Otto Bremer Trust awards 150 grants totaling $9.5 million

SAINT PAUL, September 21, 2021 — The Otto Bremer Trust has awarded $9,551,963 in grants as part of its most recent grantmaking cycle.

“The variety of grants awarded reflects the diverse needs of communities across the region,” said Charlotte Johnson, Co-CEO and Trustee, Otto Bremer Trust. “The recipients of these grants are committed to improving individual lives and helping communities move forward in positive and constructive ways.”

The Otto Bremer Trust is a bank holding company and a private charitable trust based in Saint Paul, Minn., that works at the intersection of finance and philanthropy. Created in 1944 by Otto Bremer, it is today one of the nation’s largest philanthropic organizations and is committed to supporting a better quality of life for residents of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. OBT is the majority owner of Bremer Financial Corporation, a regional financial services company; manages a diversified investment portfolio; and operates Community Benefit Financial Company, a financial resources subsidiary. Since its founding, OBT has invested more than $841 million in people, places, and opportunities in the Upper Midwest.

A complete list of grants and program-related investments by region and state is included below.

Western Montana

Boys & Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation, Ronan, MT, $60,000. For general operations to ensure youth achieve academic success, develop good character and leadership, and create a healthy lifestyle in western Montana.

Boys & Girls Club of Missoula County, Missoula, MT, $30,000. For general operations to provide after-school and summer programs to youth in Missoula County.

Child Bridge, Inc., Bigfork, MT, $60,000. For general operations to find and equip foster and adoptive families for children who have suffered abuse and neglect in Montana.

Homeword, Missoula, MT, $50,000. To provide financial, rent-wise, and homebuyer education and counseling in western Montana.

Intermountain Deaconess Children’s Services, Helena, MT, $100,000. To provide long-term residential treatment to help children overcome trauma and adverse psychological symptoms from severe abuse and neglect in Montana.

Poverello Center, Inc., Missoula, MT, $50,000. For general operations to provide shelter, food, clothing, and other wrap-around services in western Montana.

SIM-MT, Helena, MT, $50,000. For general operations to provide simulation training to first responders and emergency clinicians in rural Montana.

University of Montana, Missoula, MT, $300,000. To support the Montana Public Radio which enriches the mind and spirit, inspires a lifetime of learning, and connects communities through access to exceptional programming.

Central Montana

Family Promise of Gallatin Valley, Bozeman, MT, $50,000. For support of a capital campaign to provide childcare and services for families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.

Friends of Montana PBS, Inc., Bozeman, MT, $300,000. To build capacity and expand programming for The Rundown with Jackie Coffin, which provides our viewers in-depth coverage of issues that matter to Montana.

Habitat for Humanity of Gallatin Valley, Belgrade, MT, $10,220. For technology updates to support homeownership through the construction of affordable homes and repairs.

Human Resource Development Council of District IX, Inc. (HRDC), Bozeman, MT, $100,000. To support the Housing First Village capital campaign to provide homes for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.

Montana Homeownership Network DBA NeighborWorks Montana, Great Falls, MT, $100,000. For general operations to provide housing education and counseling, affordable lending, and purchase and management of mobile home parks.

Neighborhood Housing Services Inc of Great Falls, Great Falls, MT, $50,000. For general operations to support successful homeownership and promote affordable housing in Great Falls and Cascade County.

Greater North Dakota

Children’s Museum of Minot, Inc., Minot, ND, $25,000. To provide STEAM education and outreach opportunities for youth in Minot, North Dakota.

Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center, Bismarck, ND, $120,000. For general operations to provide investigative and intervention services for children and families experiencing abuse, trauma, or victimization.

Garrison Area Resource Center & Food Pantry, Garrison, ND, $10,000. For general operations to provide meals and necessities for food insecure families in Garrison, North Dakota.

Hope Center, Devils Lake, ND, $43,785. To install a commercial kitchen and update shelter and food pantry facilities.

