This season of giving and gratitude continues to inspire me. I am always overwhelmed by the generous contributions from donors to Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) and our 30 community foundations as well as to other local nonprofits. November 14 was Give to the Max Day here in Minnesota. This statewide day of giving reminds me how much the residents of … [Read more...]
Making lasting connections
After several busy months of taking advantage of warm weather, the leaves start to drop from the trees in preparation for winter and I am reminded of the importance of slowing down and connecting with others. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) we are spending this season connecting with many of our partners in our 20-county region at several major events. We … [Read more...]
Approaches to the child care shortage
In 2016 Minnesotans were alerted to a serious lack of child care by the Center for Rural Policy and Development. Since then, there have been many efforts to work toward solutions. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), we have been supporting the communities in our 20-county region through various programs and trainings. In SMIF’s region alone, we have a … [Read more...]
Growing the local foods economy
This time of year, the farmers’ markets are rich with local vegetables, berries, meats, breads and jams. It’s a visual testament to the abundance of our region and the ever-growing local foods economy that is sustained by consumers who want to buy directly from area farmers. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), we have been supporting the local foods economy in … [Read more...]
SMIF Stakeholders on the Bus – Regional bus tour visits Mower, Fillmore and Houston Counties
Every summer I look forward to Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s (SMIF) annual bus tour. For the fifth year, SMIF staff and board spent the day visiting partners who are making a difference in their community. This year we traveled to the eastern part of our 20-county region – Mower, Fillmore and Houston counties. We started out the tour by enjoying a meal from SMIF … [Read more...]
Working together for greater impact
At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), our tagline is “Collaborating for Regional Vitality.” Whether we are working with partners in early childhood, economic development or community vitality, we do our best to complement what others are doing in those arenas so that collectively we can have more results than we would have separately. This spirit of collaboration … [Read more...]
Early childhood programming
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...]
Bringing our resources to a Sprout! event near you
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...]
Make a difference in your own backyard
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...]
Why I love where I live
There have been moments throughout my life when opportunities arose to move to a different part of the state of Minnesota, or even a different part of the country. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love living in southern Minnesota and that there are many reasons why I choose to stay here. As the president of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), I can’t imagine a … [Read more...]