Second Quarter Grants 2021

During the second quarter of 2021, the Northwest Area Foundation approved 25 grants worth $5,705,700—including 4 grants totaling $195,000 designated as crisis response emergency grants.

This quarter’s grant funding focuses on work being done in three of our four interlocking portfolios—Access to Capital, Enterprise Development, and Work Opportunity—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

African Economic Development Solutions of St. Paul, MN, will receive $375,000 over three years to support its efforts to provide small-business loans and services to African immigrants and refugees, and to support its creative placemaking and storytelling efforts.
Grant term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024

Lummi Community Development Financial Institution of Ferndale, WA, will receive $450,000 over three years to support its efforts to provide culturally tailored financial products and services to improve the economic and spiritual well-being of Lummi and other Coast Salish people.
Grant term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024

Makoce Agriculture Development of Porcupine, SD, will receive $170,000 over two years to support its efforts to establish a regenerative, local food system on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, rooted in Lakota culture and Indigenous ecology.
Grant term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023

National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders of Washington, DC, received $250,000 to support its work with organizations in our region to advance policies that support equitable economic outcomes for Latinos and immigrants, raising the profile of economic issues important to Latinos and strengthening the capacity of local nonprofits to engage in public policy advocacy.
Grant term: June 1, 2021 – May 31, 2022

Tatanka Funds Incorporated of Mission, SD, will receive $250,000 over two years to support its efforts to continue developing financial products and services tailored to the needs of the Sicangu Lakota Oyate (otherwise known as the Rosebud Sioux Tribe).
Grant term: June 1, 2021 – May 31, 2023

Grants to Support Enterprise Development

American Indian Community Housing Organization of Duluth, MN, will receive $250,000 over two years to support its efforts to create more opportunities for Indigenous food entrepreneurs and artisans, as well as more awareness and support for the Indigenous economy in Duluth.
Grant term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023

Appetite for Change Inc. of Minneapolis will receive $475,000 over three years to support its efforts to build a more equitable food system that leads to better health and wealth among community members, with a strong focus on youth and young adults.
Grant term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024

First Peoples Fund of Rapid City, SD, will receive $900,000 over three years to support its holistic approach to building supportive environments, or ecosystems, in which Native artists and culture bearers can thrive.
Grant term: June 1, 2021 – May 31, 2024

Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Duluth, MN, will receive $250,000 over two years to support the implementation of Wealth Entrepreneurship and Economic Sustainability (WEES), a collaborative working group that involves local leaders representing diverse communities in Duluth who are seeking to reshape Duluth’s economy so it provides more opportunities for communities of color to find economic security and build wealth.
Grant term: June 1, 2021 – May 31, 2023

Ventures of Seattle, WA, will receive $750,000 over three years to support its efforts to respond to COVID-related needs of entrepreneurs, restructure its programs, strengthen its racial equity work, and work with partners to advance economic justice.
Grant term: June 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024

Grants to Support Work Opportunity

People’s Partner for Community Development of Ashland, MT, received $150,000 to support its work on behalf of Montana’s Northern Cheyenne Reservation community to build a pilot mobile meat processing facility that will provide local value-added meat products.
Grant term: June 1, 2021 – May 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.

*Immigrant Development Center of Moorhead, MN, received $20,000 to support its Business Resilience Loan Fund for immigrant entrepreneurs.
Grant term: April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022

Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice of Des Moines, IA, will receive $60,000 over two years to support its efforts to build a movement for justice led by immigrants and refugees in Iowa, providing legal services, advocacy, and community empowerment training.
Grant term: May 1, 2021 – April 30, 2023

Lakota Youth Development of Herrick, SD, will receive $175,000 over three years to fund a digital marketing specialist position, as well as support for healing and self-care activities in 2021 for staff and community members.
Grant term: May 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024

*Northwest Health Foundation Fund II of Portland, OR, will receive $50,000 over two years for its Reimagining Safety Fund, a community-led, Black-centered effort supported by public and philanthropic dollars focused on developing and advancing a new model of community safety for the Black community in Oregon and for all Oregonians.
Grant term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023

Nonprofit Information Networking Association of Boston will receive $150,000 over three years to support its rollout of a communications strategy advancing the field and practice of economic justice.
Grant term: April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024

*Rural Organizing Project of Cottage Grove, OR, will receive $300,000 (*$100,000 of which was funded by our crisis response initiative) over three years to support its efforts to help Oregon’s rural communities reclaim the values of human dignity and shared prosperity, providing education, training, and network support to advance social justice to autonomous, volunteer groups in these communities.
Grant term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024

Seattle Foundation of Seattle will receive $50,000 over two years to support the Equitable Evaluation Framework Practice Partner program.
Grant term: April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2023

*Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation of Porcupine, SD, received $25,000 for youth crisis support on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Grant term: April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022

Ujamaa Place of St. Paul, MN, will receive $600,000 over three years to provide flexible resources for its Theory of Transformation programs, support COVID-related changes to its model, and provide capacity to engage in efforts to dismantle systemic and structural racism.
Grant term: June 1, 2021 – May 31, 2024