Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program
The Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program (NIGP) is aimed at supporting the missions of small, culturally led organizations by strengthening their infrastructure (aka, their Core Mission Support). We know that building the capacity of small organizations that focus on historically underserved cultural communities helps position them for greater impact in their community.
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NIGP 2023 -2025
On January 11, 2024, Propel Nonprofits announced that $3.2 million would be awarded to 56 culturally led nonprofit organizations for infrastructure funding.
The funds for the program come from a state appropriation through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (MN DEED) and were secured in partnership with the Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL.
In addition to funds to build infrastructure, Propel offers grantees capacity building services, technical assistance, and other opportunities and support. Grantees will closely partner with Propel Nonprofits to manage the tracking and reporting requirements of this grant; they’ll also be asked to share lessons learned through midterm and final grant reports and at grantee convenings.
2023 – 2025 NIGP Grantees
56 Organizations Awarded Nonprofit Infrastructure Grants
Propel Nonprofits, with a state appropriation coming through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development that was secured in partnership with the Coalition of Asian American Leaders, has awarded $3.2 million to 56 culturally led nonprofit organizations for infrastructure funding.
Propel received 292 applications for the Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program during its fourth competitive open Request for Proposals (RFP) cycle. Among these, 43 organizations are located and serve the 11-county metro area, and 13-greater MN organizations are serving communities in greater Minnesota.
A full list of grantees can be found here: 2023 – 2025 NIGP Grantees
Read our full announcement here: Propel Nonprofits announces $3.2 million in grants for small, culturally led nonprofits
How 2023 – 2025 Funds Can Be Used
Organizational Infrastructure Improvement
Grants under this activity area can be used to improve organizational infrastructure. Eligible activities under this category include hiring staff or consultants to assist with: developing database management systems; developing financial systems; and building other administrative systems needed to increase the organization’s ability to access and sustain new funding sources and deliver on the organization’s mission. Other eligible expenses include investments in technology to improve internal infrastructure.
Organizational Workforce Development
Grants under this activity area can be used to increase workforce capacity that builds the organization’s infrastructure. Eligible activities include hiring culturally competent staff or consultants to expand programming capacity; providing training and skills development; and implementing other methods of increasing staff capacity.
Organizational Partnerships
Grants under this activity area can be used to create partnerships with other organizations to increase capacity. Eligible activities include the creation and expansion of partnerships with existing organizations that possess specialized expertise; and the creation of partnerships to increase the capacity of the grantee organizations to improve services for the community.
This is not an exhaustive list of activities that can be funded by this grant program. Propel Nonprofits will work with grant applicants to determine how and if their proposed activities fit within the eligible activities listed above.
Previous NIGP Awardees
This grant program launched in the fall of 2017 and the first grantees were announced in January 2018 with another round of grantees announced in December 2019.
What past grantee’s have said about the program:
- “We invested in hardware for our staff, and replaced handwritten records at the farm with tablets. It’s a less visible change, but the new software and hardware has improved our data gathering and working efficiently from our multiple locations.” – Dream of Wild Health, Minneapolis
- “What this approach and grant has done is empower marginalized communities and people who run organizations on their behalf. We’re on the front lines and know what our communities need. It might not always be formal, because a lot of time the work we do is out of love and dedication to the kids we’re serving.” – ANEW BAM, St. Paul
- “You’ve given us the opportunity to actively and accurately recognize our weaknesses and actually solve them. You have enabled us to identify and embrace new tools, resources and ways of working that have built more efficient processes and more successful and new programming.” – Cultural Diversity Resources, Moorhead
Read case studies from two 2018 grantees: ANEW BAM and Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming.