Southwest Initiative Foundation

2025 Veterans Day
2025-11-11 00:00 - 23:59 (America/Chicago) | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of Veterans Day.

2025 Indigenous Peoples' Day
2025-10-13 00:00 - 23:59 | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

2025 Labor Day
2025-09-01 00:00 - 23:59 | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of Labor Day.

2025 Fourth of July Holiday
2025-07-04 00:00 - 23:59 | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of the 2025 Fourth of July holiday.

2024 Juneteenth Holiday
2025-06-19 00:00 - 23:59 | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of Juneteenth.

Navigating the Currents, Charting the Course
2025-04-09 09:00 - 16:30 | Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel, 39375 County Highway 24, Morton, MN, 56270, United States
Nonprofits located in or serving southwest Minnesota and our fund partner affiliates are invited to join us for a day of inspiration and connection. Learn about the state of nonprofits in our region, hear from national speaker Dr. Terry Wu about the importance of collaboration, and attend valuable breakout sessions that will help build your skills in the workplace or on an advisory board. There is no cost to attend; a light breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided.

When: Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Where: Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel, Morton, MN

Registration is closed.

Agenda

9:00 a.m.Registration and light breakfast9:45 a.m.Welcome & opening remarks10:00 a.m.Nonoko Sato, President & CEO, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits10:45 a.m.Dr. Terry Wu, Neuroscience of Leadership expert12:15 p.m.Lunch and table discussions1:00 p.m.Minnesota Attorney General’s Office1:45 p.m.Break2:00 p.m.Breakout sessions (3 options)2:45 p.m.Break3:00 p.m.Breakout sessions (3 options)3:45 p.m.Social hour & networking

Breakout sessions 2:00 p.m.
Cultivating Creativity, Connection, and Collaboration | Luwaina Al-Otaibi, The YES! House Program Coordinator, Department of Public Transformation: Join Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) for Cultivating Creativity, Connection, and Collaboration and hear from Luwaina Al-Otaibi, The YES! House Program Coordinator, about the importance of collaborative third-places and processes for building creative spaces for connection in your communities. Participants will learn collaborative approaches that The YES! House utilizes to support community engagement, diversified funding resources, and innovative structures for volunteerism, stewardship, and operations. This includes details about starting and sustaining a Community Collaboration Team, community-informed visioning process, and offering paid staff support to bolster local community events. Learn more about The YES! House, an in-progress creative community gathering space where staff and volunteers host locals, artists, and visitors in conversations, collaborations, and creativity at www.theyeshouse.org.

Southwest Minnesota’s Economic & Demographic Shifts: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities | Luke Greiner, Labor Market Analyst, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development: his presentation will explore the key economic and demographic trends shaping Southwest Minnesota. We will examine population shifts, workforce dynamics, and industry changes, highlighting how these factors impact the region’s labor market and overall economic health. Attendees will gain insights into job growth, wage trends, and emerging workforce challenges, including talent availability and demographic shifts. Additionally, we will discuss how businesses, educators, and policymakers can respond to these trends to support regional prosperity. By the end of the session, participants will have a clearer understanding of the forces shaping Southwest Minnesota’s future and potential strategies for adaptation.

Growing Giving Together in 2025: Planning for Year-Round Fundraising Success | Jenna Ray, Interim Executive Director, GiveMN: Now more than ever, annual giving is essential for your organization’s success and wellbeing. This session is for leaders who are looking to build a year-long fundraising plan. We’ll dive into the annual donor cycle and how to create an annual fundraising calendar based on behavior science and best practices. Attendees will leave knowing how to add structure to their annual fundraising goals. As a result, they can expect to grow their outcomes and impact in and beyond 2025.

Breakout sessions 3:00 p.m.
12 Golden Rules of Nonprofit Finance | Sarah Bauer Jackson, Portfolio Director, Propel Nonprofits: Nonprofit financial health can seem like an elusive, nuanced, and subjective judgment call. In this session we will break it all down to 12 Golden Rules of nonprofit finance to keep your organization healthy. From budgeting to operating reserves, if you follow these rules, you’ll be on your way to a better understanding of nonprofit financial health. This session is a great introduction for those who are new to nonprofit finance.

Introduction to Inter-Generational Transfer of Wealth | Benjamin Winchester, Rural Sociologist, University of Minnesota Extension, Department of Community Development and Jeff Vetsch, Community Development Officer, Southwest Initiative Foundation: We are witnessing an unprecedented transfer of wealth from one generation to the next. Historically, people lived their entire lives close to their birthplace and as wealth passed from one generation to the next, most stayed in the same community. This is no longer true, and once the wealth leaves our communities, it may never return. The Transfer of Wealth study provides a research-based estimate of your region’s assets – homes, businesses, investments – that will transfer between generations within the next 10 and 50 years. In Minnesota, over $61 billion in wealth will transfer in just the next 10 years. This wealth, when combined with active donor or legislative engagement, makes available charitable giving and enhances philanthropic investing opportunities to improve the quality of life for our communities into the future.

AI for Good: Empowering Nonprofits to Make a Bigger Impact | Steve Gasser, Vivid Image: Artificial intelligence is transforming the way organizations operate, and nonprofits are no exception. In this engaging session, we’ll explore practical AI applications to enhance donor engagement and amplify community impact. Learn practical, ethical, and mission-aligned ways to leverage AI tools—without losing the human touch that makes your foundation essential. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your approach, this session will provide actionable insights to help you harness AI for the greater good.

Schedule is subject to change. Questions? Contact Meghan Laffen at meghanl@swifoundation.org or (320) 484-9123.

2025 Presidents Day Holiday
2025-02-17 | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of Presidents Day.

Fund Partner Office Hours
2025-02-11 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-01-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
SWIF Fund Partners are invited to connect virtually with members of the Development Team to get questions answered, have collaborative work time and meet new members of the SWIF team. Office hours are come and go with no formal agenda, so attendees are encouraged to join at any time throughout the hour and for the amount of time that works for them. No RSVP is required to join these meetings. Questions? Contact Jeff Vetsch at jeffreyv@swifoundation.org or (320) 583-6342.
Zoom Link

2025 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
2025-01-20 | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

2025 New Year's Holiday
2025-01-01 | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of New Year’s Day.

2024 Christmas Holiday
2024-12-24 - 2024-12-25 | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of Christmas Day.

2024 Thanksgiving Holiday
2024-11-28 | Southwest Initiative Foundation, 15 3rd Ave NW, Hutchinson, 55350, United States
Southwest Initiative Foundation’s office building is closed in observance of Thanksgiving Day.
