Eligibility & Criteria

Organizations may apply for only one funding opportunity. Previous Good Relatives Grant recipients are eligible to apply.

Eligible applicants must:

• Be Native-led nonprofit organizations with an annual operating budget under $2.5 million
• Located in and serve Native communities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Native Nations within the same geography
• Geographic eligibility will be determined by your physical address and your IRS Letter of Determination or Incorporation documentation.
• Meet all eligibility requirements outlined below

Good Relative Collaborative Native-Led Definition To qualify as Native-led:

• At least 60% of the Board of Directors must identify as Native American
• The Executive Director/CEO must identify as Native American

Eligibility Requirements

Grants will be awarded to Native-led nonprofit organizations that meet the following criteria:

Organizational Requirements

• Located in Minnesota, North Dakota, or South Dakota
• Serve Native communities within this geography
• Recognized as a:
  • 501(c)(3) public charity
  • Government entity (including schools or tribal governments)
  • Tribal program incorporated under Section 7871 of the Internal Revenue Code

Organizations without nonprofit status must have a current fiscal sponsorship agreement with a qualifying 501(c)(3) public charity or government entity.

Applicants are encouraged to reflect on the following themes when drafting their letter. You may focus on the questions most relevant to your work.

1. Being a Good Relative

• How does your organization reflect Indigenous values of relationship, reciprocity, and Responsibility?
• What does being a “good relative” mean in your community?
• How does your work embody and advance those values?

2. Community & Impact

• What is the story of your organization?
• What inspired its creation, and what change are you working toward?
• Who do you serve?
• How is your work rooted in community leadership and needs?
• What impact have you made so far?
• How would this funding deepen or expand your impact?

3. Reciprocity & Sustainability

• How do you build relationships with others doing complementary work?
• How do you practice reciprocity within your organization and community?
• How do you incorporate community feedback?
• How will you sustain your work beyond this grant?

Applications will be reviewed by an all-Native American community panel.

Letter Format & Submission Instructions

• Letters may not exceed 80,000 characters
• Format is flexible (narrative, storytelling, bullet points, or another format that reflects your voice)
• We strongly encourage drafting your letter in a Word document first
• Copy and paste the final version into the application text box prior to submission

Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM MST / 6:00 PM CST.

Late applications will not be accepted, as adherence to the stated deadline ensures an equitable review process for all applicants and upholds the accountability and integrity of the grant funding program.

• Brief Organizational Information.
• EIN Federal Tax Number.
• Board approved Operating Budget showing expenses.
• Last Year’s Filed 990.
• Fiscal Sponsorship or 501c3 Certificate.
• Letter of Determination/ Incorporation.
• Number of years in operation, enter date of incorporation or determination as listed on the letter uploaded.

The application process includes two parts: sharing documentation demonstrating your qualification for this grant and a letter of application.

We offer guiding questions and application guidance here to help shape your response. 

We suggest that you collect your documents and draft your answers prior to entering your information into the portal. We also encourage you to use the “save” button in the bottom right hand corner for the portal. An email with your saved work will come from [email protected].