Partnership Fund
The Partnership Fund is exclusively for unique situations, with funding needs that don’t fit into our other programs. It allows us to partner with others to respond to pressing issues and take advantage of opportunities for the region.
What we fund
The Partnership Fund gives us flexibility to address important community needs in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography. We use the fund to:
- collaborate with other funders to address significant challenges or community crises
- attract other resources to the region
- provide seed funding for efforts that align with Bush strategy and values that don’t fit into our other programs
What we don’t fund
- Emergency funding for budget shortfalls
- Requests that support a single organization or coalition for a need or idea that other organizations or coalitions also have
- Projects that could fit into any of our open competitive grant programs, as we do not intend for this fund to be a side door to Bush funding
Examples of Partnership Fund grants:
Collaborate with other funders to address significant challenges or community crises: Examples include joining with other funders in multiple relief efforts during the pandemic and supporting Press Forward MN as a collaborative effort of funders to address local information needs.
Attract other resources to the region: Examples include supporting a coalition of Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to be able to access competitive American Rescue Plan Act funding and providing matching dollars for federal funding for the East Metro Main Street Economic Revitalization Program.
Provide seed funding for efforts that align with Bush strategy and values that don’t fit into our other programs: Examples include start-up funding for the development of an African immigrant leadership coalition in Minnesota and for the Minnesota Council on Nonprofits to create a multi-employer health plan for nonprofits.
How to apply
This opportunity is always open. Fund requests can be up to $150,000, but we provide a very limited number of grants through this program.
To apply, send a brief description of your proposal, not to exceed 400 words, to staff@bushfoundation.org.
Partnership Fund through the years
The Partnership Fund was previously known as the President’s Innovation and Partnership Fund. Learn more about the evolution and name change with this Note from Jen.