Foundation Adds Three New Loan Programs
To continue its work to help sustain and grow businesses and support community development projects, the Southwest Initiative Foundation created three new loan pools including:
- The Renewable Energy Loan Program to support business ventures in southwest Minnesota that are directly or indirectly related to the renewable energy industry.
- The Regional Centers Loan Program focuses on business ventures in the communities of Hutchinson, Marshall, Willmar and Worthington. SWIF recognizes the importance of supporting business growth in regional center communities to the overall economic vitality of the southwest Minnesota region.
- The Small Communities Loan Program offering loans for community-based projects that support and enhance the vitality of the community in communities with populations of less than 1,500.
Seven Revolutions Presented in Southwest Minnesota
Erik Peterson, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), spoke about the “Seven Revolutions,” a nationally sought-after presentation that previews life-changing global trends, at an event for regional business leaders sponsored by the Southwest Initiative Foundation and The Schwan Food Company in April. Regional business leaders in attendance had the opportunity to ask Peterson questions and dialogue about what the Seven Revolutions will mean for southwest Minnesota.
Minnesota Thrive Initiative Pilots in McLeod County
The Southwest Initiative Foundation began piloting the Minnesota Thrive Initiative in McLeod County. Thrive is a companion project of the Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative, and receives the majority of its funding from the Bush Foundation. It is dedicated to promoting healthy social and emotional development in young children. SWIF is providing staff leadership and in-kind resources for three years to help the McLeod County action team survey community needs, identify gaps in services and begin implementing projects to meet the mental health needs of the area’s youngest children.
New Designated Funds
Twelve new designated funds were established through the Southwest Initiative Foundation, including:
- Beatrice F. Ourada Advised Fund
- Bernice Halvorson Scholarship Fund
- Canby Community Scholarship Endowment Fund
- Chippewa River Watershed Project Endowment Fund
- Cooper and Jack Schoenfeld Memorial Scholarship Fund
- Friends of the Jackson County Library Fund
- Harder Family Endowment Fund
- Lake Benton Education Foundation Fund
- Lake Benton Lake Association Fund
- Marshall-Lyon County Library Foundation Fund
- Ortonville Public School Foundation Fund
- Worthington Area Early Childhood Development Fund
Foundation Presents 20th Anniversary Awards
In 2006, the Southwest Initiative Foundation created an award to honor 20 individuals, groups, organizations, or businesses for significant contributions that have helped the Foundation achieve its mission and goals over the course of its 20-year history.
In Fiscal Year 2007, award presentations were held in recipients' home communities, where they recevied an engraved pottery vase and a $1,000 grant from the Foundation. These grants were awarded to the project or program of the recipients' choice serving southwest Minnesota. Recipients include:
- Mark Lofthus, St. Paul, founding board member
- Ron Erpelding, Willmar, former trustee
- Dr. Robert Carothers, Kingston, RI, founding board
member and first board chairperson
- Wilt Croonquist, Willmar, former loan program advisor
- Mary Lou Ludeman, Tracy, first Paul & Alma Schwan
Aging Trust Fund committee member
- Greg Raymo, Worthington, former loan program advisor
- Kent Gustafson, St. Paul, founding board member
and former board chairperson
- Lyle Weismantel, Marshall/Spicer, former board member
- Elroy Burgeson, Granite Falls, founding board member
- Terry Anderson, Litchfield, former trustee and building
committee member
- Alicia Johnson, Minnetonka, former board member
and former board chairperson
- Jack Anderson, Montevideo, former auditor and building
committee member
- Tom Keaveny, St. Cloud, first executive director
- Jonticraft, Wabasso, former loan recipient
- Karen Nieuwbeerta, Granite Falls, former administrative
assistant
- SMI & Hydraulics, Porter, former loan recipient
- Sister Magdalen, former grant recipient - “We
Care” Project
- Project Respect, Granite Falls, former grant recipient
- Impact Innovations, Maynard/Clara City, former loan
recipient
- David Leckey, Eagen, former executive director
SWIF Hispanic Business Consultant Helps Form Latino Business Group
Adolfo Avila, a Southwest Initiative Foundation Hispanic business consultant, provided leadership to form a Latino business group in Worthington and help it become a sub-group of the Worthington Chamber of Commerce. The group received statewide media attention and was recognized as an outstanding model for improving communication and business opportunities for Hispanic business owners. Avila continues to provide business training and facilitation services to Hispanic business owners as part of SWIF’s Micro-Enterprise Loan Program.
