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Past Grants

4th Quarter 2023 Foundation Grants

Wright County Community Action, Inc.—Accounting Software Transition: $15,000 to transition to a new accounting software.

The Compassion Connection—Resource Closet Enhancements: $5,000 for strategic planning to support organizational growth.

What Would Bri Do—Capacity-Building: $5,000 for strategic planning and board development. What Would Bri Do provides grief support services.

Brainerd Family YMCA—Service Area Strategy: $5,000 to develop a real-time strategic plan to build a shared vision for a new program site.

Anna Marie’s Alliance—Putnam Facilitation Project: $5,000 to support a collaboration with Avivo Family Services and Terebinth Refuge to help clients find and retain employment and financial stability.

Ogilvie Tower Museum: $2,500 to develop a fundraising plan.

City of Sartell—Governance Policy Project: $5,000 to develop and implement policies and procedures that foster a climate of civility and respect between City Council members, staff and citizens.

Horizon Health, Inc.—PEARLS Depression and Social Isolation: $5,000 to support the Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives (PEARLS). PEARLS educates older adults about depression and helps them develop the skills they need for self-sufficiency and more active lives.

Ultimate Success Insight—Strategic and Board Development Plan: $10,000 to support strategic planning and development of educational resources and entrepreneurial support for underserved populations in the St. Cloud area.

Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation—Spirit of Hope Matching Support Funding: $5,000 to provide a challenge match for the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation and its Spirit of Giving campaign, which offers support for households facing challenges during the holiday season.

The Yes Network—Increasing Capacity to Serve Youth and Families: $5,000 to help establish a fundraising infrastructure.

United Way of Central Minnesota—North Star Navigation College Link: $5,000 to provide navigation and technical support for students eligible for the North Star Promise Scholarship Program, a new initiative to make post-secondary education more affordable for families facing financial barriers.

Chisago County—Cohesion Initiative: $10,000 for community engagement and strategic planning to support economic development in the county.

Brainerd Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Education Association—WAVE Young Professionals Network: $10,000 to support initial communication and outreach to help establish a self-sustaining local young professionals network to serve the Greater Brainerd Lakes area.

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe—Wild Rice Processing Plant: $10,000 to support planning for a wild rice processing plant.

Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation—Baxter City Hall Repurpose: $10,000 for a feasibility study to assess potential uses for the existing Baxter City Hall.

Stearns County—Local Housing Trust Fund Community Engagement Strategic Planning: $10,000 to hire Minnesota Housing Partnership to design and implement an engagement process with key stakeholders throughout Stearns County to identify priorities for the Housing Trust Fund.

City of Monticello—Block 34 Environmental Investigations: $10,000 to provide partial funding for environmental investigations that inform next steps for a redevelopment project in downtown Monticello.

Pine County—Strategic Planning: $10,000 to support long-range community and economic development strategic plan by the Pine County Board of Commissioners.

3rd Quarter 2023 Foundation Grants

Arrows Family Services—Human Resources Training: $5,000 to support training in human resources and employment-retention planning.

Too Much Talent—Strategic Planning: $10,000 for strategic planning convening board and community stakeholders.

Employment Enterprises, Inc.—Fundraising Training: $5,000 to capacity for fundraising and long-term financial stability.

Rivers of Hope—Domestic Violence Outreach and Education: $5,000 for the creation of a business outreach program to help employers better understand how to support victims of domestic violence and to provide support within the workplace.

Align Learning Center—After-school Academic Support: $5,000 to support affordable, individualized tutoring and other academic support for low-income students.

OneCommunity Alliance—Building Equity Through Action: $5,000 to support strategic development and board training. Building Equity Through Action is a community-wide initiative that seeks to advance those who are historically unrepresented in the areas of housing, health, education, economy, employment and community engagement.

Ellison Center—Strategy, Development and Implementation: $5,000 to support strategic fundraising and development for expansion initiatives.

Emily Emergency Food Shelf—Strategic Planning: $2,500 to support strategic planning for expansion.

Over The Hills of Avon—Avon Community Center Feasibility Study: $3,750 to support a feasibility study for an Avon-area community center.

