shaking hands
For
Organizations

Partnership Fund

About the Partnership Fund

The Partnership Fund gives us flexibility to make the most of special opportunities, partner on efforts that help attract resources to the region and respond to important community needs.

In very rare circumstances, we make other grants outside of our stated grant programs through the Partnership Fund. We use this Fund primarily when we are involved in partnerships with other funders. We also use it when there is a need to move quickly to address a pressing or time-sensitive need, or to help attract other resources to the region.

The Fund is not used for projects that could fit into any of our open, competitive grant programs or for anything that might appear unfair, for example, if there are other organizations with the same need.

While there is not a regular application process for considering these grants, we involve our Foundation staff in vetting proposals and making decisions as we do for all of our grants. If you have a question about whether something you are working on would fit, contact Anita Patel, vice president of grantmaking.

The Partnership Fund was previously known as the President’s Innovation and Partnership Fund. Learn more about the evolution and name change of the Fund with this Note from Jen.

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:

  • Partner with other local or national funders to increase community innovation and advance leadership in the region we serve
  • Participate in select, major statewide and regional efforts to address serious community challenges
  • Leverage new resources to supplement major Foundation initiatives
  • In general, individual grant amounts are up to a maximum of $150,000

How to Apply

We provide a very limited number of grants through the Partnership Fund. Funding proposals should not exceed 400 words and can be sent to us at staff@bushfoundation.org

More Opportunities