Left to right: Suzanne Redepenning (Winona Family YMCA), Anne Conway (Will Dilg Chapter of the IWLA), Carrie Frederich (Winona Arts Center), Emily Tipton (Ready Set School), Blandine Berthelot (Friends of Winona Public Library), Katherine Sublett (Lets Erase the Stigma), Kara Eggers (Theatre du Mississippi), Lisa Lind (Elder Network), Christopher Rand (Friends of Winona Public Library), Jocylyn Poehler (Advocacy Center of Winona), Mandi Olson (Winona Community Foundation), Joel Corcoran (City of Winona)
An important part of the Winona Community Foundation’s mission is realized though awarding community grants to local non-profits to help meet the ever-changing needs of our community. By doing so, a variety of interests are supported with the goal of enhancing local charities’ impacts. Since the program’s inception, it has become an essential asset for Winona area nonprofits.
By the March 1st deadline, the Foundation received 22 applications requesting more than $187,000 in funding. The Foundation’s grant committee is always challenged to select grantees, as available grant requests far exceed available dollars. This cycle, the Board of Directors awarded $72,296 to 13 local nonprofits. The following organizations received funding from the Foundation’s General Fund:
Funding from Other Foundation Funds
Donna Helble Literacy Fund
As part of her will, Donna Helble made a specific gift to the Winona Community Foundation with the direction to establish a special interest fund for promoting literacy of youth in Winona. Donna is no longer with us, but her passion for education and literacy live on through her generous gift. The Foundation carries her torch forward, continuing to promote children’s literacy in Winona by awarding grants through this fund.
Connect People to Nature Fund
The Connect People to Nature Endowment Fund supports local programs, equipment, and activities designed to get people of all ages outdoors and connected with their natural surroundings. Started in 2009 by JC and Arelene Pfieffer, the Connect People to Nature Endowment Fund started with just a few thousand dollars and was designed to grow over time by way of both investment earnings and additional donations. Because of the Pfeiffers’ gifts and others, as well as investment growth over the past two decades, the fund has awarded over $20,000 – and will continue to grow and give to local nature-based causes in perpetuity.
Creating a Sustainable Future for our Community
These dollars come from people like you, who have a giving heart and a love for our community. By giving a gift to the Foundation, you are helping to build our community. The larger our community endowment gets, the greater impact we can have on our local nonprofits.
Funds to support the Community Grant program are made possible in part through estate gifts made by Ramona L. Jezewski English, Carol A. Orlowske and Wilmer & Beverly Larson. Community grants are also supported by individual donors and a percentage of board designated funds, including: the Thomas H. Laken Fund, the Sue & Jack Cornwell Fund, the Community Impact Endowment Fund, the Founders Endowments Fund and the General Trust Fund of the Winona Community Foundation. In addition to these funds, the annual Charity Golf Event proceeds are directed to the Community Grant program.