Higher Works Collaborative—Strategic Planning Retreat: $5,000 to support strategic planning to advance the lives and livelihoods of the African American community in Central Minnesota.

New Life Thrift Shop—Start-up Costs: $5,000 to support start-up costs and planning for a new thrift store intended to generate revenues to support social initiatives and charities in Pine County.

RiverWorks—Thrift Store Expansion and Capacity-Building: $5,000 to expand a food shelf program that serves residents of Rockford.

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation—Rural Voices Forum: $10,000 to support the Minnesota Public Radio Rural Voices forum on mental health and social isolation on Oct. 4 in Little Falls.

Minnesota Department of Human Services—Shaping the Future Conference Sponsorship: $1,000 to support operating expenses for the Shaping the Future conference for family childcare providers in October in Waite Park.

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits—2024 Membership Renewal: $1,300 annual contribution to this statewide affinity group that represents the interests of Minnesota nonprofit organizations.

Environmental Initiative—Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Coalition: $5,000 to support representation by members of Anishinaabe communities on a new Minnesota Department of Natural Resources advisory council to direct funds from the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund in a more equitable manner.

Environmental Initiative—Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Coalition: $15,000 for stipends to representatives of underserved communities to participate in the design of community grantmaking reforms associated with the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

GPS 45:93—East Central Development Partnership Relaunch: $7,500 to support programming and strategies to reinvigorate membership of this economic development organization, which serves five counties in east-central Minnesota.

2nd Quarter 2023 Foundation Grants

LEAP, Inc.—Batcher Opera House: $2,500 to assess the value of the historic Batcher Opera House so it can be purchased at a fair market rate and owned by the city of Staples or a local nonprofit.

Loaves and Fishes Too—Healthy Meal Access in St. Cloud: $5,000 to support access to healthy food in the St. Cloud area.

Boys & Girls Club of Central Minnesota—CareerSTART Program: $5,000 to support CareerSTART, a program designed to provide exploration, development and application of career paths for youth in kindergarten to 12th grade. The program helps students develop employment skills and prepare for their career of choice.

Kinship Partners, Inc.—Strategic Planning: $5,000 to support the development of a new strategic plan and implementation steps.

True Friends—Seasonal and Year-round Staff Recruitment: $4,600 to support recruitment activities to attract, hire, train and retain seasonal staff.

New Pathways, Inc.—Strategic Planning: $5,000 to support the development of a new strategic plan.

Wadena County Developmental Achievement Center, Inc.—Strategic Planning: $5,000 to support strategic planning.

Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity—Community Display: $5,000 to support a community display at Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity’s Restore. The display will provide education to the community on the history of housing in the Brainerd area.

ConnectAbility of Minnesota—Training and Visioning: $5,000 for staff and client training.

Mission 61, Inc.—General Operating Funds: $5,000 to build the capacity of peer-support specialists to address the urgent housing needs of historically disadvantaged populations.

Timber Bay, North Branch—Youth Investment Foundation’s Program for At-risk Youth: $5,000 to support a weekly after-school program.

Minnesota Council on Foundations—2023 Annual Conference Sponsorship: $5,000 to support the Minnesota Council on Foundations Annual Conference.

Chisago County Economic Development Authority—Core Childcare Committee: $10,000 to increase quality, affordable and economically sustainable childcare in Chisago County. This plan was developed with the guidance from community advisors and facilitated by First Children’s Finance.

Youth Following Our Lead—Summer Programming: $3,000 to support the summer program.

Central Minnesota Re-Entry Project—Access for Formerly Incarcerated Persons: $80,000 to help formerly incarcerated people find housing, develop life skills, gain credentials in the construction field and achieve successful job placement in Benton County over a three-year period.

City of Sandstone—Sandstone School Geo-Exchange Feasibility: $9,600 to support an assessment and cost-benefit analysis of geothermal and/or solar resources at the workforce housing complex under development by the city of Sandstone at a former school.

City of Wyoming—Downtown Plan: $5,000 to support an economic analysis and develop recommendations to foster downtown revitalization.

Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation—Analytics Database Trial: $10,000 to provide the Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation staff with tools and resources to support Crow Wing County business data requests.

