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    5. Minnesota Humanities Center
    Minnesota Humanities Center logo

    Minnesota Humanities Center

    ActiveArts, Culture & Humanities
    ST PAUL, MNWebsite6517740105

    About Minnesota Humanities Center

    To spark positive change by increasing collective understanding of ourselves, our communities, and our histories through stories and experiences.

    Focus Areas

    humanitiescultural heritagecommunity identityethnic mediafestivals and eventsmuseums, exhibits, and collectionschildren's museum exhibits and outreachyouth literacycivic engagement and civics educationK-12 education

    Who They Fund

    children and familiesSomali and other immigrant communitiesveterans

    About Minnesota Humanities Center

    Minnesota Humanities Center’s grantmaking is shaped by humanities work that ties stories, heritage, and civic understanding to Minnesota communities. A large share of its recent awards flow through legacy and cultural heritage funding, including repeated support for children’s museums, immigrant and Somali cultural organizations, and projects that connect community identity to education. The center’s role is not just as a direct grantmaker; it also appears as a regranting intermediary for state legacy funds, with awards that move through organizations such as Minnesota Children’s Museum and Springboard for the Arts. Recent grants show that the center supports both institutions and community-based cultural work. Minnesota Children’s Museum received multiple awards, including a $494,912 grant in 2023 and a $472,500 grant in 2025, while Hunger Solutions Minnesota received several sizable grants tied to healthy eating and farmers market incentive work. The center also funded Giiwedinong Museum, Reviving The Islamic Sisterhood For Empowerment, and The Works, pointing to a portfolio that combines heritage preservation, informal learning, and community storytelling. Its public purpose statement emphasizes increasing collective understanding of ourselves, our communities, and our histories through stories and experiences, and the recent grant pattern reflects that mandate across museums, ethnic media, youth literacy, and cultural studies.

    What Minnesota Humanities Center Funds

    Children’s museums are a major part of the center’s portfolio. It gave $472,500 to Minnesota Childrens Museum for Arts & Cultural Heritage Grants, and $177,188 to Giiwedinong Museum for the same grant program. Similar support reached The Works Museum in Bloomington, which received $85,657 for Arts & Cultural Heritage Grants. The center also invests in cultural studies and identity-based education. Under its Cultural and Ethnic Studies Grants, it funds materials for K-12 students in Minnesota, including communities such as Hmong, Karen, Somali, and Oromo. That same education-and-identity thread appears in youth literacy, where grants support authors and organizations creating books and literacy resources for children and youth in Minnesota. Another clear area is community heritage and civic memory. Reviving The Islamic Sisterhood For Empowerment received $102,284 for Arts & Cultural Heritage Grants, while Speaking Out Collective received $95,665 through Legacy Cultural Heritage Grant funding. These awards show attention to cultural expression, representation, and community narrative.

    Financial Snapshot

    Annual Giving

    $8M

    Total Assets

    $44M

    Total Revenue

    $30.7M

    Total Expenses

    $14.6M

    Typical Grant Size

    Most grants fall between $15K and $50K, with a median of $22K.

    25th Percentile

    $15K

    Median

    $22K

    75th Percentile

    $50K

    Geographic Reach

    Local1 state funded
    Funding intensity
    Low
    High
    Headquarters

    Leadership

    KEVIN LINDSEY

    Accepts unsolicited proposals

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    © 2026 Kindora. All rights reserved.

    Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceYour privacy choicesEnvironmental footprintSystem Status
    EIN (Tax ID): 41-1322769Latest Form 990: 2026Total assets: $44M5 filings on recordFind their full 990 filing →
    See If You're a Fit — FreeFree account · instant fit score · similar funders
    museum organizations and cultural institutions
    Minnesota residents/local civic organizations

    Funding Style

    regranting/intermediary fundingrestricted/earmarked public-legacy fundsprogram/project supportgeneral operating support

    Topics

    children's museums and informal STEM/learning spacescultural heritage preservation and cultural programmingSomali/immigrant community museum and cultural grantscivic education and Minnesota civics programmingfarmers market incentives and healthy eating/nutrition accessveterans oral history/identity projects

    How Minnesota Humanities Center Gives

    Typical grants cluster around a mid-five-figure range: the 25th percentile is $15,000, the median is $22,200, and the 75th percentile is $50,321. At the upper end, the center also makes much larger program awards, including grants above $400,000. The funding pattern is recurring rather than one-off. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Minnesota Children’s Museum, Hunger Solutions Minnesota, Springboard for the Arts, and the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota. The center is a regular funder and also serves as a regranting intermediary for restricted public-legacy funds. Some programs accept unsolicited requests, including Cultural and Ethnic Studies Grants, Children’s Museums Grants, Ethnic Media Grants, Festival Grants, and Emergency Response Grants; others are not open to unsolicited applications, such as the biennium Children’s Museum Grants and Youth Literacy Grants.

