Grant Guidelines
NOTE: As of August 2023, the letter of inquiry process has changed. Read below for an overview and access to the new LOI portal.
In order to be responsive to community needs, letters of inquiry (LOI) will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. There are no LOI deadlines, and submissions are not tied to specific grant cycles. Please review the guidelines on this page, as well as the FAQs.
Priorities
NOTE: As of October 2023, Health and Human Services is no longer an impact area. The Frey Foundation will continue to focus on the Education and Housing impact areas.
Frey Foundation of Minnesota funds creative non-profits and gives priority to organizations that bring innovation and proven success within two key areas of interest :
Education: Funding to support K-12 learning environments to narrow the achievement gap.
Housing: Funding across the continuum of housing and related services to support safe and stable housing.
Funding is primarily in the form of single-year grants.
The Foundation is a member of Minnesota Council on Foundations and adheres to its Principles for Philanthropy.
Eligibility
Organizations and their work must be within the Twin Cities (7-county) metropolitan area of Minnesota.
All organizations must be either private, non-profit, tax-exempt organizations with 501(c) 3 status or public entities qualifying under Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Grants are not awarded for endowments, scholarships or other types of support for individuals.
New Organizations
Organizations that meet the eligibility requirements and fit within the listed priorities are encouraged to submit a letter of inquiry via the online portal (see detailed instructions and information linked below). Requests are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis; all LOIs will receive a response within 60 days.
An LOI may be declined even if an organization falls within the Foundation’s guidelines and priorities. Frey Foundation receives a large number of requests for many worthwhile projects and organizations in all areas of interest, and it is unable to provide support for all of them.
Current Grant Partners
Organizations currently funded by Frey Foundation will receive an invitation via email to submit a new application prior to the end of the current grant term, with instructions about how to access the portal.
An evaluation report for the previous grant must be completed and submitted along with the new application.
Timeline
The online portal for letters of inquiry is open and submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year. There are no deadlines associated with the LOI process, and submission dates are no longer tied to specific grant cycles.
For those invited to apply, the grant application portal opens in January, April, and August.
Funding decisions are made by Foundation Trustees at board meetings in March, June, and October.
Questions?
Please refer to our FAQs or connect with Foundation staff at email@FreyFoundationMN.org.