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Southwest Initiative Foundation / Connect Newsletter

Connect Newsletter

A woman with glasses and a gray sweater stands smiling in a classroom by a wall with colorful handprints and a sign that says, The Future of the World is in This Room. Various posters and a clock are also visible.

February 27, 2026

Little Explorers Child Care Center

Rural child care center a dream come true “SWIF has been amazing. It was a huge change for me to go from a home daycare to an actual business,

Filed Under: Connect Newsletter, Home Page Feature, Stories Tagged With: Child Care

A man in a dark suit and red tie stands smiling in a modern, warmly decorated dining room with wooden beams, a dining table, wall art, and shelves with plants and decor.

February 26, 2026

Small gifts can grow great things

Kevin TeBeest is linked to Southwest Initiative Foundation in about as many ways as one person can be: He’s a loan client, a former board member for

Filed Under: Connect Newsletter, Stories Tagged With: Community Foundations, Donors

Two older men sit at a table in a diner, each holding a white coffee mug and smiling at the camera. The diner has simple decor, and an American Legion banner hangs on the wall in the background.

February 26, 2026

Porter Cafe continues to gather community

Resilient communities need new volunteers to keep good ideas going When it comes to the tiny town of Porter, you need a reason to be there

Filed Under: Connect Newsletter, Home Page Feature, Stories Tagged With: Leadership

A student kneels on the shop floor at JCC and uses a level in the window of a small shed being built.

March 25, 2024

A new era of career exploration

Career and technical education is evolving to help students navigate today’s world of work. For decades, the conversation about jobs in our

Filed Under: Connect Newsletter Tagged With: Business Support, Leadership

A group of students wearing welding safety helmets pose for a photo with educators and mentors.

March 22, 2024

Local community foundations are partners in career prep

Career Prep When it comes to career and technical education (CTE), partnerships with employers, colleges and economic development agencies likely

Filed Under: Connect Newsletter Tagged With: Community Foundations

A group of SWIF coworkers pose for a group photo at the IGNITE career expo.

March 21, 2024

On the right path

By Scott Marquardt, Southwest Initiative Foundation The newest issue of our CONNECT newsletter is all about career pathways. Our feature story

Filed Under: Connect Newsletter Tagged With: Business Support, Leadership

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