Community Foundation Spotlight: Mapleton Area Foundation
Jeff Annis, president of the Mapleton Area Foundation and mayor of Mapleton, shared how the foundation created in 1992 has impacted the town he grew up in.
Donor spotlight: Steve Donney
Steve Donney wears many hats in his small town of Harmony. He recently took the time to tell us about why he invests in the future of southern Minnesota.
Benya Kraus – Rural Voice, discussing important local issues
We know that making a decision on the future of one’s farmland is a deeply personal one. At SMIF, we offer a pathway to retaining that legacy through our Acres for Good program.
SMIF seeks applications for three grants
OWATONNA, Minn., September 8, 2026 – Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) is currently accepting applications for three grants: Early Care and Education [...]
Benya Kraus – The infrastructure behind rural neighborliness
We know that making a decision on the future of one’s farmland is a deeply personal one. At SMIF, we offer a pathway to retaining that legacy through our Acres for Good program.
Rural Voice’s Fifth Season Tackles Some of Rural Minnesota’s Biggest Issues
OWATONNA, Minn., August 12, 2026 — The Rural Voice town hall series, designed to elevate conversations from across Greater Minnesota, returns for [...]
Trust for Civic Life awards $400,000 to SMIF
Photo: Members of Uniting Cultures/Uniendo Culturas, Small Town Grant awardee. Read their story. OWATONNA, Minn., August 5, 2026 — [...]
Benya Kraus – Belonging and ownership
We know that making a decision on the future of one’s farmland is a deeply personal one. At SMIF, we offer a pathway to retaining that legacy through our Acres for Good program.
SMIF seeking applications for Small Town Grants
OWATONNA, Minn., July 22, 2026 – Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) is currently accepting applications for its Small Town Grant program. Towns, or [...]
McKnight grants $6 million to Minnesota Initiative Foundations
Pictured from left to right: West Central Initiative President Anna Wasescha, Northland Foundation President & CEO Tony Sertich, Initiative [...]
