The Initiative Foundation is seeking proposals for the COVID-19 Grant Program. Grants are made through the following funding mechanisms:
- Central Minnesota Emergency Relief and Recovery Fund: Initiative Foundation grants typically support start-up or capacity-building projects across the 14 counties of Central Minnesota. However, they are redirecting efforts through September 2020 to respond to community needs and the sweeping effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Refer to the 2020 Innovation Fund Review Schedule for dates.
- Partner Funds: A number of grants awarded through the Initiative Foundation are funded by donor-advised or community-based Partner Funds. Each fund has specific priority areas and varying grant schedules. Many of their Partner Funds and their advisory teams also are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and awarding grants accordingly.
Priorities
- Priority will be given to new or existing programs or services that provide for the basic needs of individuals and families negatively affected by the COVID-19 health crisis. Examples include food security, housing, clothing, health care and employment.
- Due to current funding limitations, the likely maximum grant award is expected to be $5,000. Larger grants may be considered based on the scale of impact. Although they strongly encourage local support, they are waiving normal expectation that local support be at least 50 percent of a program or project’s estimated cost.
Eligibility Criteria
Grant applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits, school districts or local units of government that serve the people and communities in Benton, Cass, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena and Wright counties, and the sovereign tribal nations of the Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Bands of Ojibwe. Funding requests for use outside of this geography will not be considered. Individuals are not eligible to apply for grant funds.
Deadline Date - 07-Aug-2020