Best Stevens County Grants for Nonprofits in Minnesota

Nonprofit organizations creating, performing, or exhibiting arts projects in Stevens County, Minnesota can access funding through Lake Region Arts Council’s Project Grant. Awards up to US $4,500 support artistic activities across all disciplines, including visual art, dance, literature, and music, and require a 20% match from the applicant organization.

Nonprofit fine arts organizations in Stevens County, Minnesota with annual expenses under $174,000 can apply for Lake Region Arts Council’s operating support grants, awarding US $1,000 - US $8,000 for core operating, administrative, capital equipment, and building costs. Eligible 501(c)(3)s must be arts-focused, region-based, and have at least one year of programming history.

Individual professional artists in music or visual arts living in Stevens County, Minnesota (within the nine-county LRAC region) can receive US $5,000 fellowships to advance their creative work and community contributions. With a mission to support regional artists, Lake Region Arts Council provides flexible support for research, travel, new directions, or continued artistic projects.

Individual practicing artists in Stevens County, Minnesota can receive US $2,000 for fine arts projects that advance their career development and artistic achievement. Lake Region Arts Council supports literary, music, performance, and visual arts activities for artists 18 or older living in its nine-county region, including Stevens County, for at least six months.

Individual fine artists in Stevens County, Minnesota and the broader LRAC nine-county region can receive $2,000 for projects that advance their career development and artistic achievement. Grants from Lake Region Arts Council help artists across disciplines, including literary, music, performance, and visual arts, cover training, supplies, or time to create new work.

Accredited or candidate family medicine residency programs in rural Minnesota can apply for Minnesota Department of Health grants, with awards up to US $400,000 per new residency position to cover training costs. Programs serving communities outside the 7‑county metro, including Stevens County, Minnesota, and retaining graduates in rural Minnesota may be eligible.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Grant provides funding between $2,000 and $20,000 for small communities in west central Minnesota to enhance energy efficiency and reduce fossil fuel emissions. Local governments can utilize these funds for climate planning, energy audits, and technical assistance for public facilities. This initiative aims to support sustainable practices and improve energy conservation efforts in communities with populations under 15,000.

With a mission to improve community health, Medica Foundation provides Minnesota rural health organizations with up to US $20,000 over two years for nonprofit, community-led solutions advancing health equity. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) charities, public/government agencies, and Tribal Nations in rural counties such as Stevens County, focusing on priority areas like dental, mental, maternal, senior, and primary care services.

Nonprofit organizations in Stevens County, Minnesota can apply for CenterPoint Energy Foundation’s charitable giving program to support community vitality and education initiatives. Funding may benefit projects in affordable housing, energy efficiency, environmental education, literacy, STEM, and workforce development, with priority for low- to moderate-income populations in CenterPoint’s service communities.

With a mission to improve quality of life, RBC Foundation USA provides Stevens County, Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofits with funding for workforce preparation, youth development, arts access, and related programs. Eligible organizations have at least three years of public charity status, a $100,000+ operating budget, and operate where RBC Wealth Management has a business presence.

Eligible non-entitlement cities, townships, and counties in Stevens County, Minnesota can receive US $600,000 - US $1,400,000 for housing, public infrastructure, and commercial rehabilitation projects. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development provides funding through the Small Cities Development Program to improve affordable housing, wastewater and water systems, and local commercial districts benefiting low- and moderate-income residents.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Stevens County, Minnesota can seek funding for education, health and human services, community development, arts and culture, and environmental programs. Otter Tail Corporation Foundation supports operating and capital projects, favoring innovative, collaborative efforts that create measurable community impact in areas where the company and its subsidiaries operate.

Arts organizations, nonprofits, cultural groups, schools, and local governments in Stevens County, Minnesota can seek funding for arts access, arts education, and arts and cultural heritage projects. Focused on expanding arts opportunities, Lake Region Arts Council supports activities like public art, residencies, performances, festivals, and workshops with awards from US $500 - US $12,500.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations providing housing, homelessness prevention, or emergency support services in Stevens County, Minnesota can apply for funding that supports homeless individuals, children, and families. Edina Realty Foundation supports homelessness services and humanitarian aid across Minnesota and western Wisconsin, including programs such as shelter, food, medical care, job readiness, and financial assistance.

Nonprofit, non-federal rural hospitals in Stevens County, Minnesota can seek capital funding to update, remodel, or replace aging facilities and equipment. Focused on rural health care, the Minnesota Department of Health offers US $45,000 - US $125,000 per award, with a 25% non-state match required to help preserve local hospital services.

The Rural Hospital Planning and Transition Grant, administered by the Minnesota Department of Health, aims to support small, nonprofit rural hospitals in developing strategic plans and implementing transition projects. This initiative enhances access to healthcare for underserved communities in Minnesota, ensuring they receive necessary services. Grant recipients will create sustainable plans to address community health needs and improve service delivery, fostering equity and inclusion in healthcare access.

