Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation

In 2022, the Community Foundation awarded $2,946,903 in grants and $846,450 in scholarships. Total grants awarded (including interfund grants) for all program areas was $3,889,892 comprised of: 18% unrestricted funds, 7% designated, 18% field of interest, 20% organizational endowments, 22% scholarships and 15% donor advised. The largest program Area supported was education with 29% of grant funds, followed by, 23% human services, 22% in scholarships, 14% in Community economic development, 6% in arts, and 6% in environment. In 2022, the Community Foundation awarded $716,673 scholarships from endowed funds and $129,777 from 8 temporary scholarship funds that the Foundation provides scholarship services. In addition, the Foundation provided administrative services for two affiliated scholarships totaling $271,000 where all of the funds are held by a local bank.

In 2022, dsacf collaborated with many partners to respond to Community needs that continued to be exacerbated through the covid pandemic and financial crisis. Dsacf partnered with national and local organizations to increase families' access to the expanded child tax credit. Over $2,486,000 in federal tax refunds were generated throughout the region for over 1,800 households, as a result. Dsacf also invested in closing disparities in mental wellbeing in douglas county. Funding was provided to train vital Community connectors in suicide prevention and begin first steps for a wellness center. The pandemic has also been a challenge for duluth's downtown. Grants to begin downtown revitalization were made to engage national experts and deepen collaborations with key partners. Dsacf continued to facilitate ready north, a network of local organizations building equitable disaster resilience. Grant and scholarship funding continued to support the opportunity rising initiative. The purpose of opportunity rising is to bring together people from all backgrounds, incomes, ethnicities, beliefs and neighborhoods to forge a path to real and meaningful equitable opportunities for every child in duluth and superior. This programming is in addition to dsacf's on-going grant and scholarship activity.