.
Browning, MT
$450,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2023
General operating support

*Native American Community Development Institute
Minneapolis, MN
$50,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
General operating support

*Native American Development Center
Bismarck, ND
$40,000 (amended from original grant amount)
05/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Native American Development Corporation
Billings, MT
$300,000
01/01/2020 – 06/30/2023
Support for Fueling Native Economic Development project

*Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)
Portland, OR
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

*Native CDFI Network Inc.
Washington, DC
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*General operating support in response to COVID-19

$500,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2022
Support for Fueling the Engines of Native American Economic Opportunity project

Native Governance Center
St. Paul, MN
$30,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
Support for We Are Still Here: Minnesota project

NATIVE Inc.
Bismarck, ND
$200,000
05/01/2020 – 04/30/2022
Support for community needs assessment and development opportunities

Native360 Loan Fund Inc.
Grand Island, NE
$200,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2022
Support for expansion of business development services and financial products to Native entrepreneurs in Iowa and south-central South Dakota

*Navigate
Minneapolis, MN
$10,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

*NDN Collective Inc.
Rapid City, SD
$50,000
05/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*Support for COVID-19 Response Project

$155,000
07/01/2020 – 06/30/2022
Fiscal sponsorship for Makoce Agriculture Development to support regeneration of a local food system on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

$100,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
*Support for phase II of COVID-19 Response Project

*NDN Fund
Rapid City, SD
$375,000
10/01/2020 – 09/02/2023
Support for creating access to large-scale, low-interest, patient capital for Indigenous community developers and sovereign Nations

$200,000
10/01/2020 – 09/02/2023
*Support for reserves to use against loan losses from Relief and Resilience Loan Program for Native Businesses that was created in response to COVID-19

*Neighborhood Development Center Inc.
St. Paul, MN
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Neighborimpact
Redmond, OR
$150,000
02/01/2020 – 01/31/2022
Support for continuation of Goal Savers program

*Network for Better Futures
Minneapolis, MN
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*General operating support in response to COVID-19

$200,000
07/01/2020 – 06/30/2021
*General operating support in response to COVID-19

*New Avenues for Youth Inc.
Portland, OR
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Nexus Community Partners
St. Paul, MN
$750,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2023
Support for expanding community wealth-building ecosystem strategies

$500,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
Support for seeding the Minnesota Holistic Black-Led Movement Fund

*Nimiipuu Community Development Fund
Lapwai, ID
$15,000
05/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

North Dakota Native Vote
Fargo, ND
$100,000
12/01/2020 – 11/30/2022
Support for Native American civic engagement

*Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON)
Minneapolis, MN
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Northwest Indian Community Development Center
Bemidji, MN
$300,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2023
General operating support

*Northwest Native Development Fund
Coulee Dam, WA
$450,000
09/01/2020 – 08/31/2023
General operating support

$25,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
*General operating support in response to wildfires in the state of Washington

NWAF Employee- and Board-Directed Grants
St. Paul, MN
$76,506 
01/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Grants to various 501(c)(3) organizations at the direction of employees (for example, matches of employee donations) and in recognition of retiring board members

*Opportunity Link
Havre, MT
$400,000
04/01/2020 – 03/31/2022
Support for Mobilizing for Change project

$25,000
10/01/2020 – 03/31/2021
*Support for crisis response to COVID-19 impacts on Fort Belknap Indian Community

*Philanthrofund (PFund) Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
$50,000
05/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for COVID-19 Response Fund

*Potlatch Fund
Seattle, WA
$50,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
Support for COVID-19 Relief for Native Communities Fund

Prepare and Prosper
St. Paul, MN
$450,000
07/01/2020 – 06/30/2022
Support for Building Equity Within Financial Systems for Vibrant Communities project

*Pride Foundation
Seattle, WA
$50,000
05/01/2020 – 11/30/2020
Support for Crisis Community Care Fund

Project IOWA
Des Moines, IA
$200,000
04/01/2020 – 03/31/2022
Support for efforts to increase the number of minorities and members of marginalized communities attaining good jobs

