The Winona Community Foundation Cycle 2 community grant priorities were called Mission-Critical and aimed to help nonprofits move their essential work forward at this critical time. The Foundation’s Grant Committee received fifteen applications by the August 1 deadline requesting $125,800.

The Foundation Board of Directors awarded eight organizations $68,300 from the Community Grant program.

Community Grant Fund Recipients:

• Advocacy Center of Winona $10,000: to support a sexual abuse survivor group facilitated by a licensed social worker.
• Apple Tree Dental $10,000: to fund their purchasing of specialized equipment to upgrade on-site care for special needs clients at Home & Community Options.
• Engage Winona $10,000: to fund a project called Lived Experience Leader training. This is a second cohort initiative for up to 15 pairs of community leader mentors and community mentees. The program is designed to teach and build community engagement skills and leadership techniques, break down barriers, and encourage community-driven initiatives.
• Frozen River Film Festival $10,000: to fund a hybrid (virtual and in-person) 2022 festival, as well as mission-critical support due to major cuts in regional and statewide arts-related funding.
• Gamehaven Council #299 (Boy Scouts) $3,300: to cover the activity fees for fifty deserving Winona-area youth to participate during the 2021-2022 school year.
• Minnesota Marine Art Museum$5,000: to support “Seasonal Saturdays,” a quarterly program providing $1 admission, arts materials, activities, demonstrations, and transportation.
• SEMCAC $10,000: to support the establishment of a weekly delivered frozen meals-on-wheels program to 40-50 Winona County rural seniors currently not able to be served.
• Winona State Bridges Health $10,000: to support wellness outreach to 150 Winona area families by WSU nursing and allied health students (up from 100 families during 2020 pilot year).  This will include a monthly wellness magazine and in-person delivery of activity kits.

About the Winona Community Foundation and the Community Grant Program

In 1987, the Winona Community Foundation, was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and received its first gift of $2,000 that same year. Today, the Winona Community Foundation has more than $16 million in assets under management in both Foundation controlled and donor advised funds, and grants more than $1.3 million each year.

In 2021, the Winona Community Foundation celebrates two major milestones for their competitive Community Grant Program. The first is reaching over $100,000 in total dollars available to grant for 2021. The second is cumulative giving from the competitive community program reaching $1 million since its inception.

Funds to support the Community Grant program are made possible in part through estate gifts made by Ramona L. Jezewski English 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, and the General Trust fund of the Winona Community Foundation.

What’s Next for 2022 Cycle 1 for the Community Grant Program

Cycle 1 will begin at the start of 2022, but the priorities are not currently chosen. The grants committee and Board of Directors will evaluate the needs of the non-profit community to determine the best priorities for 2022 Cycle 1 Community Grant program. The priorities and guidelines will be posted on our website by December 1, 2021.