Embedded Files
March
March
March 6 by 5 PM
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:- Operational costs, including staff, space, and utilities.
- Collections care, including the acquisition of new materials, physical and digital storage fees, and access and preservation efforts.
- Programming activities, including events, exhibitions, and increased community usage.
Community-based archives are defined as organizations that gather and share materials as members of under-documented communities to preserve and celebrate their collective histories. These archives serve to affirm and uplift their community’s existence and identity, to help combat patterns of misinformation, and to provide a trusted environment for the perpetuation of community traditions, art forms, and languages, among other forms of empowerment. Formed as counter responses to a long legacy of oversight and extraction by mainstream cultural heritage institutions and by the academy, these archives are essential to the creation of a more inclusive and multivocal American story.
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 15
Grants from the Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation are awarded to U.S. based organizations with tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) status, or to individuals or small organizations utilizing fiscal sponsors. The Foundation funds photography-based programs or projects related to the following:- Education: Photography education classes that benefit either K-12 students or adults. Proposals for education programs related to exhibitions should be submitted in this category
- Professional Development: Workshops, mentorships, fellowships, internships, artist residencies, or other photo-related professional development programs
- Archiving / Cataloging: Archiving, keywording, cataloging, or otherwise preserving photographic collections
- Community Projects: Projects that focus on documentary photography within a community, with a strong component of community collaboration
- Exhibitions: Solo or group shows with exhibition budgets under $50,000
- Other Photography Projects: Personal photography projects, awards, honoraria, or other
March 17 at 2 PM
SMIF’s Early Literacy Grant program is designed to support early literacy efforts that enhance school readiness for children birth to age eight by providing children with books. Organizations working with these children are encouraged to apply for books to be given to families to keep and read to their children. The Early Literacy Grant program receives books through partnerships with Mankato-based publishing companies, Capstone and ABDO.
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).
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
April
April 3
Schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations who help K-12 students that are below grade level or having trouble reading are eligible to apply. Grant funding is provided to assist in the following areas:- Implementing new or expanding existing literacy programs
- Purchasing new technology or equipment to support literacy initiatives
- Purchasing books, materials or software for literacy programs
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.May
May
May 1
As communities across Minnesota navigate a year like no other, the Minnesota Association of Library Friends wants to empower Friends of the Library and their libraries to rise to the occasion. MALF’s new Good Neighbor Grant is making monetary grants up to $1,000 available to member organizations eager to support solutions to whatever problems loom largest in your community. This program is, by design, broad and responsive in nature. A wide array of purchases and priorities are qualified for consideration, provided only that the priority identified involves the local library and centers a pressing community need. Applicants must be MALF members
May 1
This grant program is intended to encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects in small towns with populations of 10,000 or less. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for particular projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector. Grants from the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns 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.Opens: April 6
LOI Due: May 4
The Hometown Heritage Marker Grant Program supports communities in commemorating locally and regionally significant people, places, events, and stories through fully funded roadside historical markers. This nationwide initiative is designed to capture and share meaningful moments from community history—especially in areas without existing marker programs or for topics not eligible for state programs—helping preserve heritage, educate the public and celebrate milestones that shaped a community’s identity.
LOI Due: May 15
The Needmor Fund for Social Justice seeks to support community organizing groups with the following characteristics:- Organizes low and moderate-income people: Recruits and engages members from historically disenfranchised communities.
- Engages those whose participation in our democratic society has been systemically denied: This includes but is not limited to, those who have traditionally been excluded — i.e., low- and moderate-income communities, Black, Indigenous, and People(s) of Color (BIPOC), the disabled, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community.
- Membership-based and democratically run: Dues paying members determine the agenda of the organization.
- Leadership development: Develops and trains a cadre of strong grassroots leaders.
- Multi-issue: Addresses issues of race, immigration, poverty, economic justice, and low-wage work.
- Engages in direct action: Has a power analysis and clear plan for winning concrete victories that alter the relations of power in its community.
- Balances issue work with base building: Effectively links issues to building organization and power.
- Builds power: Has a larger vision to aggregate power, taking on bigger policy issues and expanding its base of allies to increase its impact over time.
- Well managed: Has a financial and fundraising plan, engages in strategic planning, and has strong leadership and lively governance.
Rolling Basis
Rolling Basis
The Americana Foundation provides grants for projects focused on the preserving expressions of America’s heritage, supporting an inclusive narrative of early American art & history, and programming focused on American heritage. Grants typically range between $10,000 and $25,000 and usually are awarded for a one-year period. Americana's grant application process has two stages: a letter of intent and a full application. LOIs can be submitted any time. The board considers full grant applications four times per year, usually in February, May, September, and December.
The Brooks and Joan Fortune Foundation (BJFF) primarily provides funds to support education, art, and outreach programs and projects. In general, the foundation desires to support specific activities that result in a defined outcome rather than general operating funds or fundraising campaigns. While the foundation activities have historically been located in Indiana and Florida, requests from around the country will certainly be considered. All recipients must have a 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS. Applications may be submitted between April 1 and December 31 via our Online Grants Manager. They will be screened and evaluated upon receipt to determine eligibility. Organizations will be notified via email as to the status of their proposal. Grant funding is dispersed throughout the year.