Release MN 8
St. Paul, MN
$75,000 (amended from original grant amount)
04/01/2020 – 03/31/2021
Support for infrastructure development

Return to the Heart Foundation
Washington, DC
$50,000
11/01/2020 – 10/30/2021
Support for regenerative strategies and urgent safety needs of Indian Country

Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment
Minneapolis, MN
$25,000
11/02/2020 – 10/31/2021
General operating support

*Rural Community Development Resources
Yakima, WA
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*General operating support in response to COVID-19

$375,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2023
Support for providing business assistance to microenterprises in rural immigrant communities in Central Washington State

Rural Organizing Project
Cottage Grove, OR
$75,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
Support for grassroots, community organizing to build justice in rural Oregon

*The Saint Paul Foundation
(merged with Minnesota Community Foundation and is now known as Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation)
St. Paul, MN
$25,000
02/10/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for Minnesota Homeless Fund

$50,000
03/17/2020 – 12/31/2020
*Support for Minnesota Disaster Recovery Fund in response to COVID-19

Seattle Economic Development Fund
Seattle, WA
$100,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2021
Support for research and development of Sharia-compliant financing for Muslim-owned small businesses in the Pacific Northwest

*Seattle Foundation
Seattle, WA
$50,000
03/20/2020 – 12/31/2020
*Support for COVID-19 Response Fund

$10,000
04/01/2020 – 07/31/2020
Support for Equitable Evaluation Initiative Community of Practice project

$300,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
Support for Black Future Co-op Fund

*Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples Inc.
Arcata, CA
$50,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*Support for Flicker Fund

$50,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
*Support for Flicker Fund

Sicangu Community Development Corporation
Mission, SD
$300,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2023
General operating support

*Social Justice Fund NW
Seattle, WA
$50,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*Support for COVID-19 Crisis Fund

$50,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
General operating support for Resourcing Movements Through Donor Organizing and Addressing Anti-Black Racism project

*South Dakota Community Foundation
Pierre, SD
$15,000
05/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for Emergency Relief Fund for Immigrants

*Standing Rock Community Development Corporation
Fort Yates, ND
$125,000 (amended from original grant amount)
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support for development of COVID-19 emergency plan

Summit Academy OIC
Minneapolis, MN
$400,000
04/01/2020 – 03/31/2022
Support for Creating a Community of Workers project

$100,000
06/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for response efforts to COVID-19 and its impact on the African American community in North Minneapolis

Taala Fund
Pacific Beach, WA
$450,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2023
General operating support

Tacoma Urban League
Tacoma, WA
$150,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2022
General operating support

Tanka Fund
Kyle, SD
$40,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
General operating support

*Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation
Porcupine, SD
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
*General operating support in response to COVID-19

$300,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
Support for regenerative community development initiatives and response to ongoing health, economic, and racial injustice crises

*Ujamaa Place
St. Paul, MN
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Unite Oregon
Portland, OR
$75,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2021
Support for East Portland Community Prosperity initiative

Urban League Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN
$25,000
06/01/2020 – 05/31/2021
General operating support for advancing racial equity

*Ventures
Seattle, WA
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Verde
Portland, OR
$200,000
07/01/2020 – 06/30/2022
General operating support

*Warm Springs Community Action Team
Warm Springs, OR
$25,000
08/01/2020 – 07/31/2021
General operating support in response to COVID-19

Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network
Burien, WA
$100,000
10/01/2020 – 09/30/2022
Support for advocacy and community organizing to protect undocumented immigrants

*Whatcom Community Foundation
Bellingham, WA
$25,000
04/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for Resilience Fund

*Willamette Valley Law Project
Woodburn, OR
$15,000
05/01/2020 – 12/31/2020
Support for the Farmworker Emergency Fund in response to COVID-19

*Working Partnerships Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
$150,000
11/01/2020 – 10/31/2021
Support for the Minnesota Labor Innovations for the 21st Century (LIFT) fund