Otto Bremer Trust
Otto Bremer Trust is a private charitable trust based in St. Paul, Minnesota, founded in 1944. The organization conducts grantmaking and program-related investments focused on Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin and publishes news, reports, and grant search tools on its site.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A nonprofit with operations or programs in Minnesota or the surrounding region (ND, MT, WI and nearby states) seeking general operating, capital, or capacity support and able to demonstrate community impact and alignment with the trust’s regional priorities.
Good Fit
- • Based in or serving Minnesota or neighboring states.
- • Requesting general operating support, capital investment, or capacity building.
- • Project ties to food security, housing/homelessness, mental health, health care, or community economic development.
- • Request size consistent with observed grants (many awards around $50K with a range up to $1M+).
- • Demonstrable local partnerships or clear benefit to regional communities.
- • Willingness to follow published guidelines and use the foundation’s contact/portal routes.
Geography
Grants reached organizations in about ten states, but roughly 65% of dollars were directed to Minnesota, indicating a strong regional concentration centered on the foundation’s home state.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows a very large and diverse recipient set—over 800 distinct organizations across many program areas—with low concentration of dollars among top recipients (top five ≈ 8%).
New Applicants
Observed behavior shows substantial turnover and entry by newcomers (about 497 first-time grantees in the latest year), and the foundation maintains public application guidelines and named contacts, all of which support strong accessibility for unfamiliar applicants.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