Lake Region Community College Foundation of Devils Lake, Devils Lake, ND, $141,875. To build career pathways and address workforce shortages through nursing apprenticeships.

Northern Plains Children’s Advocacy Center, Minot, ND, $120,000. For general operations to provide healing services to children who are victims of sexual abuse and other crimes.

USpireND, Richardton, ND, $45,000. For general operations to prevent and address the abuse and neglect of children in North Dakota.

Red River Valley

Cass Clay Community Land Trust, Fargo, ND, $75,000. For general operations to develop and maintain the long-term affordability of housing in the Fargo-Moorhead region.

The Discovery Place, Thief River Falls, MN, $60,091. To provide affordable, quality child care for families in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

Farm Rescue, Horace, ND, $74,999. To provide volunteer labor and equipment to plant, harvest, or hay a crop to farm and ranch families experiencing crisis due to major injury, illness, or natural disaster.

Girl Scouts, Dakota Horizons, Sioux Falls, SD, $75,000. To provide educational opportunities, improve academic performance, and build character for girls in vulnerable populations.

Hospice of the Red River Valley, Fargo, ND, $100,000. For capital support to build a hospice care facility.

A Place for Hope: Recovery and Wellness Center, Inc., Moorhead, MN, $40,000. To install a commercial kitchen and update food pantry facilities.

UC Hope, Glyndon, MN, $15,000. For general operations to support basic needs and provide afterschool programming in Dilworth, Glyndon, and Felton, Minnesota.

Minnesota Statewide

Economic Club of Minnesota, Plymouth, MN, $20,000. To support membership of this organization that will show how Minnesota can better compete in the global economy and most effectively provide world leadership on economic and strategic issues.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Washington, DC, $14,000. For membership renewal to help grantees achieve meaningful results and promote strategies and practices that contribute to grantee success.

Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Saint Paul, MN, $65,000. For general operations to provide leadership and resources for sexual assault programs while promoting a comprehensive response to victims and survivors.

Nurse-Family Partnership, Denver, CO, $50,000. To serve at-risk mothers and their families through a client-centered home visiting program.

Northern Minnesota

American Indian Community Housing Organization, Duluth, MN, $100,000. To provide supportive housing and wrap-around services for Native American families and elders in Duluth, Minnesota.

Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, Duluth, MN, $71,300. To implement new software and internal infrastructure to enhance community fund impact across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

KOOTASCA Community Action, Inc., Grand Rapids, MN, $35,000. To increase support for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing instability in Koochiching County.

Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming, Bemidji, MN, $15,000. For general operations to provide primary health education, pre-natal, pregnancy, and parenting classes and support to under-served Native Americans in Bemidji, Minnesota.

United Way Of Bemidji Area, Bemidji, MN, $35,000. To address low-income residents’ transportation barriers to employment, education, and services in the Bemidji and surrounding areas.

Young Women’s Christian Association, Duluth, MN, $50,000. For general operations to provide transitional housing to parenting youth as well as early childhood and youth programming to girls in Duluth.

Central Minnesota

Career Solutions, Saint Cloud, MN, $42,600. To increase employment opportunities and provide career education to adult and youth immigrants and refugees.

Community Dental Care, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, $350,000. To purchase equipment for the new Wright County dental clinic, which will provide comprehensive, culturally-sensitive oral health care for low-income households.

Crow Wing County Victim Services, Inc., Brainerd, MN, $55,000. For general operations to provide direct services and support for victims of crime in Crow Wing County.

Empowering Kids Perham, Perham, MN, $40,000. For general operations to provide early intervention services and parent support to families affected by autism in western Minnesota.

Foley Area CARE, Foley, MN, $28,000. For general operations to provide services to assist rural seniors to remain living independently at home.

Oasis 6 – Central Minnesota, Little Falls, MN, $10,000. For general operations to support emergency shelter and case management services for those experiencing homelessness in Morrison County.

Trinity Lutheran Church, Pelican Rapids, MN, $35,000. To support access to basic need services at the Welcome Place in Pelican Rapids.

