The Minneapolis-based McKnight Foundation has announced thirty-four grants totaling $29.3 million, including nearly $20 million to support affordable housing initiatives in Minnesota.

Organizations awarded grants in this funding round included the St. Paul-based Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, which received $9.5 million to improve services for comprehensive community development and affordable housing needs for working families in the state; the Family Housing Fund in Minneapolis, which was awarded $10 million to address the region's affordable housing needs; and the Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation of the Twin Cities, an affordable housing development and assistance organization, which received $400,000 for general operating expenses.

"All Minnesotans should have housing at a price they can afford, and in a location and type of their choosing," said McKnight board chair Erika L. Binger. "We are pleased to continue our commitment to these important institutions that bring together people, resources, and expertise to advance the preservation and production of affordable housing with dignity."

The foundation also awarded grants in the areas of the arts ($480,000), children and family ($4.5 million), the environment ($1.9 million), international ($127,000), and collaborative crop research ($1.5 million).

For a complete list of grant recipients, see: http://www.mcknight.org/grantee_results.aspx?desc_keyword=
&date_approved=2%2F26%2F2005&B1=Submit.