City of Melrose—Comprehensive Plan Update and Strategic Planning: $5,000 to support the development of a new strategic plan and implementation steps.

Mille Lacs County Operation Community Connect: $1,000 to connect local families with community resources and services.

1st Quarter 2023 Foundation Grants

Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity—Strategic Plan: $5,000 to support organizational capacity-building.

Family Safety Network of Cass County, Inc.—Services for Victims of Domestic Violence: $5,000 to support client services in rural Cass County.

Central Minnesota Housing Partnership—Continuum of Care Intern: $5,000 to support a student intern to identify housing needs for historically disadvantaged people by conducting data analysis and planning.

Community Aid of Elk River—Staff Growth and Development Project: $5,000 to evaluate staffing needs and work with a consultant to recommend models for staff to meet the needs of clients.

Crow Wing County Victim Services, Inc.—Direct Client Services: $5,000 to support crime victim services.

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation—Minnesota Compass: $5,000 in annual support to this critical source of unbiased statistical analysis of Central Minnesota’s key demographics and community vitality benchmarks.

Community Growth Fund, Inc.—WAVE/Saludos Center Phase Two: $5,000 to provide liaison and advocacy work in the Long Prairie community.

Regional Native Public Defense Corporation—Organizational Capacity Building Through Summer Intern Program: $5,000 to support a summer law internship opportunity to encourage students to pursue careers in criminal defense, broaden their understanding and application of law into practice for indigenous people and assist with overall organizational capacity.

Walker Area Food Shelf—Operational Enhancements and Technology Upgrades: $5,000 to support operations.

Bridges of Hope—Strategic Facilities Planning to Grow Bridges of Hope’s Capacity and Accommodate Organization Growth: $5,000 to support planning for facility improvements.

Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation—Project Optimist Community and Student Journalist Training: $5,000 to support a community and student journalists training program with instruction on basic and solutions journalism.

United Way of Central Minnesota—Workforce Housing Summit Sponsorship: $1,000 to support a presentation on workforce housing at St. Cloud State University on March 23, 2023.

Propel Nonprofits—Operating Support: $1,000 to support the work of Propel Nonprofits to build the capacity of nonprofits in Central Minnesota.

Anderson Center—Forum Scholarships: $10,000 to provide cost-share scholarships to private and nonprofit sector managers for management and leadership training opportunities through the Anderson Center.

Sourcewell—2023 Students of Character Sponsorship: $1,000 to support the 2023 Students of Character Celebration, held each year to recognize students who are quiet, behind-the-scenes leaders and may otherwise be overlooked for scholarships.

Youth Following Our Lead—Capacity building: $5,000 to support capacity-building efforts.

Meeting Points—Nonprofit Academy: Vibrant & Equitable Communities: $5,000 for capacity-building efforts supported by Initiative Foundation programming.

Lighthouse Beginnings—Nonprofit Academy: Vibrant & Equitable Communities: $5,000 for capacity-building efforts supported by Initiative Foundation programming.

Central Minnesota Re-Entry Project—Nonprofit Academy: Vibrant & Equitable Communities: $5,000 for capacity-building efforts supported by Initiative Foundation programming.

City of Menahga—Menahga Saves Energy: $5,000 for energy audits and the implementation of cost-effective investments, including renewable energy solutions.

Northern Waters Land Trust—Land Conservation Proposal Development: $7,000 to develop relationships, work plans and funding streams to permanently protect woody biomass to capture carbon before it enters the atmosphere.

City of Elk River—Recharge Elk River ElectriFUNcation and EV Test Drive Event: $15,000 for Elk RiverElectriFUNcation, an Aug. 5 electric vehicle event that will include test-drive opportunities and interactive displays that highlight Elk River’s Energy City status and raise funds for nonprofits.

Kanabec County Economic Development Authority—Senior Housing Market Study: $2,500 to support a housing feasibility analysis to encourage private investment in senior housing.

Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation—2023 Annual Investment: $25,000 to provide annual support to the largest economic development entity in Central Minnesota.