True Friends, Annandale, MN, $45,000. For general operations to provide programs focused on personal care, adapted activities, targeted therapies, and time outdoors to children with disabilities.

United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties, Alexandria, MN, $20,000. To provide supplemental food to pre-kindergarten and elementary students who face food insecurity in Douglas and Pope Counties.

Twin Cities Metropolitan Area

Aeon, Minneapolis, MN, $100,000. For general operations to support affordable housing and bolster greater equity in the Twin Cities metro area.

Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, Minneapolis, MN, $30,000. To close racial employment disparities in the Twin Cities region.

Annex Teen Clinic, Robbinsdale, MN, $42,000. For general operations to provide health services and education to young people in northwest Hennepin County.

Anoka County Brotherhood Council, Inc., Anoka, MN, $25,000. For general operations to provide food, clothing, and resources to low-income Anoka County residents.

Athletes Committed to Educating Students, Minneapolis, MN, $50,000. For general operations to reduce academic achievement and opportunity gaps for underserved youth in the Twin Cities.

Urban Squash Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, $15,000. For general operations to provide academic and health and wellness programing for underrepresented youth.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN, $100,000. To provide emergency shelter services to youth aged 18-21 and case management services to move youth into transitional and permanent housing.

Children’s Law Center of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, $110,000. For general operations to provide legal representation, education, and advocacy to ensure youth in the foster care system understand their rights and resources.

Conservation Corps dba Conservation Corps Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, $30,000. To engage underserved youth in conservation service-learning while preparing them for college and career success.

Crescent Cove, Brooklyn Center, MN, $35,000. For general operations to provide respite and hospice services for care and support for youth.

DARTS, West Saint Paul, MN, $30,000. For general operations to provide services and programs for older adults residing in Dakota County.

Division of Indian Work, Minneapolis, MN, $80,000. For general operations to help American Indians tap into their potential and gain the tools and skills they need to take care of their families and themselves.

Dress for Success Twin Cities, Saint Paul, MN, $55,000. For general operations to support low-income women in their pursuit of lasting, meaningful, family-sustaining employment.

East Side Elders, Saint Paul, MN, $20,000. For general operations to help seniors living on the East Side of St. Paul remain in their homes with safety, independence, and dignity.

East Side Freedom Library, Saint Paul, MN, $40,000. For general operations to promote literacy and community engagement in east St. Paul, Minnesota.

East Side Neighborhood Development Company, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, $50,000. For general operations to create healthy, safe, affordable housing and to support small businesses on St. Paul?s East Side.

Elpis Enterprises, Saint Paul, MN, $30,000. For general operations to provide employment readiness training to young people experiencing homelessness or unstable housing.

EVOLVE Adoption & Family Services, Stillwater, MN, $90,000. For general operations to support foster care, family preservation, pregnancy, and outreach services to families in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

FOCUS North America, Pittsburgh, PA, $10,000. For general operations to address food insecurity in the Frogtown, North End, and Capital Heights neighborhoods in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Hmong American Farmers Association, Saint Paul, MN, $55,000. For general operations to expand programming and services that build the capacity of Hmong farmers to be more self-sufficient and resilient.

HOME Line, Bloomington, MN, $60,000. For general operations to support information, education, and advocacy services to renters in Minnesota.

Indigenous Peoples Task Force, Minneapolis, MN, $150,000. For general operations to support the health and education of Native Americans in Minnesota, and for capital support of the new administrative and program center.

Inquilinxs Unidxs por Justicia, Minneapolis, MN, $40,000. For general operations to provide support for tenants’ rights to live in safe and dignified housing.

Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, $1,200,000. To provide entrepreneurial and virtual program support and expansion.

Korean Service Center, Minneapolis, MN, $25,000. To provide dementia education, testing, and support for older adults, caregivers, and the Korean American community.

The Lift Community Development Corporation, Saint Paul, MN, $40,000. For general operations to support St. Paul youth and young adults as they engage in tech learning, social emotional growth, and job skills improvement.

