Sutton, AndiMohamed, FarahSwanson, KaitlynnTurvey, MargaretBishop, Pam2024-12-092024-12-092024-10-29https://hdl.handle.net/11299/268280Two documents are included here: the full report as well as a separate file that includes the report appendices. All appendices can be accessed via that document.From 2023 to 2024 the Southeast Region of the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (SE RSDP) collaborated with the Southern MN Initiative Foundation (SMIF) to research a question core to each organization’s mission that might be able to be answered in a solutions-oriented way through the unique community/University research partnership approach that RSDP facilitates. That question was: ‘How is the current funding landscape working for the diverse communities in our regions, and is it sparking positive change in those communities and helping them – and our region as a whole – become more resilient?’ Participants in this research were funders from across Minnesota as well as non-profit organizations across SMIF’s 20-county Southeast and South Central service area that were either led by members of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, or that were BIPOC-serving. The goal in this work was to identify how Southern Minnesota funders could best equip resilient communities-focused organizations that are BIPOC-led and BIPOC serving to realize their goals and spark transformative change at the community level. This report details the process, results, learning, and recommendations for both grantees and funders that are informed by contributions from all of the research participants. Contributions were solicited via a survey, focus group discussions, and one-on-one interviews. The resulting analysis highlighted the challenges, best practices, and opportunities for BIPOC-led and BIPOC-serving grantseeking organizations and funders. The report also includes concrete recommendations that funders and grantees can implement across four categories: technical supports, relational strategies, cultural awareness, and systems change.en-USSoutheastSouthwestResilient CommunitiesEquityDiversityPhilanthropynonprofitqualitativequantitativeReport