By Benya Kraus
President and CEO, SMIF
July 23, 2026 – Who gets to own a piece of the future? Ownership – of land, of livelihood, of voice – was central to the American experiment. In southern Minnesota, it remains central to the work of building vibrant, resilient communities. And for many people, belonging begins with having the opportunity to shape what comes next.
Belonging isn’t just about feeling welcome. It’s about feeling like you can build something. That you can own your personal future and, if you choose, help shape your community’s future too. When people feel that sense of ownership, they invest. They start businesses. They volunteer. They stay.
At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), we see this every day. Through our, now combined, economic development grants, we see it in immigrant farm families working with Rochester-based Village Agricultural Cooperative, where expanded growing sites, irrigation infrastructure and market support helped 12 families move from subsistence farming to selling products in local markets and building ownership of their economic future. We see it in rural business owners across Sibley County who received succession-planning support so locally owned businesses can remain locally rooted for the next generation.
Local ownership extends beyond business ownership, too. One of the biggest draws of small town living is that the smaller population requires you to take on bigger leadership roles – to take ownership in shaping the future of your community alongside people who have a share in that future, too. Through our Small Town Grants, community members in Eyota launched the “Hello Eyota” initiative to create a welcoming experience for new residents, helping them connect with local resources and opportunities to get involved from day one. In Adams, residents are coming together for a community Day of Caring to build a pickleball court themselves, transforming a shared idea into a shared asset and a place to get to know your neighbor. And in Spring Grove, a community newspaper is being launched to provide a platform where more voices can be heard and represented. These projects are different in scope, but they share a common thread: residents stepping forward to shape both the identity and future of their communities.
The work is rarely tidy. Collaboration can be messy. Progress often takes conversation, creativity and the courage of everyday people who decide they have a stake in what comes next. When someone feels they can own even a small part of their community’s story, they show up differently. They see possibility. They build.
That’s why SMIF has two grant rounds open this summer: our Economic Development Grant is open until August 10, and our Small Town Grant is open until August 19. Whether it be strengthening ownership through small business, or through volunteering alongside neighbors to drive a collaborative project forward for your small town, we know a simple truth: When people can own a piece of their community’s story, economic opportunity follows. And when economic opportunity grows, belonging deepens. The two are inseparable.
Small towns thrive when residents feel empowered to say, “This is my place. I helped build this.” That sense of shared ownership is what transforms a town from a dot on the map into a home.
Building a more inclusive and prosperous society requires humor, heart and the belief that ordinary people can shape extraordinary futures. Southern Minnesota’s small towns embody that nation-building spirit every day. With this grant cycle, we hope to support even more communities in writing their next chapter – one where more people can own a piece of the future and where everyone has the opportunity to belong.
As always, I welcome your comments and questions. You can reach me at benyak@smifoundation.org or 507-455-3215.
About Benya Kraus
Benya Kraus is the President & CEO of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. Benya is the co-founder of Lead for America and served as the Network Advancement Director at Resource Rural.
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