Essentials Support Grant
The Essentials Support Grant from McKnight Foundation funds core operations for small nonprofit arts organizations in Minnesota’s Region 7E, supporting their ongoing arts programming and organizational stability.
Funder: McKnight Foundation
Due Dates: March 1, 2025 | March 1, 2026 | March 1, 2027
Funding Amounts: $3,000–$10,000 per award for a 12-month period; one grant per organization per year; no match required.
Summary: General operating support for small nonprofit arts organizations in Minnesota’s Region 7E to sustain core expenses.
Key Information: Annual budget limit: $174,000; must be a 501(c)(3) arts nonprofit located in Region 7E.
Description
This grant provides general operating support to small, established nonprofit arts organizations located in Minnesota’s Region 7E (Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine counties, and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe lands). The funding is intended to help organizations sustain their day-to-day operations, covering essential costs such as facility expenses, utilities, supplies, equipment, insurance, memberships, and up to 50% of the grant request for staffing. The program is not designed for project-specific or event-based funding, but rather to strengthen the foundational capacity and stability of arts organizations serving their local communities.
