Vibrant Communities Grants

Many Communities. One Shared Commitment.

What happens when neighbors, donors, and community leaders across the St. Croix Valley come together with a shared goal? The Vibrant Communities Grant Program—a region-wide collaboration that turns generosity into action and strengthens the health and well-being of communities across the Valley.

Created through a powerful partnership between the St. Croix Valley Foundation, our local community affiliates, and dozens of generous donors, this grant program responds to pressing needs that transcend city limits and county lines. It’s place-based philanthropy at scale—local voices shaping regional impact. 

While the program is flexible and community-driven—designed to evolve with emerging needs—mental health has been the focus for five years running, and for good reason. Mental health challenges touch every corner of the Valley, and this program has become a cornerstone of our regional response.

Since launching in 2021, Vibrant Communities Grants have awarded more than $830,000 to strengthen mental health support—from schools and clinics to community centers and recovery programs. 

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What makes this initiative unique is how it’s funded: the 2025 grant cycle was supported by 28 different charitable sources, including local affiliate funds, donor-advised funds, individual gifts, and matching support from the St. Croix Valley Foundation. That’s what it looks like when a region shows up—together. 

From Amery to River Falls, Siren to Stillwater, this is how we build stronger communities: locally and regionally, side by side. 

And while mental health is the focus today, this flexible model ensures we can respond to whatever comes next—with insight, partnership, and heart. 

What We Fund

The Vibrant Communities Grant Program supports community-driven solutions to the Valley’s most pressing challenges. 

For the past five years, the program has focused on mental health—funding efforts that reduce stigma, expand culturally relevant care, and improve access across our six-county region. From early intervention and education to trauma-informed practices and peer support, these grants are helping communities remove barriers and build connection.

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Examples of eligible projects include: 

• School-based mental health services 

• Community education and suicide prevention 

• Support groups and peer networks 

• Trauma-informed care and early intervention 

• Programs serving underserved populations 

• Services that reduce stigma and expand culturally relevant access 

Award Amounts: 

• $500–$6,000 for Affiliate Community Grants 

• $500–$10,000 for Multi-Affiliate Regional Grants 

Grant Cycle: Spring 
 

Who's Eligible

To apply, organizations must: 

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, government, tribal, educational, or religious entity 

• Or partner with an eligible fiscal agent 

• Serve communities within the six-county SCVF region: 
  Chisago, Washington (MN); Burnett, Polk, Pierce, St. Croix (WI) 

 
This program is open to organizations focused on mental health and wellbeing, particularly those working to reduce barriers like cost, stigma, geography, and language. 

Impact in Action: Collaboration in Motion. Mental Health in Focus.