Questions and Answers
About Otto Bremer Foundation Metro Area Funding
METRO AREA FUNDING OVERVIEW
1. What is your metro area funding focus?
2. Why are you focusing on poverty alleviation?
3. Does this focus on poverty alleviation affect funding beyond the metro area?
4. How much money are you allocating to metro area funding?
APPLYING FOR A GRANT
5. Who is eligible to apply for a grant under this metro area focus?
6. Can we apply for a grant under the metro area focus if we currently have another Otto Bremer Foundation grant?
7. Are you accepting metro area proposals now? When will decisions be made?
8. Is there a special application form for this focus? What information do you want to review as part of a grant proposal?
9. Can we apply for more than one year of support under the metro area focus?
10. Does the metro area focus apply to program-related investments (PRIs) as well as grants?
11. Will you provide metro area grants outside this poverty alleviation focus? For example, can we apply for general operations,
civic engagement, and/or organizational capacity building?
12. Our organization is in the middle of a multiyear grant. Will our payouts still be honored?
13. If you change the focus of your metro area grantmaking in the future, how can I find out about that?
14. Who can I contact with additional questions?
METRO AREA FUNDING OVERVIEW
1. What is your metro area funding focus?
As part of our ongoing response to the current economic challenges, the Otto Bremer Foundation is focusing
Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area funding on programs and initiatives to relieve poverty, including emergency assistance and
longer-term poverty reduction. We are especially interested in proposals that help families and individuals
meet immediate basic needs--such as food, warm and stable housing, health care, and reliable
transportation--as well as programs and initiatives that address the underlying conditions that can help people
achieve long-term economic stability.
2. Why are you focusing on poverty alleviation?
We want to help communities address the needs of families and individuals struggling in the midst of these
economic challenges. We recognize that timely assistance can sometimes make the difference between instability
and security. Once families and individuals are able to meet their basic needs, they are in a better position
to access community programs that can help them achieve long-term economic stability.
Our focus on poverty relief honors the legacy and vision of our founder, Otto Bremer, who believed that
people could survive and flourish if they had help at critical times.
3. Does this focus on poverty alleviation affect funding beyond the metro area?
We understand that many regional communities have limited access to funding sources to respond to the full
spectrum of community priorities. Foundation funding in North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Minnesota communities
outside the Twin Cities metro area will continue to respond to a broad range of proposals to meet community
opportunities and needs, including needs related to poverty. (Foundation funding in the Twin Cities will focus
on relieving poverty, as described above.) Our Information for Applicants provides
a general overview of funding purposes, process, and eligibility.
4. How much money are you allocating to metro area funding?
The Foundation directs about twenty-five percent of its annual grantmaking to the Twin Cities metro area. In 2008,
metro area grantmaking totaled approximately $7.9 million.
APPLYING FOR A GRANT
5. Who is eligible to apply for a grant under this metro area focus?
Grants will be made to organizations whose beneficiaries are residents of Minneapolis and St. Paul
metro area communities. Grants are restricted to private nonprofit or public
tax-exempt organizations for purposes defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
6. Can we apply for a grant under the metro area focus if we currently have another Otto Bremer Foundation grant?
The Foundation generally does not consider a new grant until an organization has completed work under an
existing Otto Bremer Foundation grant. More about this policy.
7. Are you accepting metro area proposals now? When will decisions be made?
Yes, we are currently accepting proposals under the metro area focus. Funding decisions will be made according to the following schedule:
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Completed proposals must be received at the
Foundation on or before:
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For consideration on:
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Friday, October 23, 2009
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January 27, 2010
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Thursday, December 31, 2009
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March 25, 2010
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Friday, February 26, 2010
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May 27, 2010
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Friday, April 30, 2010
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July 22, 2010
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Friday, June 25, 2010
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September 22, 2010
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Friday, August 27, 2010
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November 18, 2010
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Friday, October 22, 2010
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January 27, 2011
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8. Is there a special application form for this focus? What information do you want to review as part of a grant proposal?
There is no special application form or procedure for the metro area focus. Applicants may use
our general application guidelines, which include an overview of process, a proposal cover
sheet, a description of information to include in the proposal narrative, and a proposal checklist.
9. Can we apply for more than one year of support under the metro area focus?
As in our other funding areas, most grants are awarded for a one-year period; however we will consider
multi-year funding as well.
10. Does the metro area focus apply to program-related investments (PRIs) as well as grants?
Yes.
11. Will you provide metro area grants outside this poverty alleviation focus? For example, can we apply for general operations, civic engagement, and/or organizational capacity building?
In 2010 we will accept metro area proposals to provide emergency assistance and/or longer-term poverty
reduction. If this focus changes, we will announce the change here on our website.
12. Our organization is in the middle of a multiyear grant. Will our payouts still be honored?
Yes.
13. If you change the focus of your metro area grantmaking in the future, how can I find out about that?
Any future changes in our metro area or other funding will be announced here on our website.
14. Who can I contact with additional questions?
Please contact us at 651-227-8036 or toll free at 1-888-291-1123.