Minnesota Department of Education Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Program

  • Rita K. Vetsch—Grocery Help: $1,500
  • Jenny’s Child Care & Preschool, LLC—Learning Recovery for Vulnerable Children: $5,000
  • Kind Hearts Daycare—Achieving Success With Staff Support: $2,000
  • Central Lakes College Food Pantry—Parental Support Program: $2,000
  • Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota—Crisis Nursery Serving Wright County: $8,500
  • Lora Nielsen-Henry—Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds: $5,000
  • Brainerd Family YMCA—Learning Loss Recovery: $7,500
  • WonderTrek Children’s Museum—Mobile Early Childhood Programs: $2,000
  • Mille Lacs Health System—Onamia-area Learning Recovery for Vulnerable Children: $7,500
  • United Way of Central Minnesota—Neighborhood-based Literacy Initiative: $7,500
  • Charlotte Brown—Char’s Daycare: $1,500
  • Busy Bees Daycare—Innovative Produce Project: $1,500
  • Marcia M. Hegg—Greenhouse Project: $1,000
    • Family Life Church of the Assemblies of God—Food Assistance Scholarship Program: $7,500
    • Patricia Orth—Helping Underserved Rural Children to Catch Up to Their Developmental Age Level: $2,000
    • The Yes Network—Supporting Learning Recovery Through STEM and Social Play in Central Minnesota Neighborhoods: $7,500
    • Cambridge Isanti School District—Gearing Up for Kindergarten: $7,500

    The Funders Network Disaster Relief

    • Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity—Leech Lake Tribal Nation Support: $250

     

