Third Quarter Grants 2019

The Northwest Area Foundation approved 46 grants worth $5,742,163 in the third quarter of 2019.

Funding touched on work being done in each of our four interlocking portfolios, with a special focus on grants promoting access to capital for underserved communities in our region. Funding also supported sponsorships and work related to general projects that are not designated to a specific portfolio.

Our grants support organizations anchored in the culture of the people they serve across our region of eight states and 75 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, 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.

Grants to Provide Access to Capital

African Economic Development Solutions of St. Paul, MN, will receive $200,000 over two years to support its microenterprise development services and lending, which provide a pathway to entrepreneurship and asset building for low-income African immigrants.
Grant term: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2021

Bii Gii Wiin Community Development Loan Fund of Minneapolis will receive $100,000 over two years to enable it to deepen its business development services so that it can provide high-touch, wrap-around support for entrepreneurs as they plan, launch, and grow their businesses.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2021

Community LendingWorks of Springfield, OR, will receive $100,000 over two years so it can complete a three-year capacity-building initiative that will position it to deepen its community impact and achieve long-term sustainability, supporting the needs of people with low incomes, people of color, and Native Americans.
Grant term: Oct. 1, 2019 – Sept. 30, 2021

First Nations Oweesta Corporation of Longmont, CO, will receive $750,213 over three years to continue support of its Native community development financial institution (CDFI) lending, technical assistance, and capacity-building activities in our region.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2022

Immigrant Development Center of Moorhead, MN, will receive $200,000 over two years to continue support for the International Market Plaza and support entrepreneurial training, lending capital, and staff salaries within the Fargo-Moorhead communities.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2021

Native American Development Corporation of Billings, MT, will receive $240,000 over three years to support capacity building and growth of its CDFI, building the CDFI’s operational and lending capacity so it can expand services and extend its market within the Great Plains.
Grant term: June 1, 2019 – May 31, 2022

Grants to Advance Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Growth

The following three grants are in support of the groundbreaking work of Native CDFIs through our collaboration with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines):

Lummi Community Development Financial Institution of Ferndale, WA, will receive $300,000 over nearly four years as lending capital so it can meet growing demand for business loans among its target market, specifically Native Americans.
Grant term: Oct. 1, 2019 – June 30, 2023

Nimiipuu Community Development Fund of Lapwai, ID, will receive $100,000 over four years as lending capital so it can meet growing demand for business loans among its target market, specifically Native Americans.
Grant term: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2023

People’s Partner for Community Development of Ashland, MT, will receive $100,000 over four years as lending capital so it can meet growing demand for business loans among its target market, specifically Native Americans.
Grant term: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2023

Grants to Support Enterprise Development

The Directors Council of Des Moines will receive $439,550 over two years to support its One Economy project, which emerged from the African American Financial Capability Initiative (AAFCI), and strives to advance the financial well-being for African Americans outside and inside Polk County, IA. Grant funds will support efforts to encourage, train, and coach African American entrepreneurs.
Grant term: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2021

Neighborhood Development Center Inc. of St. Paul, MN, will receive $300,000 over three years to support its continued efforts to deploy and expand its place- and culture-based economic development model and programs, which provide entrepreneur training, technical assistance, and business incubation in concentrated neighborhoods of opportunity.
Grant term: Oct. 1, 2019 – Sept. 30, 2022

Standing Rock Community Development Corporation of Fort Yates, ND, will receive $400,000 over two years to support implementation of its food sovereignty and community development initiatives—two core parts of its holistic approach to create sustainable change.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2021

Ventures of Seattle will receive $400,000 over two years to enable it to further help low-income entrepreneurs and to deepen its impact in the Seattle economy.
Grant term: Oct. 1, 2019 – Sept. 30, 2021

Grants to Promote Financial Inclusion

Community Opportunities Inc. (COI) of Carroll, IA, will receive $208,675 over two years to support financial coaching and education services across COI’s seven-county service area, as well as efforts to create more supportive local environments for low-income families and youth.
Grant term: Oct. 1, 2019 – Sept. 30, 2021

Grants to Expand Work Opportunity

American Indian College Fund of Denver will receive $400,000 over two years to support workforce programming at six tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) in our region. Seventy-five percent of the grant funds will be re-granted to these TCUs. Funds will also support the development of a curriculum that addresses the challenges many tribal college students face in workplace settings.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2021

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. General grants of $10,000 or more are listed below. For information on general grants of less than $10,000, please visit our grants database.

