Deadline:
As soon as possible
Location(s)
United States of America
Overview
Community Innovation grants support communities to use problem-solving processes that lead to more effective, equitable and sustainable solutions. Think of it as civic R&D, allowing communities to develop and test new solutions to community challenges.
Details
What we fund
There’s a lot of work that happens in between identifying a community problem and implementing a new breakthrough solution, especially if you want to engage your community, make the most of existing assets and work collaboratively with other organizations along the way. Our Community Innovation grants support that process – they fund the work that it takes to create a community innovation.
You define your community
We look to you to identify and define your community. This could be a geographic community, and it could be a community of common interest or racial/cultural identity.
You define the issue
We do not prioritize specific issues and instead are open to projects that address all sorts of community needs.
Projects can be at various stages of the innovation process including identifying the need, increasing collective understanding of the issue, generating ideas, or testing and implementing solutions. Proposals can focus on one area or span multiple stages.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Eligibility
- Community Innovation grants may be awarded to 501(c)(3) public charities or government entities (including schools). Coalitions or collaboratives are eligible to apply, but only one organization may receive the grant.
- For organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) status, the Foundation accepts Community Innovation grant applications from fiscal sponsors. The fiscal sponsor organization must submit the grant application and, if the grant is approved, becomes the grantee and receives the funds. Our fiscal sponsorship overview provides additional information.
- Grants must be used for projects located in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota or the 23 Native nations that share the same geography.
- Grants must be used for a charitable purpose.
Dates
Deadline: As soon as possible
Cost/funding for participants
The Foundation provides Community Innovation grants of $10,000 to $200,000. Community Innovation grants of $500 to $10,000 are available from our intermediary partner organizations: Headwaters Foundation for Justice (MN), The Consensus Council (ND) and the South Dakota Community Foundation (SD).
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
