February 12
Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) provides expansive funding opportunities to strengthen the nation’s arts and culture ecosystem. Through project-based funding, the program supports opportunities for public engagement with the arts and arts education, for the integration of the arts with strategies promoting the health and well-being of people and communities, and for the improvement of overall capacity and capabilities within the arts sector. Applications are welcomed from organizations serving rural, urban, suburban, and tribal communities of all sizes; and from organizations with small, medium, or large operating budgets. This grant funds art projects in the following disciplines: Artist Communities, Arts Education, Dance, Design, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Media Arts, Museums, Music, Musical Theater, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works, Theater, and Visual Arts.February 14 (5 PM)
The Justice & Liberation fund provides financial resources to Black-led groups working on the frontlines of justice. Organizations selected will receive unrestricted, general operating support of $50,000 paid out over two years. These grants will advance and strengthen the Black movement ecosystem in Minnesota.February 15
The Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) offers awards for the implementation of Holly Maxson Conservation Grants. The grants are designed to build awareness among students (middle school through undergraduate) about conservation and related fields and to encourage students to consider the field of conservation as a career path. A broad range of projects might be proposed, such as curriculum development, online resources, pilot projects within an institution, or video production. Two or more awards will be given every two years.February 15
Grants support projects and activities that improve public understanding of conservation and support under resourced institutions in meeting their collection care needs. This could include collaborating with an institution on rehousing of collections or giving a public lecture to help advance awareness of the conservation field. Priority will be given to projects and programming that develop community awareness of conservation, engage media coverage of conservation activities, and create connections between conservation practitioners and allied practitioners and/or the public.February 24
The Recordings at Risk grant program supports the preservation of rare, unique, or historically significant audio and audiovisual recordings that are threatened by degradation or obsolete formats. Administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources and funded by the Mellon Foundation, the program provides regranting funds to help organizations digitize fragile time‑based media—such as magnetic tape, discs, film, and other formats—to ensure these recordings can be preserved, accessed, and used by researchers and the public for years to come.Opens: January 26
Letters of Intent Due: TBD
Better Communities Grants are Rochester Area Foundation’s competitive grant awards, providing unrestricted funding for the core mission of critical community organizations. The purpose of these grants is twofold. First, we seek to empower nonprofits to expand, improve or pursue their best ideas, and second, to build the capacity and infrastructure of organizations that are poised for growth. RAF recognizes that support for general operations is some of the hardest funding to secure. Yet the uninterrupted running of core organizational activities is essential to the success of thriving communities.March 1
The Society for Industrial Archeology offers Industrial Heritage Preservation Grants (DeLony Grants) from $1000 to $3000 for the study, documentation, recordation, and/or preservation of significant historic industrial sites, structures, and objects. Awards are made to nonprofit organizations and qualified individuals. Contributions of in-kind services, as well as cash resources from the sponsoring and cosponsoring agencies may qualify for matching purposes. Funds may be used for a range of projects including, but not limited to: increasing public awareness of preservation efforts, photography, videography, preparing inventories and developing measured drawings of extant significant industrial sites, structures, maritime facilities and industrial artifacts.March 2
This fund aims to save historic environments in order to foster an appreciation of our nation’s diverse cultural heritage and to preserve and revitalize the livability of the nation’s communities. Grants from the Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation generally range from $2,500 to $15,000. Applicants must be either a public agency, 501(c) (3), or other nonprofit organization to be considered eligible.March 2
The purpose of the fund is to assist in the preservation, restoration, and interpretation of historic interiors. Grants may be made for activities and projects such as:March 6
This grant supports Minnesota school districts, charter schools, and tribal schools in creating, evaluating, and implementing ethnic studies coursework for grades 5-12. Rooted in recent state legislation that expands ethnic studies instruction statewide, this competitive grant helps schools develop meaningful, community-informed curricula that reflect diverse histories, cultures, and experiences and enrich student learning across disciplines.Registration Request Deadline: March 12
Through this program, direct support will be provided to community-based archives that represent and serve communities marginalized due to oppression. These grants may provide support in one or more of the following areas of need:March 15
The Games and Gaming Round Table of the American Library Association is proud to sponsor its annual grant program to enable libraries to develop gaming programs or collections for their public. Through the Game On! Grant, $2000 will be available to be awarded either as one grant of $2000 or two of $1000 each to assist a library (or libraries) in developing gaming programs or collections for their communities. GameRT members in good standing currently employed at a public, school, academic or special library in the United States or Canada are eligible to apply. GameRT membership requires ALA membership. Libraries will need to illustrate a plan for a sustainable gaming program or collection created with the funds as well as financial need and institutional support for the proposed project.March 20
