Recent grants
Quarterly, Maada’ookiing, and Youth In Philanthropy funding supports work in northeast Minnesota and neighboring Native nations
More than $1.7 million in Quarterly grants awarded
The Northland Foundation awarded 61 grants through it’s Quarterly Grant program between January and June of 2026. A total of $1,742,600 was awarded to 501(c)(3) organizations, Tribal nations, and local government entities such as school districts within the foundation’s service area.
Two groups of grants are more unique from the foundation’s typical quarterly awards. The first include grants for food access in small, rural communities. Funding totaling $100,000 supported food shelves serving towns with populations of 1,000 or fewer.
“Food insecurity is just as acute in rural areas as in larger cities,” said Michelle Ufford, Vice President of Grantmaking, “but in small towns with small populations, resources can also be scarcer. Rural Median household incomes tend to be lower in general, and there are fewer local people to donate or volunteer. We were really pleased to receive funding to re-grant to these small-town food shelves, which do so much with less. They are a lifeline to many households in northeastern Minnesota,” Ufford added.
Another group of 13 grants of $10,000 each went to American Indian Education Programs in school districts in the region. Foundation staff had met with educators leading these programs, over time, to learn about their work and explore ways the foundation might provide support.
“Indian Education professionals are often working in isolation, without many professional development opportunities or funding to incorporate Native culture and traditions,” Ufford stated. “With some additional support, they will have resources to engage the community, tribal elders, and school body and create new learning opportunities.
“We are excited to see what comes from these grants—Youth Pow Wows, language revitalization, learning Ojibwe drumming, regalia-making, and more.”
Follow the links for the full listings of first and second quarter grants.
Winter and Spring Maada’ookiing grants
The Northland Foundation is pleased to share that seven individuals were each awarded $5,000 in Maada’ookiing grants in May. In the winter 2026 funding round, an additional eight projects received grants totaling $39,200.
This spring marked five years of Maada’ookiing (“the distribution” in Ojibwe), a Native American-led program that was introduced by the Northland Foundation in May 2021. Since then, 144 grants have supported projects focused on language, traditional craftwork, cultural practices, food sovereignty, and more. In 2022, the Northland Foundation received a Mission Award in Responsive Philanthropy (YouTube video) from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits for Maada’ookiing.
“This month, we celebrate five years since Maada’ookiing came online,” “We are deeply grateful to Northland Foundation trustees who, back in 2019-2020, set out to expand support for Indigenous people, to the Native-led design group who gave the idea structure and shape, for the Maada’ookiing Advisory Board who guide the program, and funding partners,” stated Michelle Ufford, Northland Foundation’s Vice President of Grantmaking.
“These are projects that create more vibrant communities today while honoring the teachings and lifeways of our ancestors, and it is an honor to be part of that,” added Cayla Bellanger DeGroat, a Program Office at the foundation who has worked with Maada’ookiing for nearly four years.
Grants of up to $5,000 are offered three times per year to Tribal citizens, descendants, or those who have kinship ties or affiliation to Native American communities within the foundation’s geographic region. Application deadlines to apply for a Maada’ookiing grant are May 15, September 15, and February 15. More information and the application link on Northland Foundation’s website.
Follow the links for the full grant listings.
Spring 2026 Youth In Philanthropy grants for children-and-youth led projects
The Northland Foundation and the young people serving on its Youth In Philanthropy Program Board awarded 15 grants totaling $11,950 in their spring 2026 funding round to projects within the geographic area that the foundation serves.
Middle and high school students appointed to serve on the Youth In Philanthropy Board make real-world grantmaking decisions with guidance from volunteer adult mentors. This year’s board includes students from Cherry, Duluth, East Range (Mesabi East), Hermantown, Superior, and Two Harbors.
Grants range up to $1000 each for school and community projects within northeast Minnesota communities or the border community of Superior, Wisconsin. Children and youth must complete the grant application and carry out the project with the support of an adult advisor.
There are three grant rounds per year: October, January, and April. The next application deadline is October 1, 2026. Learn more and apply on our website.
Follow the link for the full listings of the spring grants.