Making a Difference

Our Grants

Our grants make a difference in our communities and region, as well as in the lives of those touched by the work of our nonprofit partners.

Who Should Apply?
We welcome proposals from:
✔️ Established nonprofits with strong infrastructure
✔️ Grassroots or emerging groups led by and for their communities
✔️ Collaborations or fiscally sponsored efforts

We are especially interested in organizations that:
Are led by or serve historically marginalized communities
Demonstrate local trust and community ownership
Show potential for lasting, scalable impact

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to apply for funding, an organization mustmeet both of the following criteria:

1. IRS Classification
The organization must be classified by the IRS as one of the following:

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
A Section 170(c)(1) public entity (e.g., governmental agencies, public schools)  
A Section 7871 Tribal government
A church  
An organization with a fiscal sponsor that is classified under one of the above categories
 

2. Geographic Area
The organization must serve communities within the Boreal Waters Community Foundation’s service area.
aaron-thomas-gelineau-fund-for-educational-opportunity
Aaron Thomas Gelineau Fund for Educational Opportunity
animal-assisted-therapy-fund
Animal-Assisted Therapy Fund
anishinabe-fund
Anishinabe Fund
apostle-islands-area-community-fund
Apostle Islands Area Community Fund
apostle-islands-area-human-rights-fund
Apostle Islands Area Human Rights Fund
biodiversity-fund
Biodiversity Fund
central-mesabi-fund-for-human-services
Central Mesabi Fund for Human Services
chequamegon-bay-area-community-fund
Chequamegon Bay Area Community Fund
community-opportunity-fund---belonging
Community Opportunity Fund - Belonging
community-opportunity-fund---opportunity
Community Opportunity Fund - Opportunity
community-opportunity-fund---resilience
Community Opportunity Fund - Resilience
community-opportunity-fund---transformation
Community Opportunity Fund - Transformation
cook-county-community-fund
Cook County Community Fund
douglas-county-disaster-and-welfare-fund
Douglas County Disaster and Welfare Fund
duluth-public-schools-fund
Duluth Public Schools Fund
eveleth-community-foundation-fund
Eveleth Community Foundation Fund
four-cedars-environmental-fund
Four Cedars Environmental Fund
fund-for-women-and-girls
Fund for Women and Girls
global-awareness-fund
Global Awareness Fund
grutzner-madeline-island-fund
Grutzner Madeline Island Fund
john-t-elizabeth-c-adams-arts-fund
John T. & Elizabeth C. Adams Arts Fund
labounty-family-fund
LaBounty Family Fund
lupa-animal-wellness-fund
Lupa Animal Wellness Fund
mary-h-rice-community-innovation-fund
Mary H. Rice Community Innovation Fund
michael-madeline-island-fund
Michael Madeline Island Fund
morgan-fund
Morgan Fund
red-cliff-miskwaabikaang-fund
Red Cliff / Miskwaabikaang Fund
samuel-f-atkins-and-barbara-h-atkins-memorial-fund
Samuel F. Atkins and Barbara H. Atkins Memorial Fund
sandbulte-family-higher-education-endowment-fund
Sandbulte Family Higher Education Endowment Fund
silver-bay-charitable-fund
Silver Bay Charitable Fund
two-harbors-area-fund
Two Harbors Area Fund
unity-fund
Unity Fund
west-wind-fund
West Wind Fund
wetherby-fund
Wetherby Fund
wirtanen-family-fund
Wirtanen Family Fund
Community Opportunity Fund - Transformation
Biodiversity
Duluth Public Schools Fund
Community Opportunity Fund - Opportunity, Resilience, Belonging
Rolling
Fall
Spring
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Aaron Thomas Gelineau Fund for Educational Opportunity

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Mission

Supports Duluth nonprofits that help underserved youth and families thrive—investing in cradle-to-career success with a focus on education, including high school completion and GED support, and removing barriers through practical, everyday support.

Funding Priorities

  • Programs supporting traditionally underserved individuals who may fall within the opportunity gap to finish high school and earn a GED.
  • Nonprofits with a demonstrated track record of directly impacting youth, young adults and families.

Other Considerations

• Funding can be used for expenses such as transportation, supplies, computer equipment, internet services, temporary childcare, emergency expenses, etc.