    Where Minnesota Humanities Center Makes Grants

    Grantmaking is entirely local: 100% of grants go to recipients in Minnesota. Saint Paul appears often in the recipient list, alongside Minneapolis, Bloomington, Mankato, Duluth, Little Falls, Park Rapids, Saint Cloud, Grand Rapids, and Hutchinson. The distribution is broad across Minnesota communities but stays within the state. This matches the center’s state-centered grant programs for cultural studies, ethnic media, festivals, children’s museums, youth literacy, and emergency response.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Minnesota Humanities Center

    What kinds of organizations does Minnesota Humanities Center fund most often?

    The center funds children’s museums, cultural and heritage organizations, ethnic media, youth literacy work, and community identity projects. Recent recipients include Minnesota Children’s Museum, Hunger Solutions Minnesota, Springboard for the Arts, Giiwedinong Museum, and Reviving The Islamic Sisterhood For Empowerment.

    How large are typical grants from Minnesota Humanities Center?

    Typical awards are in the mid-five-figure range: the 25th percentile is $15,000, the median is $22,200, and the 75th percentile is $50,321. The recent grant list also includes much larger program awards, including grants above $400,000.

    Does Minnesota Humanities Center fund only one-off projects?

    No. Several recipients show up across multiple years, including Minnesota Children’s Museum, Hunger Solutions Minnesota, Springboard for the Arts, and the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota. That pattern suggests repeated awards and ongoing program relationships.

    Can organizations apply directly for some Minnesota Humanities Center grants?

    Yes. The Cultural and Ethnic Studies Grants, Children’s Museums Grants, Ethnic Media Grants, Festival Grants, and Emergency Response Grants all accept unsolicited requests. Other listed programs, including the biennium Children’s Museum Grants and Youth Literacy Grants, are marked as not accepting unsolicited applications.

    What geographic area does Minnesota Humanities Center support?

    Its grantmaking is local and fully concentrated in Minnesota. All grants in the provided data go to recipients in the state, with awards appearing in cities such as Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Bloomington, Mankato, Duluth, Little Falls, Park Rapids, Saint Cloud, Grand Rapids, and Hutchinson.

    Latest 990 Filing

    2026

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.

    Open Grant Opportunities

    Current and upcoming funding from Minnesota Humanities Center that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.

    Open nowCloses in 5 days (Oct 2, 2026)Award: Up to $125K

    2025-2027 Underrepresented Groups Cultural Studies Materials Grants

    Academic materialsCultural and ethnic studiesK-12 education+2 more

    Who can apply: Applicants must be in good standing with the IRS and the Minnesota Humanities Center and must develop high-quality academic, cultural, and ethnic studies materials for underrepresented Minnesota communities, including communities without a formal writing system that is primarily orally based. Projects must work with school districts that intend to use the materials, and applicants must provide a letter of support from a Minnesota licensed teacher or school district official. Funding must support new work or additions to existing work and supplement rather than substitute existing funding.

    Deadline: Application deadline: 6:00 p.m. CDT, October 2, 2026. Deadline to request MHC feedback: September 25, 2026. Grant term ends November 30, 2027; grant reporting is due December 31, 2027.

    View & apply
    Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: Not stated

    2025-2027 Biennium Grants — Emergency Response

    community healingdisaster or crisis responsememorials+2 more

    Who can apply: Organizations responding to major events in Minnesota.

    Deadline: October 15, 2026, or until all funds have been expended, whichever occurs first.

    View & apply

    Track these deadlines, get reminders, and see how well your nonprofit fits — free with a Kindora account.

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    Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.

    Recent Grants

    Most recent grants reported to the IRS.

