The Neighborhood Partnership Initiative (NPI) makes technical assistance and small grants of up to $10,000 available to community-based, neighborhood or other place-based organizations located in communities of color and low-income communities in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs. NPI supports community-based partnerships that lead to increased engagement, power and influence of community members affected by racial, social and economic disparities.

The goals of the program are to support place-based community organizing and community building partnerships that creates impact in the following areas:  

1. Neighborhood Issues Organizing & Systems Change - Builds the leadership and power of low wealth communities, communities of color, indigenous communities, immigrant communities, seniors, people with disabilities, youth, renters or other historically excluded communities in a neighborhood or specific geographic area. Addresses a local community issue, need or opportunity.  Expands the influence of community members on neighborhood systems, practices, initiatives and policies that lead to greater racial, social and economic equity.
2. Representation - Supports the capacity of community-based, neighborhood or other place-based organizations to more effectively and equitably engage and involve the diversity of their community into the leadership of their organization. Makes neighborhood or other place-based organizations more representative of the communities in which they work. Builds strong networks and relationships within and/or among diverse cultural or geographic communities.

The NPI program is particularly interested in supporting organizations and projects that are led by people of color.

Technical assistance

One of the unique aspects of the NPI program is the provision of technical assistance to grantees. Examples of technical assistance available include:

• Helping to apply for a NPI grant.
• Connecting organizations and leaders with others doing similar work.
• Providing community organizing training and other technical support for your project.
• Supporting projects with other CURA resources such community based research and GIS mapping.

Funding criteria

We select grantees for the NPI Program based on the following criteria:

1. Applicant must have 501(c)(3) status or be fiscally sponsored by another tax-exempt organization.
2. Applicant must be place-based, serving a specific geography.
3. Project must have a clearly defined constituency and accountability to them.
4. Project is collaborative.
5. Project aligns with one or more of our program goals outlined above.
6. Proposal shows how community members are involved in planning, leading and implementing the project.
7. Proposal has identified clear outcomes or results and a specific work plan to achieve them.

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Neighborhood Partnership Initiative-related events, news, projects and research archive