Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation awards $153,668

By News Team
ads@fillmorecountyjournal.com

Mon, Apr 23rd, 2012
Posted in All Business Announcements

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Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) recently approved nine grants totaling $152,668 to support early childhood and entrepreneur projects within southern Minnesota. These grants align with SMIF’s goal to build a prosperous region with vibrant communities, innovative businesses, and a skilled and valued workforce.

SMIF’s Incentive Grant Program is designed to support new, asset-based collaborative projects that demonstrate measurable results related to SMIF’s early childhood and entrepreneur development goals.

Six grants totaling $92,668 were awarded to Early Childhood projects:

•$20,000 to the Region 9 Interagency Early Intervention Committee to support 40 trainings on the social emotional development of children throughout the nine-county region for all who interact with young children. Contact: Sally Dannenberg, 507-359-8709.

•$15,768 to the Brown County Early Childhood Initiative to support a series of home visits to licensed child care providers in Brown County. The visits will focus on social and emotional development as well as school readiness skills. Contact: Betty Uehling, 507-359-8417.

•$20,000 to the MN Licensed Family Child Care Association to support a one-on-one mentoring program for licensed family child care providers to increase the children’s’ school readiness. Contact: Katy Chase, 651-636-1989, ext. 12.

•$15,000 to Wellcome Manor Family Services, Garden City to support the purchase of high quality curriculum and staff training for those caring for the young children in the child care center of this residential women’s chemical dependency home. Contact: Roxie Mell Brandts, 507-546-3295.

•$11,900 to the Fairmont Early Childhood Initiative to support a summer Kinder Camp that will provide children an opportunity to ease the transition into the formal Kindergarten school setting. Contact: Roni Dauer, 507-235-314.

•$10,000 to Grace Place, Rushford to support expansion of their Winona model into Rushford, including implementation of four early childhood learning programs. Their efforts target single moms/at-risk families. Contact: Carla Burton, 507-452-2283.

•Three grants totaling $60,000 were awarded to Entrepreneur Development projects:

•$20,000 to the Northfield Enterprise Center to support a co-working space- including an incubator and accelerator program-to grow businesses in Northfield, using existing entrepreneurial support mechanisms. Contact: Megan Tsui, 507-649-1810.

•$20,000 to Lanesboro Local to support coordination and implementation of grower/producer marketing efforts to increase their sales. Contact: Nancy Martinson, 507-467-2944.

•$20,000 to the Fillmore County Economic Development Authority to support succession planning for businesses using the successful Spring Valley model. Contact: Cris Gastner, 507-765-2815.

Since 1986, the Foundation has provided over $23.7 million in grants to create economic vitality throughout southern Minnesota.

“We are pleased to support these nine asset-based approaches to current opportunities within our focus areas and believe they will each contribute to the economic vitality of our region,” said Tim Penny, President/CEO.

About Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation:

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), a donor-supported foundation, invests for economic growth in 20 Minnesota counties. The Foundation has provided more than $47 million in grants and loans within the region during the past 25 years. SMIF’s key interests include early childhood programs and entrepreneur development with a focus on emerging bioscience and renewable energy businesses. To learn more about our work and mission call 507-455-3215 or visit www.smifoundation.org.

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