Management Improvement Fund

Granting Organization/Business Unit: Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation (in partnership with F. R. Bigelow Foundation, Mardag Foundation, and Creative Catalysts)

Website: Management Improvement Fund

Overview
The Management Improvement Fund supports nonprofit organizations in Minnesota by helping them strengthen their operations and capacity to better serve their communities. In 2024, the fund’s design and processes were refined through extensive community input and research, with guidance from a nine-person Community Council and multiple grantees. These updates clarified application procedures, set more concrete criteria, and enabled the Grants Team to provide clearer instructions, issue earlier decisions, and remain flexible and responsive to community needs. The fund prioritizes equity, creativity, and sustainability in strengthening local organizations.

Status (Profit/Nonprofit): Nonprofit

Eligibility Criteria/General Requirement:

• Organizations serving Asian American/Pacific Islander, Indigenous, Latinx, and Black communities will be prioritized.
  

• Priority given to new or emerging BIPOC-led organizations.
  

• Applicants must have an annual operating budget of $5 million or less.
  

• Organizations must primarily serve low-income individuals.
  

• Applicants must demonstrate that the proposed effort would not likely occur without financial assistance from the fund.
  

Grant Requests Not Accepted:

• Organizations exceeding the $5 million annual budget cap
  

• Projects that do not serve low-income communities
  

• Efforts that could reasonably be undertaken without fund assistance
  

Application Deadline: Ongoing

Grant Amount: Varies (based on proposal and need)

Focus Area/Areas of Expertise:

• Organizational capacity building
  

• Racial equity and justice
  

• Support for BIPOC-led nonprofits
  

• Empowerment of low-income communities
  

Contact Information: Management Improvement Fund