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Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Public charity

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA INITIATIVE FOUNDATION is a regional development and philanthropic organization that fosters economic and community vitality in 20 counties of southern minnesota through a culture of collaboration and partnership, with a focus on entrepreneurs and early childhood development.

$4.4M
Granted FY2025still arriving
76
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$100k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Education$3.1MCommunity Improvement$1.9MRecreation & Sports$1.5MFood & Nutrition$774kHuman Services$750kArts & Culture$616kPublic Benefit$541kScience & Tech$400kOther$0
02FY2025 · 76 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 76 grants below total $1,509,101, the rows itemized in this filing. The $4,432,085 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $2,922,984 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k10 grants · $79k
  • $10k–50k61 grants · $1.0M
  • $50k–250k5 grants · $390k
$15,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$81M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
RENEWING THE COUNTRYSIDE II$100,000
MINNESOTA FARMERS' MARKET ASSOCIATION$100,000
VILLAGE AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE$80,000
REGION NINE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION$60,000
SHARING OUR ROOTS$50,000
LEO AUGUSTA CHILDREN'S ACADEMY$42,000
CITY OF MAPLETON$40,000
INITIATIVE FOUNDATION$37,500
CITY OF SPRINGFIELD$27,125
CITY OF GIBBON$25,000
GOOD ACRE$25,000
CITY OF GOODVIEW$25,000
CITY OF SHERBURN$25,000
CITY OF PRESTON$25,000
HISPANIC ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH RESEARCH$20,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY17–25, $376k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 7%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 7%ST JOHN'S GRANDKIDS VIK CLUB: $12k → 8%FIRST CHILDRENS FINANCE: $30k → 11%COMMUNITY ACTION CENTER OF NORTHFIELD INCORPORATED: $20k → 11%COMMUNITY ACTION CENTER OF NORTHFIELD INCORPORATED: $10k → 11%FAMILIES FIRST OF MINNESOTA: $15k → 9%CHILD CARE CENTER OF MAPLETON INCORPORATED: $10k → 15%RED WING IGNITE: $20k → 9%RED WING IGNITE: $20k → 9%RED WING IGNITE: $17k → 9%A GREAT DAY FARM FOUNDATION: $10k → 11%COMMUNITY ACTION CENTER OF NORTHFIELD INCORPORATED: $10k → 11%A CHILD'S DELIGHT TOO INCORPORATED: $10k → 11%CCR&R INC DBA FAMILIES FIRST OF MINNESOTA: $17k → 9%FAMILIES FIRST OF MINNESOTA: $14k → 9%FAMILIES FIRST OF MN: $10k → 9%NORTHFIELD AREA FAMILY YMCA: $5k → 11%RED WING IGNITE: $7k → 9%RED WING IGNITE: $7k → 9%LITTLE LAKERS EARLY LEARNING CENTER: $10k → 15%YWCA OF MANKATO: $20k → 15%YWCA MANKATO: $20k → 15%ROCHESTER YMCA: $10k → 9%MN RIVER AREA AGENCY ON AGING INCORPORATED: $10k → 15%YWCA MANKATO: $10k → 15%SEMCAC HEAD START: $20k → 8%SEMCAC: $20k → 8%YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF MANKATO: $6k → 15%SEMCAC: $7k → 8%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 9% of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address. By recipient address, 98% of the giving stays in MN; by stated purpose, 92%.

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address · 2.9% directed abroad (not shown)
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

75%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$7.3M · 122 repeat orgs$2.5M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +41% since the first grant, against +6% for those funded once.

122 repeat relationships: 39 still active in FY2025, 83 since wound down; 36 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

122
162

Total granted

$7.3M
$1.9M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+41%
+6%

Still filing today

36%
35%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 61% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $580k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Community ImprovementArts & CultureHuman ServicesEducationFood & NutritionRecreation & SportsOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • NL
    NATIONAL LEAD FOR AMERICA INC
    3× · 2021–2023 · $165k · revenue +39%
  • RT
    RENEWING THE COUNTRYSIDE
    2× · 2020–2025 · $120k · revenue +300%
  • TV
    THE VILLAGE AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE
    3× · 2023–2025 · $115k · revenue +72%

Funded once

  • CO
    CITY OF BYRON
    one grant, 2022 · $74k
  • WV
    WYKOFF VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK FUND INC
    one grant, 2018 · $53k
  • FO
    FRIENDS OF THE FRIEDRICH CIVIC CENTER
    one grant, 2023 · $50k · revenue -40%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Mill City Farmers Market Inc

Mission: to inspire and nurture a healthy community by building a local, sustainable, and organic food economy in a vibrant experiential marketplace.vision: to be a nationally recognized marketplace model that connects, educates, and…

—
2
Winona Area Chamber of Commerce

To promote business development and tourism in winona minnesota and the surrounding area

—
3
African Development Center

Grow businesses, build wealth and increase reinvestement in the african communities of minnesota

Human Services
4
Minnesota Chamber Foundation

The organization's mission is to bring stakeholders together to promote prosperity and long-term growth of minnesota's economy.