John McKnight Presents Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD)
In November, John L. McKnight, professor of communication studies and co-director of the Asset-Based Community Development Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL, conducted a two-day training for Foundation staff and regional leaders. Participants learned about the principles of the ABCD model and how to put it to use in their own life, the life of their community, and the region as a whole.
Life Connections
The Foundation co-sponsored the Life Connections event in Willmar for the seventh year. The event is held to help adults explore lifestyle and resource options for a positive and productive future.
$25,000 Gift Received from The Schwan Food Company
In Fiscal Year 2007, The Schwan Food Company made a gift of $25,000 to the Growing Home Circle and SWIF General Endowment. The gift not only generated a dollar-for-dollar match from The McKnight Foundation, but also an additional $5,000 bonus match! The Foundation is grateful for the continued and generous support of The Schwan Food Company. |
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New
Directors
Four new regional leaders were elected to the Foundation's Board of Directors. They included:
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Connie VanDerBill Medin
Spicer, MN
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Gary Geiger
Willmar, MN |
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Vince Robinson
Ivanhoe, MN |
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Rob Saunders
Bird Island, MN |
New Staff
Former development director, Diana Anderson, was promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO), and five new staff were hired to help the Foundation carry out its mission in Fiscal Year 2007.
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Diana Anderson
Promoted to
Chief Operating Officer |
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Deb Berggren
Accounting Assistant |
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Brad Kramer
Program Specialist
Early Childhood Initiative |
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Marc Vaillancourt
Development Director |
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Karen Grasmon
Communications Specialist |
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Kurt Thompson
Micro-Enterprise Specialist |
Two New Community
Foundation Partnerships
The communities of Lake Benton and Lismore established partnerships with the Southwest Initiative Foundation through our Community Foundation Program in Fiscal Year 2007.
Renewable Energy Awareness Program
The Southwest Initiative Foundation’s work around renewable energy continued through projects like the Renewable Energy Awareness Program (REAP), which concentrates efforts on three primary components, including:
- Youth Energy Summit (YES!) – a partnership with Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center that challenges student teams to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in their communities.
- School Energy Projects – promoting the development of energy projects that have positive economic impact and provide educational opportunities for our schools and communities.
- Renewable Energy Education and Career Awareness – connecting the region’s current and future workforce to career opportunities in renewable energy by aligning, enhancing, and promoting education and training resources.
SWIF Hosts Entrepreneurship Network Academy
Over 70 participants representing all 18 counties of southwest Minnesota, including civic leaders, entrepreneurs, lenders, educators and economic development agencies, convened for Part One of the Entrepreneurship Network Academy in June. The Foundation worked with Don Macke, co-author of Energizing Entrepreneurs (E2) and director of the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship in Lincoln, Nebraska, to create the Academy, a two-part, two-day workshop to begin the process of building a strong regional network path to support entrepreneurship in the region.
SWIF Pilots New Connected Communities Partnership Program
The Southwest Initiative Foundation worked to develop the framework and programs for its new Connected Communities Initiative, an initiative designed to bring together community citizens, leaders and teams, nonprofit organizations, and other sectors of community to improve their communities through leadership and development efforts and other specialized training opportunities. One component of the initiative is the Connected Communities Partnership program (CCP). The Foundation launched its pilot CCP program in Montevideo in the spring of 2007.
C-BED (Community-Based Energy Development)
SWIF began forming programs and partnerships to support community-based energy development in the region. These partners share the common desire to leverage the region’s renewable energy resources for the benefit of local businesses, individuals, and communities. C-BED projects have a positive economic impact in our rural communities, are an effective way to distribute energy generation across the region, and help drive public awareness and support for the renewable energy sector. Plans were set in motion to inform our region about recent renewable energy legislation and community-based energy development opportunities.
Growing Home Circle Sustaining Effort
The Growing Home Circle was initially created in 2004 to help secure the full Phase V challenge grant from The McKnight Foundation, and the sustaining campaign began in Fiscal Year 2007. Members of the Circle pledge to give an annual contribution of $1,000 or more to the Southwest Initiative Foundation’s General Endowment, and gifts are matched dollar-for-dollar by McKnight. In FY 2007, 63 members joined the Growing Home Circle, and a total of $117,729.88 was raised for the general endowment.
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