Climate Action
and Racial Equity Grants Awarded
The Minneapolis Climate Action and Racial Equity Fund today announced $300,000 in grants to nine local organizations doing innovative work on climate change.
The fund, a partnership between the City of Minneapolis, the McKnight Foundation, and the Minneapolis Foundation, drives hyper-local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the fund’s 2024 grants will support TC Food Justice, which is committed to reducing food waste and hunger in the Twin Cities by moving abundance to need throughout the food system. The organization partners with co-ops, markets, bakeries and farmers to redistribute fresh, unsaleable food to hunger relief organizations and food-insecure populations. “This grant will enable us to expand our programs, including purchasing directly from small farmers and delivering quality produce and meat to underserved communities such as those in North Minneapolis,” said Ann Hill, Executive Director of TC Food Justice.
Another grant will support the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) as it works with local communities to plan the East Phillips Urban Farm, a project to convert an industrial warehouse into a cooperatively owned community hub with an indoor farm and housing. “We at EPNI are thankful to the Minneapolis Foundation for believing in our vision and believing in our community,” said Cassandra Holmes, an EPNI board member.
Photos courtesy of TC Food Justice and East Phillips Neighborhood Institute.
The grants announced today include:
- EAST PHILLIPS NEIGHBORHOOD INSTITUTE: $15,000 to support planning of the East Phillips Urban Farm.
- HARRISON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: $40,000 to support tree canopy preservation and housing stability.
- MIDTOWN GREENWAY COALITION: $45,000 to support the BikeMore project, which educates about the benefits of cycling and promotes increased bike ridership.
- MINNESOTA INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT: $40,000 to support community-based climate resilience plans and infrastructure improvements.
- MNI SOTA FUND: $10,000 to support the planning process to develop green community infrastructure along the American Indian Cultural Corridor.
- RESILIENT CITIES AND COMMUNITIES: $50,000 to support an equitable green workforce and business development opportunities.
- ST. PAUL’S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH: $25,000 to support an accessible healing garden and bee lawn.
- TC FOOD JUSTICE: $25,000 to support food rescue and delivery in Minneapolis Green Zones while implementing food waste reduction plans in co-ops and grocery stores.
- WEST BANK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION: $50,000 to support a workforce program for youth and residents dedicated to community gardens and beautification.
In 2024, the fund received over $1.5 million in funding requests from 40 organizations. A committee comprised of community members from the City of Minneapolis’ North and Southside Green Zones, along with members of the Minneapolis Racial Equity Community Advisory Committee, joined representatives from the City of Minneapolis, the McKnight Foundation, and the Minneapolis Foundation to evaluate applications.
The fund offers grants for place-based, community-driven initiatives and projects that result in a demonstrable reduction in local greenhouse gas emissions. Funding supports proposals that further one or more goals of the Minneapolis Climate Action Plan, which include:
- Increasing energy efficiency
- Encouraging the use of renewable energy
- Reducing vehicle miles traveled
- Promoting efforts to recycle, reuse, and otherwise reduce the community’s waste stream
Funded projects also advance the City of Minneapolis’ Strategic Racial Equity Action Plan, which seeks to embed racial equity principles throughout the city’s work.
The fund’s next grant round will open in early 2025. Sign up to receive email updates from the Minneapolis Foundation about grant opportunities. Businesses and members of the public can contribute to the fund by going to www.climatempls.org.
