Small Grants Fund
Small grants are available to current nonprofit grantee and cross sector partnerships
The small grants program totaling $400,000 is open to Blue Cross Foundation grantees with active grants. A grantee must participate in a convening and a discovery discussion to be eligible to apply. Grants of up to $20,000 for up to one year are available for planning and implementation activities to address innovation, management, financial, governance, and/or structural issues.
About the Small Grants Fund
How can the small grants be used for the organization or partnership?
Grants funds are intended to strengthen the long-term sustainability of current grantees. Examples of capacity-building activities include: board/staff development, earned income strategies, marketing and communications, program redesign, strategic partnerships, merger exploration, collaboration development and assessment, nonprofit business development and innovation.
Funds may be used to support staff time to participate in training, planning, and implementation activities; consultant fees related to organizational planning and implementation activities; board participation in coaching and planning activities; and other related expenses.
Are there any restrictions on the use of grant funds?
Yes. Funds may not be used for new or expanded programming, new staff positions or for general operating support. In addition, funds may not be used for support to individuals; lobbying, political or fraternal activities; sports events and athletic groups; religious purposes; clinical quality improvement activities; biomedical research; capital purposes (building, purchase, remodeling or furnishing of facilities or the purchase of equipment); endowments, fundraising events or development campaigns; retiring debt or covering deficits; payment of services or benefits reimbursable from other sources; supplanting funds already secured for budgeted staff and/or services, or long-term financial support.
Who is eligible? How do I apply?
Current grantees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation are eligible. All applicants must complete the application form and provide the following attachments:
- Budget and budget narrative
- Audit or 990’s covering the past two years
- Most recent financial statement
- Current year’s organizational budget and budget narrative, including any revised or scenario budgets that have been created
Application Timeline
| Key Dates | |
|---|---|
| August 19 – September 22 | Convenings |
| August 19 – October 30 | Discovery Discussions |
| October 16 – November 2 | Grant Applications Accepted |
| November 2 | Grant Applications Due |
| November 2 -23 | Foundation Reviews Grant Applications |
| November 24 | Notice of Grant Decisions |
| December 2009 or January 2010 | Grantee Agreements and Payments |
Applications and attachments should be mailed or hand delivered to the Foundation office so that they are received no later than 4 p.m. on November 2, 2009.
Mail or Hand-Delivery Address
Joan Cleary
Foundation, Vice President
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation
c/o Foundation Coordinator
3535 Blue Cross Road, Route M459
Eagan, MN 55122
Who should I contact with questions about the Resilient Organizations Fund?
- Healthy Together grantees may contact Penny Snipper at 612-673-0407 or email her at psnipper@comcast.net
- Growing Up Healthy grantees may contact Jocelyn Ancheta at 651-662-2894 or email her at Jocelyn_Ancheta@bluecrossmn.com
