Blog

Headwaters is proud to announce the 2023 winners of Bush Prize: Minnesota. The Bush Prize is an annual award that celebrates organizations that have cultures of innovation and histories of building creative solutions for challenges in their communities. 

In 2023, the Bush Foundation chose four regional partners to select Bush Prize winners who are leading change in their region. Headwaters Foundation for Justice partnered with the Bush Foundation to select the 2023 Bush Prize: Minnesota winners. 

This year’s four Bush Prize: Minnesota winners are organizations that are highly valued within their communities and have a track record of successful community problem solving. Their core work uses inclusive, collaborative, and resourceful processes to build power and advance justice throughout Minnesota, with a focus on racial and economic equity.  

This year’s Bush Prize: Minnesota winners are: 

• New Native Theatre
• Ayada Leads 
• Our Justice 
• Restaurant Opportunities Center – MN 

Each of these remarkable organizations has a unique and innovative approach to advancing justice in Minnesota. They share a deep and consistent interconnection with their communities, which serves as the foundation for their innovative approaches. Each winner builds power authentically alongside their communities and is making a significant difference in advancing racial, cultural, and economic equity throughout the state.  

“These four grantees – New Native Theatre, Ayada Leads, Our Justice, and ROC-MN – are making Minnesota a more just and equitable place for everyone. We are proud to be able to recognize and support their work with this prize,” said Kate Vickery, Headwaters’ Program Officer who co-facilitated the Bush Prize selection process alongside Headwaters co-facilitator Ray Martinez. 

2023 Bush Prize: Minnesota winners will each receive a 2-year general operating grant of up to 25% of the organization’s last fiscal year expenses. This year’s Bush Prize: Minnesota winners will receive a total of $445,000 in grants.  

“At Headwaters, we know that flexible, multi-year, general operating support is what organizations working for social change need to do their work well,” said Interim Executive Director Bilal Alkatout, “We are excited to be able to partner with the Bush Foundation to resource these incredible organizations to continue advancing equity and justice throughout our state.” 

The innovative work being done by this year’s winners throughout Minnesota is worth celebrating. By centering their communities – Native artists and community, African diaspora women, abortion seekers, and restaurant workers – in every part of their work, these organizations are changing the landscape of the fields they work within. 

“The good work being done by these four organizations reminds us that working towards liberation requires committed people doing work across a range of fields and strategies,” said Alkatout, “These winners and their innovative work across fields as diverse as the performing arts and healthcare is proof that boldness and commitment to justice belongs everywhere.”  

In addition to the 2023 Bush Prize: Minnesota winners, Headwaters will be making grants to the three Bush Prize: Minnesota finalists. Each organization will receive a $10,000 finalist grant in recognition of their exceptional work throughout the state. The 2023 Bush Prize: Minnesota finalists are: 

• Mni Sota Fund 
• Asian Economic Development Association  
• Inquilinxs Unidxs por Justicia/United Renters for Justice 

The 2023 Bush Prize: Minnesota winners and finalists were selected by a group of community grantmakers through a collective decision-making process. This year’s winners reflect hours of thoughtful evaluation, nuanced discussions, and deep listening.  

“We are incredibly proud of our grantmaking committee’s thoughtful approach to collective decision making,” said Vickery, “Our committee members were highly attuned to the Bush Prize core criteria of innovation, inclusion, collaboration, and resourcefulness alongside their shared values around resourcing smaller organizations that are fiercely building power for racial, cultural, and economic justice.” 

These community members made decisions with care, intention, and commitment to both Headwaters and Bush Foundation values. As experience Headwaters community grantmakers, they also brought significant experience with collective decision-making and a grounding in racial and economic justice as a lens for grantmaking.  

Please join us in celebrating the 2023 Bush Prize: Minnesota grantmakers: 

• Anitra Cottledge  
• Lauren Daumueller 
• Amanda Dionne 
• Tiffany Dykes 
• Zach Johnson 
• Cecilia Moulton-Pirkl 
• Gina Suarez 
• Marsha Yang  

To learn more about each of the winners, please visit our Bush Prize: Minnesota page, and keep an eye out for upcoming features about their powerful work.