The Minnesota Community IDEAS Grant Program, administered by the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation in partnership with the Bush Foundation, awards \$1. 6 million annually from 2025 through 2027 to organizations across Minnesota and the 11 Native Nations within the state.

In 2026, nine grants of \$125,000 each will be awarded across three target communities: Greater Minnesota, the Twin Cities 7-county Metro Area, and Native-led organizations. Funding is unrestricted and can support operating costs, programs, or capital expenditures. Grant selection is driven by Community Selection Committees, and no formal reporting is required.

The program focuses on transformational, community-led change that designs, tests, and spreads ideas for lasting impact.

Minnesota Community IDEAS Grant Program Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Minnesota Community IDEAS Grant… | Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Minnesota Community IDEAS Grant Program The Minnesota Community IDEAS Program seeks to design, test and spread ideas that make our communities better for everyone and inspire, equip and connect people through meaningful, community-led change.

The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation launched a new annual statewide grant program in 2025. As the Minnesota community grant partner of the Bush Foundation, we will grant $1. 6 million each year from 2025 through 2027 to eligible organizations located in and serving Minnesota and the 11 Native Nations within the same geography.

View our 2025 grantees . Learn more about our partnership with the Bush Foundation . Interest form submissions for the 2026 grant program have closed.

The Minnesota Community IDEAS Program seeks to design, test and spread ideas that make our communities better for everyone and inspire, equip and connect people through meaningful, community-led change.

Grants will be awarded within three target communities, with three grants awarded within each of the communities: Twin Cities 7-county Metro Area Native-led, Native-serving organizations This program’s selection criteria focus on an organization’s transformational impact; or the long-lasting, meaningful change that can happen through ideas of all sizes, within communities of all sizes, and through organizations of all sizes.

This statewide grant program was informed by, and developed alongside, community members. Grant selection will be determined by community members through Community Selection Committees that will consider the following criteria for grant review and selection.

Communities advance creative solutions to their challenges and opportunities Communities develop, test and spread ideas Communities are equipped and connected to benefit from change Communities inform and form change Communities realize significant, long-lasting change In 2026, the Minnesota Community IDEAS Program will award nine grants of $125,000 each.

The two-step application process opened in January 2026, when eligible organizations expressed interest in applying through a brief interest form. Interest form submissions are now closed.

Funding is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purposes that align with the vision and purpose of the Minnesota Community IDEAS Program, including operating costs, program-related expenses, capital expenditures or whatever else would best support the organization's ongoing work. No formal report will be required for this grant program.

Instead, the Foundation will meet annually with each grantee through 2027 for structured time for reflection and insights to build a supportive relationship, prioritize learning and develop deeper partnerships.

Download the Grant Guidelines [PDF] View the Information Session To ensure broad and equitable distribution of these grants across the entire state of Minnesota and the 11 Native Nations within the same geography, the Foundation will distribute three grants to organizations from each of the three target communities. Organizations may only apply within one target community.

Organizations located outside the 7-County Metro Area Organizations located within the seven counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington Native-led, Native-serving Organizations Native-led organizations that serve Native communities within Minnesota and the 11 Native Nations within the same geography.

Organizations must have at least 51% of the Board of Directors and Senior Leadership identifying as Native to be considered Native-led. Grants will be awarded to Minnesota nonprofit organizations meeting the following criteria: Organizations must be located in Minnesota. If awarded, all grant funds must be used for charitable purposes to benefit communities in Minnesota.

Organizations that are 501(c)(3) public charities or government entities (including schools and tribal governments) are eligible to apply. The Foundation accepts applications from organizations or programs that are fiscally sponsored. Fiscal sponsors must be 501(c)(3) public charities or government entities (including schools and tribal governments).

Groups of organizations (such as coalitions or collaboratives) are eligible to apply, but only one organization may apply and receive the award on behalf of the group. Organizations that received Minnesota Community IDEAS awards in the past are not eligible to apply. Community Selection Committees will consider the following questions in their criteria for grant review and selection.

The Foundation recognizes that each organization’s work in community looks different and proposed work might not prioritize all these values to the same extent. While applicants are not required to address each of the criteria listed below, we believe the strongest applications will speak to how the proposed work might address each of the selection criteria.

Innovation – Does the proposed work advance a bold and creative solution for the challenges and issues affecting the community? Does the proposed idea use creative approaches, technologies, collaborations, and/or methods to drive sustainable change and solve problems more effectively? Development – Does the proposed work have a well-defined strategy to develop and test these bold ideas?

Does it have a clear, actionable plan to solve problems and create opportunities? Equity – Does the proposed work support building an equitable future for communities and the individuals in those communities who have been historically underserved (Black, Native, Asian, Latino, new Americans, immigrants, refugees, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ communities, veterans, rural communities, low-income communities, and others)?

