What We Do

Our purpose is to inspire and support creative problem solving — within and across sectors — to make our region better for everyone. Everything we do is to advance this purpose. It is what ties all our work together.

We invest in great ideas and the people who power them in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share this geography. This is both our tagline and our strategy to advance our purpose.

We work through open grantmaking programs to support efforts to: develop, test and spread great ideas that will make the region better for everyone; and inspire, equip and connect people to more effectively lead change.

These programs include:

  • The Bush Fellowship funds individual development plans for leaders who want to be more effective in leading change.
  • The Bush Prize provides flexible funding and recognition to organizations with a track record of making good things happen.
  • Community Innovation grants and program-related investments (PRIs) directly support creative problem-solving efforts that have the potential for transformative impact in the region.
  • Ecosystem grants provide operating support for organizations that others rely on for help in community problem solving.

You can learn about these and other grant and fellowship opportunities we support here.