Press Release

Immigrant Rapid Response Fund Aids Recovery with $10 Million in Grants as Global Community Rallies Behind Minnesota

February 26, 2026

The Immigrant Rapid Response Fund (IRRF) surpassed its fundraising goals in just five weeks, granting $5.7 million to 54 organizations supporting communities impacted by Operation Metro Surge. Another $4 million in donations from around the globe will continue to be granted until all funds are distributed.

Weekly grantmaking supports 501(c)3 organizations reaching impacted communities statewide, from the Metro to the suburbs, cities and small towns in Greater Minnesota. The unrestricted grants prioritize support for:

Emergency basic needs such as food, housing, transportation, and health care
Legal services that defend rights and ensure due process
Community organizing, education, safety planning, advocacy, and coalition-building

“This investment is only possible because of the incredible, multicultural organizations on the front lines providing food, housing, transportation, and community safety, while being directly impacted by this crisis. We need to support and care for these critical community-led organizations and provide resources for long-term sustainability,” said Gloria Perez, president & CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and a member of the coalition.

Nonprofits across the state have pivoted operations to provide urgent needs in their communities. Organizations receiving IRRF grants include:

Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) is providing support for small businesses facing a loss of revenue.
Hooyo Hour in St. Cloud is delivering urgent support for basic needs, including food assistance, rent support, and mental health support for families.
Hmong American Partnership (HAP) is creating emergency care packages, including food, household essentials, and child-centered activities to nurture families’ emotional resilience.
Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center in Minneapolis is providing rental assistance.

“The support we are receiving will have a major impact on our community. Everybody is doing a tremendous job to support our immigrant community as they recover from the extreme uncertainty and fear caused by the federal surge. The funds come at a key moment for our organization, and it is giving time and peace of mind as we secure more funds for our work,” said Mar Valdecantos of Rice County Neighbors United in Northfield.

Since fundraising began on January 12, the fund has raised more than $10 million from 59,000 donors in all 50 states and more than 53 countries—a groundswell of support for Minnesota communities facing the largest federal occupation in the country.

“The generosity we have seen shows us that a global community is standing with Minnesotans, eager to support everyone impacted by this crisis that we know touches every sector of life in Minnesota from business, health care, and schools to our most basic needs,” said Ambar Hanson, executive director of the Mortenson Family Foundation and the coalition’s convener.

About the Coalition:

The Immigrant Rapid Response Fund is a coalition of 32 philanthropic leaders rooted in communities most impacted by immigration-related harm. The fund was created by the MN Latine Fund to support the long-term sustainability and thriving of Latine communities. As threats escalated against all immigrant communities statewide, the group formed the IRRF with philanthropic leaders from other cultural communities across Minnesota to address immediate harm. Housed at the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, the IRRF provides rapid, community-informed funding to organizations responding to immigration-related emergencies in Minnesota.

The IRRF launched quickly, in part because of the strong relationships of trust and bonds between coalition leaders working in foundations across the state of Minnesota, now making the grant decisions together.

“The coalition is helping to bring people and resources together to support responsive solutions and address urgent community needs,” said Farhiya Abdulkarim, who leads the IRRF grantmaking subcommittee and is a grantmaking coordinator at the Bush Foundation. “We’ll continue to meet the urgent needs of our communities until we’ve depleted the IRRF, while building stronger support systems for the long term.”

Not all IRRF-funded organizations are being named out of concern for the safety and security of their staff and operations.