Agency – Does the proposed work build agency and identify comprehensive approaches to listen, engage and involve the community to ensure the people served inform, form and benefit from the organization’s impact? Benefits - The community served realizes significant impact and change for the issues and challenges they identify as most critical to them. Informs - Work should be shaped by input from the community itself.

This means the organization listens to the experiences, needs, and feedback from the community it serves to align its goals and initiatives with the actual needs and priorities of the community. Forms - Beyond being informed by the community, the community has an active role in shaping the work.

The community is directly involved in designing and implementing programs and solutions, and the organization’s work reflects the values, culture, and strengths of the community. Solutions – Does the proposed work have the potential for significant and long-lasting change? Does it address the root causes of significant community issues and systemic challenges?

Would it inspire others in the region and serve as a model for future success? If you have specific questions about eligibility or selection criteria not covered here, please contact the Minnesota Community IDEAS program team at MNCommunityIDEAS@spmcf. org or 651.

325. 4202 . To reduce the time and capacity required by an applicant to participate in this grant program, the Foundation has designed a two-step application process.

Step 1: Submit Interest Form Organizations interested in applying for a Minnesota Community IDEAS grant will complete a brief online interest form to provide details of the organization, confirm their eligibility, provide a brief summary of the proposed idea, and identify which of the target communities they are applying under: Greater Minnesota, Twin Cities Metro Area or Native-led organizations that serve Native communities.

Each applicant may only submit one interest form and only apply within one target community. If an organization is in multiple locations, they should choose the target community which most closely reflects the community or impact associated with the proposed idea. For each of the target communities, the Foundation will randomly select 20 eligible organizations to proceed to the second step of submitting a grant application.

Step 2: Submit Full Application Selected organizations will then receive: An invitation to complete an application through the Foundation’s online grant portal Active support from Minnesota Community IDEAS program staff to navigate the application process and to support the organization in preparing a successful application A $750 grant as compensation for the time to complete an application An opportunity to receive feedback on their application if not selected Applications will be reviewed by the Community Selection Committee for their target community.

The Committees will select the nine awarded organizations. Preview the Step 2 Application Questions [PDF] All eligible organizations that completed an interest form will be entered into a randomized selection process to identify 20 organizations within each of the target communities.

The Advisory Committee designed this process with the intention to: Remove merit-based bias from initial selection and provide equal access to this opportunity for organizations of all sizes, capacities and resources Reduce the capacity organizations need to submit detailed merit-based applications Create opportunity for the Foundation to work more closely with selected organizations to develop the best application possible Compensate all organizations submitting applications within the program’s budget The Foundation will convene a separate Community Selection Committee for each target community.

Each Selection Committee will review applications and make final decisions on the organizations awarded funding from each target community. Selection Committee members will include a diverse group of community members from each target community. Each committee will receive staff support throughout the process.

January - Interest Form Submissions Accepted Interest form submissions will be accepted from 10 a. m. January 5 through 1 p.

m. January 28, 2026. Eligible organizations that complete an interest form will be entered into a random selection process to determine organizations invited to complete a full application.

February - Selected Organizations Notified Selected organizations will receive an email invitation with instructions on how to submit an application through the online portal. March-April - Application Period for Selected Organizations The step 2 application deadline will be 1 p. m.

on April 30, 2026. July - Grant Recipients Selected Applications will be reviewed by a Community Selection Committee in May-June 2026, and grant recipients will be selected and awarded in July 2026.

To lean more fully into our value of 'Community is our compass’ when designing this grant program, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation convened an advisory committee of philanthropic and nonprofit leaders from across the state to design the Minnesota Community IDEAS program in the fall of 2024.

Based on the input from our advisory committee, we took away the following items as crucial components that shaped the Minnesota Community IDEAS program design. Broad and equitable access to funding for organizations across the entire state of Minnesota and the 11 Native Nations within the same geography. Commitment to equity and support for work where historically underserved communities inform, form and benefit from community change.

Respect for the time and resources each organization expends to seek funding by reducing the capacity needed to apply, providing a simplified application process, and providing unrestricted funding without formal reporting requirements. Community-led grant decisions by giving final decision-making authority to a Community Selection Committee. Frequently Asked Questions How do I apply for the Minnesota Community IDEAS program?

The first step is to show your interest in applying for the Minnesota Community IDEAS program. To do this, organizations can submit an interest form online from January 5 through 1 p. m.

January 28, 2026. Sixty organizations will be randomly selected from those that submitted an interest form and invited to submit a formal application in March-April. What does the interest form entail?

What information will I need to provide? The interest form is a brief questionnaire that should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete. You will be asked to provide organization and contact information and asked questions to confirm your organization’s eligibility to apply.

There are also two brief (3-5 sentence), open-ended responses required to describe the community you serve, the challenges/issues your organization seeks to address, and the proposed idea your organization hopes to accomplish with support from this opportunity. What if I am having trouble completing my interest form online? If you have issues submitting your interest form, please contact us at MNCommunityIDEAS@spmcf.

org or 651. 325. 4202 .

