The Small Communities Grant Program will build on the pride rural residents feel for their communities.
Donor Name: Blandin Foundation
State: Minnesota
County: Itasca County (MN)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/21/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
When people work together to solve community issues, they create trust, ownership and buy-in which again translates to success with completing projects and initiatives, and ultimately strengthening the community. Activities funded by the Small Communities Grant Program should drive positive economic, physical, and social change in a rural community.
Focus Areas
Small Communities Grants will be made in the following three categories listed. This does not imply applicants submit proposals based on the examples outlined below. They are interested in your own creative ideas to move small places forward.
- Planning
- Implementation
- Capacity Building.
Targets for Funding
Funding should address one or more of the following.
- A known community need and/or issue facing its residents.
- Show engagement across different beliefs, races, ages, genders, socioeconomic status, educational, physical and cognitive abilities, and differing experiences present in the community.
- Systemic barriers through new or continued partnerships; implementing projects that are sustainable, innovative, scalable and/or replicable; increasing the capacity of the community to engage in, plan or facilitate activities.
- Demonstrate ideas that move small communities forward.
- Show evidence of community support.
- Examples of community support (monetary and nonmonetary):
Funding Information
Typical grant awards will be between $25,000 and $150,000.
Grant Period
Funded projects can have a timeframe of up to 3 years.
Geography & Population Requirements
Applicants under this RFP will be required to meet the following target geography and/or population requirements:
- Be Native Nations, cities, towns, and townships in the Blandin Foundation local giving area: Itasca County plus Northome, Blackduck, Hill City, and Remer. Find the size of your community using the U.S. Census.
- Organizations (including fiscal sponsors) located in rural hubs of more than 5,000 people may apply if funding can be demonstrated to directly benefit small communities.
- Metro-based organizations are ineligible to apply for funding under this RFP.
Eligibility Criteria
Grantee organizations and projects must align with Blandin Foundation’s mission and meet the following requirements:
- Authorized by the Internal Revenue Service as having Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or be fiscally sponsored by an eligible organization for charitable purposes or categorized as a Tribal government entity, public agency, or a unit of government with a charitable purpose.
- Must adhere to Blandin Foundation’s Anti-Discrimination Policy.
For more information, visit Blandin Foundation.