Public Benefit
5
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The minnesota chamber of commerce proactively leads the business community statewide to: advance pro-business, responsible minnesota public policy that creates jobs and grows the econony; provde member services to address evolving business…

—
6
Area Partnership for Economic Expansion

Promote and develop economic expansion in duluth and northeastern mn and northwestern wisconsin. the organization leads regional research efforts related to human resources, and emerging industries to inform business development and…

Community Improvement
7
Sprout Mn

Growers, eaters, creatives and economic developers together established sprout in 2012. with a mission to connect and strengthen the local food system as a regional asset, this community continues to grow and contribute to our collective…

Unclassified
8
Mn Community Measurement

Mn community measurement empowers stakeholders with meaningful information to drive improvement.

Health
9
Leadership Matters Mn

Leadership matters mn is focused on advancing a policy agenda that places working minnesotans first. we support economic growth, job creation and equitable tax and education policies that will allow every minnesotan to thrive.

Education
10
Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce

Creating powerful advocacy to enhance economic vitality in the minneapolis-st. paul region.

—
11
Rochester Art Center

Rochester art center offers the opportunity for all people to understand and value the arts through innovative experiences with contemporary art. through world-class exhibitions and programs, we present a welcoming, integrated, and diverse…

Arts & Culture
12
Minnesota Community Education Assn

Community education - the minnesota community education association is established to provide leadership in the creation of an educational environment in which citizen involvement and life-long learning are essential.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment Through Research; the most unlike its peers is Rice County Neighbors United. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

134 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 134 of the 329 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

5
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
42
Early backer (in before they grew)
129/134
Grantees still filing
91/134
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

LEO AUGUSTA CHILDREN'S ACADEMY: $646,003 · OtherLEO AUGUSTA CHILDREN'S ACADEMYCITY OF FAIRMONT: $278,442 · OtherCITY OF HARMONY: $251,771 · Other+146 more: $5,835,998 · Other+146 moreUniversity of Notre Dame du Lac: $561,000 · EducationUniversity …RENEWING THE COUNTRYSIDE: $120,000 · EducationRENEWING TH…UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $62,750 · EducationUNIVERSITY …Massachusetts Institute of Technology: $50,000 · EducationLA LUMIERE SCHOOL INC: $40,050 · Education+7 more: $121,500 · Education+7 moreSOUTHERN MINNESOTA INITIATIVE FOUNDATION: $147,683 · Community ImprovementMinnesota Farmers Market Association: $100,000 · Community ImprovementNORTHFIELD HEALTHY COMMUNITY INITIATIVE: $84,740 · Community ImprovementSHARING OUR ROOTS: $60,000 · Community ImprovementRED WING DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET: $53,000 · Community ImprovementCOLLIDER FOUNDATION: $40,000 · Community ImprovementINITIATIVE FOUNDATION: $37,500 · Community ImprovementEngage Winona: $30,000 · Community ImprovementMINNESOTA VALLEY ACTION COUNCIL INC: $29,500 · Community Improvement+7 more: $142,166 · Community ImprovementHISPANIC ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH RESEARCH: $69,493 · Arts & CultureFRIENDS OF THE FRIEDRICH CIVIC CENTER: $50,000 · Arts & CultureFORECAST PUBLIC ARTWORKS: $50,000 · Arts & CultureRed Wing Arts Association: $48,000 · Arts & CultureCHILDRENS MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA: $44,249 · Arts & CulturePRESTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $25,000 · Arts & CultureMONSTER BASH INCORPORATED Monster Bash: $23,250 · Arts & CultureFAIRMONT OPERA HOUSE INC: $20,000 · Arts & CultureSTORYARK: $13,250 · Arts & CultureRED WING IGNITE: $70,000 · Human ServicesYOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF MANKATO: $56,000 · Human ServicesCHILD CARE RESOURCE & REFERRAL INC: $55,600 · Human ServicesSEMCAC: $47,250 · Human ServicesCOMMUNITY ACTION CENTER INC: $40,000 · Human ServicesFIRST CHILDREN'S FINANCE: $30,000 · Human ServicesST JOHN LUTHERAN HOME: $12,000 · Human Services+2 more: $20,000 · Human ServicesNATIONAL LEAD FOR AMERICA INC: $165,000 · Public BenefitAMERICAN LEGION POST 0370 NE W: $36,000 · Public BenefitVANGUARD CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT PROGRAM: $145,000 · PhilanthropyUNITED WAY OF STEELE COUNTY: $20,000 · PhilanthropyUNITED WAY OF THE BROWN COUNTY AREA: $18,750 · Philanthropy
Other$7,012,214Education$955,300Community Improvement$724,589Arts & Culture$343,242Human Services$330,850Public Benefit$201,000Philanthropy$183,750

Showing the 200 largest grantees by grant value.

