A Historic Investment for Our Future: Mni Sota Fund Receives $7M Bush Community Innovation Grant

Dec 2

Mni Sota Fund has been awarded a $7M Community Innovation grant from the Bush Foundation to expand and transform our work building Indigenous wealth across Minnesota. This investment strengthens our capacity to grow statewide and build long term sustainability so we can continue to walk alongside Native families, entrepreneurs, and community members for many years to come.

Mni Sota Fund’s Transformation

Since 2011, Mni Sota Fund has been rooted in one mission. We support Native families and entrepreneurs in restoring credit, buying homes, launching businesses, and building generational wealth. Our work centers economic sovereignty, access, and community strength.

The Bush Foundation grant supports the next chapter of this mission. It gives us the stability and resources to grow intentionally, serve more people across Minnesota, and strengthen the systems that allow us to show up for our community every day. This gift is part of Mni Sota Fund’s Ozhi Campaign, an $18 million goal, to transform and increase Native wealth in Minnesota over the next five years.

What This Grant Will Help Us Do

Grow Statewide Access

This investment supports the development of a statewide service model that brings financial education, credit restoration, homeownership coaching, and small business support to Native people living both on and off Tribal lands.

Strengthen Our Team and Infrastructure

Funding will help us expand staffing, build internal systems, and increase our capacity so we can meet the rising demand for financial wellness and lending services.

Bring Services Closer to Community

With this support, we will move toward creating co located service points across Minnesota, allowing us to reach more families and entrepreneurs with culturally grounded, community centered tools.

Stay Connected

Stay informed as we launch new initiatives, grow statewide, and strengthen our long term capacity.

A Recognition of Native Led Solutions

The Bush Foundation identified Mni Sota Fund as a powerful and scalable model for financial access and wealth building in Native communities. This award affirms what we have always known: When Native people have equitable access to tools and opportunity, our communities thrive.

“Our work has always been about trust, access, and community strength,” said Andrea Reese, Interim Executive Director of Mni Sota Fund. “This investment supports our long term growth and allows us to bring our culturally rooted financial services to even more families across Mni Sota Makoce.”

We are deeply grateful for this partnership and for the Bush Foundation’s trust in the vision and leadership of Native communities.

What Comes Next

Over the coming months, we will share updates on how this investment is being put into action. We look forward to providing transparent progress reports and highlighting the stories of the people and communities who will feel the impact of this work for generations.