EVENT LINK: https://forecastpublicart.org/consulting/artist-support/artist-grant-program/

FEE: Free to apply

Forecast Public Artist Grants

Forecast grants support Minnesota-based individual early- and mid-career artists looking to advance their work in public art.

We work to provide access to our grant applications for a diverse group of artists, who are working in all career stages and ranges of public art practices and media. We place particular emphasis on supporting and amplifying the artistic work of BIPOC and Native artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, womxn artists, immigrant artists, artists from rural communities, and artists with disabilities.

It is our value that our applicants, panelists, and grantees reflect the racial, cultural, gender, artistic, physical ability, and geographic diversity of Minnesota and the 11 Native Nations that share the same geography, and the stories and perspectives of the artists and communities we serve.

2026 grant applications are now open! Due October 15, 2025.

EARLY-CAREER GRANTS:

Early-Career Artist R&D Grant

Supports early-career artists in public art related research and development or with the planning phase of freely accessible public art installation or activity in Minnesota.

APPLY HERE

Early-Career Artist Project Grant

Supports creation of a temporary or permanent public artwork anywhere in the state of Minnesota by an early-career Minnesota-based artist.

APPLY HERE

MID-CAREER GRANTS:

Mid-Career Project Grant

Supports the creation of a new, publicly accessible, temporary or permanent artwork anywhere in the state of Minnesota by a Minnesota-based mid-career public artist.

APPLY HERE

Mid-Career Professional Development Grant 

Supports Minnesota-based mid-career artists seeking to expand or advance their careers in the field of public art, through a project idea or participation in career-enhancing activities.

APPLY HERE

EVENT LINK: https://lrac4.org/legacy-grants

FEE: Free to apply

FY26 Fall Legacy Grant rounds for both Individual Artists and Nonprofit Arts Organizations in the 9-county LRAC region are open from August 18 - October 2, 2025 at 5PM!

Individual Artists: The Legacy Individual Grant provides up to $6,000 to individual artists in the LRAC nine-county region, to increase Arts Access, Arts Learning and Arts and Cultural Heritage opportunities for all Minnesotans.

Nonprofit Arts Organizations: The Legacy Organization Grant provides up to $12,500 to increase Arts Access, Arts Learning and Arts and Cultural Heritage opportunities for all Minnesotans. This grant is open to Arts Organizations (nonprofit), nonprofits with project that have Arts as the primary focus, local governments, and educational institutions in the LRAC nine-county region.

Minnesota’s Legacy Arts and Cultural Heritage funding is made possible from an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Proceeds from the fund may be spent only on requests that support arts access, arts education or arts and cultural heritage.  The fund is intended to create a strong arts legacy in Minnesota and will exist for a period of twenty-five years.

Lake Region Arts Council’s Legacy grant programs will be based on the three key areas of Arts Access, Arts Education, and Arts & Cultural Heritage.

EVENT LINK: https://forecastpublicart.org/consulting/artist-support/mid-career-professional-development-grant/

FEE: Free to apply

Forecast Mid-Career Professional Development Grants

Grant Amount: Two grants of $5,000 each
Grant Period: January 1 – November 30, 2026
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025 (11:59 PM CST)

This grant supports Minnesota-based mid-career public artists seeking to advance their careers through professional development opportunities. Funding may be used for activities such as residencies, apprenticeships, conferences, travel, study, skill development, or creating prototypes and project models. The goal is to help artists expand their practice and further their work in public art.

Who is eligible?
Mid-career artists (with at least 10 years of active practice and public recognition of their work) from all disciplines are encouraged to apply. Forecast is especially committed to supporting BIPOC and Native artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, womxn artists, immigrants, rural artists, and artists with disabilities.

How to Apply:
Applications are accepted only through Submittable. Required materials include a proposal, community benefit statement, career impact statement, resume, work samples, and site information. Video applications are welcome.

These grants are made possible through funding from the McKnight Foundation. For assistance, contact jenk@forecastpublicart.org.

