Crisis Response Updates
Crisis Response Grantmaking
At our August 2020 board meeting, we expanded our crisis response grantmaking with a new comprehensive grant initiative—crisis response emergency grants—to more fully acknowledge the extent of this year’s crises that many of our grantees are facing: COVID-19, the need for racial equity, and more.
We’ve responded with two types of grantmaking: grants to pooled funds and grants directly to nonprofits.
On this page, we’ve listed grants that either relate to the new grant initiative or were approved for crisis response in the months prior to approval of the initiative. There may be other grants that have connection to crisis as part of our general grantmaking, but for classification purposes we’re not including them here.
Grants to Pooled Funds
We’ve invested in the following pooled funds through community foundations and other funders that are well grounded in their communities and have an interest in supporting our priority communities:
Direct Grants to Nonprofits
We’re affirming and deepening our commitment to grantees, both those that already have grants from us and new grantees we’re supporting related to our crises response. We’re making longer-term grants and also providing maximum flexibility for nonprofits with current grants by:
- Postponing or waiving grant reporting requirements
- Amending grant agreements to remove budget restrictions or converting grants to general operating support, where applicable
- Making the grant renewal application process easier and quicker
- Awarding small grants to address immediate needs
Here are the grants we’ve made so far, designated for response to this year’s crises, including COVID-19 and other recent crises (such as the need for racial equity):
African Economic Development Solutions — $15,000
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation as fiscal sponsor for Return to the Heart Foundation — $100,000
American Indian College Fund — $100,000
American Indian Community Housing Organization — $25,000
Appetite for Change — $25,000
Build Wealth MN Inc. — $25,000
Byrd Barr Place — $25,000, $125,000
The Center Pole — $20,000
Centro Latino of Iowa — $85,000
Cheyenne River Youth Project — $15,000, $25,000 (two grants)
Community LendingWorks — $50,000
Des Moines Area Community College Foundation — $150,000
Dream of Wild Health — $25,000
Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center (EMBARC) — $30,000, $60,000 (two grants)
Global to Local Health Initiative — $50,000
Hmong American Farmers Association — $30,000
Hopa Mountain Inc. — $50,000
Immigrant Development Center — $15,000, $20,000, $20,000 (three grants)
Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul — $20,000
Iowa CareGivers — $30,000
The Lakota Fund Inc. (fiscal sponsor for South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition) — $50,000
Lakota Youth Development — $25,000
Lummi Community Development Financial Institution — $25,000
McKenzie River Gathering (MRG) Foundation — $100,000
Metropolitan Economic Development Association (Meda) — $150,000
Native American Community Development Institute — $50,000
Native American Development Center — $40,000 (amended from original grant amount)
Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) — $25,000
Native CDFI Network Inc. — $25,000
Navigate — $10,000
NDN Fund — $200,000
Neighborhood Development Center Inc. — $25,000
Network for Better Futures (Better Futures Minnesota) — $25,000, $200,000 (two grants)
New Avenues for Youth Inc. — $25,000
Nimiipuu Community Development Fund — $15,000
Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON) — $25,000
Northwest Native Development Fund — $25,000
Opportunity Link — $25,000
Potlatch Fund (COVID-19 Relief for Native Communities) — $50,000, $25,000
Rural Community Development Resources — $25,000
Rural Organizing Project — $100,000
Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples Inc. (Flicker Fund) — $50,000
Social Justice Fund NW — $250,000
Standing Rock Community Development Corporation — $125,000 (amended from original grant amount)
Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation — $25,000, $25,000 (two grants)
Ujamaa Place — $25,000
Ventures — $25,000
Warm Springs Community Action Team — $25,000
Working Partnerships Inc. — $150,000
COVID-19 General Informational and Funding Resources
This section provides informational resources that might assist you in finding COVID-19 news, a few potential funding opportunities, and COVID-19-related topics. This is NOT an exhaustive list of resources.
In addition to these resources, please refer to the Grants to Pooled Funds, listed earlier on this page, for potential funding resources.