Press Release | July 24, 2026
Northland Foundation awards more than $1.1 million in quarterly grants April through June 2026
In the second quarter of 2026, the Northland Foundation awarded more than $1,150,600 through its Quarterly Grant program, making 44 grants to nonprofit organizations and community partners in northeastern Minnesota April through June. Two groups of grants this round are more unique from the foundation’s typical quarterly awards.
Eleven grants totaling $100,000 were awarded to support food access in rural communities. The grants direct support primarily to 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 13 targeted 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, with few 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.”
Quarterly Grants awarded April 1 – June 30, 2026, are listed below.
BASIC NEEDS Grants for services and programming that address human needs essential to overall well-being, such as food security, housing, aging, homeless services, and more.
Grace House of Itasca County, Grand Rapids: $20,000
To support programming that provides a safe, temporary shelter for individuals and families experiencing homelessness and connection to community resources in the Itasca County area.
Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training, Virginia: $18,000
To provide supportive services and resources for families or individuals experiencing homelessness in northeastern Minnesota.
Servants of Shelter of Koochiching County. International Falls: $50,000
To support emergency shelter, supportive housing, and services to people experiencing homelessness in Koochiching County.
The Salvation Army Duluth, Duluth: $30,000
To support permanent supportive housing for individuals in need in the Duluth community.
Aitkin County CARE, Inc., Aitkin: $30,000
To support services that enable successful aging in place, caregiver stability, health, and social connection for older adults in Aitkin County.
Care Partners of Cook County, Grand Marais: $45,000
To support services that provide basic needs, community relationship building opportunities, and belonging for older adults in Cook County.
North Shore Area Partners, Silver Bay: $45,000
To support and strengthen essential services for older adults and their caregivers in rural Lake County, Minnesota
Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, Inc., Grand Marais: $40,000
To support low-barrier oral health services and education for low-income children, young adults, expectant mothers, seniors 65+ and midlife people in Cook County and the Grand Portage Reservation.
United Way of Northeastern Minnesota, Chisholm: $50,000
To support services that improve youth opportunity, community health and resiliency, and financial stability for families in northern Minnesota.
Well Being Development, Ely: $49,600
To support housing services and community resources that enhance well-being in Ely.
Justice North, Duluth: $30,000
To support no-cost civil legal services for low-income families in northeastern Minnesota.
Lincoln Park Children and Families Collaborative, Duluth: $20,000
To support collaborative community services that enhance the lives of the children and families in the Lincoln Park neighborhood in Duluth.
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Saint Paul: $15,000
To support nonprofit leadership and capacity building resources in northeastern Minnesota.
Food Access, Northeast Minnesota: $100,000
To support food security in rural communities, primarily for food shelves serving communities with populations under 1,000.
- Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, Virginia (for Tower and Aurora): $17,750
- Cook Community Food Shelf, Cook: $8,625
- Deer River Area Food Shelf, Deer River: $9,125
- Floodwood Area Food Shelf, Floodwood: $8,625
- Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Big Sandy, McGregor: $8,125
- Hill City Area Food Shelf, Hill City: $8,625
- Jacobson Food Shelf, Jacobson: $8,125
- Neighbors Helping Neighbors Food Shelf, Nashwauk: $9,125
- Northern Itasca Emergency Food Shelf Inc, Big Fork: $8,125
- Northome Community Food Shelf, Northome: $5,625
- Second Harvest Northland, Duluth (for mobile food pantry): $8,125
BELONGING Support for projects and initiatives designed to help everyone, especially those under-served or under-represented in traditional power structures, gain full and fair access to essentials like housing, education, and employment, and generally thrive.
The Northspan Group, Inc., Duluth: $200,000
To support belonging-focused leadership development cohorts and community engagement focused on connection and collaboration, regional convenings, and alumni networks that extend learning.
The Promise is You, Side Lake: $70,000
To support a youth-centered initiative for Duluth and Iron Range communities focused on strengthening belonging including a regional youth leadership conference, ongoing youth engagement, leadership development, and project-based learning.
Schools serving Native American students, Northeast Minnesota: $130,000
To support Native American student well-being through culturally relevant activities that promote joy and healing.
- Esko Public Schools – ISD 099, Esko: $10,000
- Cloquet Public Schools – ISD 094, Cloquet: $10,000
- Hibbing Public Schools – ISD 701, Hibbing: $10,000
- International Falls Schools – ISD 361, Int’l Falls: $10,000
- Mesabi East Schools – ISD 2711, Aurora: $10,000
- Nashwauk-Keewatin Schools – ISD 319, Nashwauk: $10,000
- Rock Ridge Public Schools – ISD 2909, Virginia: $10,000
- Oshki Ogimaag Charter School, Grand Portage: $10,000
- Vermilion Country School, Tower: $10,000
- Fond du Lac Ojibwe School – ISD 1094-34, Cloquet: $10,000
- St Louis County Schools – ISD 2142, Virginia: $10,000
- Nett Lake School – ISD 707, Nett Lake: $10,000
- Wrenshall Public School District – ISD 100, Wrenshall: $10,000
- Esko Public Schools – ISD 099, Esko: $10,000
DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND ABUSE INTERVENTION/PREVENTION Grants supporting prevention and intervention such as shelter, advocacy, legal, and other supports in relation to domestic and family violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
Support Within Reach Sexual Violence Resource Center, Grand Rapids: $40,000
To support services for survivors of sexual violence as well as prevention and awareness education in Aitkin and Itasca counties.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION Support for programming focused on prenatal to age 5 that nurtures the whole child, including physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development.
Educational Frontiers, Inc., Duluth: $43,000
To support the implementation of an early childhood curriculum that emphasizes social-emotional learning and collaboration.
OUT-OF-SCHOOL-TIME SERVICES Grants supporting structured, consistent, and accessible out-of-school time educational programming and activities for broad groups of children and youth.
Boys and Girls Club of the Northland, Hibbing: $35,000
To support programming that provides a safe, supportive environment for school-aged youth in the Hibbing community.
REACH Program Youth-Adult Partnerships, Cloquet: $40,000
To support consistent and safe out-of-school programming for youth and families in Carlton County.
Smart North, Minneapolis: $50,000
To support afterschool programming with a focus on technology skills and digital literacy for Deer River and Grand Rapids youth grades 6-12.