How do I determine which target community I should apply for? You may only submit an interest form for one target community. Organizations should select the target community in which the organization’s primary address is located, regardless of where the communities served reside.

If you belong to an organization with multiple locations and/or you feel you may be eligible for multiple target communities, you should choose the target community which most closely reflects the community or impact associated with your proposal.

For example, while not required, the Foundation encourages organizations eligible as “Native-led organizations that serve Native communities” to apply within that target community regardless of whether they are in the Twin Cities metro area or Greater Minnesota.

Submitting an interest form for the target community that most closely matches the community you serve will help ensure an applicant’s proposal is considered by the Community Selection Committee most closely aligned with those they serve. Contact us at MNCommunityIDEAS@spmcf. org or 651.

325. 4202 if you have any questions, and we will work with you to identify the target community best suited to your organization. What if my organization is located outside of Minnesota or our work serves residents in multiple states?

To be eligible for the Minnesota Community IDEAS program, applicants must be located in Minnesota. If funds are awarded, those funds must be used for charitable purposes to benefit communities in Minnesota.

If your organization also serves communities in South Dakota, North Dakota or any of the 23 Native Nations across the three-state region, you may consider applying to one of the programs hosted by another Bush Foundation Community Partner.

Those other programs and partners are: North Dakota - Strengthen ND South Dakota - South Dakota Community Foundation Native Nations - Good Relatives Collaborative If I am selected to apply, how do I submit a full application?

If your organization is selected and invited to complete a full application, you will receive information from the Foundation with instructions on how to apply, including information on how to register your organization and access GranteeView, our online application system.

Organizations invited to apply will also have the opportunity to meet directly with Minnesota Community IDEAS program staff to help navigate the application process and to support your organization in preparing a successful application. When will I know if I’ve been selected to apply? Potential applicants will be able to submit an interest form from January 5 through 1 p.

m. January 28, 2026. In February, all organizations submitting an interest form will be contacted regarding the status of their interest form, and selected organizations will receive an email invitation with instructions on how to submit an application through the online portal.

Understanding the Program Why is the interest form so short? The Minnesota Community IDEAS Program staff and Advisory Committee are committed to a process that respects the time and resources each organization expends to seek funding. The interest form is intentionally brief to reduce the time and resources expended by nonprofits to enter into the initial selection.

The responses on the interest form provide the minimum necessary information for the Foundation to determine program eligibility and learn a bit about each organization and their proposal. Will all organizations that submit an interest form be entered into the random selection? All eligible organizations that submit an interest form will be entered into the random selection process.

The Foundation will conduct an initial review of all submitted interest forms to determine whether each organization is eligible for the program. Organizations deemed ineligible will be removed from further consideration. None of the responses provided on the interest form will be used for any merit-based consideration or give preferential treatment to any applicant.

Why are there three target communities? The Minnesota Community IDEAS Program staff and Advisory Committee are committed to broad and equitable access to funding for organizations across the entire state of Minnesota and the 11 Native Nations within the same geography. We recognize that many communities across the state have been historically underserved by previous philanthropic opportunities.

The three target communities were identified to ensure resources are available broadly to historically underserved communities. Why are you using a random selection process to determine who gets to apply?

To lean more fully into our value of “community is our compass” when designing this grant program, in the fall of 2024, the Foundation convened an Advisory Committee of philanthropic and nonprofit leaders from across the state to design the Minnesota Community IDEAS Program.

Based on the input from our Advisory Committee, one of the items we took away as critical for applicants was respect for the time and resources each organization expends to seek funding. This included reducing the capacity needed to apply, providing a simplified application process, and providing unrestricted funding without formal reporting requirements.

To honor that input, we are piloting a random selection process for grant applicants with a goal to give equal opportunity to organizations with smaller staff and grantwriting capacity as larger, more staffed organizations may have.

Our intent with this process is to: Remove merit-based bias from initial selection and provide equal access to this opportunity for organizations of all sizes, capacities and resources Reduce the capacity organizations need to submit detailed merit-based applications Create opportunity for the Foundation to work more closely with selected organizations to develop the best application possible Compensate all organizations submitting applications within the program’s budget What can grant funds be used for?

Funding is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purposes that align with the vision and purpose of the Minnesota Community IDEAS Program including operating costs, program-related expenses, capital expenditures or whatever else would best support the organization's ongoing work. For example, some organizations use grant funds to hire or pay salaries for staff to support their idea.

Others may put the grant funds in reserves to free other resources and consider the long-term sustainability of their idea. Grant funds must be used for charitable purposes to benefit communities in Minnesota, and they may not be used to fund work in other states or regions, or any non-charitable purposes.

If you have specific questions about the grant program not addressed here, please contact the Minnesota Community IDEAS program team at MNCommunityIDEAS@spmcf. org or 651. 325.

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