Grantmaking
SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS OF ENGAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Enriching individuals’ lives is a cooperative endeavor. We see our role as supporting extraordinary efforts. For more than 75 years we have partnered with people and organizations working on the front lines, and we continuously look to do more. We welcome grant applications that will strengthen the community and are consistent with OBT's objectives. We seek to make our process as efficient as possible so that the good work can continue and grow.
Social Return Focus
Grant Categories
While the Otto Bremer Trust does not have specific strategic grant-making priorities, we do provide broad categories to explain the types of programs and services we invest in. These categories are intended to provide some insight into our social returns.
- Basic Needs
- Community Asset Building
- Health & Wellbeing
- Restorative & Emergency Services
Basic Needs
For displaced individuals or those facing other challenges, securing a roof overhead, finding clothing to wear and putting food on the table are the first steps toward self-sufficiency.
These grants include those that focus on short-term assistance through food shelves and outreach programs, cash or vouchers, and auto repair, along with refugee resettlement efforts, transitional housing programs, and homeless shelters.
Where We Work
A UNIQUE RESOURCE FOR INVESTMENT IN THE UPPER MIDWEST
By investing in people, places, and opportunities in the Upper Midwest, the Otto Bremer Trust seeks to build healthy, vibrant communities in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
REGIONAL CONTACTS
Use the dropdown menus below to identify your OBT region and regional contact.
CONTACT FORM
Use this form to send a message directly to your regional contact.
Grantmaking Process
How To Apply For A Grant
To start or continue a grant application, log in to the
Application Portal.
- Eligibility
- Application Information
- Schedule
- Review
- Reporting
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Application Portal
Welcome to the Otto Bremer Trust application process. This page contains important information about grant eligibility, how to apply for a grant, and our review process.
Eligibility
The application process begins with questions to determine an applicant’s eligibility. The following includes the information covered in those questions.
LOCATION
Grants are made only to organizations whose beneficiaries are Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and/or Wisconsin residents.
ORGANIZATION STATUS
Grants are generally restricted to organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and to governmental entities.
OBT does not make grants to individuals.
ALL ARE WELCOME HERE
In accordance with federal regulations, the Otto Bremer Trust does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, or national origin. We require that applicant organizations’ employment and service practices comply with this policy.
ACTIVITIES WE DO NOT FUND
The Otto Bremer Trust provides funding to support critical assistance, health and well-being, and community engagement. We do not fund the following:
- Requests for projects that support beneficiaries outside our four-state region
- K-12 core curriculum and related in-school resources
- Religious programs for the purpose of religious education or proselytization
- Municipal infrastructure projects; for example:
- Fire trucks
- Ambulances and related emergency-response equipment
- Animal welfare or animal-based therapy
- Sporting teams and events
Otto Bremer Trust provides general operating, program, and capital grants. We do not provide grants for the following purposes:
- Sponsorships for events
- Servicing or paying off previously incurred debt or expenses
- One-time experiences, including conferences, convenings, trips, etc.
- To bring a building or program into government compliance
BANK SECRECY ACT
Please note that as a regulated financial institution, we screen applications in accordance with the Bank Secrecy Act and file Suspicious Activity Reports when warranted.
WAITING PERIOD AFTER A TURNDOWN
When an application is turned down, the applicant must wait one year from the date they submitted it before applying again. In a few special circumstances, OBT will waive the one-year waiting period. In those cases, the applicant will receive notice of the waiver at the same time they receive their turndown notification.
The Impact
EXPLORE GRANTS MADE BY THE OTTO BREMER TRUST
Good knows no boundaries, especially in the Upper Midwest. Here’s a look at the types of work made possible by our grantmaking.
Featured Story
See All Stories
Keeping a community healthy
REDEEMER CENTER FOR LIFE, INC., MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
Recent Grant Recipients
See All RecipientsBig Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Wisconsin
$60,000 | 2022 | Neenah, WI
For general operations to provide one-to-one mentoring relationships with youth in east-central Wisconsin.
Family Pathways
$150,000 | 2022 | North Branch, MN
For general operations to provide food, domestic violence shelter, sexual assault services, and senior programming to residents in east-central Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Foundation for Community Care of Richland County, Inc.
$100,000 | 2022 | Sidney, MT
To renovate and expand a cancer center serving eastern Montana and western North Dakota.