Age-Friendly Minnesota Community Grants

The Age-Friendly Minnesota (AFMN) Community Grants program was launched in 2022 by the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Human Services. It is funded through legislation enacted in the Minnesota Legislature’s 2021 special session. The program was developed to foster innovation and support community efforts to create environments that promote dignity, inclusion, and accessibility for all Minnesotans as they age. AFMN believes that aging is a universal experience, and these grants provide vital resources for making communities more inclusive, resilient, and age-friendly. AFMN Community Grants support a wide range of initiatives aligned with Minnesota’s Multisector Blueprint for Aging, which emphasizes four domains: Connected Communities; Emergency Preparedness, Individual Rights and Safety; Optimized Health and Longevity; and Economic Security and Vitality. Funded projects reflect this diversity, including infrastructure improvements, intergenerational programs, housing strategies, transportation services, legal and safety enhancements, and culturally appropriate health and wellness programming. Grantees have included cities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, school districts, and tribal and faith-based groups. In 2023, AFMN awarded $2.8 million to approximately 90 community grantees, and in 2025, a total of $1.3 million was distributed among 35 organizations, with individual award sizes ranging from $9,000 to $75,000. The current performance period extends through May 31, 2026. Technical assistance is provided at no cost to grantees to help them implement their projects effectively, particularly organizations with limited experience in managing grant-funded initiatives. The projects are expected to lead to long-term benefits for Minnesota’s aging population by addressing social isolation, health disparities, mobility, safety, and economic challenges. Although applications for 2025 have closed, many grantees have applied for and received additional “Expansion” funding, allowing project continuation or scaling through June 30, 2026. Future funding cycles are anticipated but have not yet been announced. The program has a strong emphasis on supporting historically marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, and disabled populations, with more than 25% of funds going to such groups in the last cycle. Applicants typically include a wide array of organizational types, and eligibility remains intentionally broad. No specific matching funds are required, making the grants accessible to both small grassroots organizations and larger entities. Applications are reviewed for alignment with AFMN’s goals of equity, inclusion, innovation, and community-driven impact. Application procedures vary by cycle, but prior rounds involved submitting a project plan detailing objectives, impact, budget, and timeline. While there is currently no open funding opportunity, organizations interested in future AFMN grant cycles are encouraged to monitor the Minnesota Department of Human Services website for updates. Grantees may also benefit from collaboration with Technical Assistance Providers and participating in listening sessions or community planning events to strengthen future applications.

Align projects with one or more of the four Blueprint for Aging domains; emphasize inclusive design; describe sustainability and long-term benefits; highlight community engagement.