Initiative Foundation Shifts to Emergency Relief Due to COVID-19 Crisis

The Initiative Foundation works in Minnesota with the main goal of strengthening communities and economies through grants funding and programming. But the COVID-19 crisis had them change their focus from long-term funding programs to short-term emergency relief and medium-term funds that will bolster economies as businesses begin to prepare to reopen.

The Initiative Foundation is no stranger to crises. When they formed initially, it was to help communities during the farm crisis in 1986, so when the COVID-19 pandemic began and the foundation had to change their process of allocating money to emphasize emergency relief, they were up for the challenge.

The Initiative Foundation has also partnered with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to increase the amount of grants they have been able to donate.