Examples

  • Projects assisting with GED completion
  • Programs promoting wellness and school success for youth and families
  • Mentorship programming with focus on education
  • Career preparation/education
  • After school and summer educational programming

Eligibility

Provide services to residents of Duluth, MN

DETAILS ON HOW TO APPLY >>

Award Range
$1,400
Grant Cycle
Fall
Apply Now
aaron-thomas-gelineau-fund-for-educational-opportunity
August 12, 2025
September 15, 2025

Animal-Assisted Therapy Fund

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Mission

  • The Animal-Assisted Therapy Fund supports programs that use animal-assisted therapy to help people of all ages facing mental, emotional, or psychological challenges.
  • Established in memory of Cordelia Anne Brinton, the fund emphasizes therapeutic work where animals are active participants in healing, not just companions.
  • It prioritizes initiatives where both humans and animals are thoughtfully cared for and where the interaction fosters meaningful emotional and behavioral growth.

Funding Priorities

  • Grants from this fund may support a wide range of programs, such as teaching individuals how to interact with animals to promote emotional development.
  • Expanding understanding of personal challenges through animal connections.
  • Providing mental health services that integrate animal-assisted therapy.

Other Considerations

  • Eligible organizations may also offer structured, goal-oriented sessions in partnership with professionals.
  • Or rescue and rehabilitate animals for therapeutic use.
Eligibility
Award Range
Up to $2,000
Grant Cycle
Spring
Apply Now
animal-assisted-therapy-fund
January 3, 2025
March 3, 2025

Anishinabe Fund

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Mission

To build understanding of and respect for Anishinabe knowledge and culture.

Funding Priorities

The Fund seeks to center Anishinabe people in the incorporation of their knowledge within collaborative efforts to improve communities throughout the Northland.

Other Considerations

The Anishinabe Fund encourages co-sponsorship and co-funding of projects.

Applications that extract or exploit Anishinabe knowledge, culture, or traditions will not be considered.

Eligibility
Award Range
$5,000 - $10,000
Grant Cycle
Spring
Apply Now
anishinabe-fund
January 3, 2025
March 3, 2025

Apostle Islands Area Community Fund

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Mission

  • Grant awards support projects that respond to the evolving needs of the La Pointe-Bayfield-Red Cliff region in areas such as the arts, environment, civic engagement, youth and family services, human rights, and adult education.
  • Priority is given to initiatives that strengthen community connections, encourage organizational collaboration, and address root causes of local issues.
  • Projects that require modest funding but offer significant impact, as well as new efforts needing start-up support, are also favored.

Funding Priorities

  • While the fund may provide more than one year of support for new or stabilizing programs, it does not offer permanent or long-term funding.
  • Requests for capital expenses, equipment purchases, or ongoing program support are generally low priority and unlikely to receive funding from unrestricted grant sources.

Other Considerations

  • Additionally, the fund does not support activities typically handled by government agencies, debt payments, endowments, fundraising efforts, or grants for individuals.
  • Other ineligible areas include organizations focused on lobbying, political campaigns, direct religious activities, or medical research.
Eligibility

Provide services to residents within the Apostle Islands Area Community Fund’s service area, defined as: the Town of La Pointe, Red Cliff/Gaa-Miskwaabikaang Reservation, the Town of Russell, the City of Bayfield and the Town of Bayfield.

DETAILS ON HOW TO APPLY >>

Award Range
$500 - $5,000
Grant Cycle
Spring
Apply Now
apostle-islands-area-community-fund
January 3, 2025
March 3, 2025

Apostle Islands Area Human Rights Fund

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Mission

  • The Apostle Islands Area Human Rights Fund supports efforts to promote tolerance, understanding and respect for all and to combat bigotry and discrimination by engaging people in dialogue, discussion, relationship-building, cross-cultural awareness and interaction.
  • The advisory board recommends grants from the Human Rights Fund.
  • Applications are invited for projects that impact human rights in the Bayfield-Madeline Island-Red Cliff/Gaa-Miskwaabikaang region and fall within one or more of the following categories: Education, Mediation and conflict resolution, and Celebrations.

Funding Priorities

  • The fund will consider applications for community intervention or emergency-response grants to address specific incidents.
  • The fund prioritizes projects that clearly identify their purpose—such as education, mediation, celebration, or conflict resolution—and address a specific issue.

