| New Trustees |
|
Welcomed
Bill McCormack, Joyce Dass, and Laura Warne as new SWMF
trustees.
McCormack of Marshall is the Executive Vice President
and Chief Operating Officer of Schwan's Consumer Brands
North
America. Joyce Dass owns and operates Wooden Diamond
Bed & Breakfast in Lake Benton. Laura Warne of
Willmar is the president of Home State Bank in Kandiyohi.
|
| Land Purchase |
| Purchased land for
the Southwest Minnesota Foundation's future office building
at the corners
of Hwy. 7 and Hwy. 15 in Hutchinson. Construction is
planned for early 2005. |
| 2003 Grants Total |
| Awarded 100 grants totaling nearly
$1 million in fiscal year 2003. |
|
| 2003 Loans Total |
 |
Awarded
43 loans, including conventional and Micro Enterprise loans,
totaling nearly $2.05 million in fiscal year 2003. |
| Grantwriting Seminars |
| Conducted grantwriting seminars
in Windom-Mountain Lake, Ortonville, and Hutchinson. |
| Informational Meetings |
 |
Conducted informational meetings about the Southwest
Minnesota Foundation in Windom-Mountain Lake, Luverne, Ortonville,
and Hutchinson. |
| Parish Nurse Projects |
| Awarded six grants totaling $86,000
for parish nurse projects throughout southwest Minnesota, including
an outreach initiative that provides consultation, training
and technical assistance to churches, communities, and nurses
in an effort to expand parish nursing programs in southwest
Minnesota. |
|
| Research Study |
 |
Funded a research study conducted by Dr. Joseph
Diaz, Professor of Sociology from Marshall, to examine practices
and policies, that when employed by school districts, lead to
stronger community attachment for new immigrants and racial
minorities. |
| Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative |
| 
Began the Minnesota Early Childhood
Initiative in partnership with the Minnesota Initiative Funds
to create a statewide network of community coalitions aimed
at protecting, supporting and advocating for our youngest children.
|
| Shelter House |
Awarded a $23,000 Regional Impact Grant to Shelter House of
Willmar to help build a new facility to provide emergency shelter
and support services for victims of domestic violence in the
18 counties of southwest Minnesota. |
| Life Connections |
| Co-sponsored the Life Connections
event in Willmar for the third year. The event is held
to help adults explore lifestyle and resource options for a
positive future. |
|
| 2003 Annual Banquet |
 |
Nearly
300 people attended the SWMF's 2003 Annual Banquet, which
was held in April at Jackpot Junction Hotel & Conference
Center. Dr. M. James Benson, President Emeritus of Bemidji
State University and Chairman of the Board of Minnesota Technology,
Inc. delivered the keynote address. Jerry Ostensoe,
along with four youth from Bert Raney Elementary School in
Granite Falls led guests in singing, ?When Season Follows
Season?, a song written by Ostensoe for the SWMF. |
| Southwest Minnesota Foundation Award |
Presented
the fourth annual Southwest Minnesota Foundation Award to
Dorothy Williams of Benson. The award recognizes an organization
or individual who exemplifies the mission and values of the
SWMF, which include collaboration, leadership, innovation
and philanthropy. |
|
| Blandin Alumni Community Leadership
Award |
 |
The partnership of the SWMF and the Blandin
Community Leadership Program presented its fifth annual Southwest
Minnesota Blandin Alumni Community Leadership Award to Mark
Erickson of Lakefield. |
| Mountain Lake Area Foundation |
| Partnered with Mountain Lake to
establish the Mountain Lake Area Foundation through the SWMF's
Community Foundation Program, which allows donors to make gifts
to the SWMF and designate them for use in their communities.
To date, ten communities have partnered with the SWMF through
this program. |
|
| Connecting Youth and Business |
 |
Established the Connecting Youth and Business
Fund in partnership with the Southwest/West Central Service
Cooperative, The Schwan Food Company, and other area businesses.
This component fund provides support for youth initiatives,
student educational programs and activities, and student enrichment
projects in southwest Minnesota. |
| Hutchisnson Hospice Program |
| Established an endowed fund for
the benefit of the Hutchinson Hospice Program in partnership
with the Hutchinson Community Foundation. |
| Contributions and Grants |
Received
contributions and grants totaling nearly $2.6 million in FY2003.
|
| Small Business Administration Loan |
Received
a $750,000 loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration
and a $184,000 grant from the United States Department of
Agriculture to continue and expand the SWMF's Micro Enterprise
Loan Program, with special emphasis on assisting women and
minority entrepreneurs in the region. |
| Otto Bremer Foundation's Matching
Grant |
 |
Received a matching $165,000 grant from the Otto
Bremer Foundation to continue the Nonprofit Management Institute
and Technical Assistance program for the next two years. |
| Center for Rural Policy |
| Partnered with the Center for Rural
Policy and Development to create a "tool kit" of best
practices, programs, and policies that will assist rural communities
that are experiencing rapid demographic changes to successfully
integrate diverse populations. |
|
