Opportunity Overview
The Management Improvement Fund, a special fund of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, provides grants to small and midsize Minnesota nonprofit organizations for technical assistance and consultation that strengthens internal operations, organizational capacity and leadership. Current funded activities include strategic planning, governance, human resources, program evaluation, translation and accessibility consulting, technology assessment, financial planning and grantwriting services, community healing work, and other capacity-building assistance.
Funding
Grant requests may be up to $15,000. The primary use of funds is consultation fees or training expenses. A limited portion may support related expenses needed to complete the work, such as interpreters, stipends, childcare, transportation and staff time.
Eligibility and Priorities
Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or organizations with a fiscal sponsor across Minnesota. The Fund reviews applicants with annual operating budgets of $5 million or less, organizations that primarily serve low-income persons, sufficient staff capacity to participate in the consultation and implement changes, and demonstrated need for financial assistance. Organizations serving Asian American/Pacific Islander, Indigenous, Latinx and Black communities, along with new or emerging BIPOC-led organizations, receive priority consideration.
Organizations based in Greater Minnesota or the West Metro counties of Anoka, Hennepin, Carver and Scott are directed to contact the Fund before applying. Organizations exclusively serving those West Metro counties are not accepted.
Deadline and Application
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed quarterly. The published 2026 review deadlines are February 19, May 21, August 20 and November 12, 2026. Applications received after a quarterly cutoff automatically move to the next cycle. The current public program materials do not state a clock time or time zone for the November 12 review cutoff, so Atlas does not infer one.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the Management Improvement Fund before applying to confirm fit, then submit through the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation grant portal.
Required Materials
The current application questions identify required organizational information, service-area percentages, mission and program information, staffing and board information, grant narrative responses, a current operating budget, year-end income and expense report, year-end balance sheet, current board list, and a written proposal or bid from the prospective consultant. Fiscal-sponsored applicants must also provide the applicable fiscal-sponsor agreement and financial/board materials.
Match and Cost Share
The current program page, fact sheet and published application questions do not state a mandatory applicant match or cost-share requirement. Applicants should use the current portal materials and any Foundation instructions in effect at submission.
Atlas Assessment
Atlas Opportunity Score: 71/100. This is a legitimate statewide capacity-building opportunity with health and human services among the application interest areas and can support nonprofit organizations whose internal capacity affects delivery of healthcare, public health or community services. The relatively small award ceiling and consultation-focused scope reduce direct clinical-project value.
N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. The current materials do not establish a defensible medical-device or N9+ procurement pathway. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. Dr. Miltie, LLC is not a direct grant applicant because eligibility is limited to qualifying nonprofits or fiscally sponsored organizations. The Fund can pay applicant-selected consultants, including certain technical-assistance and grantwriting services, but no specific applicant procurement or direct-vendor opportunity for Dr. Miltie is established by the current solicitation.
Authoritative Sources
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation — Management Improvement Fund