To close out the week, we want to share some very positive news for our southwest Minnesota regional community!
First, we want to recognize the Southwest Initiative Foundation’s Microenterprise Loan Program/Entrepreneurship team for receiving a statewide award last week!
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and MAP for Nonprofits selected SWIF’s microloan program to receive their Dot.Org Award for Innovative Program Delivery. The annual awards honor Minnesota nonprofit innovators for their forward-thinking approach to utilizing technology and communications in their organizations.
The microloan program is a prime example of how SWIF connects many aspects of economic and leadership development, continually looking for ways to better serve entrepreneurs. The team has focused on integrating the Center of Rural Entrepreneurship (CORE) website into our program delivery. It empowers entrepreneurs to follow steps, with the support of staff, to explore and move their business ideas forward.
Congratulations and words of thanks go to our microloan team for finding new, great ways to help people in southwest Minnesota start, expand or transition their business!
Another SWIF program, our Early Childhood Initiative, also had some excitement last week. A delivery of 10,000 books made its way to SWIF headquarters where staff and volunteers sorted and prepared boxes of books for distribution throughout the entire region.
The books were made available through the We Give Books program, an annual, invitation-only program of the Pearson Foundation. The books are brand new and include many popular titles. Retail cost is about $5-$12 per book, but SWIF and partners were able to purchase the books for just $1 each! It is so important to get books into the hands of young people—from very young children to preschoolers to school age and young adults.
What’s most amazing is what these two examples of SWIF’s work means for people in our region—we’re leveraging resources to help create the best opportunities for entrepreneurs, young children, and so many more in our communities!
