2021 Looking Good for Grant Seekers in Minnesota
By Heidi Herron, Consultant
If there was any doubt in my mind that funders were ready to face the racial equity (and racial justice) “reckoning of 2020,” that notion quickly dwindled after an afternoon learning about the developing trends in Minnesota. I recently attended Minnesota Council of Nonprofits’ Minnesota Grantmakers 2021 workshop. With dozens of foundations highlighted, new trends clearly emerged. Chief among them that metro-area grant makers are allocating millions of dollars to address equity issues in 2021.
And they are not alone in facing the reckoning. On January 13, the St. Paul City Council recognized a “history of slavery and systemic racism,” acknowledging the destruction of the historic Rondo neighborhood, an important Black cultural and commercial center, in order to construct sections of interstate I-94. The preceding year highlighted—and exacerbated—historical injustices for underserved populations. Foundations are now ready to increase their support—or in a large number of cases—include equity, for the first time, in their funding priorities.
My top 3 takeaways for grant seekers in 2021:
1) Grant makers are serious about funding racial justice. The philanthropic community—following the murder of George Floyd—now asked itself, if not now, when? What is our responsibility in racial justice? Grantors have clearly decided that part of their role will be to pump the fuel into the tanks of the most impactful projects and organizations out there. Organizations with BIPOC leadership will often be given special consideration, essentially doubling the impact by supporting programming for, and by, underserved communities.
2) Grantadvisor.org is all the rage. In a previous 2020 blog, Scary Funders, I suggested reviewing a foundation’s record in GrantAdvisor as a strategy for alleviating anxiety before reaching out. I have not felt this way about a product since I realized you could rate your college professor! In neither situation did I run out and score someone right away. Rather, I instantly felt the power being equalized in the relationship. This product genuinely improves the overall impact of philanthropy by increasing transparency of funders while protecting the anonymity of the nonprofits who need support. I predict this product will soon become a tool in every grant writer’s tool kit, as grantees learn from each other.
3) Core needs recognized as legitimate. The funding climate is finally responding to years of calls from nonprofits that the grant seeking experience is too taxing. In a strange irony, it can sometimes be a burden to receive funding! Long and confusing applications, limits on what can be requested, and complicated reporting requirements all take staff—and resources—away from their core mission. However, grantors appear more willing than ever to reconsider their approach by increasingly offering shorter applications, more money for general operating expenses, and minimal reporting.
The greatest take away? The pandemic and subsequent downturn in the economy make the need for these changes impossible to ignore. In addition, grant makers increasingly recognize that nonprofits need to support the invaluable professional staff upon whose shoulders the entire philanthropic sector rests.