4th Quarter 2022

  • Hands Across the World—Business Training for Minorities Business People: $5,000 to train minority business owners at Waite Park’s International Market on financial and business planning.
  • CommunityGiving—Racial Equity in Our Community, Phase II: $10,000 to address inequities and disparities in the St. Cloud region using a variety of strategies, including hosting community conversations, collecting data and producing accessible reports, and coordinating action groups to drive change in workforce, education, health and healthcare and community engagement.
  • Minnesota Council on Foundations—2023 Membership: $12,500 to provide annual support for this statewide group that represents community foundations.
  • East African Dream, Inc.—Employment and Soft Skills Training for Refugee Youth and Young Adults in St. Cloud: $5,000 to offer soft skills training in predominately low-income communities. The goal is to offer skills training to unemployed youth and young adults to help them land jobs.
  • United Way of Central Minnesota—EPIC Coordinator Support Grant: $10,000 to help hire an coordinator for the Exploring Potential Interests and Careers (EPIC) program in St. Cloud.
  • Tusen Tack—2023 Strategic Planning: $5,000 to support strategic planning for Tusen Tack to build organizational capacity.
  • Funders Network for Smart Growth & Livable Communities—2023 Membership: $3,000 to provide annual support to this affinty group that helps grantmakers across North America advance strategies to create fair, prosperous and sustainable regions and communities. The Funders Network hosts the Philanthropic Preparedness, Resiliency and Emergency Partnership (PPREP) group, which has helped build the capacity of rural low-income communities in Central Minnesota to be prepared for natural disasters.
  • Brainerd Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Education Association—Bridges Career Depot: $10,000 to support an online platform to help connect area employers with high school youth for first-time jobs that can encourage career exploration, development and workplace skills and behaviors. This platform will highlight employment opportunities in Crow Wing and Cass counties.
  • St. Cloud State University Foundation, Inc.—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration Sponsorship: $1,000 to sponsor the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. community celebration in St. Cloud.
  • Faith in Action—Cass County Community Health Connections: $5,000 to support Cass County Faith in Action to build knowledge of community resources in the rural, low-income area it serves.
  • Too Much Talent—Capacity Building: $10,000 to support capacity-building and general operations for Too Much Talent, which supports underserved populations in St. Cloud.
  • Anna Marie’s Alliance—General Operations: $5,000 to support the mission of Anna Marie’s Alliance.
  • Greater Twin Cities United Way—Start Early Funders Coalition 2022 Membership Dues: $1,000 to provide annual support for this affinity group of philanthropic organizations that support early childhood education and access to quality, affordable child care.
  • Pine County—Pine County Child Care Strategic Supply Action Plan: $10,000 to implement a plan to improve access to quality, affordable, economically-sustainable child care in Pine County.
  • Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota—Disaster Response in Morrison and Todd Counties: $5,000 to support disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts in Todd and Morrison counties. This grant was supported by The Funders Network.
  • Boys & Girls Club of the Leech Lake Area—Building Fundraising Capacity: $2,500 to support a challenge match for Give to the Max Day for the Boys & Girls Club of the Leech Lake Area. This match will help staff build fundraising skills and experience.
  • North Star Family Advocacy Center—Increased Fundraising Capacity: $5,000 to support North Star Family Advocacy Center as they begin fundraising with individual donors. This grant will help them to support and sustain the important work they do while also building organizational capacity for future fundraising endeavors.
  • Tusen Tack—Facilities Update Initiative: $2,500 to support capacity-building and fundraising work at Tusen Tack.
  • A Place For You—Warming Shelter: $10,000 to expand the capacity of A Place For You to serve those suffering from housing insecurity in Pine City and Pine County.
  • Hands of Hope Resource Center—Outreach to Spanish-speaking Communities: $5,000 to support equitable access to crime victims services throughout Long Prairie and the surrounding area.
  • Wright County Community Action, Inc.—Foreclosure Prevention Capacity: $10,000 to support staff capacity-building in affordable housing and foreclosure prevention.
  • Todd County Development Corporation—Planning and Capacity-Building: $5,000 to support capacity-building efforts for staff.
  • Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud—Organizational Culture Change: $5,000 to support internal culture consultation to build fundraising capacity.
  • Higher Works Collaborative—Final Vibrant & Equitable Communities Cohort Grant: $5,000 to support enhanced capacity for Higher Works Collaborative.
  • Jugaad Leadership—Final Vibrant & Equitable Communities Cohort Grant: $5,000 to support the enhanced capacity of Jugaad Leadership Program.
  • Too Much Talent—Final Vibrant & Equitable Communities Cohort Grant: $5,000 to support the enhanced capacity of Too Much Talent.
  • Promise Neighborhood of Central Minnesota—Final Vibrant & Equitable Communities Cohort Grant: $5,000 to support the enhanced capacity of Promise Neighborhood of Central Minnesota.
  • Central Minnesota Community Empowerment Organization—Final Vibrant & Equitable Communities Cohort Grant: $5,000 to support the enhanced capacity of Central Minnesota Community Empowerment Organization.
  • City of Becker—Comprehensive Water System Study: $35,000 to support infrastructure planning for water and wastewater treatment and improvements needed to help generate new economic development in advance of the closure of the Sherburne County Coal Generation Station. This grant is funded with resources provided by the McKnight Foundation’s climate program.
  • Sherburne County—Transportation Planning & Environmental Linkage Study: $35,000 to support a transportation study that integrates environmental and community values in and around the cities of Becker and Monticello. This grant is funded by the McKnight Foundation’s climate program to help diversify the local economy in advance of the Sherburne County Coal Generation Station closure.
  • Environmental Initiative—Lottery Reauthorization Coalition Transformation Subgroup: $12,000 to reform the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund processes to support greater engagement and funding for rural, low-income and minority communities across Minnesota. This grant was supported by the McKnight Foundation.
  • University of Minnesota Foundation—Clean Energy for Food Shelves: Efficiency, Electrification and Renewables: $20,000 to help up to three food shelves in Central Minnesota explore energy efficiency and renewable energy options to help control costs and improve service to food-insecure residents of the region. This grant was supported by the McKnight Foundation.
  • Benton Economic Partnership, Inc.—Identifying Housing Opportunities for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals: $10,000 to support a partnership with the Central Minnesota Re-Entry Project to help individuals with past incarceration gain housing, job skills and employment while shoring up the region’s acute need for workers.
  • Friends of Career Solutions—Worker Insight Survey: $5,000 to help conduct a survey of workers to assess barriers to returning to the workforce.
  • Chisago County Economic Development Authority—Countywide Economic Growth: $10,000 to implement the 2020 strategic plan developed by the Chisago County Economic Development Authority.
  • The City of Cambridge—Regional Wellness Center Feasibility Study: $10,000 to commission a feasibility study into a regional wellness center.
  • Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services, Inc.—Federal Reserve Survey: $5,000 to help conduct a survey of workers to assess barriers to returning to the workforce.
  • City of Sandstone—Workforce Housing Development: $10,000 to support preliminary design and feasibility analysis for converting the former Sandstone School into affordable workforce housing.

