Minnesota Humanities Center

2025-2027 Community Identity and Heritage

Cultural Heritage Grants

Through the State of Minnesota’s 2025-2027 biennial legislation and the Community Identity and Heritage, Cultural Heritage Fund (Legacy), the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) will administer $6,299,000 in grants to individuals and organizations that will work to create, celebrate, and teach the art, culture, and heritage of the many diverse cultural groups that make up Minnesota, including but not limited to Indigenous organizations, communities whose culture and heritage have been historically underrepresented, recent immigrant communities, and veterans.

Questions?

Contact Laura Adams

Community Identity and Heritage Grant Snapshot

Open To:Individuals and Organizations
Application Deadline:6:00 p.m. CST, Monday, December 8, 2025
Deadline to Request MHC Feedback:
(MHC will complete one proposal review per application)		Friday, November 14, 2025
Grant Term:December 31, 2026
Grant Reporting:January 31, 2027

The Minnesota Legislature identified the following within the legislation* to be given priority consideration:

  • Art from the Inside
  • Arts programs in the Moorhead cultural mall
  • Arts programs in the Maplewood cultural mall
  • Asian Economic Development Association
  • Capri Theater
  • Minnesota State Band
  • Fight for Your Dreams
  • HIRPHA International for Oromo youth programs
  • Fight for Your Dreams
  • HIRPHA International for Oromo youth programs
  • Hmong Cultural Center
  • Midnimo
  • MN Zej Zog
  • People in Action
  • Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
  • Safe Summer Nights
  • Siengkane Lao, MN
  • Stairstep Foundation
  • Walker West Music Academy
View Complete RFP

*The legislation does not require that MHC award a grant to an applicant that has been identified within the legislation as a priority. The above identified priorities will need to apply under the competitive grant process in order to receive funding.

Grant Information Sessions

MHC will hosted three virtual information sessions for applicants to ask additional questions about this grant opportunity and/or technical questions related to the application process.

All information sessions were conducted via Zoom.

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Funding Availability

MHC will award $6,299,000 in Community Identity & Heritage; Cultural Heritage grants (less allowable administrative fee) to MHC for design, award, and monitoring of the grant program.

Applicants may request any amount of funding up to $300,000.

Legacy funding may only be used for new work or new additions to existing work. Funding must supplement and not substitute existing funding sources or be sued as reimbursement of expenses for existing projects.

If you request $25,000 or more, you will need to submit financial documentation with your application.

Eligibility

An applicant is eligible to apply for funding:

  • If the applicant is in good standing with the IRS,
  • If the applicant is in good standing with MHC, and
  • If the applicant is working to:
    • Preserve and honor the cultural heritage of Minnesota,
    • Provide education and student outreach in cultural diversity,
    • Support the development of culturally diverse humanities programming, including arts programming, by individuals and organizations, or
    • Empower communities in building identity and culture, including preserving and honoring communities whose Indigenous cultures are endangered or disappearing.

MHC uses the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to confirm compliance. If you are unsure whether you are in good standing with MHC, please contact Grants Administrator Laura Adams at laura.adams@mnhum.org. MHC may grant an exemption to an organization that is not in good standing if the applicant uses a fiscal agent.

Additional financial information may be requested based on review and assessment of applications submitted.

Selection Criteria & Weight
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Project Details (25)

How well does the project (select as many as applicable but at least one of the following):

  • Preserve and honor the cultural heritage of Minnesota?
  • Provide education and student outreach on cultural diversity?
  • Support the development of culturally diverse humanities programming, including arts programming, by individuals and organizations?
  • Empower communities in building identity and culture, including but not limited to preserving and honoring communities whose Indigenous cultures are endangered or disappearing?

Community Involvement (25)

  • How were stakeholders/members of the community/board involved in developing this grant proposal and how were their ideas incorporated?
  • How will stakeholders/members of the community/board be involved in implementing and evaluating the success of the project?
  • Can you identify past success in collaborating with the community?

Project Management (30)

  • How will the project be completed on a timely basis?
  • How will the reporting of expenses and hours be correctly reported?
  • How will the goals for the project be achieved?
  • Does the budget submitted align with the proposed project?
  • Is the budget in MHC’s required template?
  • Are the itemized expenses detailed, clear and consistent with Legacy?
  • If applicable, how will compliance with Minnesota competitive bid laws be ensured?

Evaluation & Impact (20)

  • Is the success of the project clear?
  • Is the evaluation process clear as to methodology?
  • What audience are you attempting to reach with your project?
  • How do you expect to impact the audience you are attempting to reach?
  • What steps are you taking to maximize your desired impact?
Application Content
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Applicants must submit a complete application to be considered. Applications contain the following sections:

  • Application Contact Information
  • Project Overview
  • Project Alignment
  • Project Narrative
  • Project Budget

Please don’t submit any additional materials other than what is requested, such as binders or photos, in the application. Unrequested materials will not be reviewed.
Funding Requirements
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Please make sure that your proposal only seeks funding for events and activities that are allowable. Minnesota law does not allow legacy funding to be used to:

  • Reimburse costs incurred before the grant agreement is fully signed,
  • Start, match, add, support or complete any type of fundraiser,
  • Support a benefit(s),
  • Support investments (such as improvements, construction, property, or equipment),
  • Purchase promotional giveaway items such as t-shirts, keychains,
  • Fund out-of-state expenses, such as out-of-state travel and lodging and contractor expenses,
  • Pay for expenses or other institutional overhead costs that are not directly related to the activities outlined in the project proposal.
  • Food expenses when expenses are either (i) incurred during the planning phase of the project, or (ii) are not essential to the final program.
  • Wages, salary, and benefits of staff for the time that such individuals are not working on the project.
Additional Information
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How to Apply

Applicants are encouraged to apply online through MHC’s grants management system.

We recommend reviewing the full application (Individual Application (PDF) / Organization Application (PDF)) prior to logging on and setting up an account. You may save your initial application entries and subsequently return to the document to finish your application.

The application will require a budget submission using MHC’s budget template.

Apply as an Individual

Apply as an Organization

Technical Support

If you have any questions about this RFP, applying in English is a barrier, or you need a reasonable accommodation to submit your application, please contact:

Laura Adams
MHC Grants Administrator
987 Ivy Avenue East
St. Paul, MN 55016
laura.adams@mnhum.org
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