Mardag Foundation, F. R. Bigelow Foundation and the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation today announced that, together and independently, we have awarded more than $10 million to Minnesota nonprofits in our second round of 2024 grantmaking. These grants will provide crucial funding resources to community organizations making a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and families across the East Metro and Greater Minnesota.
“Our community partners have been clear with us,” said Senior Director of Community Impact Tsega Tamene. “We must respond to the most pressing and immediate needs of our neighbors. At the same time, we must bolster the ecosystem for deep and lasting systems change. And together, we can do both.”
The following organizations were among the most recent grant recipients:
Art of the Rural was awarded $40,000 over two years by Mardag Foundation to support their work in Winona. Art of the Rural works closely with Native communities as well as agencies and organizations such as the Winona County Historical Society and Engage Winona to help change the narrative. It partners with organizations led by members of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and low-income communities to change narratives, ensuring that those stories are heard and included.
Family Values For Life was awarded $75,000 by the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, $50,000 by Mardag Foundation and $75,000 by F. R. Bigelow Foundation to support their basic services, food, household goods and crisis financial assistance. For the last 14 years this organization has been dedicated to empowering families, primarily on Saint Paul’s East Side, by focusing on four key pillars of wellbeing: spiritual empowerment, mental alertness, physical fitness and financial stability. With deep roots in the African American community, the organization emphasizes diversity, equity and inclusion in all its efforts. Programs like Jump Start to the New You and Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies equip single parents with vital skills and support to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.