Otto Bremer Trust – Nonprofit Funds

  • Brainerd Family YMCA—Capital Development Project: $40,000

Main Street Economic Revitalization Grants

Through a partnership with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, the Initiative Foundation will award $4.5 million to six communities. In quarter 4 2022, the Foundation awarded 13 Main Street Economic Revitalization grants.

Grants Awarded

3rd Quarter 2022

  • My Neighbor to Love Coalition—Supportive Housing Community: $5,000 to support organizational goals to raise funds for Brainerd Lakes area affordable housing.
  • Wadena Development Authority—Lead for Wadena: Fellowship for Artisan Economic Development: $4,000 to support a Lead for Minnesota student for a second year to organize community development opportunities around a creative economy theme.
  • Reach Out and Read Minnesota—Mirrors and Windows Diverse Books Project: $5,000 to support the purchase of age-appropriate books for distribution through health care providers to young parents in the Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe communities.
  • Pregnancy and Life Resource Center—Hispanic Interpreting: $2,000 to provide Spanish-language interpreting for those seeking health care and guidance related to pregnancy.
  • Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud—Financial Literacy Education: $5,000 to support financial planning and literacy with low- to moderate-income seniors in Central Minnesota.
  • City of Crosslake—Community Connection Channels for Parks and Public Spaces: $5,000 to support public engagement and planning efforts related to potential public open space in the Downtown Crossing area of Crosslake.
  • Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation—Rural Voice Series: $10,000 to support the Rural Voice series, specifically the Central Minnesota event on Sept. 20, 2022, at Krewe Restaurant in St. Joseph.
    Minnesota Council of Nonprofits—2023 Membership Renewal: $1,200 to provide annual support for this nonprofit affinity organization.
  • Wadena County Developmental Achievement Center, Inc.—Building Maintenance for Sebeka Main Campus and Verndale: $5,000 to support the Wadena County Developmental Achievement Center in building fundraising capacity.
  • Brainerd Family YMCA—Capital Development Project: $50,000 to support the Transformative Capital Campaign of the Brainerd Lakes Area YMCA. This grant was supported by the Otto Bremer Trust.
  • Lakes Area Food Shelf, Inc.—2022 Sponsorship Challenge: $10,000 to build fundraising capacity at the community level for Lakes Area Food Shelf.
  • Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud—Senior Dining and Meals on Wheels: $5,000 to support food access for low-income seniors in Kanabec County.
  • Veteran Resource & Enrichment Center, Inc.—Recovery: $5,000 to support Veterans Resource and Enrichment Center in building organizational capacity.
  • Second Harvest North Central Food Bank, Inc.—Give to the Max Day Challenge Grant: $5,000 to support enhanced fundraising on Give to the Max Day 2022 to support pop-up pantries in rural communities.
  • MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership, Inc.—Todd Wadena Child Care Expansion: $10,000 to support child care programming in Todd and Wadena counties.
  • Higher Works Collaborative—Vibrant and Equitable Community: $5,000 to support organizational capacity building.
    Promise Neighborhood of Central Minnesota—Organization and Community Empowerment: $5,000 to support organizational capacity-building.
  • Becker Public Schools—Public Electric Vehicle Charging Service: $45,000 to install a public electric vehicle charging station at the high school. Funding supports design, construction and post-construction maintenance. This $70,000 project is funded with support from the McKnight Foundation’s Climate and Energy Program. Additional support is provided by Xcel Energy.
  • Northern Waters Land Trust—Exploring Carbon Sequestration, Phase Two: $26,000 to expand an existing program to explore how foresters, farmers and other properties owners can gain financial benefit from carbon sequestration through the protection or restoration of woody biomass. This effort will import lessons learned in Hubbard County and adapt to the needs and interests of property owners in Crow Wing and Cass counties. This grant was supported by the Morgan Family Foundation.
  • Eagle Valley Custom Meat Processing—Eagle Bend Tornado Relief: $800 to provide small business disaster relief in the aftermath of a May 2022 tornado. This grant was supported by The Funders Network.
  • Eagle Bend Farm & Lumber Supply, Inc.—Eagle Bend Tornado Relief: $4,600 to provide small business disaster relief in the aftermath of a May 2022 tornado. This grant was supported by The Funders Network.
  • Shirley’s Gas & Grocery, Inc.—Eagle Bend Tornado Relief: $4,600 to provide small business disaster relief in the aftermath of a May 2022 tornado. This grant was supported by The Funders Network.

