Economic Development, Workforce Grants

About The Initiative Foundation

The Initiative Foundation awards grants across the 14 counties and two Native nations of Central Minnesota. Grants are provided for projects and programs that advance shared missions to empower people across Central Minnesota to build a thriving economy, vibrant communities, and a lasting culture of generosity.

Emphasis

The grants are geared toward early-stage or pilot projects, or new strategies that encourage economic development that includes workforce development and initiatives that attract and retain workers in the region.

We fund projects that …

• create new partnerships to support sector-specific apprenticeships, internships or mentoring programs
• encourage building affordable housing
• incentivize business growth that provides family sustaining wages to employees
• encourage entrepreneurial activity
• complete feasibility analysis or other preliminary design or business model assessment.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

• The Initiative Foundation supports local units of government, Tribal governments and economic development nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status.
• Grant applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits, school districts or local units of government that serve the people and communities in Benton, Cass, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena and Wright counties, and the portions of the sovereign tribal nations of the Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Bands of Ojibwe which lay within these counties.

Ineligibility

• We don’t fund community marketing, billboard campaigns or general marketing programs.
• We also don’t fund:
  • single-company or organization-focused projects such as marketing and recruitment campaigns,
  • human resources costs such as onboarding or training, or
  • other expenses that are routine costs of operation.