United Way’s mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of Itasca-area communities. Our vision is an equitable Itasca Area where all people have the opportunities and resources needed to thrive.
United Way of 1000 Lakes centers its giving on Itasca-area community needs, and its active grant programs show a mix of multi-year community investments, emergency food and shelter funding, and small community micro-grants. In 2024, the largest recent award in the data was $20,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Northland, followed by several $15,000 grants to local organizations serving health, housing, and family-support needs. The foundation’s Community Impact Grants use a two-generation approach and focus on Education, Health, and Family Financial Stability, while its emergency-response work includes the Community Response Fund and administration of EFSP allocations for local food and shelter providers. It also runs Kindness Grants for projects up to $500, showing that the grantmaking spans both larger operating support and very small community-level awards. Recent recipients include Itasca County Family YMCA, Project Care Free Clinic, Itasca County Habitat for Humanity, and Support Within Reach, all of which received support for charitable purposes in 2024.
Education is one of the foundation’s core funding areas through Community Impact Grants, which are described as multi-year community investments for Education, Health, and Family Financial Stability. In the recent grants list, Project Read received $7,500 in 2024. Health and family-support work appears in grants such as $15,000 to Project Care Free Clinic and $10,000 to Grace House. The foundation also supports housing and basic needs, including $15,000 to Itasca County Habitat for Humanity and $10,000 to Advocates for Family Peace. Its emergency-response programs extend that pattern through EFSP and community recovery funding tied to food, shelter, utilities, childcare, housing, and transportation.
Typical grants cluster tightly around a small set of award sizes: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $15,000. One exception in the recent grants list is a $20,000 award, but most listed grants sit at or near the median. The foundation gives local, with all recent recipient-country data in the US and all listed grants going to Minnesota organizations. Its structure includes both direct grants and facilitated distribution of federal EFSP dollars through a local board. The data also shows recurring program lines such as Community Impact Grants, EFSP, and community response funds.
$121K
$327K
$329K
$429K
Most grants fall between $10K and $15K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$15K
KIMBERLY BRINK SMITH
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Grantmaking is concentrated in Minnesota, with 100% of grants in the state. Grand Rapids appears repeatedly as the recipient city, including awards to Boys & Girls Clubs of Northland, Itasca County Family YMCA, Project Care Free Clinic, Itasca County Habitat for Humanity, Grace House, Support Within Reach, Advocates for Family Peace, Project Read, and First Call. Other Minnesota recipients include Deer River through Smart North Deer River Tech Hub and Cass Lake through Boys & Girls Club Leech Lake Area. The foundation’s active programs are framed around Itasca County and the greater Itasca area.
Its active programs include Community Impact Grants for Education, Health, and Family Financial Stability; EFSP allocations for food and shelter; a Community Response Fund for urgent needs; and Kindness Grants for small community projects. Recent grants also went to organizations working on youth services, health care access, housing, and family peace.
The typical award is $10,000: the 25th percentile, median, and a large share of recent grants all sit at that level. The 75th percentile is $15,000, and the recent list also includes a $20,000 grant.
Its giving is local and entirely in Minnesota. The recipient-country distribution is 100% US, and the state distribution shows all grants going to Minnesota organizations, with many recipients in Grand Rapids and others in Deer River and Cass Lake.
Yes. The Kindness Grants program offers micro-grants of up to $500 for small-scale community projects that promote kindness, inclusion, and local engagement. The data also says this program accepts unsolicited applications.
Yes. It administers EFSP funding for emergency food and shelter providers and also operates community response funding for urgent needs. Those programs are tied to food security, shelter, supportive services, healthcare access, childcare, housing, utilities, employment, and transportation.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from United Way of 1000 Lakes that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: The page indicates that Safety Net requests are considered individually for community organizations addressing basic needs and emerging pressing needs. Specific eligibility requirements and award amounts are not stated.
Deadline: No fixed deadline; requests are reviewed as needs arise.
Who can apply: Projects must benefit Itasca County. Applicants may be of any age and do not need nonprofit status. Applicants under 18 must provide a parent, guardian, teacher, or other adult to help manage funds and complete the project. Priority is given to projects benefiting underserved or low-income communities, increasing equity, inclusion, and understanding, or aligning with United Way focus areas.
Deadline: Applications accepted year-round on a rolling basis.
Who can apply: Funds are directed to services addressing immediate community needs arising from the emergency; distribution decisions typically made by United Way based on needs assessment. Specific eligibility for grant requests/requests for assistance are defined on the Community Response Fund page.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMART NORTH | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $20,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ITASCA COUNTY FAMILY YMCA | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $15,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ITASCA COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $15,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ITASCA YOUTH FOR CHRIST | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| GRACE HOUSE | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTHLAND | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| SUPPORT WITHIN REACH | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ADVOCATES FOR FAMILY PEACE | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PROJECT CARE FREE CLINIC | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $7,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PROJECT READ | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $7,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| FIRST CALL | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $5,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| SMART NORTH DEER RIVER TECH HUB | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $22,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTHLAND | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ITASCA AREA SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ITASCA COUNTY FAMILY YMCA | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $7,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ITASCA COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $7,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PROJECT CARE FREE CLINIC | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $7,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTHLAND | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $20,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| SMART NORTH DEER RIVER TECH HUB | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ITASCA COUNTY FAMILY YMCA | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ITASCA COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PROJECT CARE FREE CLINIC | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| SUPPORT WITHIN REACH | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB LEECH LAKE AREA | CASS LAKE, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ITASCA YOUTH FOR CHRIST | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ADVOCATES FOR FAMILY PEACE | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| GRACE HOUSE | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PROJECT READ | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $7,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| FIRST CALL | GRAND RAPIDS, MN | $5,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| MN ALLIANCE WITH YOUTH | SAINT PAUL, MN | $9,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
ITASCA COUNTY FAMILY YMCA
$15,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ITASCA COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$15,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ITASCA YOUTH FOR CHRIST
$10,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
GRACE HOUSE
$10,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
CHARITABLE PURPOSES
SUPPORT WITHIN REACH
$10,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PROJECT CARE FREE CLINIC
$7,500CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PROJECT READ
$7,500CHARITABLE PURPOSES
FIRST CALL
$5,500CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ITASCA AREA SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE
$15,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ITASCA COUNTY FAMILY YMCA
$7,500CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ITASCA COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$7,500CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PROJECT CARE FREE CLINIC
$7,500CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ITASCA COUNTY FAMILY YMCA
$15,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ITASCA COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$15,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PROJECT CARE FREE CLINIC
$15,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
SUPPORT WITHIN REACH
$10,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ITASCA YOUTH FOR CHRIST
$10,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
GRACE HOUSE
$10,000CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PROJECT READ
$7,500CHARITABLE PURPOSES
FIRST CALL
$5,500CHARITABLE PURPOSES