Nonprofit organizations in Stevens County, Minnesota seeking support for education, health and human services, arts, or community betterment projects can apply for charitable contributions. Focused on community growth and sustainability, Basin Electric Power Cooperative invites eligible groups within its multi-state service territory to request funding and, in some cases, surplus office equipment donations.

Health and community organizations providing HIV prevention and PrEP services in Stevens County, Minnesota and other rural counties can apply for Minnesota Department of Health funding, with awards of US $180,000 - US $200,000. Grants support designing, implementing, and evaluating innovative PrEP programs to expand access, increase screening, and reduce HIV transmission in high-risk rural communities.

Lake Region Arts Council 

Since its inception as an arm of the Rural Development Commission in 1977, Lake Region Arts Council (LRAC) has been committed to providing access to quality arts opportunities and programming. In its early years, LRAC offered only one grant program. Our current offerings include nine grant programs, a monthly newsletter, an online arts calendar, two art galleries, workshops and networking meetings, an artist registry, and technical assistance to arts organizations and artists. 

The Arts Mentorship Program

The Arts Mentorship Program is an Arts Study Award for Students in Grades 8-12.

A limited number of students currently in grades 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are selected each year to be part of this one-of-a-kind student art program. Each study award is valued at $700 and pairs students with artistic professionals to help increase and enhance their skills. Awards are made on the basis of commitment and potential for artistic development. 

• Inclusive to ALL artistic mediums (i.e. visual arts, dance, creative writing, drama, music, design, media arts, etc.) 

Individuals and small organizations in Stevens County, Minnesota working on community-building projects that foster trust, belonging, and connection can receive $2,500 - $5,000 to support their efforts. Focused on strengthening local social fabric, West Central Initiative invites neighbors with inclusive, non-political activities to apply for Weaver Awards recognizing their contributions.

Nonprofits, schools, local governments, and tribal entities in Stevens County, Minnesota can seek US $1,000 - US $10,000 for community programs, education, arts, environment, and human services. BNSF Foundation provides funding to organizations located near its rail lines, including eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits and youth-serving groups in communities it serves.

Stevens County, Minnesota nonprofits, schools, and government units can access funding through West Central Initiative for sustainability, equity, and civic engagement projects, with awards ranging from US $3,000 - US $25,000. Eligible organizations must serve residents within West Central Initiative’s nine-county region and can request general operating support or project-specific funding.

For-profit businesses, nonprofits, schools, local governments, and tribal communities in Minnesota can apply for the AGRI Urban Agriculture Grant Program, with awards of US $5,000 - US $75,000 for urban agriculture projects. Administered by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, it supports youth agricultural education and community or economic development, including eligible work in Stevens County.

Literary Arts Fund

Grants Overview

The Literary Arts Fund will award at least $50 million in grants to the nonprofit literary arts field over the next five years, concluding in 2031.

With a short timeline, the fund’s grantmaking has a strategic focus on the areas of the literary arts ecosystem where it determined it could have the greatest impact— that is: supporting independent U.S.-based literary arts nonprofits whose primary mission is directly serving adult writers of creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and hybrid works in making their artistic work and sharing it with readers outside of school and academic settings. Please review the fund’s full eligibility requirements to learn more.

General Operating Grants Applications 2026 Guide

Background

The Literary Arts Fund was established in 2025 to dramatically increase funding for and the visibility of the nonprofit literary arts field toward ensuring a healthy and more robust U.S. literary culture in support of creative writers. The fund will award at least $10 million in grants to the nonprofit literary arts field in each of the next five years, concluding in 2031. The first open call is for 2026 general operating grant applications.

Literary Arts Fund

Grants Overview

The Literary Arts Fund will award at least $50 million in grants to the nonprofit literary arts field over the next five years, concluding in 2031.

With a short timeline, the fund’s grantmaking has a strategic focus on the areas of the literary arts ecosystem where it determined it could have the greatest impact— that is: supporting independent U.S.-based literary arts nonprofits whose primary mission is directly serving adult writers of creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and hybrid works in making their artistic work and sharing it with readers outside of school and academic settings. Please review the fund’s full eligibility requirements to learn more.

Innovation project grants provide funding to literary arts nonprofits for projects that may be collaborative and that aim to address critical challenges in one or more literary arts nonprofit organizations, presses, or publications that, if improved, would directly benefit creative writers’ artistic work and ability to share it with readers and audiences. These grants are disbursed to nonprofits in a single payment and intended for use during the project period.

Stanislaus Community Foundation provides scholarship opportunities for students in order to help them achieve their educational and career goals. We believe that by investing in our students, we are investing in a brighter future for Stanislaus. 

Robert Woolley Scholarship

Open to graduating seniors from Stanislaus County attending a four-year university to study horticulture.

Award Amount:

• $10,000

Stanislaus Community Foundation provides scholarship opportunities for students in order to help them achieve their educational and career goals. We believe that by investing in our students, we are investing in a brighter future for Stanislaus. 

Richard & Dolla Squires Memorial Music Scholarship

Open to graduating high school seniors pursuing a degree in music and demonstrating financial need. 

Award Amount:

• $1,000