Deadline: 15-Mar-22
The Blandin Foundation is offering its Grant Program for large-scale projects with long timelines that address systemic community change.
Grants for work in other parts of rural Minnesota focus on high-impact projects that other rural communities can learn from and emulate.
Focus Areas
Blandin Foundation is both a responsive and strategic grantmaker. They welcome applications from current and potential grantees working to strengthen rural Minnesota communities, and concentrate the investments in three primary strategic areas of focus.
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Itasca County Area Vibrancy: Blandin Foundation's most substantial and broadest form of grantmaking occurs in North-Central Minnesota (Itasca County and the neighboring communities of Blackduck, Northome, Hill City and Remer). They support work that helps meet the economic, social, physical, cultural and spiritual / wellness needs of Itasca-area residents. Blandin Foundation welcomes inquires from organizations that:
- Prioritize collaboration: diverse people and organizations work together to achieve a common goal
- Engage those needed to create the intended change: leaders seek and include a variety of perspectives, especially those directly affected by the problem.
- Resourcefully build on existing community assets: community context is taken into consideration, has several sources of funding, and demonstrates community support.
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Rural Community Leadership: In addition to community leadership training programs, Blandin Foundation offers grants to support community leaders as they think holistically and act collaboratively on systems-level (embedded policies or practices that perpetuate community inequities) issues they have identified as critical to the health and resiliency of their community. Blandin Foundation welcomes inquires from organizations that:
- Inform and connect community leaders to issues relevant among rural Minnesotans: leaders stay current on topics, trends and issues that impact their communities.
- Support and sustain networks of rural leaders: leaders are equipped with skills and abilities to strengthen their communities and / or lead on diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Equip Blandin Leadership Program alumni to move forward a cohort-identified idea: leaders take courageous action to address barriers in their community, especially socio-economic, racial and cultural barriers.
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Expand Opportunity: Grants support projects that improve and align education, entrepreneurship, quality employment and innovations to expand opportunity for every community member. Blandin Foundation welcomes inquiries from organizations leading projects that:
- Engage broader sections of the current or potential workforce: create or expand educational and employment opportunities, especially for youth and people who have been persistently excluded.
- Use existing assets in creative ways: incorporate a community's economic strengths in new ways to innovate based on existing enterprises and cultural, creative, or natural assets.
- Forge stronger relationships between education and employment systems: two or more entities work together to improve educational and employment outcomes for people living in rural Minnesota.
Funding Information
Applications for grants $ 50,000 and less are reviewed as they are received. You will generally receive an acknowledgment within a week and a decision within 30-45 days.
Eligibility Criteria
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Eligible organizations and activities are:
- Minnesota organizations serving, and preferably located in, rural communities of 35,000 residents or less
- Project has a clearly defined charitable purpose recognized by the IRS
- Align with Blandin Foundation's focus areas
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Ineligible organizations and activities are:
- Projects benefiting metropolitan areas of the state (Minneapolis / St. Paul, Duluth, Moorhead, Rochester, St. Cloud, Mankato)
- Projects outside the state of Minnesota
- Religious activities
- Medical research
- Travel grants for individuals or groups
- Camping and athletic programs
- Ordinary government services
- Grants solely intended to influence specific legislation or a specific candidate
For more information, visit Blandin Foundation.
For more information, visit https://blandinfoundation.org/news-room/events/grants-over-50000/