UPCOMING — 2027 Difference Maker Grants open January 1, 2027 and close February 15, 2027. Applications are not open as of November 7, 2026.
Minnesota — Brainerd Lakes Area 2027 Difference Maker Community Grants ($5,000–$30,000; February 15)
Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation's 2027 Difference Maker Grants offer $5,000–$30,000 for eligible nonprofits, schools and governments serving Crow Wing and southern Cass Counties, Minnesota. Applications open January 1, 2027 and close February 15, 2027 at midnight (time zone not specified).
Funding$5,000–$30,000 per eligible applicant project. The amount is the individual grant range, not an aggregate program pool.
DeadlineUPCOMING: Application opens January 1, 2027; deadline February 15, 2027 by midnight. The controlling foundation calendar does not specify a time zone.
Last verified2026-11-07
Required next actionConfirm 501(c)(3) nonprofit, school, or governmental eligibility and that the project benefits Crow Wing or southern Cass County, Minnesota. Prepare one application for a new or expanded program with measurable local impact and sustainability plan. Apply via the linked CommunityGiving Grant Management System starting January 1, 2027 and no later than February 15, 2027 at midnight (time zone unspecified).
Broad Eligibility
501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, schools and governmental entities proposing qualifying new or expanded programs for communities in Minnesota's Crow Wing and southern Cass Counties. Individual applicants, political campaigns, religious-only programs, annual fundraising, debt and completed projects typically excluded.
Atlas Analysis
Controlling Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation program instructions and CommunityGiving 2027 funding calendar verified November 7, 2026. $5,000–$30,000 applicant-level awards; application opening January 1, 2027 and closing February 15, 2027, midnight with no published time zone. One application per organization each year per round. Matching or community contributions encouraged but not universally mandated. Following online application, advisory review may include a presentation; May board decision, signed grant agreement before disbursement and final report within a year. Funding restrictions, geography, and applicant classes as in official grant instructions.
The Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation’s 2027 Difference Maker Grants support meaningful new or expanding community programs benefiting Crow Wing and southern Cass Counties in Minnesota. The foundation prioritizes practical projects that address food insecurity, affordable housing and homelessness, workforce and career readiness, health and safety, or opportunity gaps.
Individual eligible grant requests range from $5,000 to $30,000. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, schools and government entities with projects benefiting the defined Brainerd Lakes service area. Community support or matching funds are favorable, but the funder does not publish a universal mandatory cash-match percentage. Applicants can request a grant for one year and may reapply in subsequent annual cycles rather than submitting a multi-year proposal.
Applications open January 1, 2027 and are due February 15, 2027 by midnight. The official funder instructions do not specify a time zone. Applicants submit one online application per year per round through the CommunityGiving Grant Management System. A grant advisory committee may invite proposals to a presentation round; the board expects May decisions. Approved applicants electronically sign a grant agreement before payment and submit a final report within one year.
Generally ineligible uses include individual support, religious-only activities, political campaigns, event sponsorships or annual fundraising, multi-year requests, endowments, debt retirement, completed or retroactive projects, individual postsecondary scholarships, staff travel or conferences alone, and replacement of reduced government funding. Applicants should review the current official instructions and contact the foundation when eligibility is unclear.
Official opportunity and instructions: Brainerd Lakes Area Difference Maker Grants. Official 2027 dates: Brainerd Lakes Area Foundation grants calendar.
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Source verificationReferenced source · www.communitygiving.orgAtlas last verified this record 2026-11-07. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