Merrick Community Services, Saint Paul, MN, $40,000. For general operations to address food and housing insecurity on the East Side of St Paul.

MicroGrants, Minneapolis, MN, $25,000. For general operations to assist low-income individuals and families with financial stability and self-sufficiency.

Minnesota Africans United, Minneapolis, MN, $15,000. For general operations to provide resources and training for African immigrants to gain access to housing supports, economic opportunities, and healthcare.

Minnesota One-Stop for Communities, Saint Paul, MN, $35,000. For general operations to provide one-on-one mentoring for families involved in the child protection system to support positive outcomes for children.

Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop, Minneapolis, MN, $40,000. For general operations to provide high-quality adult education and literacy programming to men and women incarcerated in Minnesota.

Mni Sota Fund, Minneapolis, MN, $75,000. For general operations to improve the financial wellness of urban Native American families and small business owners through tailored training, counseling, and lending products.

myHealth for Teens & Young Adults, Hopkins, MN, $40,000. For general operations to provide healthcare, counseling, and education services for adolescents and young adults aged 12-26.

Nokomis Healthy Seniors Program, Minneapolis, MN, $30,000. For wrap-around services to help seniors remain in their homes in the Nokomis area of Minneapolis.

Northcountry Cooperative Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, $40,000. For general operations to advance affordable cooperative homeownership for Minnesota communities.

Northside Achievement Zone, Minneapolis, MN, $60,000. For general operations to end multi-generational poverty in North Minneapolis by building a culture of achievement.

Organic Oneness, Minneapolis, MN, $15,000. To support a volunteer-based food pantry in south Minneapolis.

Osiris Organization, Saint Paul, MN, $20,000. For general operations to provide IT workforce development training and career placement for adults in the Twin Cities.

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Burnsville, MN, $20,000. To support ongoing oral care and education services to uninsured and under-insured people in Dakota County and surrounding communities.

Propel Nonprofits, Minneapolis, MN, $8,000. To provide technical assistance and support to nonprofits navigating the Paycheck Protection Program application process.

Quincy House, Mounds View, MN, $20,000. For general operations to provide afterschool educational and youth development programming.

Rakhma, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $13,400. For general operations to provide equitable access to quality services for individuals living with memory loss.

Reach Out and Read Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, $55,000. For general operations to develop reading skills among young children and their families through pediatric providers across Minnesota.

Ready Set Smile, PA, Minneapolis, MN, $55,000. For general operations to provide preventive oral health services and improve oral literacy for children and families who lack access to dental services due to social determinants of health-related disparities in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Safe Families for Children Alliance, Chicago, IL, $10,000. For general operations to help Minnesota families in crisis avoid long-term separation.

St. Louis Park Emergency Program, Saint Louis Park, MN, $45,000. For general operations to support programs that address food insecurity and other basic needs in St. Louis Park.

SEWA-AIFW, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $35,000. For general operations to support the health of South Asians in the Twin Cities.

Seward Redesign, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $55,000. For general operations to increase livability and economic health of the Seward and Longfellow neighborhoods through small business development and housing.

Simpson Housing Services, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $115,000. For general operations to provide emergency shelter and supportive housing to families and individuals experiencing homelessness, along with developmental and educational services for children and youth.

Sojourner Project, Inc., Hopkins, MN, $40,000. For general operations to increase the safety of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse and to foster safer communities by providing safe shelter, legal advocacy and outreach, and violence prevention programs.

Solid Ground, White Bear Lake, MN, $90,000. For general operations to provide housing and supportive services for families living in suburban Ramsey and Washington Counties.

Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, $115,000. To improve health outcomes for low-income persons through clinic-based access to legal assistance in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota.

Theresa Living Center, Saint Paul, MN, $70,000. For general operations to provide transitional/rapid re-housing support for women and single-parent families.

Urban Strategies, Inc., Saint Louis, MO, $70,000. To support education, employment, and family support programs for the Heritage Park neighborhood of North Minneapolis; and capital support to expand the Green Garden Bakery youth social enterprise.