Other Considerations

  • Successful proposals will demonstrate how the project promotes tolerance, combats discrimination, raises awareness, fosters understanding, or helps heal harm caused by bias.
  • Projects should also show that the organization has the capacity to deliver the work effectively and present a realistic budget with a clear funding plan.
Eligibility

Provide services to residents within the Apostle Islands Area Community Fund’s service area, defined as: the Town of La Pointe, Red Cliff/Gaa-Miskwaabikaang Reservation, the Town of Russell, the City of Bayfield and the Town of Bayfield.

DETAILS ON HOW TO APPLY >>

Award Range
$500- $5,000
Grant Cycle
Spring
Apply Now
apostle-islands-area-human-rights-fund
January 3, 2025
March 3, 2025

Biodiversity Fund

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Eligibility

Provide service to residents within Boreal Waters Community Foundation Service Area

Award Range
$50,000 per year, for up to three years. Funding beyond year one is contingent on ongoing progress and mutual agreement on next steps.
Grant Cycle
Biodiversity
Apply Now
biodiversity-fund
February 9, 2026
April 27, 2026

Central Mesabi Fund for Human Services

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Mission

To support agencies that directly assist low-income individuals and families in meeting basic needs and addressing everyday challenges.

Funding Priorities

  • Clear financial need
  • Strong programmatic impact or merit

Other Considerations

  • Special projects and general operating support may be funded
  • Requests for equipment purchases or capital improvements are typically not funded
Eligibility

Provide services to the residents of the communities bounded on the west by Coleraine and on the east by Mountain Iron.

DETAILS ON HOW TO APPLY >>

Award Range
$2,000 - $10,000
Grant Cycle
Fall
Apply Now
central-mesabi-fund-for-human-services
August 12, 2025
September 15, 2025

Chequamegon Bay Area Community Fund

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Mission

  • The Chequamegon Bay Area Community Funds support projects that address the evolving needs of Washburn, Ashland, and Bad River in the areas of arts, community and economic development, education, environment, and human services.
  • The South Shore Community Fund Advisory Board may shift focus among these areas based on emerging needs.

Funding Priorities

  • Priority is given to projects that foster collaboration, address root causes of community challenges, support civic or policy research, require start-up funding, or enhance organizational capacity—all while delivering meaningful impact with moderate funding.
  • Grants from these unrestricted funds are not intended for permanent or long-term support, though multi-year funding may be considered to help stabilize new or particularly impactful programs.
  • Capital and equipment purchases, as well as ongoing program support, are generally low priority and unlikely to be funded.

Other Considerations

  • The fund does not support endowments, religious activities, medical research, fundraising efforts, or debt payments.
  • Grants are also not awarded to individuals, political campaigns, lobbying organizations, or projects that fall under typical government responsibilities.

Eligibility

Provide services to the residents of the Chequamegon Bay Area Community Fund, which includes: the boundaries of the Washburn School District and the Ashland School District, including Odanah, the central community of the Bad River Reservation/ Mashkiiziibii.

DETAILS ON HOW TO APPLY >>

Award Range
$500 - $2,500
Grant Cycle
Spring
Apply Now
chequamegon-bay-area-community-fund
January 3, 2025
March 3, 2025

Community Opportunity Fund - Belonging

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Eligibility

Provide service to residents within Boreal Waters Community Foundation Service Area

Award Range
$25,000 - $50,000
Grant Cycle
Community Opportunity Fund - Opportunity, Resilience, Belonging
Apply Now
community-opportunity-fund---belonging
May 4, 2026
July 30, 2026

Community Opportunity Fund - Opportunity

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Eligibility

Provide service to residents within Boreal Waters Community Foundation Service Area

Award Range
$25,000 - $50,000
Grant Cycle
Community Opportunity Fund - Opportunity, Resilience, Belonging
Apply Now
community-opportunity-fund---opportunity
May 4, 2026
July 30, 2026

Community Opportunity Fund - Resilience

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Eligibility

Provide service to residents within Boreal Waters Community Foundation Service Area

Award Range
$25,000 - $50,000
Grant Cycle
Community Opportunity Fund - Opportunity, Resilience, Belonging
Apply Now
community-opportunity-fund---resilience
May 4, 2026
July 30, 2026

Community Opportunity Fund - Transformation

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Eligibility

Provide service to residents within Boreal Waters Community Foundation Service Area

Award Range
$100,000 per year, for up to three years Funding beyond year one is contingent on ongoing progress and mutual agreement on next steps.
Grant Cycle
Community Opportunity Fund - Transformation
Apply Now
community-opportunity-fund---transformation
February 9, 2026
April 27, 2026