Free funder guide · Minnesota · Last checked 27 September 2026
Which Minnesota environmental funders actually accept applications
Most private foundations in Minnesota have already told the IRS they won't read your proposal. This page explains how to spot them, and lists 13 secular funders of environmental and conservation work in Minnesota that do take applications, with what they fund, what they have given, and when they next open.
No private foundation made this list. Of the 106 open Minnesota foundations whose latest filing includes an environmental grant, about 90 also gave to a church, a religious school or college, a YMCA, Lutheran Social Service, Habitat for Humanity or another faith-based charity. The rest give mainly outside Minnesota, made only token conservation grants, or are not taking applications. So this page leans on the state's lottery and Legacy Amendment programs, two metro watershed organizations and the regional community foundations.
From my own read of IRS filings, September 2026
In Minnesota, 676 of the 907 private foundations with $1 million or more in assets that I could check tick the box on their tax return saying they don't accept unsolicited requests. That is 75%.
That leaves 231 larger Minnesota foundations that say they will read an application. It is a higher share of closed doors than in Wisconsin (67%, 572 of 859), Michigan (72%, 690 of 964) and Iowa (60%, 217 of 359), counted the same way.
How I counted: every private non-operating foundation with a Minnesota address on the IRS Exempt Organizations Master File (September 2026 release) reporting assets of $1 million or more, checked against its most recent e-filed Form 990-PF (tax years 2023 to 2026, almost all 2024 or 2025). There are 909; 2 had no e-filed return I could find, so they are left out of the count. Operating foundations, which mostly run their own programs, are left out, as they were for Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa. Counting them too gives 75% (741 of 986).
What the checkbox means
One small box on the tax return tells you whether to bother.
Every private foundation files Form 990-PF with the IRS each year. Part XIV, line 2 of that return has a checkbox. A foundation that ticks it is telling the IRS, in writing, that it chooses its grantees itself. A proposal sent to it is usually wasted work.
"Check here if the foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."Form 990-PF, Part XIV, line 2
A foundation that leaves the box empty has to fill in lines 2a to 2d instead: who receives applications, what form they should take, any deadlines, and any limits on who or what it funds. For many small family foundations, those four lines are the only published guidelines they have.
The box does not tell you whether a foundation funds your kind of work. For that, read line 3a, the list of grants it actually paid. Check both before you write a letter of inquiry. Any foundation's return can be read free on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
13 funders
Open to applications, and funding environmental work in Minnesota.
Every funder below is secular, says it accepts applications (on its website or its tax return), and has paid grants to environmental or conservation groups in its most recent filing. Government programs are the exception: they file no tax return. Community foundations are listed by the program that fits environmental groups. Grant examples come from each funder's latest IRS filing unless the funder's own site is named.
Verified date on the funder's own site on 27 Sept 2026Expected based on last cycle; next not yet postedRolling applications any timeFiling only no website; from the tax return, confirm firstCheck site next date not posted; open their page
Saint Paul · for 2026 to 2027: the seven-county metro area, Duluth, Rochester and St. Cloud
Outdoor Heritage Fund (Legacy Amendment) grants that restore, enhance or protect forests, wetlands, prairies and habitat for fish, game and wildlife. Nonprofits of any size can apply; projects must be on public land or water, or land under a permanent conservation easement. For the year to June 2027 the legislature limited all funds to the seven-county metro area and cities of 50,000 or more, so there is no statewide round this year.
Typical grant
$5,000 to $500,000 with a 10% non-state match; the Expedited Conservation Projects track is $5,000 to $75,000 and non-competitive (its site). Nonprofit awards in its 2024 and 2025 lists include Friends of Sax-Zim Bog $493,600, Belwin Conservancy $348,000, Great River Greening $252,500 and Friends of Sunfish Lake Park $50,000.
Next deadline
Expedited Conservation Projects: round 2 closes November 9, 2026, 4 p.m.; later rounds close January 11, March 8 and May 10, 2027 Verified. Metro grants: a second round opens January 1, 2027 and closes February 16, 2027, only if funds remain Verified.
How to apply
DNR online application system. A signed Land Manager Review and Approval Form from whoever manages the land is required with every application.
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund
Saint Paul · statewide
Lottery-funded grants for projects that protect, conserve and enhance Minnesota's air, water, land, fish and wildlife: research, restoration, land protection and environmental education. The request for proposals is open to anyone with the financial capacity to manage a state grant. It is a long cycle: the commission ranks proposals, invites finalists to present, and the legislature then passes the money, which becomes available the following July.
Typical grant
No minimum or maximum; standard projects run three years and are paid by reimbursement (its 2027 RFP). Projects funded in 2026 include Friends of the Mississippi River $923,000 (dam removal feasibility), White Iron Chain of Lakes Association $727,000 and River Bend Nature Center $293,000.
Next deadline
The 2027 request for proposals was issued January 7, 2026 and closed March 18, 2026. The commission is scheduled to adopt the 2028 request for proposals on December 16, 2026 and issue it in January 2027, with proposals likely due about March 2027 Expected.
