St. Cloud, Minnesota — The Central Minnesota Community Foundation and the Initiative Foundation jointly announced today that they are now accepting grant applications for the 2024 Rural Poverty Grant Round. The two foundations, in partnership, have made $20,000 available to grant to area nonprofits, schools and government agencies who are working to develop solutions and implement programs that alleviate poverty in rural areas. The deadline to submit online applications is midnight on June 30, 2024.
The Rural Poverty Fund seeks applications from agencies that serve rural populations in 14 central Minnesota area counties including Benton, Cass, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena and Wright counties and the sovereign Native nations of the Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Bands of Ojibwe that share our geography.
Grants are available for general operations and new or expanding programs/projects. Grants may establish or supplement existing emergency and transitional activities which directly address specific, immediate needs that people have due to poverty. Grants may also be used to assess community needs and assets, develop action plans, or provide for project implementation.
Grants must relate to a variety of identified programs or agency needs. Agencies are encouraged to apply for smaller grants of $1,000-$5,000. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, schools and local units of government. (Individuals are not eligible to apply.)
Grant guidelines and information on the online application process are available through the Central Minnesota Community Foundation’s website at: communitygiving.org/cmcfgrants. For more information, contact Tailor Doeden at the Central Minnesota Community Foundation at [email protected] or Nicole Clements at the Initiative Foundation at [email protected].
Brainerd Lakes, Paynesville and Willmar Area Community Foundations are partner Foundations, and the grant round is open to those served by those Foundations.
The Central Minnesota Community Foundation (CMCF) attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local community. Since 1985, CMCF has grown to $143.5 million in assets and awarded $155.3 million in grants to non-profits. The CMCF is governed by a local board of directors and is a partner of CommunityGiving, which is a network of community foundations united under a single framework to create efficiencies that maximize the impact of our donors. Collectively, CommunityGiving administers over 1,100 funds totaling over $225 million in assets. Learn more at communitygiving.org/cmcf
The Initiative Foundation serves the 14 counties and two Native nations of Central Minnesota: Benton, Cass, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena and Wright counties and the Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Bands of Ojibwe. Based in Little Falls, the Foundation exists to improve the quality of life and to build stronger communities in Central Minnesota by offering business loans, nonprofit grants, leadership training and donor services through its Partner Funds programs. Since 1986, the Initiative Foundation and its Partner Funds have invested multiple millions in the region through targeted grants and business financing investments. Learn more at ifound.org.