EVENT LINK: https://forecastpublicart.org/consulting/artist-support/early-career-project-grant/

FEE: Free to apply

Forecast Early-Career Artist Project Grant

Grant Amount: Two grants of $8,000 each
Grant Period: January 1 – November 30, 2026
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025

Forecast Public Art, with support from Jerome Foundation, invites Minnesota-based early-career artists to apply for the 2026 Early-Career Artist Project Grant. This grant supports the creation of a new temporary or permanent public artwork anywhere in Minnesota.

What We Fund

• Public art in all forms—murals, sculpture, performance, sound, light, storytelling, dance, spoken word, interventions, and more.

• Projects must be free and accessible to the public.

• Sites must be confirmed by the application deadline (written approval required).

Who Should Apply
Early-career artists are those with 2–10 years of generative experience who:

• Have a clear artistic direction and goals, but are still developing their voice.

• Have not yet received wide recognition, media attention, or substantial funding.

• Are vocational (not hobbyist, student, or amateur) artists.

• May work in any artistic discipline.
  Age is not a determining factor.

Equity Commitment
Forecast is committed to supporting a diverse group of artists, with emphasis on amplifying the work of BIPOC and Native artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, women artists, immigrant artists, artists from rural communities, and artists with disabilities.

Application Process
Applications must be submitted through Submittable by October 15, 2025. A complete application includes:

• Proposal overview (75 words) + full proposal (500 words)

• Community connection, early-career status, career impact, and lived experience (250 words each)

• Resume (2 pages max)

• Site approval documentation

• Budget (template provided)

• Work samples and description
  Applicants may also submit via video format.

For questions or help applying in English, contact jenk@forecastpublicart.org.

These grants are made possible by the Jerome Foundation.

EVENT LINK: https://forecastpublicart.org/consulting/artist-support/early-career-rdgrant/

FEE: Free to apply

Forecast Early-Career Artist Research + Development Grants

Grant Amount: Four grants of $2,500 each
Grant Period: January 1 – November 30, 2026
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025 (11:59 PM CST)

This grant supports Minnesota-based early-career artists in public art research, planning, and development. Funding may be used for activities such as research, community engagement, site or budget planning, proposal development, or building models and prototypes. The goal is to help artists explore and prepare for future public art projects that are free and accessible to the community.

Who is eligible?
Applicants must be early-career artists with 2–10 years of generative experience. Artists should demonstrate a focused direction and goals but may still be developing their artistic voice. Age is not a determining factor. Forecast places special emphasis on supporting BIPOC and Native artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, womxn artists, immigrants, rural artists, and artists with disabilities.

How to Apply:
Applications are accepted only through Submittable. Required materials include a proposal, community benefit statement, career impact statement, early-career status description, resume, and work samples. Video submissions are welcome.

These grants are made possible through funding from the Jerome Foundation. For assistance, contact jenk@forecastpublicart.org.

EVENT LINK: https://forecastpublicart.org/consulting/artist-support/mid-career-project-grant/

FEE: Free to apply

Forecast Mid-Career Project Grants

Grant Amount: Five grants of $10,000 each
Grant Period: January 1 – November 30, 2026
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025

The Mid-Career Project Grant supports Minnesota-based public artists in creating new, publicly accessible temporary or permanent artwork anywhere in the state. Eligible projects may take many forms—including visual art, performance, storytelling, sculpture, film, and more—and must have secured site approval by the application deadline.

Who is eligible?
Applicants must be mid-career artists (with at least 10 years of active practice and public recognition of their work). Artists from all disciplines and communities are encouraged to apply. Forecast places special emphasis on supporting BIPOC and Native artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, womxn artists, immigrants, rural artists, and artists with disabilities.

How to Apply:
Applications are accepted only through Submittable and require a proposal, community connection statement, site documentation, budget, resume, and work samples. Video submissions are welcome. A budget template and full application instructions are available online.

These grants are funded by the McKnight Foundation. For application assistance, contact jenk@forecastpublicart.org

EVENT LINK: https://www.bushfoundation.org/opportunities/bush-fellowship/

FEE: FREE TO APPLY

Investing in leaders

to do more good for the region

We believe that leadership can come from anywhere — and that when leaders grow, communities thrive. The Bush Fellowship invests in changemakers who are already making a difference, giving them the time, resources and freedom to grow their impact even more. It’s designed to help leaders become the best versions of themselves so they can spark bigger, bolder change in their communities.

