The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation aims to enhance the quality of life in the Duluth Superior region through the establishment and administration of endowed funds created by individuals, families, private foundations, and businesses. Since 1983, it has distributed over $40 million in grants and scholarships, managing more than 360 funds for various charitable purposes.
The Community Opportunity Fund at the Boreal Waters Community Foundation focuses on closing the Opportunity Gap to foster upward mobility, economic success, and autonomy for individuals, especially those from historically marginalized populations. The grant supports initiatives that increase income and assets through enhanced housing affordability, employment paying living wages, and wealth-building opportunities. It also backs access to quality education and wellbeing supports from prenatal stages through to career development. The program emphasizes the importance of giving individuals control over their lives, making choices, and having the power to influence policies and actions that impact their futures. It prioritizes systems change, deep community engagement, continuous learning, centering human beings' experiences, and collaboration to address root causes of inequities and encourage a collective improvement in the community's quality of life.