Why PROMISE Act Matters

The MN PROMISE Act exists to support small businesses and nonprofits that help hold Minnesota communities together. These businesses are more than places of work. They are employers, service providers, gathering places, neighborhood anchors, and sources of stability for families and communities.

The goal of the PROMISE Act Grant is simple: to help eligible small businesses recover, stabilize, and continue serving the people who rely on them.

Small businesses across Minnesota have carried communities through COVID, the 2020 uprisings, years of economic uncertainty, and more recent disruptions such as Operation Metro Surge. When small businesses struggle, the impact does not stop at one storefront. It affects employees, families, customers, suppliers, commercial corridors, and the wider local economy. Operation Metro Surge is one recent example of this broader impact. According to the City of Minneapolis Operation Metro Surge impact assessment, it created at least $203.1 million in community and economic impact in one month, including $81 million in restaurant and small business revenue losses.

That is why the PROMISE Act Grant is an investment in community recovery and economic stability. The program helps eligible small businesses access support for working capital needs such as payroll, rent or mortgage payments, utilities, equipment, and other regular business expenses. It also connects applicants with technical assistance so they can better understand the process and complete their applications.

At Neighborhood Development Center, our role is to help carry out this program with care, fairness, and accountability. We work to protect public dollars while also making sure that safeguards do not become barriers for the small business owners the program was created to serve. To learn more about how the program is administered, visit our Stewardship page.

The mission is not only to distribute funds. It is to support the businesses that support our communities. You can read more about businesses supported through the program on our grantee stories page.

Learn more about eligibility, application support, and how to apply for PROMISE Act Round 2.