Community Foundations

Are you looking for a way to make good things happen in your community? Support your local community foundation!

Two smiling women outdoors handing out flyers in Darwin

Community foundations support the community as a whole and its changing needs and opportunities. The program is a tool for communities to establish a local “foundation” without the burden of IRS filings, federal and state regulatory compliance and investment management.

We provide our community foundation partners with administrative support, technical and professional support, investment management and 501(c)(3) public charity infrastructure. This infrastructure allows our partners to fundraise for future needs and for current projects and initiatives that improve the quality of life in their hometowns.

What this looks like varies from community to community, based on the vision of local leaders. Some community foundations focus on granting out dollars to local nonprofits and area schools. Others raise funds specifically for projects with the goal of bringing a physical asset to town, such as a splash pad, playground equipment, senior center or Veterans memorial.

In Pipestone, the community foundation is dedicated to promoting a greater life for present and future generations. Pipestone Area Community Foundation’s newest project is partnering with other local organizations to raise dollars and build a new home for the Pipestone County Senior Citizens, Pipestone Area Food Shelf and Meals on Wheels (Lutheran Social Services). Bringing these groups together under one roof – that’s modern, central, and accessible – will meet the community’s needs today and tomorrow.

The Bird Island-Olivia Community Foundation has granted out more than $80,000 since 2012, including nearly $3,500 to the Cultural Centre in Bird Island to enhance quality of life through art and community. “The Bird Island-Olivia Community Foundation has enriched generations through meaningful cultural experiences in Greater Minnesota. The Community Foundation allows the Cultural Centre in Bird Island and other recipients to enhance our communities by allowing inspiration to flourish for the common good,” said Rosemary Glesener, Director of the Cultural Centre in Bird Island.

Check out the community foundation directory to learn about the exciting projects that might be happening near you!

Our 31 community foundation partners have become catalysts for philanthropy and community improvement while putting local leaders in the driver’s seat.

A team of local advisory board members guides each community foundation by fundraising, recommending grants, telling stories of good work happening locally and promoting their town. Since inception of the program in 1999, more than $9.9 million has been disbursed to schools and nonprofit organizations through our community foundation partners.

Make a gift to your local community foundation by clicking on their profile in the directory below. We also hold more than 100 designated funds that support specific causes in communities across the region. See our list of designated funds.

Part of our mission is supporting funds in communities across the region, creating many ways to give back. Use the links below to support your local community foundation or another fund that is focused on a specific cause. If you're unsure what is available for the place you care deeply about, you can use the filter features to sort through the options. If you want to support a fund that doesn't have an online giving link, please contact us.