2nd Quarter 2022

  • Jugaad Leadership Program—Intercultural Development Inventory Training: $3,600 for staff to complete training on the Intercultural Development Inventory.
  • HousingLink—Beyond Backgrounds: Creating Housing Security for Vulnerable Renters: $5,000 to help vulnerable renters find and secure stable housing.
  • Lakes Area Senior Activity Center—Technology Transformation: $8,000 to support technological advancements for the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center.
  • Foster Advocates—Minnesota Promise to Fosters: Central Minnesota Listening Sessions: $5,000 to support listening sessions to surface community-driven solutions to drive change across the child welfare system.
  • Eagle Bend Area Development Corporation—Hilltop Senior Campus: $5,000 to support planning and preparation for a Hilltop senior campus.
  • Great River Area Faith in Action—Furniture for Families: $2,500 to support a furniture delivery program for those in need.
  • CentraCare Health System—Granite Table Community Scorecard: $2,500 to refine a community health scorecard and to guide collaborative strategies and response in Greater St. Cloud.
  • Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation—Spirit of Hope Matching Support Funding: $5,000 challenge grant to support nonprofits addressing the urgent needs of Brainerd-area vulnerable populations.
  • St. Cloud State University Foundation, Inc.—Diversity Teacher Initiative: Workforce Development: $5,000 to support recruitment, retention, graduation and placement of people of color in teaching positions within Central Minnesota.
  • True Friends—Training Staff for Human Services Jobs: $5,000 to support an employment training program.
  • Mille Lacs Area Community Foundation—Keep It Clean Campaign: $5,000 to create a culture around Mille Lacs Lake that encourages anglers and other winter recreational lake users to “leave no trace.” The campaign includes geo-fencing ads, banners, posters, window clings, stickers, table tents, robust media and social media campaigns and presentations to local units of government and others.
  • The Yes Network—Building Community Through Art, Music and STEM: $5,000 to support the Yes Network’s summer programs for youth community building and enrichment.
    Wright County Community Action, Inc.—Assessing the Needs of Wright County: $5,000 to support a needs analysis in Wright County.
  • Region Five Development Commission—Cultivating Communities Sponsorship: $5,000 sponsorship for a Sept. 19-20 Cultivating Communities event at Arrowwood Conference Center in Baxter. Citizens from throughout Region Five will learn and share ideas and create next steps for a more inclusive, equitable and just region for all who live here and for all who are yet to come.
  • Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures—Onamia Childcare Center: $10,000 to support start-up costs associated with a child care center in Onamia, intended to meet the common needs of the community, Mille Lacs Health Systems and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. When fully operational, the center will support 63 children.
  • Central Minnesota Community Empowerment Organization—Vibrant and Equitable Communities: $5,000 to support organizational capacity building.
  • Jugaad Leadership Program—Vibrant and Equitable Communities: $5,000 to support organizational capacity building.
  • Too Much Talent—Employee Expansion: $5,000 to support organizational capacity building.
  • Sherburne County—Public Charging EV Service Pilot With Xcel Energy: $40,000 to install a public EV charging station at the local high school. The project provides funds for the design of charging infrastructure, the actual construction and infrastructure maintenance post construction. Corresponding infrastructure would cost $70,000 and will be funded by Xcel Energy. This project is funded with support from the McKnight Foundation’s Climate and Energy Program.
  • City of Swanville—Implementation of Energy and Environmental Plan: $5,000 to support a Region Five Development Commission partnership to enhance energy efficiency, including conversion to LED lighting and investment in a more efficient furnace.
  • St. Cloud State University—Central Region Small Business Development Center Inclusivity Project: $10,000 to provide technical assistance and culturally appropriate support for underrepresented and aspiring entrepreneurs in the Greater St. Cloud area.
  • City of Bertha—Todd County Broadband Coalition: $10,000 for a community survey and to implement strategies identified through the Blandin Foundation’s Broadband Accelerator program.

