These are trying economic times. With regular costs of living on the rise, many who live paycheck-to-paycheck find themselves unable to withstand an unexpected emergency without facing dire financial consequences. 

That's something that Mick Sterling aims to change with his nonprofit organization, The 30-Days Foundation.

Sterling has enjoyed a long and accomplished career in music. His 17-year run with his band, Mick Sterling and the Stud Brothers, earned him induction into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. But Sterling has used his platform to give back, first as a volunteer in the nonprofit/charity space.

But in 2011, Sterling was inspired to take matters into his own hands.

"He saw the financial hardships people were dealing with and came up with this idea," said John Lindeman, president of The 30-Days Foundation. "What if he could create a foundation that would relieve financial stress for these individuals that found themselves in situations oftentimes not by their own choosing."

That's how The 30-Days Foundation was born. Now going into its 12th year, the Twin Cities-based nonprofit organization provides one-time financial grants to Minnesotans in need, and within a short time frame.

"We tell people when they apply for a grant that if we have the resources we'll be able to respond within 30 days," Lindeman said.

Since its inception in 2011, The 30-Days Foundation has helped more than 100,000 people in need. Grants are primarily awarded to assist with rent payments, recovery residences, and utility bills.

These one-time grants The 30-Days Foundation provides often help families find their way out of financial trouble, Lindeman said, by way of avoiding a domino effect where one overdue bill leads to another.

"We're living in a challenging economic time that impacts people in a way that's never really been seen before," Lindeman said. "We've put ourselves in a position to help those in financial distress to overcome the financial burden they're experiencing, to help them take the next step so that they don't fall into an additional financial crisis. 

"People who are applying for grants, they're not choosing to be in financial distress. What we find is that if we can help them deal with that one thing that is really pressing it has a profound impact on them getting back on track and not falling into financial peril."

The 30-Days Foundation is growing. After a decade of operation as a solo act, Sterling's organization is now a full-fledged band, having just completed its first fiscal year with a board of directors.

The nonprofit hosts an annual summer music festival fundraiser called Relief Fest. In 2021, the event raised $70,000. This past summer, The 30-Days Foundation more than doubled that total with $150,000 raised.

The organization's growth comes at a perfect time, too.

"We're continuing to experience an increase in demand for grants, so the need has never been greater," Lindeman said.

At Spave, we're proud to call The 30-Days Foundation one of our preferred nonprofit partners, and we're honored to support the organization in its mission to help those in need. The 30-Days Foundation is helping people and families to avoid financial crisis, and together we are working to amplify The 30-Days Foundation's reach, increase its sponsorship, and to help it impact even more lives.

By supporting The 30-Days Foundation, you are helping people and families at the most critical time. We invite you to  join us in supporting The 30-Days Foundation and its meaningful mission. Set up automatic, recurring donations and/or make one-time contributions to The 30-Days Foundation through the Spave app.