All Projects

The Somali Artifact and Cultural Museum will elevate board governance and staff development to ensure the museum's long-term sustainability, enriching the cultural landscape and fostering community engagement. This project has three key objectives: 1) stabilize operating revenue & financial systems; 2) develop a five-year strategic plan; 3) increase board governance and staff development.

To provide Proctor Historical Society with professional continuing education through a national museum training program.

To hire a qualified consultants to write an interpretive plan for the American Swedish Institute.

Funny Asian Women Kollective (FAWK) uses comedy to combat the dehumanization of Asian women. This project includes: 1) a tour performing throughout the state, particularly to rural communities with large Asian American populations; 2) provide workshop opportunities to equip communities with the tools to create their own comedic material; 3) produce two super shows in Minneapolis and Saint Paul (700+ audience); 4) allow digital production of five short films and distribution.

This project will create three videos (45-60 minutes each), produced in Oromo with English subtitles and voice over), to document the challenges and triumphs of first-generation immigrants, preserve heritage, affirm cultural identity, and introduce Minnesotans the Oromo community.

To hire a qualified consultant to develop architectural drawings for the Third Street Bridge, Cannon Falls, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Youthprise is partnering with Believe In What's Possible to launch Turn Up to Turn Out, a youth-led project to increase youth participation in Minnesota politics through youth-led civic education and events.

To hire a qualified museum lighting professional to develop a museum lighting plan.

Why Treaties Matter: Self-Government in the Dakota and Ojibwe Nations is a traveling exhibition made in partnership with the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. The exhibit explores relationships between Dakota and Ojibwe Indian Nations and the U.S. government in this place we now call Minnesota.

1. Contract Ojibwe Language Consultant(s) to work within our White Earth Child Care and White Earth Head Start programs to provide support and guidance in Ojibwe Language Development for our youngest learners.

To hire qualified professionals to produce an expanded manuscript on the biography of John Nason, former Carleton College president.

The Writing for Justice and Cultural Preservation project creates space for the Somali diaspora, other African communities, and African Americans to create, re-imagine, and build a more just and inclusive world through the transformative power of storytelling and book publishing.

This project will provide a writer's cohort that will advance the work of twelve Black writers working in multiple genres. The goals are to 1) deepen individual vision and artistic development; 2) create a cohesive community of writers to support and encourage each other's work; 3) enrich communities of writers and readers with access to personal and cultural perspectives that will foster artistic growth, empathy, and collaboration.

Minnesota State Band will plan and present public band performances throughout Minnesota.  Partner with local school and community music groups, and community organizations. Focus upon the history of band music and of the Minnesota State Band.

$1,350,000 the first year and $1,350,000 the second year are for a grant to the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory for program development that features education programs and habitat enhancement, special exhibits, music appreciation programs, and historical garden access and preservation.

This project involves the collaboration between Pan Asian Arts Alliance, Elluminance Era, Chinese American Chamber of Commerce-MN, Asian Media Access, Unity Dance Group, and other Pan Asian Arts groups. It is a first-ever collaboration between Asian American performing and visual arts organizations. The project, "Asia Extravaganza," is a one-night festivity event to showcase Asian American youthful culture through dance, music and storytelling.

Move for America is a new initiative designed to preserve and celebrate the diverse cultural heritage of Minnesota by fostering intercultural exchange and education. It will consist of a direct exchange program involving students from community and technical colleges in Minneapolis and Saint Paul (urban centers) and two rural counties: Otter Tail County and Lyon County. This project includes two full exchanges, each with 30-40 participants over two weekends.

Asian Media Access (AMA) will embark on a capacity-building project aimed at cultivating individual donors from Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) and the public, and encompasses a multifaceted approach to enhance grant writing, reporting, nonprofit management, and fundraising capabilities. Key activities include: 1) train and assist board/staff on grant writing and reporting; 2) build internal expertise in grant writing and reporting by obtaining consultation and training from experts in Donor Solicitation.

To provide better organization of the museum collections, allowing for greater public access to the community's historic resources.