As the final snow melts away and spring flowers appear, our staff at Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) is looking ahead to a busy year of programming for our 20-county region. This spring, our Early Childhood team has already been focused on providing trainings to area child care providers, while working with several communities on addressing the child care … [Read more...]

At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) we sometimes joke that we are our region’s “best kept secret.” But it is true that despite the fact that we are regularly out in our 20-county region visiting with partners and facilitating trainings, we find that there are still many people who do not know about SMIF. Unfortunately, that could mean an entrepreneur who doesn’t … [Read more...]

When asked what I love about southern Minnesota, one thing that always rises to the top is the drive that people have to help their neighbors. This was especially evident during the recent blizzard. Volunteers helped dig out vehicles, rescue stranded travelers and open their doors to provide shelter. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) we work to help our … [Read more...]

Now that we are past the busyness of the holiday season, I am reflecting on what a wonderful year 2018 was for southern Minnesota. It was a year that renewed my optimism for the future of our unique part of the state. I was once again humbled by the generous people of our 20-county region who make our work at Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) worth every … [Read more...]

‘Tis the season for spending time with family and friends, enjoying delicious meals and of course, shopping for gifts. The holiday season is always a great reminder to spend dollars locally and lift up our small businesses. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) we invest in the businesses in our 20-county region because we know that they are the backbone of our … [Read more...]

Autumn is one of my favorite times of year – not just because of the beautiful colors, but because it means it’s time for our Annual Luncheon. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), this luncheon is an opportunity for more than 200 of our partners to come together from across our 20-county region to share successes and look to the future. At this year’s luncheon … [Read more...]

A couple of years ago we went through a rebranding exercise at Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) and settled on the tagline, “collaborating for regional vitality,” as a simple way to represent our work. This phrase gets to the heart of everything that we do, whether in early childhood, economic development or community vitality, and it really comes alive for me … [Read more...]

Several months ago, I was pleased to see my hometown of Kiester join forces with five nearby towns to create a new community foundation called Our Town USA. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), we support communities in capturing and retaining philanthropic wealth through community foundations like this. This has become increasingly important as $7 billion is … [Read more...]

An event I look forward to each year is Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s (SMIF) Annual Bus Tour. SMIF staff, board and colleagues spent the day visiting partners who are making a difference in their community. We use this time to hear from stakeholders and listen to community leaders. This is the fourth year of our bus tour and we traveled to the center of our … [Read more...]

Summer is here which means families are finally able to enjoy the outdoors after a long winter. As campfires burn out and kids get ready for bed, many parents will pull out a book and read a bedtime story. This is important because studies consistently show that reading at a young age drastically improves a child’s educational trajectory. According to Minnesota Compass, the … [Read more...]

In 2016 Minnesotans were alerted to the fact that there is a serious lack of child care slots in our state leading to a “quiet crisis,” according to a report that year from the Center for Rural Policy and Development. It is clear two years later this crisis is no longer so quiet. A recent article from Minnesota Public Radio highlighted real stories from providers who are … [Read more...]

Despite the occasional snowflake, spring is officially at our doorstep. While many of us spend the winter months hibernating, farmers have been busy planning for the season and are now awaiting the day when they can prepare the soil and get crops in the ground. We will soon start to see green sprouts in fields all across southern Minnesota, a visual testament to the prevalence … [Read more...]

Giving back to our communities is infused in American culture, whether through donating to charity, serving in the military, or volunteering. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) we are proud to be placing people in service roles across the region through the national AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps, established in 1993, engages more than 80,000 Americans each … [Read more...]