Urban Ventures Leadership Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, $50,000. For general operations to educate children, strengthen families, and build a healthy community.

Wellshare International, Minneapolis, MN, $75,000. For general operations to improve the health of immigrants and refugees through community-defined health care solutions in the Twin Cities.

West Side Citizens Organization, Saint Paul, MN, $30,000. For general operations to give St. Paul’s West Side residents resources to find stable housing, maintain successful local businesses, and build a healthy community for all.

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, Saint Paul, MN, $75,000. To expand and deepen an integrated service model to offer improved services for families.

Southern Minnesota

Aging Services for Communities, Montgomery, MN, $50,000. For general operations to provide homemaking and medical transportation support for senior citizens and disabled persons to enable them to remain in their own homes.

Boy Scouts of America, Mankato, MN, $74,500. For general operations to provide programming for youth to prepare them to be participating citizens and community leaders in southern Minnesota.

Committee Against Domestic Abuse, Inc., Mankato, MN, $135,000. For general operations to serve victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence across a nine-county region in southern Minnesota.

Exchange Club Center for Family Unity, Owatonna, MN, $25,000. For general operations to provide services to educate and support families and communities to prevent child abuse.

Habitat for Humanity of South 6 – Central Minnesota, Mankato, MN, $50,000. For general operations to increase homeownership opportunities for low to moderate-income families and improve safety with home modifications for low-income seniors in southern Minnesota.

Let’s Smile, Inc., Owatonna, MN, $30,000. For general operations to improve access to oral health care and increase oral health awareness for youth of low-income in southeastern Minnesota.

Marshall Food4Kids, Marshall, MN, $21,000. For general operations to provide supplemental food for children who face food insecurity in Marshall, Minnesota.

Minnesota Agricultural Interpretive Center dba Farmamerica, Waseca, MN, $25,000. To provide hands-on education and immersion experiences for students to explore career opportunities in agriculture.

New Ulm Ministerial Association Shelter Haus, New Ulm, MN, $25,000. For general operations to provide emergency shelter and support services to women and their children in the Brown County area.

Somali American Social Service Association, Rochester, MN, $15,000. For general operations to provide youth programs, health prevention education, and small business support for Somali-Americans in Olmstead county.

Three Rivers Community Action, Inc., Zumbrota, MN, $65,000. To provide comprehensive homeownership counseling, financial coaching, and resources to emerging markets households throughout southeastern Minnesota.

United Way of Steele County, Owatonna, MN, $50,000. For general operations to develop strategic community solutions through investments and partnerships to improve the quality of life in Steele County.

Women’s Resource Center of Winona, Winona, MN, $45,000. For general operations to provide direct services to empower victims/survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

Young Men’s Christian Association of the Greater Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, $50,000. To support Rochester YMCA’s youth programming and provide accessible activities for low-income youth.

Northwest Wisconsin

Friends of the Ellsworth Public Library, Ellsworth, WI, $100,000. To purchase and renovate a new public library to ensure equal access to lifelong learning resources Ellsworth, Wisconsin.

Genesis 1990, Incorporated, Ashland, WI, $35,000. To purchase and renovate a new drop-in center to provide mental health and addiction recovery support for people in northwest Wisconsin.

St. Croix Valley Sexual Assault Response Team, Inc., River Falls, WI, $70,000. For general operations to provide forensic medical examination services and advocacy to victims of sexual violence in western Wisconsin.

Sunshine House Inc., Sturgeon Bay, WI, $17,538. To replace an address printer, which supports job skills training for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

North-Central Wisconsin

Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area, Berlin, WI, $20,000. For general operations to provide youth development and family outreach to children and their families in rural Green Lake, Waushara, and surrounding counties.

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, Medford, WI, $80,000. For general operations to sustain and grow mentoring and education opportunities for new dairy farmers in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Faith in Action of Marathon County, Inc, Wausau, WI, $20,340. For general operations to provide services to homebound senior citizens and to develop a customer relations management system.

