APPLICATION OPENS MONDAY, MAY 12, 2025
In partnership with the Otto Bremer Trust, United Way St. Croix and Red Cedar Valleys (UW Valleys) is pleased to facilitate the distribution of grants from the Otto Bremer Trust's Community Responsive Fund.
The grant application will be available from May 12 to June 6 at 5pm via UW Valleys Community Impact Grants Portal. The Otto Bremer Trust’s Community Responsive Fund will support general operating, project, and capital support grants for the following funding priorities:
- Literacy: Organizations and programs advancing literacy.
- Adoption and Foster Care Services: Organizations and programs that support adoption and foster care.
- Children’s Health: Organizations and programs that provide health-related access and services for children.
- Children’s Disability Services: Organizations and programs focused on supporting children with physical/cognitive disabilities.
- Mental Health: Organizations and programs that support access to and delivery of mental health services, with preference given to work that addresses the needs of children aged 5-15.
- Capital Projects for Hospitals and Clinics: Activities supporting the maintenance of hospitals, construction of facilities, and purchase of medical equipment.
All proposed work must be completed within a 12-month period. Grant requests may not exceed $75,000. In addition, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Organizations must have held a 501(c)(3) status continuously for the last five years. Government entities, including public schools, are not eligible. Non-public schools are eligible.
- Organizations must have actual expenses of at least $2 million in their last fiscal year.
- Grant awards may not exceed 10 percent of the organization’s previous fiscal year’s public philanthropic financial support. Public philanthropic financial support includes dollars raised through private fundraising (individuals, businesses, foundations, organizations), giving campaigns, fundraising events, UW Valleys awards, etc. It excludes government grants and contracts, earned income, investment gains, in-kind contributions.
- Organizations may not have an open Otto Bremer Trust strategic grant.
- Operating support grants may not exceed 10 percent of the organization’s administrative services. Administrative expenses include Management and General Expenses and Fundraising Expenses, as is consistent with Form 990 (Part IX, Statement of Functional Expenses). The following grant request types are not eligible for the Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund support: work to influence public policy; sponsorships or annual events; fiscal sponsorships.
A grant report will be required.
If you meet the above criteria, please proceed to the grant application, HERE.
The Otto Bremer Trust has allowed a small number of grants that do not conform to the first three eligibility requirements listed above. If interested in further information, please contact Steve McCarthy at steve.mccarthy@uwvalleys.org.
TO APPLY:
All participants are required to have or create an account to complete and submit your application. Keep your user name and password handy so that you can "save a draft" and return to complete your submission (note: you must click 'save draft' at the bottom of the page in order to save; the form will not 'auto-save'). Also this user name and password will continue to be used for agency reporting and future applications.
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LOGIN HERE (If you already have a user name and password)
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CREATE AN ACCOUNT (new users only - an email will be sent to you)
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RESET YOUR PASSWORD (if your email has been used previously, you can reset your password)
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LOGOUT (be sure to log out once you have saved your draft or submitted your application)
Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Do not leave any blanks; enter N/A if not applicable.
For more information about the Otto Bremer Trust and their current granting approach, visit their website.
Please note that the trust is not accepting direct grant applications at this time.
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 prospective grantees’ employment and service practices to comply with this policy.