Community Opportunity Fund: Transformation Grant- Belonging Focus

The Community Opportunity Fund: Belonging Grant, offered by Boreal Waters Community Foundation, aims to foster inclusive spaces where all voices are valued. This grant supports community-driven projects that enhance collaboration and respect among diverse groups, particularly those from historically marginalized communities. It provides funding for program support, operating expenses, and capacity building to ensure lasting impact. By prioritizing equity and community ownership, this initiative seeks transformative change across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.

The Community Opportunity Fund is the heart of our work at Boreal Waters. It’s how we unite generosity across the region to spark bold ideas, strengthen local nonprofits, and create lasting change for communities across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
As our region’s permanent civic endowment, the Fund directs resources where they’re needed most—supporting transformative, collaborative projects that help communities thrive, even in times of challenge. And it’s made possible by people like you.
The Transformation Grant supports efforts that don’t just respond to immediate needs, but shift the conditions that create them. These grants help organizations address root causes, build cross-sector partnerships, and expand long-term systems of equity and connection.
What We Mean by Transformational Work
‍Transformational projects create long-lasting change by shifting the conditions that impact people and communities. While every initiative will look different, transformational work often includes many of the elements below:
Upstream FocusAddresses root causes of inequitiesPrioritizes prevention and long-term solutionsCollaboration & Community VoiceBuilds authentic, cross-sector partnershipsCenters the expertise of people with lived experience in design and decision-makingEquity-Centered ImpactPrioritizes historically marginalized populationsMoves resources or power closer to impacted communitiesSystems & Policy InfluenceImproves institutional practices, policies, resource flows, or community-level systemsHas potential to be replicated or scaledSustainability & Capacity BuildingPlans for impact that continues beyond the grant periodStrengthens organizational or community capacityEvidence of ChangeUses data, learning, or storytelling to demonstrate impactContributes to broader understanding of what works for equity, belonging, and resilience.
Focus Areas
Transformation Grant must align with one, or more of the following focus areas:
‍Opportunity ResilienceBelonging - Creating spaces and opportunities where all people are valued, heard, and are able to thrive. Projects amplify voices, foster creative expression, and create a vibrant, inclusive culture.Elevating diverse voices and lived experiencesCreating spaces that foster connection, respect, safety, and shared humanityAdvancing community bonds and equitable practices
What The Transformation Grant Does Fund
‍We provide flexible grant support to help nonprofits and community organizations advance meaningful, community-driven work that aligns with our three focus areas: Opportunity, Resilience, and Belonging. All funded work should demonstrate the potential to be transformative—not only addressing immediate needs, but also shifting systems, strengthening long-term community capacity, and creating more equitable conditions.
Initiatives or Project Support:Funding to launch, expand, or sustain specific initiatives that advance Opportunity, Resilience, or Belonging.Priority is given to projects that demonstrate transformational potential, including collaboration across sectors, an upstream focus on root causes, or strategies designed for long-term, equitable impact.Community-Led Solutions & Collaboration:Funding for community-driven work that centers lived experience, builds trust, and cultivates cross-sector collaboration.Transformative efforts often emerge from partnerships that elevate community voice, share decision-making power, and create pathways for collective action.Systems Change & Upstream ImpactSupport for work that goes beyond direct service to change the conditions that create inequities—shaping policies, practices, resource flows, institutional norms, and community-level systems.These projects address root causes and strengthen long-term Opportunity, Resilience, and Belonging across the region.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for funding, an organization must:Be classified as one of the following:Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (i.e., traditional nonprofit)Section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code (e.g., governmental entities and schools)Section 7871 Tribal governmentChurchOrganization with a fiscal agent that is classified as one of the aboveBe located in or provide service to residents within:Bayfield, Douglas and Ashland Counties in northwest Wisconsin; orAitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis Counties in northeast Minnesota; orthe Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa/Mashkiiziibii, the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa/Atisokanigamig, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa/Nah-Gah-Chi-Wa-Nong, the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa/Gichi Onigaming, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe or the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa/Gaa-Miskwaabikaang

Ineligibility

What We Will Not Fund Through the Transformation Grant- To ensure alignment with our mission and priorities, we typically do not fund the following:Individuals (e.g., personal scholarships, stipends, or direct aid not managed by a nonprofit organization)Capital campaigns or large-scale construction projectsOne-time equipment purchases without a clear connection to long-term impact or strategyFundraising events or sponsorships (e.g., galas, tournaments)Political campaigns or lobbying effortsReligious organizations for religious activities (faith-based organizations may apply for non-religious, community-serving programs)Medical researchDebt retirement or deficit fundingRegranting to other organizations — funds must be used directly by the applicant to carry out the proposed workEndowmentsProjects not aligned with our focus areas of Opportunity, Resilience, or Belonging