SMIF Awards 359.25 Gallons of Paint to Beautify Small Towns

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) awarded 359.25 gallons of paint to 13 communities across its 20-county region through its Paint the Town Grant Program. This program is designed to engage volunteers and build collaborative efforts that beautify communities through painting community murals, community welcome signs, historic structures or public art.

The Paint the Town Grant is awarded to projects in communities of 10,000 or less that will have a visual impact, provide a public benefit to the community and involve volunteer participation.

The 2025 Paint the Town Grant award recipients are:

• 32 gallons to Byron Public Schools Community Education to transform a blacktop into an engaging outdoor learning and play space, including games, movement pathways and interactive learning elements for young children.

• 27 gallons to Cardinal Club of West Concord Mn Inc to restore buildings on their historic Main Street for their 40th community celebration.

• 11 gallons to city of Fountain for their first community mural.

• 20 gallons to city of Janesville to restore the Historic Janesville Free Public Library.

• 8 gallons to city of Kilkenny for a mural that will showcase the town’s Irish heritage for their annual celebration with their Twinning City in Kilkenny, Ireland.

• 6.25 gallons to city of Lake Crystal to restore an old Boy Scout Cabin in Robinson Park.

• 40 gallons to city of LeRoy for a mural in the LeRoy Pocket Park.

• 5 gallons to city of Zumbrota for a flower mural.

• 34 gallons to Community and Economic Development Associates for barn quilts and beautification projects for Kiester’s 125th Celebration.

• 42 gallons to the Preston Historical Society for a mural at the Fillmore County Fairgrounds.

• 30 gallons to the Rapidan Heritage Society for restoring their community building.

• 100 gallons to Truman Public Schools to add art to the playground and parking lot surfaces at the school, including games, a United States map, senior-class-student parking spaces and a pickleball court.

• 4 gallons to Wells Public Library for a children’s storybook mural.

“Each year, I am delighted to see the creativity of small-town communities,” said Tim Penny, SMIF president and CEO. “It warms my heart to see people work together to enrich the places they call home.”

Since 1997, SMIF has helped distribute more than 11,314 gallons of paint to 337 projects in the region through various programs. The Paint the Town Grant program was officially launched in 2015.

For more information on SMIF’s grant programs, visit smifoundation.org/grants.

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), a donor-supported foundation, invests for economic growth in south central and southeastern Minnesota, serving a region that includes 20 counties, 175 communities and one Native nation. The Foundation has provided more than $170 million in grants, loans and programming within the region during the past 39 years. SMIF’s key interests include entrepreneurship, Early Childhood development and community vitality. To learn more about our work and mission, visit www.smifoundation.org.