OWATONNA, MN, August 17, 2022 – Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) recently approved 22 grants totaling $190,215 to support small towns of 10,000 or less in SMIF’s 20-county region.
The Small Town Grant program was launched in 2017 to support smaller communities which can benefit from additional financial resources to help them grow and address challenges. Since then, SMIF has supported 91 projects through the Small Town Grant program.
The Small Town Grant program is supported, in part, by a generous donation in memory of Paul Johnson who wanted southern Minnesota’s smallest communities to thrive.
2022 Small Town Grant award recipients
• $8,625 to ArtOrg Studios in Cannon Falls to create a Public Art Passport to identify, locate and provide interpretation for the many existing murals, historical memorials, sculptures and other items of local interest. Additionally, ArtOrg will provide associated educational classes and create one significant artwork.
• $10,000 to Blue Earth EDA for the “BE Welcoming Project” which will focus on community education and outreach for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion projects, plan a Day of the Dead Festival, bring language classes and resources to Blue Earth and create a bilingual community calendar to foster a welcoming community.
• $10,000 to Byron Public Schools to create kitchen teaching spaces in a former classroom of the community center to create a space that allows participants of all ages to learn the skills to successfully prepare healthy ingredients for meals.
• $10,000 to the City of Claremont to collaborate with volunteers to build and develop a baseball field to create a safe, clean and vibrant park.
• $6,750 to the City of Elgin for the creation of an eight-acre natural walking trail that will weave through prairie at the City’s Hoenk Park Sports Complex, creating a unique experience for Elgin residents and visitors.
• $10,000 to the City of Fairmont to update and rebrand the Fairmont Area Life campaign to focus on promoting all things positive in Fairmont to residents and visitors. The project will promote activities, events and businesses to help improve the culture, economy and social aspects of the community.
• $10,000 to the City of Kellogg to develop a Wabasha-Kellogg shared use trail system to cross the Zumbro River safely for outdoor recreation, creating a unique experience for residents and visitors.
• $10,000 to the City of Lafayette to build a safety ramp to the new platform of the bandstand in collaboration with volunteers to bring a sense of connection and pride to the community.
• $5,000 to the City of Lake Crystal to do an analysis to determine if a hotel would be feasible in the community.
• $10,000 to the City of Sleepy Eye EDA to develop a walking tour brochure and signage for historic buildings in town, enabling residents and visitors to learn more about the history of the buildings, the businesses that housed them and community history.
• $10,000 to the City of Springfield for a veteran’s memorial park to enhance the social, cultural, educational, spiritual, economic and physical quality of life in the great Springfield community and the historic downtown.
• $10,000 to the City of Wabasha to update a housing needs study, identify sites to increasing housing stock, develop professional materials to showcase opportunities to develop housing and to hold a community meeting to understand where and what can be developed in town.
• $2,940 to the City of Winnebago to create a promotional video describing why people should move to Winnebago which will be added to a livability section of the City website to highlight amenities, events, businesses and more.
• $10,000 to Fairmont Opera House to add community and cultural events in conjunction with their shows to make a more welcoming experience for everyone in the community.
• $10,000 to Friends of Peterson to put in a European-influenced Bare Foot Trail to provide a wellness and sensory experience for the community, creating a unique experience for residents and visitors.
• $10,000 to the Hayfield Economic Development Authority to host a bike rodeo and make bicycles more accessible for people in order to encourage trail usage and encourage local volunteerism and community input on trails and trail development.
• $10,000 to Junior Achievement North to support second through fourth grade entrepreneurship programming in schools throughout southern Minnesota.
• $10,000 to Mapleton Area Foundation to enhance entrepreneurial outreach efforts through business education events and the creation of an online toolbox for supporting business development.
• $2,400 to Ney Environmental Education Foundation in Le Sueur to create a pollinator garden teaching lab for the school and the general public on the high school grounds.
• $4,500 to Preston Lions to collaborate with volunteers to build a 27-hole disc golf course that is fun for beginners and experienced players.
• $10,000 to the Spring Grove Area Chamber of Commerce to secure a location in historic downtown that will serve as the headquarters for the Chamber, a space for business development classes, community meetings and pop-up events to support emerging entrepreneurs.
• $10,000 to St. Clair Public Schools to collaborate with volunteers to develop a community youth baseball and softball field to provide more practice and game opportunities for the youth of the community and school district.
“The interest in this program has greatly expanded since its start in 2017,” said Tim Penny, president and CEO of SMIF. “There are so many people who want to make a difference in the place they call home, and this grant can help them achieve that. We are grateful to Paul Johnson’s family for continuing his legacy and giving SMIF an opportunity to leverage additional funding for small town support.”
For more information on SMIF’s grantmaking, contact Jennifer Heien at jenniferh@smifoundation.org or (507) 214-7040.
About Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation
Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), a donor-supported foundation, invests for economic growth in the 20 counties of south central and southeastern Minnesota. The Foundation has provided more than $136 million in grants, loans and programming within the region during the past 36 years. SMIF’s key interests include economic and early childhood development and community vitality. To learn more about our work and mission, visit www.smifoundation.org.