Our Home State Capital & Reserve Grant Program
Our Home State works to ensure Minnesota’s housing organizations have the power and resources to create an equitable future where all Minnesotans have a stable home they can afford.
Program Overview
A collaborative effort by the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation, with additional support from businesses, peer foundations and individual donors, the Our Home State Grant Program seeks to increase access to housing across Minnesota. Our Home State North Star: Minnesota’s housing ecosystem has the power and resources to create an equitable future where all Minnesotans have a stable home they can afford.
The grants prioritize organizations and programs that ensure access to affordable housing or housing stability.
Our capital and reserve program is currently open and accepting Letters of Inquiry.
OHS Capital and Reserve Grant Program Guidelines
The Our Home State Capital and Reserve Grant Program supports organizations and programs that ensure access to affordable housing or housing stability.
Our Capital and Reserve Grant program will consider proposals that address one of the following:
- Capitalized services reserves, or operating/services reserves
- Matching funds for LIHTC or other public/philanthropic investment
- Capital for existing affordable housing project preservation/redevelopment including:
- Protecting, maintaining, and repairing existing affordable housing, infrastructure replacements (ex: boilers, roofs)
- Expiring affordability requirements
- Support for local housing trust funds
- Operating reserves for housing service stabilization/preservation including:
- Unexpected budget shortfalls, cash flow gaps, and day-to-day operational emergencies
- Programs and support designed to help individuals find, transition into, and maintain long-term housing
Our Home State will not consider grant requests for support of organizations exclusively serving Minneapolis and the surrounding West Metro.
If your organization does not fit the funding criteria for the OHS Capital and Reserve Grant Program, we encourage you to explore other Grant Opportunities, as well as Resources Beyond the Grant on the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation website.
Eligibility
Organizations based in Minnesota with a demonstrated commitment to the geography served. Grants can be made to 501(c)3 nonprofits, tribal governments, and groups working through an eligible fiscal sponsor.
Geography
Our Home State makes grants to entities located within and serving residents of Minnesota. The geographic focus of our grantmaking is the East Metro area of Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties, as well as Greater Minnesota and Tribal Communities.
Types of Grants
Capital and Reserve Grants will be offered for project-specific support.
Grant Details
Grant amounts will be $50,000 - $100,000/yr for 1-2 years for a total grant amount of up to $200,000
Application Materials
Grant Guidelines [PDF]
Letter of Inquiry Preview [PDF]
Letter of Inquiry Scoring Rubric [PDF]
Application Preview [PDF]
Decision-making Timeline
Applications for the Our Home State begin with a letter of inquiry and invitation to apply. Communications on Letter of Inquiry decisions to go out by December 17.
September - October
Letters of Inquiry Accepted September 25, 2026 to noon October 22, 2026.
December - January
Invitation to Apply for Select Organizations opens December 18, 2026 - January 21, 2027
March
Decisions will be made in March 2027
April
Grants Awarded by April 2027.
How to Apply
Step 1: Review Grant Guidelines
Familiarize yourself with the eligibility criteria and funding priorities for this grant program.
Step 2: Talk to the Grants Team
All interested applicants are encouraged to contact Linda Garrett-Johnson, a member of our Grants Team, before applying to ensure that the grant program fits your needs. Our Grants Team is always excited to connect with community partners.
Step 3: Review Application Materials
Review required application materials and instructions on how to apply. Note: Applications for the Our Home State Ecosystem Grant Program begin with a letter of inquiry and initial screening.
View Grant Application Resources
Complete a letter of inquiry, accepted from 10 a.m. September 25, 2026 to noon October 22, 2026.
Step 4: Register and Apply
This grant program requires applicants to register for GranteeView to apply for a grant. Registration is open now. Note: Only select organizations will be invited to submit a full application.
Step 5: Stay Connected
Whether or not your organization is selected for a grant opportunity, we want to stay connected.
Foundations Launch Our Home State Initiative
The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, in partnership with F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation, announced Our Home State, a five-year, $20 million philanthropic initiative focused on expanding access to safe, stable and affordable housing across Minnesota.