How to apply
LCCMR's online proposal system. Staff review draft proposals from new applicants if asked a few weeks before the deadline.
Outdoor environmental, ecological and natural-resource education and recreation programs for young people under 18, with priority for new or expanded programming that reaches youth with few chances to get outdoors. Nonprofits whose mission includes natural resource education or outdoor recreation can apply.
Typical grant
Mini grants $500 to $5,000 (awarded by lottery) or larger grants $5,001 to $25,000 (competitive), one type per applicant; some match expected but no minimum (its site). 2026 awards include Metro Blooms $25,000 and Saint Paul Parks Conservancy $25,000.
Next deadline
The 2026 round was announced November 10, 2025 and closed December 17, 2025. The DNR says details of the next round will be posted in October 2026; next deadline about December 2026 Expected.
How to apply
Fillable application form plus Exhibit D, submitted to the DNR as set out in the request for proposals.
NOAA-funded grants, run by the DNR, for coastal habitat, water quality, hazards and public access projects in Minnesota's Lake Superior coastal area. Nonprofits can apply for the small STAR grants (planning, outreach, training, technology) and for annual planning and management grants; construction and land purchases must go through a government partner.
Typical grant
STAR $4,501 to $10,000 with a 20% non-federal match; annual grants $10,000 to $100,000 (planning and management) or $25,000 to $150,000 (land acquisition and low-cost construction), with 25% or 50% match (its notices).
Next deadline
STAR small grants: October 1, 2026 and January 5, 2027, 11:59 p.m. Verified. Annual grants: the last two-page project summaries were due December 11, 2025; next about December 2026 Expected.
How to apply
Application form and template from the program page, emailed to the Coastal Program. Applicants need a SAM Unique Entity Identifier and must be a registered vendor with the State of Minnesota.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Sustain Our Great Lakes
Washington, DC · Great Lakes basin, including Minnesota's Lake Superior watershed
Stream and riparian habitat, nature-based stormwater infrastructure and invasive species control in the Great Lakes basin. Nonprofits are eligible. Awards are large, so it suits established land trusts and watershed groups with a shovel-ready project.
Typical grant
$200,000 to $1,000,000 (2026 request for proposals). Minnesota grants in its latest filing, which does not name the program: Minnesota Land Trust $177,290 (estuary forest for marsh birds), Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District $16,363 (brook trout passage on Hockamin Creek).
Next deadline
2026 round: pre-proposals May 28, full proposals August 6, 2026 (closed). Next round about May 2027 Expected; the 2027 request for proposals is not posted yet.
How to apply
Pre-proposal in NFWF's Easygrants system; full proposals by invitation.
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization: Stewardship Fund Grants
Minneapolis · its urban watershed: Minneapolis, Columbia Heights, Fridley, Hilltop, Lauderdale, St. Anthony Village and part of St. Paul
A joint-powers watershed organization that funds community-led water quality, stormwater and habitat work, from rain gardens and cleanups to larger green infrastructure. Registered Minnesota nonprofits are eligible, and it is particularly interested in projects that reach underserved communities.
Typical grant
Community grants up to $5,000 with no match; planning grants up to $20,000 and action grants up to $50,000, each with a 25% match (its site).
Next deadline
February 12, 2027, 4:30 p.m. Verified. Invited final applications are due March 12, 2027; the next round after that is due late 2027.
How to apply
Application form by email to MWMO staff, who then meet selected applicants to discuss the project before the final application. It strongly encourages contact before applying.
Capitol Region Watershed District: Planning and Partner Grants
Saint Paul · parts of Saint Paul, Roseville, Maplewood, Falcon Heights and Lauderdale
Watershed district grants for clean water work that protects its lakes and the Mississippi River. Planning grants pay for feasibility studies and design of clean water projects; Partner Grants fund two-year education and engagement programs led by nonprofits and others serving district residents.
Typical grant
Planning grants average $10,000 to $20,000 with a 5% cost share for nonprofits; Partner Grants $10,000 to $40,000 over two years (its site). 2025 Partner Grants include Blue Hummingbird Woman $31,850 (Indigenous-led plant walks and water workshops).
Next deadline
Planning grants: any time Rolling. Partner Grants: the next request for proposals opens in fall 2026, then every two years Check site.
How to apply
Planning grants: contact the district's planning grant lead named on the page to apply. Partner Grants: proposal when the fall 2026 request opens.
Boreal Waters Community Foundation: Biodiversity Fund
Duluth · Duluth-Superior region and northeast Minnesota
The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, now renamed. Its Biodiversity Fund supports habitat preservation and restoration, help for vulnerable species and ecosystems, planning for environmental change, and research and education in the Duluth-Superior region.
Typical grant
$5,000 to $50,000 for one-year projects, or up to $50,000 a year for up to three years (its 2026 guidelines). Environmental grants in its 2024 filing include Minnesota Land Trust $30,000, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory $25,000, Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness $25,000 and Hartley Nature Center $18,791 (the filing does not separate these from donor-advised gifts).
