Community IDEAS Grant Program

The Community IDEAS Grant Program, managed by the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, aims to foster community-led change in Minnesota. With a total of nine grants of $125,000 each available in 2026, this program targets diverse communities, including Greater Minnesota, the Twin Cities Metro Area, and Native-led organizations. Eligible organizations must be nonprofit entities based in Minnesota, committed to using funds for charitable purposes that benefit their communities.

NOTE: Eligible organizations who complete an interest form will be entered into a random selection process to determine organizations invited to complete a full application.
Minnesota's Foundation
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The Minnesota Community IDEAS Program seeks to design, test and spread ideas that make our communities better for everyone and inspire, equip and connect people through meaningful, community-led change.
Grants will be awarded within three target communities, with three grants awarded within each of the communities:
Greater MinnesotaOrganizations located outside the 7-County Metro Area.Twin Cities 7-county Metro AreaOrganizations located within the seven counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington.Native-led, Native-serving organizationsWithin Minnesota and the 11 Native Nations that share the same geography.Organizations must have at least 51% of the Board of Directors and Senior Leadership identifying as Native to be considered Native-led.
This program’s selection criteria focus on an organization’s transformational impact; or the long lasting, meaningful change that can happen through ideas of all sizes, within communities of all sizes, and through organizations of all sizes.
Selection Criteria
This statewide grant program was informed by, and developed alongside, community members. Grant selection will be determined by community members through Community Selection Committees that will consider the following criteria for grant review and selection.
Innovation: Communities advance creative solutions to their challenges and opportunitiesDevelopment: Communities develop, test and spread ideas.Equity: Communities are equipped and connected to benefit from change.Agency: Communities inform and form change.Solutions: Communities realize significant, long-lasting change
Funding
In 2026, the Minnesota Community IDEAS Program will award nine grants of $125,000 each. Grants will be awarded on an annual basis, one round per year.
Funding is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purposes that align with the vision and purpose of the Minnesota Community IDEAS Program, including operating costs, program-related expenses, capital expenditures or whatever else would best support the organization's ongoing good work.
In 2026, nine selected organizations will each receive a total award of $125,000. To ensure broad and equitable distribution across the entire state of Minnesota and the 11 Native Nations within the same geography, the Foundation will distribute grants into three target communities.

Eligibility

Grants will be awarded to Minnesota nonprofit organizations meeting the following criteria:Organizations must be located in Minnesota. If awarded, all grant funds must be used for charitable purposes to benefit communities in Minnesota.Organizations that are 501(c)(3) public charities or government entities (including schools and tribal governments) are eligible to apply.The Foundation accepts applications from organizations or programs that are fiscally sponsored. Fiscal sponsors must be 501(c)(3) public charities or government entities (including schools and tribal governments).Groups of organizations (such as coalitions or collaboratives) are eligible to apply, but only one organization may apply and receive the award on behalf of the group.Only one interest form may be submitted for each eligible organization.

Ineligibility

Organizations that received Minnesota Community IDEAS awards in the past are not eligible to apply.