Community Innovation Grant Awardees

Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health awarded 9 community organizations grants to support their vital and innovative work.
2024-2025 Grant Awardees
Elpis Enterprises
Improve mental health support services for young people without stable housing in St. Paul. Licensed social workers will provide a supportive healing space for youth; focus groups and self-help strategies as well as one on one support. Priority area:
- Mental Health and Well-being.
Learn more about Elpis Enterprises
Every Meal
Focus on filling the food gaps children face. These grant funds will provide nutritious food for their weekend meal program at Bruce Vento Elementary School and Maxfield elementary school especially on weekends when they are unable to access school meals. Priority area:
- Healthy Eating, Active Living and Tobacco-Free Living
Hired
Community Violence Prevention program for Safe Streets Save Lives and Push for Peace. Hired’s Community Advocates and Violence Educators (CAVE) youth use their voices to raise awareness about gun violence and make a difference in their community. Priority area:
- Violence Prevention.
Montessori American Indian Childcare Center
MAICC will host an annual Indigenous People’s Weekend it is an acknowledgement & preceding event to Indigenous People’s Day. These days are reclaimed as means to expel Indigenous erasure on their homelands, celebrate Indigenous People and the fact that they are still here. The event will be inclusive of Native artist, youth skills camp, 3x3 and 5x5 basketball tournaments, Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Awareness Game, MMIW panel, community performances, venders, and businesses providing healthy activities to promote wellness. Priority area:
- Racial and Health Equity
Learn more about Montessori American Indian Childcare Center
Portico Healthnet
Assist Ramsey County’s undocumented residents through complex systems of health care coverage. Strengthen MNsure Navigator presence in Ramsey County communities with the highest concentration of low-income non-Citizens without insurance and other health barriers. Priority areas:
- Access to Health Care Services
Learn more about Portico Healthnet
Rawdatul Muhibbeen
Empowering Muslim female youth of African descent in the Twin Cities offering a variety of activities that promote physical health, financial literacy, leadership development, and social-emotional learning. These activities are designed to create safe spaces where Muslim girls can interact with peers who share similar backgrounds, fostering a sense of belonging and community. Priority area:
- Racial and Health Equity.
Learn more about Rawdatful Muhibbeen
Rise Up Health Clinics
Operates two school- based health centers. Addressing critical immunization gaps identified within the schools. Rise Clinics will address immunization and preventive visit gaps due to healthcare access barriers. Focusing on uninsured and underinsured populations in Ramsey County. Priority area:
- Access to Health Care Services.
Learn more about Rise Up Health Clinics
Somali Active Youth
Provide support and culturally sensitive approaches tailored to the Somali Youth Community. Services provided will include essential training and workshops focusing on mental health and substance abuse for the volunteers serving Ramsey County residents. Priority area:
- Mental Health and Well-being.
Learn more about Somali Active Youth
YMCA of the North
Teaching Kitchen located in St. Paul Midway YMCA will launch a series of free, culturally relevant nutrition and healthy cooking workshops for youth and families living and participating in Y programming in the St. Paul Midway neighborhood. Priority areas:
- Healthy Eating, Active Living and Tobacco-free Living