The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program provides $10,000 in funding for resident-driven groups in small cities and towns to start the Community Heart & Soul model. Grant funding requires a $10,000 cash match from the participating municipality or a partnering organization. Applications may be submitted at any time. Applications submitted by 10:59 PM CT on the last day of the month will be considered in the following month.
The mission of the Jan Stauber Grants is to provide needed financial assistance to persons and organizations developing literacy programs and other educational experiences that will introduce young people to Sherlock Holmes. Applications can be submitted at any time, and libraries can be awarded up to $1,000 for a project.
The Jeffris Family Foundation invites applications for grants from the Jeffris Heartland Fund, to support the development of important historic preservation projects in the states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The decision to pursue a grant from the Jeffris Heartland Fund must be made in consultation with a Director of the Foundation to discuss your project and request a Jeffris Heartland Fund application form. Directors can also assist grant-seekers with the application process, provide related technical assistance to guide wise and constructive use of the grant funding, and administer grants once awarded. Applications, once invited, are accepted at any time. Award notices are issued within approximately 30 days of receipt of the application. Grants will be made in the range of $5,000 to $50,000 to cover 50% the cost of an Historic Structure Report, and must be matched dollar-for-dollar with cash from sources unrelated to the Jeffris Family.
The PFund Foundation offers event sponsorships for events, gatherings, conferences, and convenings serving a primarily LGBTQ+ audience. Sponsorship amounts typically range from $500 - $1,000 and organizations are limited to receiving one sponsorship per calendar year. Applications are reviewed on the last Monday of each month. After grants are reviewed, payment processing takes about 4 weeks. Please make sure to apply at least 60-days before your event date.
Through the Impact Library Program, Little Free Library provides free book exchanges where they can have a meaningful impact in the United States. The program aims to strengthen community ties, inspire readers, expand easy book access, positively influence literacy outcomes, and make Little Free Libraries available in high-need areas. Applications are reviewed monthly and applicants are notified by the end of the month after the month they applied.
The Arts & Culture program funds organizations across many artistic disciplines and cultural practices and support structures that equip and empower artists and culture bearers to practice, to produce, and to lead. This grant provides general operating (unrestricted) and specific program/project (restricted) grants to organizations, groups, and Tribal Nations primarily in Minnesota.
This program seeks to build vibrant and equitable communities for all Minnesotans by working to transform existing systems and create new ones that enable every resident, regardless of race, geography, or income, to have opportunities for upward economic mobility, individual and generational wealth building, access to stable, affordable housing, and an ability to meaningfully and fairly engage in civic and democratic processes. We provide operating and project grants to organizations in Minnesota. With very few exceptions, applicants must be classified by the Internal Revenue Service as tax-exempt nonprofit organizations to be eligible for a grant. Government entities may apply for funding for innovative projects. However, we generally will not fund activities that are traditionally the sole responsibility of government.
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:- Facilitate the process of grieving,
- Encourage healing,
- Create memorials, and/or
- Assist in recovery of the community.
Funded by the Minnesota Department of Health and carried out by the St. Paul Conservatory of Music, this program aims to improve student social-emotional health, enhance musical arts awareness, improve engagement in school, and increase community vitality through music. Students involved in the program will have an opportunity to engage in artistically excellent individual and group music instruction from St. Paul Conservatory of Music faculty.
The Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund helps to build the capacity of existing preservation organizations and encourages collaboration among these organizations by providing grants for mentoring and other peer-to-peer and direct organizational development and learning opportunities. The purpose of these grants is to support the leadership and effectiveness of staff and board members of preservation organizations to fulfill their mission and to create a stronger, more effective preservation movement. By linking organizations with specific skills/programs to those seeking to develop similar abilities, the Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund promotes individualized mentoring and the sharing of expertise. Valuable lessons can be learned from someone who has successfully navigated the same situation that an organization currently faces. Grants from the Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund support travel costs and mentor honoraria with a maximum reimbursement of $2,500. Only Organizational Level Forum members or Main Street America members of the National Trust for Historic Preservation are eligible to apply for funding from the Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund grant program. To learn more about Forum and join today, visit our website.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. More than 93,000 properties are listed in the National Register, representing 1.8 million contributing resources (e.g. buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects). When a property or district is placed on the National Register, the designation does not include funding for a plaque or sign. As a result, many do not have any signage. The Pomeroy Foundation bridges this gap to provide grants so public properties & historic districts can commemorate their placement and share this achievement with their community.
The Rural Technology Fund provides grants for Rural Technology Education projects and Assistive Technology projects. If you are interested in applying for funding to support your project, please review the grant types at the link below and be sure you submit to the correct application. Applications are reviewed and grants are awarded every 30-60 days, and there are no specific deadlines for applying. Grant are available to school and organizations operating in the United States.
Believe in Reading awards grants to existing and provably successful literacy programs. Organizations that have been designated as having tax exempt status according to the IRS Code Section 501(c)(3), or its equivalent for educational institutions, including public libraries, can apply. Believe in Reading will consider funding programs that serve any age or aspect of supporting reading and literacy, including adult literacy, English as a second language projects, or Braille related projects for the blind or visually impaired. Because addressing literacy is not a short-term process, Believe in Reading’s grants are renewable for up to a maximum of three years, but a first year award does not guarantee any subsequent awards. At this time, the maximum grant amount is $10,000, however the vast majority of grants awarded are for $3,000 or less. First time applicants will not be funded for more than $3,000.
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.Report abuse