American Friends Service Committee of Philadelphia received $25,000 to support its Iowa Immigrant Rights program, which focuses on identifying issues relevant to, building connections among, and developing leadership within the immigrant community.
Grant term: Oct. 1, 2019 – Sept. 31, 2020

Association for Black Economic Power of Minneapolis received $50,000 to support its efforts to establish a Black-led community development credit union, Village Financial Cooperative, in North Minneapolis. The credit union will provide financial products and services to the unserved and underserved in the community.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2020

Black Visions Collective of St. Paul, MN, will receive $50,000 over two years to support its efforts to build the capacity of Black leaders and a network of Black-led organizations in Minnesota to advocate for racial, environmental, and economic justice.
Grant term: Aug. 1, 2019 – July 31, 2021

Cheyenne River Youth Project of Eagle Butte, SD, will receive $200,000 over two years to continue support of its social enterprise operations for Lakota youth, including wages for youth internships, and refinement of the organization’s social enterprise strategy.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2021

Islamic Resource Group of St. Anthony, MN, will receive $50,000 over two years to support its efforts to dispel myths and stereotypes and create a higher level of cultural competency about the Muslim community.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2021

Literacy Source of Seattle received $25,000 to support its efforts to build an inclusive, equitable community for all by providing free learner-centered education to low-income adults working to increase basic skills and education.
Grant term: Aug. 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020

Lower Phalen Creek Project of St. Paul, MN, received $12,000 to support development and implementation of its Strategic Planning Retreat.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Nov. 30, 2019

Mano a Mano of Salem, OR, received $50,000 to support creation of Radio Poder, an FM radio station that will provide culturally relevant news to the Latinx community in Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley. Latinx-led organizations will produce the content; it will be broadcast in Spanish, indigenous Latin American languages, and English.
Grant term: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020

Mni Ki Wakan World Indigenous Peoples Decade of Water of Minneapolis received $40,000 to support programming designed to protect and preserve the world’s declining fresh water resources. Grant funds will support efforts to connect water resource advocates globally and raise indigenous voices and knowledge in ongoing discussions and decisions affecting future water use and protection.
Grant term: Aug. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2021

National Native American Hall of Fame of Great Falls, MT, received $22,500 to support its efforts to record interviews with the National Native Hall of Fame inductees for inclusion in the Inspirational Leadership curricula for youth and in the traveling exhibit.
Grant term: Aug. 1, 2019 – July 30, 2020

Native Governance Center of St. Paul, MN, received $175,000 to support 2020 Census outreach efforts in Native communities in Minnesota and South Dakota.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2020

North Dakota Native Vote of Fargo, ND, received $75,000 to support 2020 Census outreach efforts in Native communities in North Dakota.
Grant term: Aug. 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020

Philanthrofund (PFund) Foundation of Minneapolis will receive $50,000 over two years to support its efforts to build healthy, thriving LGBTQ communities in its five-state service region (IA, MN, ND, SD, and WI) and provide capacity-building assistance to executive directors working with LGBTQ populations—with a specific focus on assisting small community-based organizations in rural areas.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2021

Pride Foundation of Seattle will receive $50,000 over 18 months to support the continuation of our previous rapid response grant to them for addressing the anti-LGBTQ and anti-transgender environment in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Feb. 28, 2021

Prosperity Now of Washington, DC, received $100,000 to support its efforts during a leadership transition. The funds will be contributed to Prosperity Now’s $5 million New Era Fund, which is designed to ensure a smooth leadership transition, advance a racial equity culture within the organization, position the organization as a financial security and racial equity resource to policymakers, and fund new opportunities.
Grant term: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020

South Dakota Voices for Peace of Sioux Falls, SD, received $25,000 to support its efforts to offer pro bono legal services to immigrants, including those who were separated at the US-Mexico border. Funds will also support efforts to mobilize against anti-immigrant, anti-refugee, and Islamophobic events and narratives in South Dakota.
Grant term: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020

The Saint Paul Foundation of St. Paul, MN, will receive $200,000 over two years to support the creation of a citywide children’s savings account (CSA) program in St. Paul. The CSA program will provide every child born in the city with a savings account seeded with a $50 deposit. Grant funds will be dedicated toward outreach and engagement with community-based nonprofit partners that will integrate CSAs into their services and reach families who are not automatically enrolled in CSAs.
Grant term: Aug. 1, 2019 – July 31, 2021

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette of Portland received $125,000 to contribute to a pooled fund supported by the Census Equity Funders Committee of Oregon (CEFCO). Pooled funds will support implementation of an equitable Hard to Count (HTC) campaign to increase community capacity for Census engagement across Oregon.
Grant term: Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2020

Western Native Voice of Billings, MT, will receive $150,000 over two years to support its core mission as a nonprofit, nonpartisan social justice organization to inspire Native leadership through community organizing, education, leadership development, and public policy advocacy. A significant focus will be outreach on the importance of participating in the 2020 Census.
Grant term: June 1, 2019 – May 31, 2021

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. Sponsorships of $10,000 or more are listed below. For information on sponsorships of less than $10,000, please visit our grants database.

Duwamish Tribal Services, Inc. of Seattle received $10,000 for as a sponsorship for its 10th Anniversary Gala Lunch and Native Art Auction.
Grant term: Oct. 11, 2019 – Oct. 11, 2019