What does the Butler Family Foundation support through the Community Grants Program?
We fund 501(c)(3) organizations working in the following fields:
ARTS
Butler Family Foundation general operating and program grants support arts organizations and programs that provide creative, transformative opportunities to Twin Cities and East Metro communities.
Youth Arts
Investments in arts organizations and youth development programs that nurture young people's talents, creativity, and leadership. We prioritize organizations meeting at least one of the following criteria:
- Deliver enriching, curriculum-connected arts education in partnership with K-12 schools, especially those in under-resourced communities.
- Engage middle and high school students in out-of-school arts programs that cultivate strengths and aspirations through positive youth development approaches.
- Foster co-creation with community-based teaching artists reflecting the backgrounds and interests of young people.
Community Arts
Investments in neighborhood-based arts organizations that harness the strengths, creativity, and cultural vibrancy of their communities. We prioritize organizations meeting at least one of the following criteria:
- Design inclusive, accessible programs that honor the interests and cultural wealth of local communities.
- Support and engage community-based teaching artists as leaders and collaborators.
- Provide high-quality spaces, tools, and materials to nurture creative practice for emerging and established artists and community members.
The Foundation is unlikely to support organizations and programs that primarily provide access to field trips, exhibitions, and performances.
Eligible organizations must operate in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, or Saint Paul's eastern suburbs. All Community Grant applicants must have an annual budget of least $300,000. The Foundation will prioritize support for arts organizations with budgets under $5 million.
ENVIRONMENT
We seek to promote the responsible stewardship of land and water resources in Minnesota by funding programs in land protection and sustainable land use; water quality protection and improvement; and efforts which integrate land and water protection strategies. We seek to educate Minnesota's young people about the importance of land and water resources by funding educational programs that focus on land protection, sustainable land use, and water quality protection and improvement.
HUMAN SERVICES
We support efforts to assist the most vulnerable members of our community, especially women and children, by funding programs in the following fields:
- Housing and services for adults, families, and youth who are homeless or who lack safe, stable, and affordable housing
- Residential and community support for those with chemical addictions
- Prevention and intervention services for those experiencing domestic and family violence
- Holistic intervention and rehabilitative services for prostituted people and those at risk of sexual exploitation
What types of support are available through Community Grants?
We award two-year Community Grants for either general operating support or program support. Minimum grant sizes are $30,000 per year for general operating support and $20,000 per year for program support.
Who is eligible to apply?
Community Grants are open to 501(c)(3) organizations working in our three priority areas. Organizations applying for grants in the arts or human services must work in the urban cores of St. Paul or Minneapolis or in the East Metropolitan suburbs. Organizations applying for grants in the environment may work anywhere in Minnesota.
Community Grant applicants must have annual budgets of at least $300,000. If applying for program support, that program must also have an annual budget of at least $80,000. Because of our emphasis on building ongoing relationships with grantees, we award grants to only a limited number of new organizations each year. Please contact JoAnne Peters if you have questions about eligibility.
What is the timeline to apply?
Because we award two-year grants, our funding priorities alternate annually. In 2026, we will award Community Grants in arts and environment. Our online Community Grant application system will open on December 1, 2025. Our deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m. on April 1, 2026.
What is the review process for Community Grants?
After an initial review of your application, we may contact you for additional information or to schedule a site visit. Final decisions are made annually at the fall meeting of our Board of Trustees.
Click here to learn how to apply.