Roseville Area Community Foundation meets the moment
New grant expands opportunities for Roseville to meet urgent needs
A new grant initiative created by the Roseville Area Community Foundation will provide timely support for local nonprofit organizations and school district administrators. The “Meeting the Moment” grant awards up to $20,000 for projects, programs, or events that address urgent community needs.
Urgent Needs
"Operation Metro Surge" disrupted income streams for many Roseville residents, leaving them without means for essentials like food, baby supplies, and rent money. Community members have joined mutual aid efforts to gather donations and resources, while overwhelmed organizations stretched their normal operations budgets to meet increased need. The unique circumstances require creative solutions.
The “Meeting the Moment” grant is a response brought forward by the Roseville Area Community Foundation (RACF), a Roseville-focused, volunteer-led philanthropic organization. The foundation’s funding comes primarily from pull-tab gambling revenue allocated by the City of Roseville, functioning as a coordinated effort to enhance the quality of life of Roseville residents.
While other grants for nonprofits and schools in the city are available, many of them have extremely specific terms and take up to nine months to process. This grant will allow organizations and school leaders to expeditiously meet the needs of unforeseen crises, with their own respective challenges. The RACF grant announcement letter shared that grant decisions are expected to be made within 4-12 weeks
Meeting the Moment
The pressure from Operation Metro Surge was the impetus for the “Meeting the Moment” initiative but it is meant to address whatever emergencies may arise in the future.
“It’s not just meeting this particular moment,” said Dawn Brown White, Roseville Area Foundation president. “It is meeting the moment.”
For example: during the government shutdown in November 2025, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were frozen, affecting the 2,392 Roseville Residents who depend on them for groceries, according to Ramsey County records for the month of October.
The unprecedented demands put a strain on local organizations that provide food resources. A project, program, or event put together to break the fever of that financial stress would have been a candidate for this award.
In a press conference held on February 25, Vice President J.D. Vance announced that the federal government will be halting Medicaid funds for Minnesotans, “in order to ensure that the state of Minnesota takes its obligations seriously to be good stewards of the American people’s tax money.”
The threat to public healthcare funding may require an effort specially designed to cover expenses for community members that depend on it.
Grant Eligibility
To be eligible, organizations must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or a program within Roseville Area Schools (ISD 623). They must be located in, or primarily serve, residents of the Roseville community. Requests must support a specific project, program, or event that directly benefits community members, rather than general operating expenses. The work must be planned for the future and be completed within 12 months of approval.
Applicants must show quantifiable proof of the problem they’re addressing, a plan for solving it, who is responsible for it, and the budget and evaluation plan. The foundation has not set a strict funding cap for the initiative. Funding decisions will depend on community proposals and needs depending on applications.
The Roseville Area Community Foundation website has an eligibility questionnaire, application form, and grant report documents on their website.
Project, Program, or Event Partnerships
Community problem-solvers and planners interested in proposing an idea who are not eligible to apply independently may find success exploring partnerships with existing entities. Opportunity exists. As collectively witnessed in boots-on-the-ground mutual aid efforts, the recent crisis has cultivated an assemblage of community support collaborators.
“I’m hoping people come up with creative ideas for how this funding could help meet needs in the community,” said Kathy Ramundt, co-founder of Do Good Roseville.
Do Good Roseville is a volunteer-led nonprofit at the forefront of community organizing and mutual aid efforts. They exist to make connections and to share ideas and information that have a positive impact on the Roseville community. Ramundt offered the organization as a potential collaborator in a proposed initiative—either as a networking resource or a partner. Their contact information can be found online.
Rising to the Challenge
The Meet the Moment grant invites innovative strategies to stabilize unforeseen, urgent imbalances. It offers expanded opportunities for Roseville nonprofits and district leaders to address challenges in ways they may otherwise struggle to. The Roseville Area Community Foundation is now accepting applications.
“Rather than deciding ourselves what the needs are, we’re asking the community to tell us through their proposals," said Brown White.
Learn more about the Roseville Area Community Foundation and apply for a grant:
Naomi Dornfeld is a Roseville-based writer covering travel, culture, and community life. She works as a copywriter producing articles, press releases, and web content. Naomi studied English Language Arts at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside.