1st Quarter 2022

  • Someplace Safe—General Operating Support for the Wadena Advocacy Office: $2,500 to support general operating expenses for programming and services provided by the Wadena Advocacy Office.
  • Amherst H. Wilder Foundation—Minnesota Compass: $5,000 to provide annual support to Minnesota Compass, which provides community- and county-specific data to help track progress or disparities across critical measures of community health and vitality.
  • Minnesota Council on Foundations—2022 Membership: $12,500 for 2022 membership dues.
  • Anderson Center—Forum Scholarships: $10,000 to provide scholarships for private and nonprofit sector leaders to benefit from the array of professional development training offered by the Anderson Center.
  • Boys & Girls Club of Central Minnesota—CareerSTART Program: $2,000 to support the CareerSTART program, which provides exploration, development and application of career paths for youth in grades kindergarten to grade 12.
  • Friends of Career Solutions—Career Trek for Teens: $5,000 to support Career Trek, a career exploration program.
  • Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest—2021-22 Finance Park Virtual Programming: $2,000 to support the Finance Park virtual program.
  • Sakan Community Resource, Inc.—Families Prosper: $5,000 to prepare families and individuals for financial stability and homeownership with culturally informed services that lead to more stable and affordable housing.
  • Community Dental Care—Workforce Pipeline Project: $10,000 to support a partnership with St. Cloud Technical and Community College to recruit, retain and place dental hygiene program graduates at the new Community Dental Care Clinic in Wright County.
  • Jugaad Leadership Program: $6,000 to support networking and training for emerging leaders in the Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) community of Greater St. Cloud.
  • Community Grassroots Solutions—Halal Meat Slaughterhouse Feasibility Study: $5,000 to support a feasibility analysis for a halal-certified meat processing facility to serve the Muslim population in Central Minnesota.
  • Bridges of Hope—Resource Connection Services: $5,000 to support the Resource Connection Services program at Bridges of Hope.
  • Community Aid of Elk River: $4,000 to support software research, acquisition and staff training for fund development.
  • Sprout—Little Falls Local Food Collaborative Feasibility Study: $4,000 to support a feasibility study to identify linkages in the local foods value chain.
  • Sourcewell—Students of Character Sponsorship: $1,000 to support the annual Students of Character celebration at Sourcewell.
  • Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation—Recharge St. Cloud: $10,000 to support the Recharge St. Cloud electric vehicle expo.
  • Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation—2022 Annual Investment: $25,000 to support the work of the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation.
  • Small Business Development Center at Central Lakes College—Technical Assistance for Small Business Success: $10,000 to support business planning and technical assistance.
  • Chisago County Economic Development Authority—Highway 8 Strategic Framework: $7,500 to support community engagement and professional planning along the Highway 8 corridor to encourage thoughtful economic development.
  • City of Sandstone—Pine County Logistics & Transportation Analysis: $5,000 to complete a study on railroad, highway, and other forms of transportation to provide tools to guide infrastructure investments to expand the area tax base and economic opportunities.
  • Northern Waters Land Trust—Exploring Carbon Sequestration-Land Conservation Coordination in North Central Minnesota: $10,000 to explore the feasibility of creating an incentive program to support protection or restoration of forests that generate revenue for the property owner while also capturing carbon and buffering sensitive lands and waters. This grant was funded by the Morgan Family Foundation.
  • Leech Lake Housing Authority—Leech Lake Housing Authority Homebuyer Program: $41,250 to support the Leech Lake Housing Authority’s down payment assistance program, improving the resiliency of the community and supporting increased homeownership. This grant was funded by The Funders Network.

Minnesota Department of Education and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund

  • Pine Technical and Community College—Positive Child Guidance Mentor Project: $3,200