The Bush Foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota, has announced grants totaling more than $6.5 million to thirty-nine organizations that are helping to create an environment in which the foundation's programs and initiatives can succeed.

Through its Ecosystem program, the foundation awards general operating support grants of up to $200,000 over two years to local nonprofits that are generating critical data and analysis, spreading great ideas and building capacity in the region, working to advance public awareness and policy initiatives, and/or building and supporting leadership networks. The latest grants awarded through the program include $120,000 to the African American Leadership Forum in Minneapolis; $200,000 to Dakota Resources in Renner, South Dakota; $200,000 to the First People's Fund in Rapid City, South Dakota; and $200,000 to the Minnesota Education Equity Partnership in St. Paul.

"We invest in a lot of people and organizations working to tackle a wide range of tough, complicated issues," said Bush Foundation president Jen Ford Reedy. "Our hope is that providing support to the organizations they rely on to be successful will help create an environment for big things to happen in our region."

For a complete list of grant recipients, see the Bush Foundation website.