First Quarter Grants 2021

During the first quarter of 2021, the Northwest Area Foundation approved 31 grants worth $2,571,613—including 5 grants totaling $425,000 designated as crisis response emergency grants.

This quarter’s grant funding focuses on work being done in two of our four interlocking portfolios—Access to Capital and Enterprise Development, as well as work related to general projects that are not designated to a specific portfolio.

Our crisis response emergency grants acknowledge the extent of the crises many of our grantees are facing—from COVID-19 relief to addressing challenges brought on by additional 2020 and 2021 crises such as racial unrest—and provide our grantees with essential support. The grants also strengthen financial efforts by foundations providing critical emergency assistance to community-based nonprofits helping underserved communities in our region.

Overall, our grants support organizations anchored in the culture of the people they serve across our region of eight states and 76 Native nations. Our grantees are dedicated to expanding economic opportunity in under-resourced communities by advancing good jobs and financial capability. They build on the untapped potential within our priority communities: Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, and people in rural areas.

We include grants of $10,000 or more below. For information on grants of less than $10,000, please visit our grants database.

*Indicates crisis response emergency grants.

Grants to Provide Access to Capital

Native American Development Center of Bismarck, ND, will receive $375,000 over three years to support its operation of a statewide community loan fund in North Dakota, including loan fund staff and development of services that promote cultural well-being and healing.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2023

Grants to Support Enterprise Development

Native American Youth and Family Center of Portland, OR, will receive $500,000 over two years to support its efforts to implement well-being initiatives for Portland’s Native community by providing wraparound services, community economic development activities, and advocacy for Native Americans in Portland.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2022

General Grants

When we fund projects that help organizations and communities in ways that aren’t specifically associated with one of our four interlocking portfolios, we include those grants in the “General” category.

*Build Wealth MN Inc. of Minneapolis received $25,000 in general operating support for its crisis response efforts.
Grant term: April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022

*Cheyenne River Youth Project of Eagle Butte, SD, received $25,000 in general operating support for its COVID-19 relief efforts.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2021 – Oct. 31, 2021

Ecotrust of Portland, OR, will receive $250,000 over three years to support its efforts to foster an equitable exchange of capacities, resources, and power to fuel a just transition to a green economy.
Grant term: April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2023

*Global to Local Health Initiative of SeaTac, WA, received $50,000 in general operating support for its crisis response efforts.
Grant term: April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022

*Headwaters Foundation for Justice of Minneapolis will receive $400,000 (*$300,00 of which was funded by our crisis response initiative) over two years to support The Transformation Fund (a grantmaking pool and capacity-building initiative focused on building power in communities of color), as well as internal staffing and operating expenses to meet increased workload demands and expected organizational growth.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2022

Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment Through Research of Minneapolis received $25,000 for research and analysis of undocumented workers in rural Minnesota.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2021

*Lummi Community Development Financial Institution of Ferndale, WA, received $25,000 in general operating support.
Grant term: Feb. 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021

National Congress of American Indians Fund (NCAI Fund) of Washington, DC, will receive $375,000 over three years in a renewal grant to support its efforts to continue advancing self-determined workforce and economic development approaches in Indian Country, and to support its continued efforts to expand work to help more tribes reimagine and restructure their workforce and economic development strategies.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2023

New Avenues for Youth Inc. of Portland, OR, will receive $225,000 over two years to support youth job experience programs and a self-care fund for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) staff.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2022

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders of Santa Barbara, CA, will receive $25,000 for its Native food systems learning cohort.
Grant term: March 1, 2021 – May 31, 2022

Tanka Fund of Kyle, SD, received $250,000 to support mitigating three interrelated barriers Native buffalo ranchers face in establishing and sustaining profitable, regenerative herds: (1) lack of access to patient capital, (2) lack of access to training, technical assistance, and tools for documenting the benefits of regenerative grazing practices, and (3) lack of access to their own lands for grazing. Tanka Fund will provide technical assistance, regranting, and other services to Native farmers and ranchers.
Grant term: March 1, 2021 – Feb. 28, 2022

Sponsorships

Sponsorships support opportunities for grantees to participate in activities that advance their learning, build relationships, exchange ideas and resources, and collaborate in unexpected ways. When sponsorships of $10,000 or more are awarded, we list them here. For information on sponsorships of less than $10,000, please visit our grants database.

Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy of Oakland, CA, received $10,000 toward a sponsorship for CHANGE Philanthropy’s 2021 Unity Summit.
Grant term: Oct. 25, 2021 – Oct. 28, 2021