Howard Young Foundation, Inc., Arbor Vitae, WI, $50,000. To support the food pantry and building expansion campaign.

Opportunity Development Centers, Inc., Wisconsin Rapids, WI, $50,000. To support a capital campaign to expand an outpatient mental health clinic.

Northeast Wisconsin

Boys & Girls Club Fox Valley, Inc., Appleton, WI, $50,000. For general operations to provide youth development programming and mental health services to community members in the Fox Valley area.

Boys & Girls Club Of Fond du Lac, Inc., Fond Du Lac, WI, $10,000. For general operations to provide youth development programming in the Fond du Lac area.

Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services, Inc, Oshkosh, WI, $45,000. For general operations to support families and individuals experiencing domestic abuse in northeastern Wisconsin.

Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County, Plymouth, WI, $50,000. For general operations to equip families and individuals of Sheboygan County with literacy skills and resources.

Pillars, Inc., Appleton, WI, $20,000. For general operations to provide shelter, support, and solutions to address homelessness and housing needs in the Fox Cities area.

Winnebago Area Literacy Council, Oshkosh, WI, $10,000. For general operations to deliver literacy programs for adults and families in the Winnebago County area.

Southwest Wisconsin

Coulee Council on Addictions, La Crosse, WI, $15,000. To provide individual and group recovery coaching for veterans overcoming substance addiction and their family members in southwest Wisconsin.

Friends Of PBS Wisconsin, Inc., Madison, WI, $327,000. For a multi-year media project expanding journalistic coverage of rural issues while building on the success of a youth media program and PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, adding youth rural stories to our own reporting.

Good Samaritan Hillsboro, Inc., Hillsboro, WI, $56,315. To make improvements and enhancements to the food pantry.

More Smiles Wisconsin Inc., Madison, WI, $50,000. For general operations to provide access to dental care for low-income individuals, uninsured, and Medicaid recipients residing in south-central Wisconsin.

NAMI Wisconsin, Inc., MADISON, WI, $25,000. For general operations to provide education, support, and advocacy to individuals and families struggling with mental illness.

Porchlight, Inc., Madison, WI, $25,000. For Safe Haven to provide day shelter and support services to homeless individuals with mental illness.

Red Caboose Child Care, Inc., Madison, WI, $150,000. To build a facility that combines accessible, affordable housing with affordable, inclusive childcare in Madison, Wisconsin.

Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program, Inc., Dodgeville, WI, $25,000. To provide operational support for food distribution to individuals with low incomes residing in Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, and Richland Counties in Wisconsin.

Stoughton Area Resource Team, Inc., Stoughton, WI, $15,000. For general operations to provide emergency resources and prevent homelessness.

Southeast Wisconsin

Eras Senior Network, Inc., Waukesha, WI, $50,000. For general operations to serve isolated seniors, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers in Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties.

Inner-City Computer Stars Foundation, Milwaukee, WI, $30,000. To provide comprehensive technology skills training for underserved young adults in the Milwaukee area.

Journey Church of the Assemblies of God, Inc., Kenosha, WI, $10,000. For the Journey Disaster Response Team to provide emergency services and food distribution in southeastern Wisconsin.

LOTUS Legal Clinic, Brookfield, WI, $50,000. For general operations to provide direct legal and survivor well-being services to victims of sexual violence and human trafficking in Wisconsin.

St. Coletta of Wisconsin, Inc., Jefferson, WI, $50,000. To provide day programs, employment support, and housing to persons with developmental disabilities in southeast Wisconsin.

United Methodist Children’s Services of Wisconsin, Inc., Milwaukee, WI, $40,000. For general operations to provide housing, childcare, and supportive wraparound services for families in the Washington Park neighborhood of Milwaukee.

Walworth County Food Pantry Inc, Elkhorn, WI, $15,000. For general operations to provide basic needs to families and individuals in Walworth County.

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