Daily Featured Foundation - 11/26/25

11/26/2025

Here is today’s featured foundation.

Blandin Foundation

Website: https://blandinfoundation.org/

Mission & Purpose: To strengthen rural Minnesota communities, especially the Grand Rapids area. The foundation believes that vibrant rural communities are essential to a healthy society.

Broad Funding Guidelines: Grantmaking is focused on rural Minnesota communities with populations under 35,000. They are a major funder in the state and support a wide range of community vitality efforts. They have specific programs for the Itasca County area and broader programs for rural MN.

Featured Opportunity: The Small Communities Grant Program is specifically designed for smaller, often overlooked towns (population under 35,000). It provides grants (typically up to $150,000) for projects that solve community problems or capitalize on local assets, such as downtown revitalization, community center renovations, or new childcare models.

Recommendation: Small towns or nonprofits in rural Minnesota (outside the Twin Cities/Duluth/Rochester) that have a "community pride" project, like renovating a Main Street building or building a community gathering space.