Strategic partnerships between HECUA and several community organizations allow HECUA to continue to develop programs that promote student civic engagement. These programs bring students into the nonprofit sector, provide valuable work experiences and raise public interest in the mission of nonprofit work.

Capacity Building Grants

Resources to enhance our capacity to serve were provided by two separate $10,000 grants from the St. Paul Foundation and the St. Paul Companies. The funds helped strengthen and develop the organization, and also allowed completion of HECUA’s first impact evaluation – a quantitative and qualitative review of our work of more than 30 years. The Wilder Foundation also was instrumental in helping us to complete the evaluation.

Philanthropy & Human Rights Fellowship

The Otto Bremer Foundation awarded HECUA a $279,000 grant to establish paid fellowships to graduate students studying in Minnesota, North Dakota and northwestern Wisconsin. Graduate fellows work part-time with the Otto Bremer Foundation. The fellowships seek to advance human rights, philanthropy, and social change through the nonprofit sector. They provide students with an opportunity to work on substantive aspects of the Foundation’s priority giving areas.

The Carnegie Foundation Political Engagement Project selected the Metro Urban Studies Term for a three-year research project on ways to revitalize student political engagement. The program was selected because of its commitment and accomplishments in sustaining student political involvement. Results will be disseminated by the Foundation through conferences, the internet and other means.

Environmental Project Funds Six Mini-Grants through Grant from the McKnight Foundation. Supported by a $25,000 McKnight Grant, HECUA awarded grants to individuals leading a variety of sustainability projects: David Kelly (University of St. Thomas), Bob Douglas (Gustavus Adolphus College), Dan McGuiness (National Audubon Society), Mark Muller (Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy), Peggy Knapp (Center for Global Environmental Education), Derek Larson (St. John’s University). Workshops also supported by the grant led to the development of a new semester program, Environmental Sustainability: Science, Politics & Public Policy