First Quarter Grants 2020
During the first quarter of 2020, the Northwest Area Foundation approved 34 grants worth $2,567,219, including $200,000 in emergency grants toward pooled funds at four organizations supporting COVID-19 relief efforts. We also issued one Program Related Investment (PRI) worth $1,000,000.
This quarter’s grant funding touches on work being done in each of our four interlocking portfolios, as well as sponsorships and work related to general projects that are not designated to a specific portfolio. Our COVID-19 emergency grants strengthen financial efforts by foundations providing critical emergency assistance to community-based nonprofits helping underserved communities in our region.
Our grants support organizations anchored in the culture of the people they serve across our region of eight states and 76 Native nations. Our grantees are dedicated to expanding economic opportunity in under-resourced communities by advancing good jobs and financial capability. They build on the untapped potential within our priority communities: Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, and people in rural areas.
Our PRIs provide social and economic returns by investing in organizations that provide capital and support for new and growing businesses in underserved areas in our region.
We include grants of $10,000 or more below. For information on grants of less than $10,000, please visit our grants database.
Grants to Support COVID-19 Response Efforts
Headwaters Foundation for Justice of Minneapolis received $50,000 to support its Communities First Fund, established to help a network of grantee organizations led by Blacks, indigenous people, and people of color across Minnesota as they help communities facing social, political, and economic consequences resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
Grant term: March 17, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2020
Idaho Community Foundation of Boise, ID, received $50,000 to support its COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund for Idaho, a joint effort between three organizations to provide grants to trusted organizations that support and serve low-income Idahoans, filling the gap not covered by efforts being put in place through public city, state, and federal institutions.
Grant term: April 1, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2020
The Saint Paul Foundation of St. Paul (which merged with Minnesota Community Foundation and is now known as Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation) received $50,000 to support its efforts related to the Minnesota Disaster Recovery Fund (MDRF). MDRF, with financial support from nearly 50 philanthropic entities, funds both short- and long-term needs for those who are vulnerable and at risk within Minnesota communities as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic (including individuals and families, nonprofits experiencing increased demand for services or struggling due to social distancing recommendations, and small businesses experiencing interrupted operations).
Grant term: March 17, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2020
Seattle Foundation of Seattle received $50,000 to support its COVID-19 Response Fund, a broad coalition of 40+ partners from philanthropy, business, and government that have come together with emergency assistance such as financial support, health care, and child care to support Seattle-area workers and families in the region’s most vulnerable communities affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Grant term: March 20, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2020
Grants to Provide Access to Capital
Grants to Advance Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Growth
The following grant is in support of the groundbreaking work of Native CDFIs through our collaboration with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines):
Native American Development Corporation of Billings, MT, will receive $300,000 over three and a half years to support lending capital for businesses in its target market.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2020 – June 30, 2023
Grants to Support Enterprise Development
First Nations Development Institute of Longmont, CO, will receive $483,850 over two years to support the Changing Native Food Economies cohort, bringing together two overarching initiatives—food sovereignty and asset building—in an effort to help develop strong, diverse, and resilient tribal economies.
Grant term: March 1, 2020 – Feb. 28, 2022
Summit Academy OIC of Minneapolis will receive $400,000 over two years for continued growth and diversification of adult education, training, and job placement services, as well as support for an educational ecosystem designed to build STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and information technology talent in north Minneapolis.
Grant term: April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2022
Grants to Promote Financial Inclusion
Blackfeet Community College of Browning, MT, received $150,000 to support the Smart Money Financial Literacy program, which provides financial literacy classes to a variety of community members: grade school, high school, and college students; adult community members; and elders. The program’s goal is to foster healthy financial attitudes and behaviors in families and the community.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2020
NeighborImpact of Redmond, OR, will receive $150,000 over two years to support continuation of its Goal Savers program, including financial education classes, coaching, and flexible-match saving.
Grant term: Feb. 1, 2020 – Jan. 31, 2022
Grants to Expand Work Opportunity
Cankdeska Cikana Community College of Fort Totten, ND, received $199,300 for the Comprehensive Career Life Skills project, providing continued support to reservation tribal college students by institutionalizing the career services director position for stronger cohesion among the various existing service programs.
Grant term: Jan. 1, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2021
Opportunity Link of Havre, MT, will receive $400,000 over two years to support continued regional economic development programming in north central Montana, including working directly with four tribal communities on their programming under the Vibrant Tribal Economies Initiative.
Grant term: April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2022
General Grants
When we fund projects that help organizations and communities in ways that aren’t specifically associated with one of our four interlocking portfolios, we include those grants in the “General” category. General grants of $10,000 or more are listed below. For information on general grants of less than $10,000, please visit our grants database.
Project IOWA (Iowa Opportunities for Workforce Advancement) of Des Moines will receive $200,000 over two years to support its efforts to increase the number of minorities and members of marginalized communities attaining good jobs through individual, community, and systems-level strategies.
Grant term: April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2022
Release MN 8 of St. Paul received $25,000 to support its efforts to raise awareness and end the detention and deportation of Southeast Asians in Minnesota and across the US.
Grant term: April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021
The Saint Paul Foundation of St. Paul (which merged with Minnesota Community Foundation and is now known as Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation) received $25,000 to support the Minnesota Homeless Fund, which will provide nimble funding for crisis response, shelter, and low-barrier affordable housing across the state.
Grant term: Feb. 10, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2020
Program Related Investment
Northeast South Dakota Economic Corporation of Sisseton, SD, will receive $1 million over five years to support capitalization of its revolving loan fund as lending capital for its small-business loan program.
Grant term: April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2025
Sponsorships
Sponsorships support opportunities for grantees to participate in activities that advance their learning, build relationships, exchange ideas and resources, and collaborate in unexpected ways. When sponsorships of $10,000 or more are awarded, we list them here. For information on sponsorships of less than $10,000, please visit our grants database.
Center for Economic Inclusion of Minneapolis received $10,000 as a sponsorship for its 2020 Powering Inclusion Summit: Reexamining History to Build an Inclusive Economy.
Grant term: April 30, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2020