    RecipientLocationAmountYearPurpose
    Hunger Solutions MinnesotaSaint Paul, MN$563,7802026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Springboard for the ArtsLittle Falls, MN$535,8122026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Minnesota Childrens MuseumSaint Paul, MN$472,5002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Giiwedinong MuseumPark Rapids, MN$280,4932026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Dakhota Iapi OkhodakichiyeOsseo, MN$239,6112026Art and Cultural Heritage
    The Works MuseumBloomington, MN$204,1112026Art and Cultural Heritage
    United Way of Central MinnesotaSaint Cloud, MN$178,2412026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Move for AmericaSt Paul, MN$169,8502026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Children's Discovery CenterCampbell, MN$162,0002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Duluth Children's MuseumDuluth, MN$159,0932026Art and Cultural Heritage
    North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS)Minneapolis, MN$149,2002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Oromia 11Minneapolis, MN$145,5462026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Children's Museum of Southern MinnesotaMankato, MN$143,0002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Asian Economic Development AssociationSaint Paul, MN$136,3902026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Speaking Out CollectiveMinneapolis, MN$130,0002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Green Card VoicesMinneapolis, MN$119,7022026Art and Cultural Heritage
    The Rondo Community Land TrustSt Paul, MN$116,9752026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Great River Children's MuseumSaint Cloud, MN$111,8942026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Art from the InsideMaplewood, MN$106,4032026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Otter Cove Children's MuseumFergus Falls, MN$96,0752026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Monkeybears Harmolodic WorkshopMinneapolis, MN$94,5002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    East Phillips Neighborhood InstituteMinneapolis, MN$92,1602026Art and Cultural Heritage
    The Film Society of Minneapolis St PaulMinneapolis, MN$89,6002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    WonderTrek Children's MuseumBrainerd, MN$88,1402026Art and Cultural Heritage
    St Paul Neighborhood NetworkSt Paul, MN$85,0502026Art and Cultural Heritage
    SPARKRochester, MN$84,7002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    The LinkMinneapolis, MN$83,3702026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Zeitgeist Center for Arts and CommunityDuluth, MN$82,9402026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Judy Garland Children's MuseumGrand Rapids, MN$82,9282026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Twin Cities RSEMinneapolis, MN$81,7092026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Telling Queer HistoryMinneapolis, MN$80,0002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    (neo)muralismos De MexicoSaint Paul, MN$78,0672026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Vietnamese Community of MinnesotaNew Brighton, MN$75,9272026Art and Cultural Heritage
    StoryArkStillwater, MN$72,5622026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Mini Sota Agricultural Children's MuseumBenson, MN$72,2502026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Public Art Saint PaulSaint Paul, MN$72,1312026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Minnesota Museum of American ArtSaint Paul, MN$68,2502026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Northfield Healthy Community InitiativeNorthfield, MN$62,5022026Art and Cultural Heritage
    The Urban Village IncSt Paul, MN$60,7502026Art and Cultural Heritage
    AFRICAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONSSaint Paul, MN$60,3002026Art and Cultural Heritage
    ESHARAMoorhead, MN$58,3202026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Serpentina Arts IncMinneapolis, MN$56,4332026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Youth Leadership InitiativeMinneapolis, MN$56,2502026Art and Cultural Heritage
    826 MspMinneapolis, MN$55,8802026Art and Cultural Heritage
    YouthpriseMinneapolis, MN$54,2032026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Dakota WicohanMorton, MN$53,2052026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Katha Dance TheatreCrystal, MN$51,7762026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Midtown Greenway CoalitionMinneapolis, MN$51,4942026Art and Cultural Heritage
    Hawj United of MinnesotaSaint Paul, MN$51,3762026Art and Cultural Heritage
    More Than A Single Story IncSaint Paul, MN$50,8652026Art and Cultural Heritage

    Hunger Solutions Minnesota

    $563,780
    Saint Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Springboard for the Arts

    $535,812
    Little Falls, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Minnesota Childrens Museum

    $472,500
    Saint Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Giiwedinong Museum

    $280,493
    Park Rapids, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Dakhota Iapi Okhodakichiye

    $239,611
    Osseo, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    The Works Museum
    $204,111
    Bloomington, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    United Way of Central Minnesota

    $178,241
    Saint Cloud, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Move for America

    $169,850
    St Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Children's Discovery Center

    $162,000
    Campbell, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Duluth Children's Museum

    $159,093
    Duluth, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS)

    $149,200
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Oromia 11

    $145,546
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota

    $143,000
    Mankato, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Asian Economic Development Association

    $136,390
    Saint Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Speaking Out Collective

    $130,000
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Green Card Voices

    $119,702
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    The Rondo Community Land Trust

    $116,975
    St Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Great River Children's Museum

    $111,894
    Saint Cloud, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Art from the Inside

    $106,403
    Maplewood, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Otter Cove Children's Museum

    $96,075
    Fergus Falls, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Monkeybears Harmolodic Workshop

    $94,500
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    East Phillips Neighborhood Institute

    $92,160
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    The Film Society of Minneapolis St Paul

    $89,600
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    WonderTrek Children's Museum

    $88,140
    Brainerd, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    St Paul Neighborhood Network

    $85,050
    St Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    SPARK

    $84,700
    Rochester, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    The Link

    $83,370
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Zeitgeist Center for Arts and Community

    $82,940
    Duluth, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Judy Garland Children's Museum

    $82,928
    Grand Rapids, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Twin Cities RSE

    $81,709
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Telling Queer History

    $80,000
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    (neo)muralismos De Mexico

    $78,067
    Saint Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Vietnamese Community of Minnesota

    $75,927
    New Brighton, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    StoryArk

    $72,562
    Stillwater, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Mini Sota Agricultural Children's Museum

    $72,250
    Benson, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Public Art Saint Paul

    $72,131
    Saint Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Minnesota Museum of American Art

    $68,250
    Saint Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Northfield Healthy Community Initiative

    $62,502
    Northfield, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    The Urban Village Inc

    $60,750
    St Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    AFRICAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS

    $60,300
    Saint Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    ESHARA

    $58,320
    Moorhead, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Serpentina Arts Inc

    $56,433
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Youth Leadership Initiative

    $56,250
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    826 Msp

    $55,880
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Youthprise

    $54,203
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Dakota Wicohan

    $53,205
    Morton, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Katha Dance Theatre

    $51,776
    Crystal, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Midtown Greenway Coalition

    $51,494
    Minneapolis, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    Hawj United of Minnesota

    $51,376
    Saint Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage

    More Than A Single Story Inc

    $50,865
    Saint Paul, MN2026

    Art and Cultural Heritage