Special Grants
Greater St. Louis County Child Care Grant Opportunities
The Northland Foundation, in partnership with St. Louis County, has two grant opportunities available to help support the start-up, expansion, and stabilization of child care. To be eligible, programs must be located in Greater St. Louis County ~ that is anywhere in St. Louis County except within the city limits of Duluth, Hermantown, and Proctor.
Funding for these opportunities is available on an ongoing basis, subject to available funds. All funds must be expended by June 15, 2024.
If your child care program is located outside of the targeted area for these grant opportunities but is still within our service area, please email Taylor Holm, Program Officer, to explore other resources or grant opportunities that might fit your needs.
1. Start-up & Expansion Grants
PURPOSE: To help support the start-up or expansion of center-based or family-based child care programs located in Greater St. Louis County (anywhere in St. Louis County except within the city limits of Duluth, Hermantown, or Proctor).
FUNDING AMOUNT: Family-based programs may apply for up to $5,000. Center-based programs may apply for up to $25,000.
TO APPLY: To apply for a Start-up & Expansion Grant, you will first need to complete a short online questionnaire. If you have questions about Start-up & Expansion Grants or the Inquiry Survey, please email Taylor Holm, Program Officer.
We will be reviewing inquiries on a regular basis and will get back to you with next steps if your program qualifies for funding.
2. Sustainability Grants
PURPOSE: To help licensed family-based child care providers and child care centers that are experiencing a challenge which jeopardizes their program’s ability to maintain services. This may be due to a required repair outlined by a State or County/Tribal Child Care Licensor and/or Fire Marshal or other emergency that impacts their ability to provide child care.
FUNDING AMOUNT: Licensed family-based programs can apply for up to $5,000. Licensed center-based programs can apply for up to $10,000.
EXAMPLES OF ELIGIBLE PROJECTS: Programs may apply for funds to replace or repair materials damaged or lost due to an emergency, or to correct infractions flagged by licensing. The items you apply for must directly affect the quality and safety of your program and meet licensing requirements. All materials must be new and purchased from a retail store, not a private party.
Eligible items that are 100% for business use will be funded at 100%. Items that are shared with a household (licensed family-based program) or organization (such as a congregation) may be funded at 50% (e.g. furnace, water heater, dishwasher, etc.).
TO APPLY: (1) As a first step before applying, please carefully read the Grant Information.
(2) The Application may be completed as a Word doc that you can download and work in using Word, or as a fillable pdf which you can open and type directly into online, then download and save.
Main Street Grants
PURPOSE: This program provides grants from the State of Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to businesses along a defined commercial corridor. Applications are being accepted May 5 - June 16, 2023. from businesses or nonprofit organizations located in the following corridors:
Cook County
- HWY 61 North, between Schroeder and the Grand Portage Reservation, including the Gunflint Trail
International Falls/Koochiching County
- HWY 71 from 3rd Ave - 6th Ave in downtown I. Falls
- HWY 11 East & West, between the community of Birchdale to the west of I. Falls and Black Bay to the east of I. Falls
- HWY 53 between Van Lynn Road and 4th St; South Koochiching County
- HWY 71 between Northome and Grand Falls
FUNDING AMOUNT: Up to 30% of a projects total cost to a maximum of $750,000. Grants require a 2:1 match that cannot come from other state or federal funds.
ELIGIBLE ITEMS: Repair, or renovation of real property, building construction, landscaping, demolition or site preparation, predesign or design, engineering, non-publicly owned infrastructure, and related site amenities.
INELIGIBLE ITEMS: Purchase of real estate or business operations, operating expenses such as inventory, wages, or working capital, and equipment*.
TO APPLY: Please carefully read the information sheet. The application is an online form, but you can review the questions and prepare your responses ahead of time using the Word doc or pdf as a guide. You will also need to complete a budget worksheet to upload when you reach the end of the online application.
QUESTIONS? Email Michael Colclough or Amanda Vuicich.
- Main Street Grants Information Sheet Word Doc or pdf.
- Main Street Grants Application Questions Word Doc or pdf.
- Main Street Grants Budget Worksheet (Excel Spreadsheet) with examples/instructions.
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