Operation Round Up is a program that allows members of the People's Energy Cooperative to simply "round up" electric bills to the next highest dollar and that monthly contribution to the trust fund is as little as a penny, but never more than 99 cents. The concept behind the program is to extend the principle on which electric cooperatives were built over 80 years ago - neighbor-helping-neighbor. ORU contributions are used primarily in the local area served by the Cooperative for charitable and educational purposes, including emergency energy assistance. The funding priority categories are: Community Service; Economic Development; Education and Youth; Environment; Emergency Energy Assistance. Contributions will generally be made only to non-profit organizations that have been granted tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(C) (3).Opens March 5
Deadline March 26
The purpose of this funding is to create or expand community learning centers in order to provide high-quality academic support, enrichment and youth development programs during non-school hours for young people and their families. Funded entities must do 3 things: 1. Provide opportunities for academic enrichment 2. Offer students a broad array of additional services, programs, and activities 3. Offer families of students served opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children’s education. Local education agencies (LEA), Minnesota’s 11 federally recognized tribes, tribal organizations, American Indian organizations, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, non-profit agencies and for- profit corporations, city or county governments, institutions of higher education, and other public or private entities are eligible to apply.March 31
T-Mobile Hometown Grants is a $25 million, five-year initiative to support the people and organizations who help small towns across America thrive and grow. Hometown Grants are given every quarter to up to 25 small towns. Elected officials, town managers/employees, tribal leaders, and nonprofit community leaders from town with a population less than 50,000 can apply for up to $50,000 in funding to support a community project of your choice, like revitalizing or repurposing a historic structure, creating a downtown asset or destination, or improving a space where friends and neighbors gather. Projects that add to a sense of place or could lead to further investment are of particular interest.April 10
These grants primarily fund projects that can be completed within 12 months. Small grants award notifications are sent eight weeks after the application deadline. While there is no pre-application process for small grants, Grants Office staff are available to discuss your project as you prepare your application. If not funded, you will receive feedback on your application so that you can strengthen it and re-apply in another cycle. Structured grants, a simplified small grant option, are tailored to specific types of projects, such as developing a disaster plan for a small repository, acquiring microfilm, or conducting a museum self-assessment. All structured grants are small grants, and follow the small grants process listed above; however, the applicant must simply use the appropriate short form structured grant application rather than the standard Minnesota Historical & Cultural Heritage Grants application form. MNHS small grants are awarded quarterly, and applications are due on the second Friday of January, April, July, and October.Opens: March 16
LOI Due: April 17
Application Deadline: May 18
The Hungry for History® grant program celebrates America’s food history by telling the stories of local and regional food specialties across the United States. This program is designed to commemorate significant food dishes created prior to 1970 and the role they played in defining American culture and forging community identity. Hungry for History is intended to help communities nationwide put the spotlight on their renowned locally and regionally created food dishes with historic roadside markers.Opens: March 16
LOI Due: April 17
Application Deadline: May 18
The Historic Transportation Marker Grant Program helps communities across the United States celebrate and share their transportation history with the public. Through this initiative, fully-funded cast-aluminum historical markers highlight significant transportation subjects—such as canals, bridges and tunnels, railroads, and early aviation—that shaped the movement of people and goods prior to 1945. These markers preserve local heritage, educate residents and visitors, and bring greater recognition to important transportation stories in towns and regions nationwide.Opens: March 9
Application Deadline: April 27
Does your community have a great piece of folklore that should be shared? Legends & Lore is designed to promote cultural tourism and commemorate legends and folklore as part of our heritage. Generally speaking, folklore is the stories, customs, traditions, and expressive arts and crafts that are passed on from one person to another, often from generation to generation. Folklore is the knowledge that people share as members of a group or community. Our shared identities and sense of belonging are the result of shared traditions, stories, customs, and activities.Rolling basis through October 15, 2026, or until all funds have been expended
For organizations that work to create, celebrate, and teach the art, culture, and heritage of the many diverse cultural groups that make up Minnesota, including but not limited to Indigenous organizations, communities whose culture and heritage have been historically underrepresented, recent immigrant communities, and veterans. Emergency Response grants are to be used to assist communities responding to major events in Minnesota to:Projects must be completed by May 31, 2026
Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) is the premier educational program by the Library of Congress. The TPS Midwest Region, which covers Minnesota, is managed by Illinois State University. The Midwest Region offers grants up to $25,000 to organizations interested in the Library's mission to engage all Americans with the use of primary source material. A successful grant application will include a thorough description of the intended project, its audience, and content, as well as be supported by a timeline of activities, budget, and narrative. Evaluators also look for management supports and a sustainability plan. TPS Regional directors make granting decisions within six weeks of submission.