Next deadline
Letters of intent February 8 to March 8, 2027 Verified; full applications by invitation (the 2026 round's were due April 27).
How to apply
Letter of intent through its online grant portal; invited applicants then submit a full application.
West Central Initiative: Environmental Sustainability Grants
Fergus Falls · Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin counties and White Earth Nation
A regional community foundation whose annual grant round names environmental sustainability as a priority: sustainability and climate projects, community learning, research, and capacity building for local sustainability groups.
Typical grant
$3,000 to $25,000, most $3,000 to $10,000 (its site). Environmental grants in its filing for the year to June 2025 include Douglas County Soil and Water Conservation District $140,904 (wetland project), Monarch Joint Venture $10,000 and Indigenous Environmental Network $10,000 for water quality monitoring (the filing does not separate these from other funds).
Next deadline
The 2026 round ran January 20 to February 26, 2026. Next round about January to February 2027 Expected; dates not posted.
How to apply
Online application through its SurveyMonkey Apply portal; one application per organization, which can cover more than one focus area.
Twice-yearly competitive grants for Winona-area nonprofits. Requests that get people outdoors and connected to nature may be matched to its Connect People to Nature Fund.
Typical grant
Up to $15,000 for new or expanded projects, programs or equipment; up to $5,000 for operating support; about half of requests are funded (its site). Environmental grants in its 2024 filing: Restoravore $27,935, Project Get Outdoors $7,500.
Next deadline
Twice a year on a standing schedule: Cycle 1 opens February 1 and closes March 1, Cycle 2 opens August 1 and closes September 1 Verified. Next: February 1 to March 1, 2027.
How to apply
A short screening call with staff during the cycle, then the online application. One grant per organization per calendar year.
Rochester Area Foundation: Better Communities Grants
Rochester · within 35 miles of Rochester
Unrestricted one-year grants for the core mission of community organizations. Environmental groups apply in the spring Vibrant Communities focus area (culture, arts, environment, recreation).
Typical grant
$10,000 to $20,000 (its site). Environmental grants in its 2024 filing: Friends of Quarry Hill Nature Center $34,010, Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center $13,000, Project Get Outdoors $10,200.
Next deadline
2026 spring cycle: letters of intent January 26 to February 12, written applications due March 9, 2026. Next spring cycle about late January to March 2027 Expected; 2027 dates not posted.
How to apply
Letter of intent through its grant portal; invited organizations submit a written application.
Little Falls · 14 counties and two Native nations of Central Minnesota
Central Minnesota's regional foundation. Its fall round funds strategic planning, fund development, technology and staffing for nonprofits of any field, including conservation groups. Its hosted Mille Lacs Area Community Foundation also makes small environmental stewardship grants in the Mille Lacs Lake watershed each fall.
Typical grant
Capacity building up to $10,000; short-term support up to $5,000 (its site). Environmental grants in its 2024 filing include Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge $65,000 and Gull Chain of Lakes Association $47,422 (the filing does not separate these from partner and donor-advised funds).
Next deadline
Emerging Needs and Nonprofit Capacity-Building grants: October 5 to November 6, 2026 Verified. Mille Lacs Area Community Foundation: June to September 15 each year; the 2026 window has closed Expected.
How to apply
Online through its community grant portal; create an account first. One grant per organization per calendar year.
Northwest Minnesota Foundation: Building Better Lives Grants
Bemidji · 12 counties of northwest Minnesota, Red Lake Nation and White Earth Nation
Three grant rounds a year for the region's nonprofits. The environment is not one of its named priorities, so conservation groups fit mainly under nonprofit capacity building (staff and board development, systems, planning).
Typical grant
Usually $5,000 to $10,000, requests up to $15,000 considered (its FY27 guidelines). Environmental grants in its filing for the year to June 2025 include Agassiz Audubon Society $44,000 and The Nature Conservancy $22,000 for the Tall Aspen Parklands (the filing does not separate these from its 400 local funds).
Next deadline
November 2 to 30, 2026; then March 2 to 30, 2027 Verified.
How to apply
Online application; staff run an information webinar before each round (register by emailing [email protected]).
It is not exhaustive and it is not a ranking. Deadlines and guidelines change, so open each funder's own page before you start. Grants are competitive, and past grant sizes describe what a funder gave, not what it will give you. I list secular funders only.
The full version
Want this done for your own organization?
A Funding Roadmap ($1,200, flat fee) gives you ten to fifteen funders matched to your mission, place and size, the grants each one paid to groups like yours, how to apply, and a 12-month grant calendar. Every deadline is labeled the same way as on this page.
Email me your organization's name, rough budget and what you'd like funded. You'll get a written reply within two business days.
You fill in a short intake questionnaire, then answer one round of written follow-up questions.
About three weeks later you get the roadmap, a two-page note on how to use it, and 14 days of email questions.
Everything happens in writing. There are no calls or meetings.