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetLEO AUGUSTA CHILDREN'S ACADEMY: $646,003 over 4y, 87% of budgetUniversity of Notre Dame du Lac: $561,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL LEAD FOR AMERICA INC: $165,000 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetSOUTHERN MINNESOTA INITIATIVE FOUNDATION: $147,683 over 4y, 1.7% of budgetVANGUARD CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT PROGRAM: $145,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetRENEWING THE COUNTRYSIDE: $120,000 over 2y, 2.3% of budgetTHE VILLAGE AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE: $115,000 over 3y, 9.1% of budgetMinnesota Farmers Market Association: $100,000 over 1y, 44% of budgetTHREE RIVERS COMMUNITY ACTION INC: $87,585 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetNORTHFIELD HEALTHY COMMUNITY INITIATIVE: $84,740 over 6y, 1.3% of budgetJEREMIAH PROGRAM: $70,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetRED WING IGNITE: $70,000 over 5y, 9.6% of budgetHISPANIC ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH RESEARCH: $69,493 over 4y, 2.8% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $62,750 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSHARING OUR ROOTS: $60,000 over 2y, 4.4% of budgetRIVER BEND NATURE CENTER INC: $58,200 over 2y, 3.9% of budgetYOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF MANKATO: $56,000 over 4y, 3.1% of budgetCHILD CARE RESOURCE & REFERRAL INC: $55,600 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetEXCHANGE CLUB CENTER FOR FAMILY UNITY: $55,000 over 3y, 5.3% of budgetA CHANCE TO GROW: $55,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetRED WING DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET: $53,000 over 4y, 12% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE FRIEDRICH CIVIC CENTER: $50,000 over 1y, 11% of budgetMassachusetts Institute of Technology: $50,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetFORECAST PUBLIC ARTWORKS: $50,000 over 1y, 7.4% of budgetRed Wing Arts Association: $48,000 over 4y, 3.4% of budgetSEMCAC: $47,250 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetCHILDRENS MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA: $44,249 over 3y, 1.4% of budgetLA LUMIERE SCHOOL INC: $40,050 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetCOLLIDER FOUNDATION: $40,000 over 2y, 5.2% of budgetCOMMUNITY ACTION CENTER INC: $40,000 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetAMERICAN LEGION POST 0370 NE W: $36,000 over 1y, 25% of budgetDIVERSITY COUNCIL: $35,000 over 2y, 1.8% of budgetOWATONNA AREA CHAMBER FOUNDATION: $34,671 over 2y, 6.7% of budgetWellcome Manor Family Services: $32,000 over 4y, 0.4% of budgetFIRST CHILDREN'S FINANCE: $30,000 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetEngage Winona: $30,000 over 2y, 9.4% of budgetSOMALI AMERICAN SOCIAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION: $30,000 over 2y, 10% of budgetMINNESOTA VALLEY ACTION COUNCIL INC: $29,500 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetUNITED WAY OF GOODHUEWABASHA & PIERCE COUNTIES: $27,500 over 3y, 2.1% of budgetNEW LONDON-SPICER EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION: $25,000 over 1y, 18% of budgetRice County Neighbors United: $25,000 over 2y, 10% of budgetPRESTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $25,000 over 2y, 31% of budgetMAPLE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INC: $23,629 over 4y, 44% of budgetMONSTER BASH INCORPORATED Monster Bash: $23,250 over 3y, 13% of budgetSOUTHWEST INITIATIVE FOUNDATION: $21,037 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetACHLA ALIANZA CHICANA HISP LAT AMER ALLI: $20,000 over 1y, 3.4% of budgetTRI-VALLEY OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL INC: $20,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetLAURA BAKER SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: $20,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds LEO AUGUSTA CHILDREN'S ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds University of Notre Dame du Lac ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL LEAD FOR AMERICA INC ↗
  • Who funds SOUTHERN MINNESOTA INITIATIVE FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds VANGUARD CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT PROGRAM ↗
  • Who funds RENEWING THE COUNTRYSIDE ↗
  • Who funds THE VILLAGE AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE ↗
  • Who funds Minnesota Farmers Market Association ↗
  • Who funds THREE RIVERS COMMUNITY ACTION INC ↗
  • Who funds NORTHFIELD HEALTHY COMMUNITY INITIATIVE ↗
  • Who funds JEREMIAH PROGRAM ↗
  • Who funds RED WING IGNITE ↗
  • Who funds HISPANIC ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH RESEARCH ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Minnesota Community F…Taylor Family Farms F…Mayo Clinic Group Ret…Saint Paul & Minnesot…Minnesota Historical …Prairie Lakes Regiona…Minnesota State High …C K Blandin FoundationRochester Area Founda…Otto Bremer TrustMankato Area Foundati…United Way of Southea…
Minnesota Community FoundationMN58.2× affinity37 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Minnesota Community Foundation · Taylor Family Farms Foundation Inc · Mayo Clinic Group Return · Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation · Minnesota Historical Society · Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council · Minnesota State High School League Foundation · C K Blandin Foundation · Rochester Area Foundation · Otto Bremer Trust · Mankato Area Foundation · United Way of Southeast Minnesota

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 35%
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 35% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
33report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 329 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Southern Minnesota Initiative’s filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home