The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation (the Foundation), F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation, today announced that, together and independently, they have awarded more than $8 million to Minnesota nonprofits in their first round of 2024 grantmaking. Grants will provide funding resources for community organizations that provide critical resources to Minnesotans across the state. Many grants support the arts, embrace culture and cultural differences to grow and restore our communities. These organizations also address a variety of concerns including navigating the criminal justice system, the US school system, immigrant communities and preserving Indigenous practices and traditions.
“Our state is overflowing with bold and imaginative community-led solutions,” said Senior Director or Community Impact Tsega Tamene. “We are excited to partner more deeply with nonprofits meeting the moment and multiplying their impact every day.”
The Following Organizations Were Among the Recipients:
We Resolve was awarded $60,000 by the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation and F. R. Bigelow Foundation over two years to help reduce the number of conviction rates and sentence lengths of Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) individuals in Minnesota. We Resolve is a Black-led organization with a predominantly BIPOC represented board, serving community members primarily from Ramsey County, while also extending support to individuals from Greater Minnesota. The organization focuses on those most negatively impacted by the criminal legal system, and aims to humanize individuals before the court, providing support through various channels including community meetings, court appearances, social biography creation and referrals to supportive organizations.
Theresa Living Center was awarded $30,000 by F. R. Bigelow Foundation for general operations, which includes providing affordable housing, stability and economic independence to women and single-parent families. Located in Saint Paul, Theresa Living Center serves the east metro community with a mission is to “provide transitional/rapid re-housing opportunities for women and single-parent families who are striving to reclaim self-dignity and economic independence following a period of homelessness.”
Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Community was awarded $31,000 by F. R. Bigelow Foundation, $30,000 by Mardag Foundation and $29,000 by the Foundation for general operating purposes. The Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Community (MMDTC) is a Tribal organization with a mission to preserve, protect and promote Dakota culture for future generations. The organization offers in-person and online courses on Dakota language, traditional arts and crafts taught by Minnesota’s Dakota elders with goal to preserve cultural skills within Native American families and educate non-Native Minnesotans about Dakota language, culture and history.
We offer two grant rounds a year. Our second grant round of 2024 opens on July 15, 2024, and closes Aug. 7, 2024.