Minnesota Organizations Offering And Accepting Donations For Rent Relief

Anti-ICE protests and murders in Minneapolis rightly dominate our headlines and social media feeds. Reports of tragic separations, courage and determination both inspire us and cause despair.

It’s hard to know what to do to feel better.

Many Minnesotans have taken to protesting. Others have trained to become legal observers who report the presence of and record ICE. Many are silently feeding families who are too afraid to leave their homes to go to work.

And of course, there are those who believe the government’s actions to be right.

Regardless of one’s beliefs, however, there is one aspect of this that is going to impact every Minnesota housing provider, regardless of party affiliation.

Tenants who are too afraid to leave the house to go to work eventually fall behind on rent. And housing providers who don’t receive rent eventually can’t pay their mortgage.

During Covid, the federal and state governments issued eviction moratoriums and crafted legislation that provided for retnt payments until the crisis passed. This time, there are no signs of a rent relief package on the horizon.

That, of course, leaves both housing providers and their residents in difficult postitions. And it’s hard to know where to turn for help.

Friends and family who live outside the state of Minnesota see the reports about what’s happening in our state. They want to help, but aren’t sure how they can.

Here’s the good news. There are funds created by non-profits, community organizers and individuals intended to keep tenants from being evicted.

If you want to help, pick an organization that resonates with you and donate. If you have tenants that need help, connect them with the appropriate fund so they can get caught up. That, in turn, will help duplex, triplex and fourplex owners stay current on their own bills as well.

In other words, everybody wins.

Here is a list of organizations accepting donations and offering grants:

City / Government & Formal Rental Assistance Programs

1. City of Minneapolis Rental Assistance Program

• Offers up to three years of rental assistance and transition support for families experiencing homelessness.
• Requires referral from a school social worker if a child is enrolled in eligible Minneapolis Public Schools.
  https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/stable-homes-stable-schools/rental-assistance/

2. Hennepin County Rental Assistance Grants

• Through Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County (CAP-HC).
• Provides eviction prevention or security deposit assistance (up to ~$1,000 per household).
  https://caphennepin.org/rental-assistance/

Nonprofit & Social Service Rental Assistance Programs

3. Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota – Rental Assistance

• Offers short-term financial assistance and may pay rental assistance directly to landlords on behalf of eligible households.
  https://www.lssmn.org/services/housing-and-assistance/property-owners/rental-assistance

Community & Mutual Aid Rent Relief Funds

(Great options to donate to or refer tenants for short-term assistance — often low-barrier and grassroots.)

4. Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Renter Support Fund

• Cash assistance program for cost-burdened renters in Minneapolis.
• Provides direct stipends to help with rent and bills.
  https://www.ppna.org/renter-support-fund

5. Critical Rent Assistance – Central Neighborhood Families

• Community-run mutual aid support for rent in central Minneapolis neighborhoods.
  Critical Rent Assistance for Central Neighborhood Families

6. Support Powderhorn Families with Urgent Rent Relief

• Ongoing fundraiser providing rent & utility support for families in the Powderhorn neighborhood.
  https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-powderhorn-families-in-crisis

Mutual Aid & Community-Led Rent Relief (often short-term, immigrant-focused)

(These rely on community fundraising efforts and are linked via the MPLS Mutual Aid Linktree.)

7. Campazuchitl Collective – Rent Assistance

• Rent relief for families affected by ICE enforcement in Minneapolis/East St. Paul. https://www.givemn.org/story/arpbcg

8. Sky Without Limits / Cielo Sin Límites Rent Relief

• Housing fund supporting neighbors impacted by recent immigration enforcement.
  https://secure.everyaction.com/rNRFm0SWNEKBhn_ntFnAsA2https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid

9. Colectiva Bilingüe Shared Rent Relief Fund

• Emergency rent relief fund through Colectiva Bilingüe; ask donors to indicate rent relief in notes to direct support appropriately.
  https://www.northloop.org/financial-support-and-rent-relief-for-those-in-need/

10. “Direct Rent Support to Families” Mutual Aid

• Community GoFundMe support for families facing insecurity; found via MPLS Mutual Aid. Scroll through the list to find the link.
  https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid

11. Rent Support for Bancroft Families

• A community-run fundraiser for rent support in the Bancroft neighborhood.
  https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid

12. Additional Local Mutual Aid Rent Funds

• MPLS Mutual Aid page includes other rent-related fundraisers — such as for Sky Without Limits, Critical Rent Assistance, and various neighborhood efforts.
  Browse all rent-related links: https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid

Minnesota tenants didn’t do anything to cause this rent crisis. Housing providers shouldn’t suffer financially as an indirect result of a federal policy. The best thing we can do is help each other out.