Each year, nonprofit organizations across Minnesota make incredible contributions to our state’s high quality of life. The Minnesota Nonprofit Mission Awards were created specifically to honor these contributions.
Whether the continued and evolving challenges presented by the pandemic or increasing divisions and disparities in our state and nation, Minnesota nonprofits continue to play vital roles in supporting communities, fostering solutions, and advocating for the change we hope to see.
Since 1987, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits has been showcasing the work of Minnesota’s outstanding nonprofits through the Nonprofit Mission Awards in the categories of Advocacy, Anti-Racism Initiative, and Innovation.
MCN encourages you to nominate a nonprofit (perhaps even your own) that is making real change in our communities in the following categories:
Nomination deadline: Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
Nonprofit Mission Awards recipients will receive:
- Professional video production highlighting each recipient’s award-worthy work
- Recognition in front of 1,000 nonprofit peers at the 2026 MCN Annual Conference in St. Paul
- A feature profile of your organization in MCN’s Nonprofit News reaching 15,000 nonprofit employees
- Two free registrations to the 2026 MCN Annual Conference (value $349 each)
- Cash award
Timeline
February 24 – May 31
Call for Nominations
June 1 – June 28
The Nonprofit Mission Awards Selection Committee will review all complete nominations in the categories of Advocacy, Anti-racism Initiative, and Innovation and narrow the field of nominations to three finalists in each category. Finalists, as well as all nominations not advanced, will be notified.
June 29 – July 12
MCN member organizations and their staff members will be invited to vote on the winners from the field of finalists. The finalists with the winning number of votes in each category will be selected to receive the awards.
July 13
Recipients will be notified (but will not be publicly announced until October).
October 30
The Nonprofit Mission Awards ceremony will take place at a special awards luncheon during the 2026 MCN Annual Conference at the Saint Paul RiverCenter in St. Paul, MN.
November 2
Award recipients are publicly announced.
Mission Awards Selection Process
Staff members, board members, volunteers, program recipients, donors, or other supporters may nominate a nonprofit for a Mission Award.
The Nonprofit Mission Awards Selection Committee will then review all complete nominations in the categories of Innovation, Anti-racism Initiative, Advocacy, and Responsive Philanthropy and narrow the field of nominations to three finalists in each category.
All MCN member organizations and their staff members are invited to vote on the winners from the field of finalists. Voters can vote once in each category and must have their MCN Individual Member ID Number in order to cast their votes. The recipients of the four awards will be decided by member votes and the organizations receiving the most votes will win. Finalist organizations and their staff members are not eligible to vote within their own category.