Bush Foundation

• The Bush Foundation funds work across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, so only organisations working in that geographic focus should look here.
• It supports creative problem solving and leadership development, including community-led organisations and ideas that spread effective solutions, so check your project fits those themes before applying.
• Grants mostly range from $10,000 to $950,000, with a median grant of about $145,000, so a modest request in that range is realistic, though some named programmes such as Ecosystem grants, the Media partnerships program and the Partnership Fund cap support at $150,000, while others like Beyond Idea Grant Program, Bush Prize, Creative Community Solutions, Good Relatives Collaborative Grants and Minnesota Community IDEAS Program have their own stated ranges or caps.
• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the Foundation encourages applicants to contact it first to discuss their idea and whether it fits, which suggests a relationship-led approach is worthwhile before submitting.
• About 54% of grant dollars to organisations went to those it had also funded in recent prior filings, so returning grantees take a substantial share of funding, but this need not discourage a first-time applicant from approaching with a well-fitted idea.

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

• Exodus Financial Services · To spread an innovative lending model to provide an upstream alternative to predatory loans with pathways to financial success
  $4,200,0002024 tax year
• Bureau of Indian Affairs · To support work to establish an oral history collection
  $3,150,0002024 tax year
• Owamniyomni Okhodayapi · To develop a new model of land reclamation with multi-tribal nation control
  $2,625,0002024 tax year
• Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi · To develop and test a new model of indigenous urban land stewardship through nonprofit and municipal government co-management
  $2,482,0952024 tax year
• Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio · Develop and test a new model of shared space and accessible training for childcare businesses to increase the number of licensed latina providers
  $1,700,0002024 tax year
• South Dakota Community Foundation · To operate two grant programs with the purpose of inspiring and supporting creative problem-solving across south dakota and the native nations that share that geography.
  $1,600,0002024 tax year
• Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation · To operate two grant programs with the purpose of inspiring and supporting creative problem-solving across minnesota and the native nations that share that geography.
  $1,600,0002024 tax year
• Northcountry Cooperative Foundation · Northcountry cooperative foundation will scale an innovative financing model to support cooperative resident ownership of affordable manufactured housing communities
  $1,410,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.