Press Release | February 19, 2026
Northland Foundation announces 22 quarterly grants awarded October-December 2025
The Northland Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $687,000 through its Quarterly Grant program during October through December of 2025. Quarterly grants from the foundation are generally made to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, Tribal nations, and local governmental entities such as school districts.
Included among the recent grants were $100,000 awarded within the “Aging” focus area of the foundation’s Basic Needs priority area. The funding will support organizations in Cook, Aitkin, St. Louis, and Koochiching Counties providing services to help older adults and their family caregivers age well in their homes and communities.
Another two grants totaling $100,000 were made thanks to support from the McKnight Foundation’s Good Neighbor Grants program. In December, McKnight directed $1 million to 14 organizations statewide, including $100,000 each to the Northland Foundation and the other five Minnesota Initiative Foundations. This unexpected funding came with one stipulation: that it would support food and other direct assistance in our rural region, within the month. Northland in turn awarded $50,000 each to the United Way of Northeastern Minnesota and to Second Harvest Northland.
“McKnight’s Good Neighbor grant support is deeply appreciated. We were able to quickly deploy this generous funding to two trusted, longtime grantees who are on the front lines of food distribution in our rural northeastern Minnesota communities and working to keep up with increased need for their services,” stated Tony Sertich, Northland Foundation President.
These are all Quarterly Grants awarded October 1 – December 31, 2025, 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.
United Way of Northeastern Minnesota, Chisholm: $50,000
To support programming and initiatives that enhance youth opportunity, community health, resilience, and financial stability for families in northeastern Minnesota.
Second Harvest Northland, Duluth: $50,000
To support food access and distribution for families experiencing food insecurity in northeastern Minnesota.
Northwoods Food Project, Grand Marais: $30,000
To support food security and increase access to local food for residents of Cook County.
Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Duluth: $50,000
To support services that increase access to affordable housing for underserved community members in Duluth.
Divine Konnections, Duluth: $50,000
To support, sustain, and strengthen programming that addresses the urgent housing and support needs of young BIPOC families in Duluth.
Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, Saint Paul: $30,000
To support housing stability services for veterans experiencing homelessness in northeastern Minnesota.
Cook County Council on Aging, Grand Marais: $22,000
To support services that enhance the quality of life for older adults and those with disabilities in Cook County.
ANGELS of McGregor, McGregor: $20,000
To provide services to elders in the McGregor area that enable older adults to stay in their homes safely and with dignity for as long as possible.
Benedictine Foundation, Minneapolis: $18,000
To support services and caregiver education that improves the quality of life for aging adults at Benedictine Living Community in Duluth.
Koochiching Aging Options, International Falls: $35,000
To provide services to older adults and caregivers to help them maintain independence and age in place in Koochiching County.
Vital North Foundation, Grand Marais $30,000
To support services that work towards equitable health outcomes and community well-being in Cook County.
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.
Violence Prevention Center, Grand Marais: $50,000
In support of services and advocacy for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Lake and Cook Counties and Grand Portage.
First Witness Child Advocacy Center, Duluth: $50,000
To support ongoing child advocacy services, training, and abuse prevention education in Lake and Carlton Counties and the Fond du Lac Reservation.
Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs, Duluth: $10,000
In support of services for survivors of domestic violence in the Duluth community, and prevention efforts to end domestic violence.
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.
ServeMinnesota, Minneapolis: $30,000
To support programming that addresses early childhood education gaps in education through evidence-based tutoring for preschoolers in northeastern Minnesota.
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.
Devildogs, Duluth: $15,000
To support out-of-school time STEM programming focused on robotics for K-12 youth in the Duluth area.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids and Greenway, Grand Rapids: $35,000
To provide youth in the Grand Rapids and Greenway communities with safe and supportive afterschool programming.
Aitkin Youth Center, Aitkin: $40,000
To provide safe and inclusive out-of-school time programming for youth in Aitkin County.
Mesabi East Schools ISD 2711, Aurora: $12,000
To support collaborative, nature-based afterschool programming for youth and families in northern St. Louis County.
Ely Historic State Theatre, Ely: $10,000
To support creativity-focused afterschool programming for youth in Ely, Tower, and Babbitt.
Duluth Community School Collaborative, Duluth: $25,000
To support out-of-school time programming and student family basic needs at Duluth Public School District schools.
OTHER CRITICAL NEEDS Grants in support of economic and community well-being for a more thriving region.
Zeitgeist Center for Arts and Community, Duluth: $25,000
To support community collaboration, organizing, leadership training, and the development of a shared neighborhood vision for residents of the Duluth Hillside community.