Purpose: This competitive program funded by the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development provides grants to businesses in communities that have been adversely affected by structural racial discrimination, civil unrest, lack of access to capital, loss of population or an aging population, or lack of regional economic diversification which includes the counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis.

Eligibility: Eligibility does not guarantee a grant award. Funding and eligibility guidelines were established in law during the 2023 legislative session. If qualified applications exceed funds available, a randomized sample may be used to select grant recipients.

Applicants must meet ALL of the following minimum requirements to be eligible for consideration:
  • Maintaining ongoing operations as of the application date and beyond.
  • Gross revenues between $10,000 and $750,000 as documented in 2024 tax returns.
  • Primary business operations located within the counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis, including the Tribal Nations of Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake (District I) and Mille Lacs (District II).
  • Be either a for-profit business or a nonprofit organization that earns 30% or more of their annual revenue on an ongoing basis through a non-tax-deductible sales or dues in a fee-for-service model similar to for-profit businesses OR earns 10% or more of their revenue on an ongoing basis through a non-tax deductible sales or dues in a fee-for-service model AND demonstrates they maintain ongoing customer-facing operations at a permanent physical location at which some of those sales take place.

Grant levels to be awarded are contingent upon 2024 gross annual revenue levels as follows:
  • $10,000 for businesses with a gross revenue of $100,000 or less.
  • $25,000 for businesses with a gross revenue of more than $100,000 but no more than $350,000.
  • $50,000 for businesses with a gross revenue of more than $350,000 but no more than $750,000.
An individual business owner with multiple businesses may only submit one application for one business and may not receive more than one grant.

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on February 20, 2026

All applicants will be notified via email of their application status no later than May 31, 2026.

For simplicity, when the word "business" is used in this application, the statement also applies to nonprofit organizations that earn 30% or more of their revenue on an ongoing basis through a non-tax-deductible sales or dues in a fee-for-service model similar to for-profit businesses.


PLEASE MAKE SURE TO COMPLETE ALL FIELDS. If you are unable to move on to the next page, review your answers for completeness.

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