Otto Bremer Foundation to honor 10 local organizations it granted in 2010
Granting money in tough economic times changes the way foundations serving nonprofit organizations work from when economic conditions are sunnier.
There are requests for even more money, and often the applications denote a feeling of need rather than request with doom impending if funds are not made available, said a foundation official.
Tony LookingElk, program officer for the Otto Bremer Foundation, explained that the foundation has needed to make changes to the way they do business in order to best serve the nonprofit organizations in communities to which they grant money in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. The economic crisis since 2008 has had a two-part effect on the foundation, he said.
The first effect was a need for the foundation to create greater clarity in their messaging, including holding more strict deadlines. A calendar on the OttoBremer.org website shows that for a proposal to be considered for funding during a particular granting cycle, an organization must submit the request about three months ahead of the consideration date. Requests are considered six times each year.
The second effect was looking at the needs of particular nonprofits and ensuring that the money it granted was being used in the best way possible.
“We strive to be very supportive of the nonprofits in the communities (we serve),” LookingElk said.
The foundation also set up the Bremer Emergency Fund, which aims to support families and individuals struggling with basic needs. The fund provided $4.2 million to 81 organizations in 2009 to mitigate the economic crisis and help people get food, shelter, and medical and health care. An additional $3 million was granted through the fund in 2010.
LookingElk explained that in Minnesota it was not necessarily an increase in the number of proposals received, but rather an increase in the dollar amount requested on the average proposal.
In addition, the Otto Bremer Foundation is facing more nonprofit organizations facing funding crises that threaten core services than in years past.
“Two years ago,” he said, “if we were told that (without Bremer grants) they would stop and shut the doors, many times we would get involved so the service would not go away. Today, that is more a part of the norm.
“There’s a sense of harmony we need to seek out between the need and sustainability in nonprofits.”
Grants are only made to organizations whose beneficiaries are residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, or Wisconsin with priority given to those communities or regions served by Bremer affiliates.
The Otto Bremer Foundation has given $409,113 in 2010 to the following Koochiching County organizations: Falls Hunger Coalition, Friends Against Abuse, Koochiching Aging Options, Koochiching County Health, Kootasca, Inc., Minnesota 4H Foundation, NE MN Area Health Education Center, Northland Foundation AGE to age, Rainy River Community College and the United Way of NE Minnesota.
On Thursday, the Bremer Foundation will host a ceremony for the 2010 grantees at 10 a.m. at the Backus Community Center. Local Bremer officials and LookingElk will honor those organizations which have successfully completed grant applications during the past year.
For more information on the Otto Bremer Foundation and for grant request, visit www.ottobremer.org.
