Breaking Free, a St. Paul nonprofit that helps young women escape prostitution, is among four Minnesota winners of the Bush Prize for Community Innovation.
The prizes are awarded to nonprofits with a demonstrated commitment to solving community problems in creative and effective ways. Their solutions must involve partnerships with other community groups, and be sustainable.
Other winners were the Native American Community Development Institute of Minneapolis, Lanesboro Arts and the Cannon River Watershed Partnership, a water conservation group based in Northfield.
Another six prizes were awarded to nonprofits in North Dakota and South Dakota.
"Each Bush Prize winner has a remarkable story of innovation to share, and collectively they are a testament to the power of inclusive, collaborative and resourceful problem-solving," said Bush Foundation President Jennifer Ford Reedy.
"We are thrilled to promote these innovative organizations and to provide them with creative capital to tackle their next big idea."
The prize winners receive an unrestricted grant that equals up to 25 percent of each recipient's annual budget, up to $500,000.
Jean Hopfensperger • 612-673-4511
