Gov. Walz Signs State Budget that Includes Funding for Culturally Specific Organizations

For Immediate Release
July 8, 2021

Contact
Julia Gay | julia@caalmn.org | (216) 744-4956

St. Paul, MN (July 8, 2021) — Governor Walz signed Minnesota’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget, the state’s budget for the next two years, into law. Included in the budget was one of the Coalition of Asian American Leader’s (CAAL) policy priorities this session—the Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program (NIGP).

The NIGP was reauthorized and fully funded at $1 Million each year for the next two years to provide capacity-building grants and related technical assistance to small, culturally specific organizations across Minnesota. CAAL first introduced the program for the legislature to consider in 2017 and it won bipartisan support. Since its passage, it’s been a very popular and successful program among cultural organizations across the state.

Some other noteworthy inclusions in the budget are:

• $1 Million each year for competitive grants to organizations providing services to  relieve economic disparities in the Southeast Asian communities.
• $300,000 each year to Hmong American Partnership, in collaboration with community partners, for services targeting Minnesota communities with the highest concentrations of Southeast Asian joblessness.
• $125,000 each year to the Hmong Chamber of Commerce to train Southeast Asian business owners and operators in better business practices.

Southeast Asians make up nearly 60% of Minnesota’s Asian population, and are also one of the most impacted populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Jenny Srey, senior manager for civic power, says, “CAAL has championed the Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program since 2017, so we are thrilled to see continued support for the program because it works. We are also glad to see investments to our Southeast Asian Minnesotan communities because investing in organizations led by and for communities is a step toward creating a vibrant ecosystem that benefits all Minnesotans.” 

While encouraged by the investments made this session to the Asian Minnesotan community, CAAL recognizes the gains the community made has been significantly impacted by the pandemic and increased anti-Asian violence, and urges leaders to ensure resources are accessible and focused on long-term impact in the following areas:

• Invest in language and technology access, and cultural competence.
• Scale up the collection and use of disaggregated data.
• Include Asian Minnesotan communities in all rebuilding efforts.
• Provide support to address anti-Asian violence, discrimination and xenophobia.

“I am optimistic about this win for our community. Our work now will be to ensure that in the future these are not one-time appropriations, but become sustained, non-negotiable priorities,” says CAAL lead organizer for community prosperity Melinda Lee.

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About Coalition of Asian American Leaders

The Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) envisions a State where all Minnesotans, regardless of background, are actively engaged and can achieve prosperity. Our mission is to harness our collective power to improve community lives by connecting, learning, and acting together. To learn more, please visit www.caalmn.org.