The Management Improvement Fund, a special fund of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, is dedicated to strengthening nonprofits’ internal operations.
Donor Name: Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
State: Minnesota
County: Anoka County (MN), Carver County (MN), Hennepin County (MN), Scott County (MN)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/19/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The Management Improvement Fund provides grants of up to $15,000 to small and midsize nonprofits across the state of Minnesota for technical assistance and consultation to:
- Support new and vital capacity-building work
- Expand and improve organizational capacity
- Nurture Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) leadership in the nonprofit sector
Eligible Activities
The Management Improvement Fund makes grants for technical assistance and consultation to help improve the capacity and management of nonprofit organizations. Examples of these activities include but are not limited to:
- Organizational assessment
- Strategic planning
- Organizational restructuring / merger / dissolution
- Board development / governance
- Human resources / personnel assessment
- Marketing and communications assessment
- Program evaluation
- Translation services
- Accessibility consulting services
- Technology assessment
- Financial planning management / grantwriting services
- Community healing circles and spaces
- Planning and preparation work for receiving a 501(c)3 nonprofit status
- Innovative approaches for groups working together to better serve the community
- For BIPOC-led organizations: Leadership development and executive leadership coaching / skill building / training and mentoring for staff, board members and volunteers.
Eligible Expenses
- The primary use of a Management Improvement Fund grant is to pay for consultation fees or training expenses. A limited percentage of funds may be allocated to expenses related to the successful completion of the proposed work, including interpreters, stipends, childcare, transportation and staff time.
- Applicants select the consultant and are encouraged to thoroughly assess their needs.
- The Foundation does not require that you select a consultant of the choosing. If you have not yet identified a consultant that you’d like to work with, they encourage you to tap into the networks of your board and leadership for recommendations.
Eligibility Criteria
This grant program is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations or those with a fiscal sponsor across Minnesota. Organizations based in the West Metro (Anoka, Hennepin, Carver and Scott counties) and Greater Minnesota should contact the MIF team prior to applying.
Criteria
Organizations and groups applying for a Management Improvement Fund grant are reviewed with the following criteria in mind:
- Organizational annual operating budgets of $5 million or less
- Organizations must primarily serve low-income persons
- Time and staff capabilities to commit to the consultation and to implement changes
- Organizations seeking to benefit the Asian American/Pacific Islander, Indigenous, Latinx and Black communities will be prioritized
- New/emerging BIPOC-led organizations will be prioritized
- Organizations that are not likely to undertake the effort without financial assistance from the Fund
For more information, visit SP&MF.
