Verification status: Verification Pending. This opportunity is Minnesota-lane owned because the controlling grantmaker is the Minneapolis Foundation-led Great Lakes TCGM Partnership administering an EPA pass-through program. Do not initiate applicant-specific CRM work or ORIGINAL outreach until the complete current application guidelines are authoritatively verified.
The Minneapolis Foundation, in partnership with the Midwest Environmental Justice Network, NDN Collective, and RE-AMP Network, is administering the Great Lakes Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program for underserved communities in EPA Region 5, including Minnesota. The Foundation states that the program will distribute $48 million over three years and is accepting applications on a rolling basis through November 2026.
Grant tiers: Tier 1 offers up to one-year grants of up to $150,000 for assessment and engagement, plus a noncompetitive Tier 1 pathway of up to $75,000 for capacity-constrained communities and community-based organizations. Tier 2 offers one- to two-year grants of up to $250,000 for community education and planning. Tier 3 offers one- to two-year grants of up to $350,000 for project development and implementation.
Issue areas: Environmental health; air, soil, and water quality; healthy homes; access to healthy food; stormwater and green infrastructure; emergency preparedness; disaster resilience; and environmental job training.
Current-status evidence: The Foundation reported in August 2026 that the program awarded more than $15.5 million to 93 community-led environmental and public-health projects in its first year, confirming active grantmaking after the program’s earlier federal funding dispute.
Fail-closed controls: The Foundation’s public page identifies community-based nonprofits and other eligible organizations but the linked application portal is not currently retrievable through the available verification path. The exact final November 2026 day/time, complete applicant eligibility, match/cost-share requirements, all allowable/ineligible costs, required forms and attachments, submission mechanics, certifications, review criteria, and current amendments remain unverified. Do not infer any of them. Keep this record in draft and do not create ORIGINAL outreach until those controls are resolved.