Community Foundation Awards $475K to Communities of Color

ST. CLOUD -- Six grants totaling $475,000 will help communities of color in central Minnesota.

The Central Minnesota Community Foundation announced the recipients of the 2018 Minnesota State Opportunity Grant.

The Enterprise Academy through the Initiative Foundation will receive $150,000 for business classes and mentorship to East African immigrant entrepreneurs.

Community Resource Navigators at Discovery and Lincoln Schools are getting $88,000 for summer camp opportunities, and mental health training.

Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid will receive $87,000 to hire a half-time attorney and half-time Somali-speaking paralegal for help with housing issues.

Lutheran Social Services will get $70,000 for after-school tutoring for refugee and immigrant youth.

The Promise Neighborhood's grant of $50,000 will hire a program coordinator and upgrade technology.

And the Yes Network will get a grant of $30,000 to support the expansion of summer programming in three low-income neighborhoods.

The Central Minnesota Community Foundation says the purpose of the funding is to enhance long-term self-sufficiency for central Minnesota Communities of Color by improving education, housing, and economic outcomes and to create a positive long-lasting impact on the community.