If you or someone you know is ready to explore a Bush Fellowship, the moment is here:Applications for the 2026 Bush Fellowship open on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. 

Up to 30 Fellows will each receive $150,000 to support their self-designed leadership plan. Leaders from all sectors — including business, nonprofit, and government — are welcome to apply. 
 

What we look for in a Fellow:

Bush Fellows dream big about what’s possible and have a vision to create equitable, large-scale change. They have influence and a track record of turning vision into impact. They’re experienced problem solvers who get results, share what they know and help others grow as leaders. They make mistakes, learn from them and keep going. 

We encourage you to learn more about how a Bush Fellowship can help you invest in your own growth as a leader. 
 

Key dates: 

• Applications open: Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025 at 8 a.m. CT 

• Applications close: Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 at 12 p.m. noon CT

Questions? Sign up for one of our live Q&A sessions:

• Thursday, Sept. 4 at 9-10 a.m. CT — Register here 

• Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 12-1 p.m. CT — Register here 

And if you can’t make one of them, we will share a recording later. 

Helpful tips to get ready to apply: 

We share everything you need to know to apply on our website. We strongly encourage anyone interested to check it out. You’ll find the actual application questions, criteria, eligibility, short videos and more! 

Get in touch with us! Our staff is available to answer your questions. Schedule a callwith us today. Check out the selection criteria and application questions in advance.

EVENT LINK: https://wcif.org/endowed-fund-grants/

FEE: Free to apply

Personally Endowed Fund Grants

We’re accepting proposals from October 6 through November 6 for three personally endowed funds. These funds were created by philanthropists who wanted to support their favorite causes and organizations in the Fergus Falls, Perham, and Dent communities. Grants will range from $500 to $2,500. 

Please be sure to review the specifics of each grant below before submitting your application. To simplify that application process, organizations should complete one application per geography served. Component funds are not eligible to apply at this time.

Join us on Zoom to learn more about the eligibility details and application process and ask questions.

• Tuesday, October 7, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Register here

• Wednesday, October 8, 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Register here

Deloris Barnack Kenner Endowment Fund: Deloris Barnack Kenner grew up and went to school in the Perham area. She continued her education to become a nurse, a career that she held for 50 years. Kenner’s mission to support education lives on today through her fund.  

Eligibility:

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, public or nonprofit school, or unit of government (including Tribal government or division) or be fiscally sponsored by another organization with this status.

• Primarily serve Perham-Dent.

  • Primarily serve is defined as 50% or more of participants or individuals served reside in communities with these zip code: 56573 or 56528.

• Support projects benefiting teachers or education.

Floyd and Harriet Miller Endowment Fund: The Millers wished to leave a lasting impact in the Fergus Falls community for all the kindness that they received from community members and organizations during their lifetimes.   

Eligibility:

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or be fiscally sponsored by another organization with this status.

• Primarily serve Fergus Falls.

  • Primarily serve is defined as 50% or more of participants or individuals served reside in communities with these zip codes: 56537 or 56538.

Inga M. Johnson Endowment Fund: Inga Johnson was actively involved with her community and was philanthropic throughout her lifetime. It was Inga’s wish that this fund support families in the Fergus Falls area.

Eligibility:

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, public or nonprofit school, or unit of government (including Tribal government or division) or be fiscally sponsored by another organization with this status.

• Primarily serve Fergus Falls.

  • Primarily serve is defined as 50% or more of participants or individuals served reside in communities with these zip codes: 56537 or 56538.

• Support projects benefiting educational, charitable, scientific, literary, and religious needs.

Application Process

To simplify that application process, organizations should complete one application per geography served.

• Organizations primarily serving Fergus Falls should submit one application and may be considered for either a Floyd and Harriet Miller Endowment Fund grant or an Inga M. Johnson Endowment Fund grant.

• Organizations primarily serving Perham-Dent should submit one application and may be considered for the Deloris Barnack Kenner Endowment Fund grant.

• Organizations serving both the Fergus Falls and Perham-Dent communities will need to submit two applications: one for Fergus Falls and one for Perham-Dent.

Application

The application will open on October 6.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this application process or related to grantmaking from these Funds, please reach out to Grants Officer Amanda Quam at amanda.quam@wcif.org or 218-998-1610.