Blaze Credit Union Foundation

In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 14 itemized grants totaling $154,780. Grants ranged from $9,580 to $21,700, with a median of $10,000. The largest listed grant was $21,700 to Gillette Children’s Hospital Foundation. Other notable grants were $12,500 to Saint Paul Public Schools and $11,000 to Blaze Credit Union. Twelve additional listed grants included $10,000 each to Think Small, Small Sums DBA At Home Group Inc., Cars for Neighbors Inc., Tree Trust, Western Communities Action Network Inc., Our Saviour’s Community Service, Construction Careers Foundation, People Responding in Social Ministry, and Model Cities of St. Paul Inc.; the filing also lists $10,000 to Open Door Outreach Center Inc. in Michigan.

The 2024 filing separately describes $125,000 in Community Impact Grants, $70,000 in student scholarships, and $22,400 in teacher grants. It says donation requests other than teacher grants, student scholarships, community grants, and donations to Children’s Miracle Network go through a contribution database and approval process; the three grant programs are decided through subcommittees.

The Foundation’s website invites eligible Minnesota nonprofits to request financial or in-kind support, including sponsorships and silent-auction items. It asks that donation requests be submitted at least three weeks before the event. The website says it cannot provide monetary donations to individuals or for-profit organizations, or to school extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, and booster programs; post-prom or post-grad parties; individual youth or amateur athletics teams; or school carnivals or galas. It says in-kind donations may be available for auctions, raffles, or prize giveaways.

The Teacher Grant program supports Minnesota K–12 public, private, and charter school educators with $500–$2,500 for underfunded classroom projects focused on student financial well-being and life skills. After-school and sports programs are not eligible. The 2026 application period runs August 10–October 3, 2026.

The scholarship program supports students pursuing post-secondary education through needs-based and member-exclusive awards. The 2026 application period ended March 31, 2026. The website lists $120,000 for 48 needs-based scholarships and $60,000 for 24 member-exclusive scholarships, each worth $2,500. The Foundation’s 2024 filing also reports awarding student scholarships; these awards are for individual students, not grants to outside organizations.