More than $415,000 in Community Innovation grants were awarded to 44 organizations across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota by the Bush Foundation’s Community Innovation grant program intermediaries. The intermediaries award Community Innovation grants between $500 and $10,000, three times a year, in their respective states.

In Minnesota, Headwaters Foundation for Justice awarded $145,440 to 15 organizations. The Consensus Council awarded a total of $137,914 to 14 organizations in North Dakota. The South Dakota Community Foundation awarded $134,487 to 15 organizations.

The Bush Foundation launched the Community Innovation grant program in 2013, offering grants between $10,000 and $200,000 to support communities to use problem-solving processes that lead to more effective, equitable and sustainable solutions. In 2014, the Foundation selected Headwaters, The Consensus Council, and the South Dakota Community Foundation as its Community Innovation Grant program intermediaries. To date, Headwaters has awarded 34 Community Innovation grants; The Consensus Council has awarded 38; and the South Dakota Community Foundation has awarded 35.