Making an Impact

Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA)'s mission is to provide quality arts education and performance by nurturing and encouraging artistic expression in children and adults. Last year, MCA received a $4,590 grant from the Winona Community Foundation to help store and preserve a large costume collection from Home and Community Options (HCO), with the goal of making it available to local schools and arts organizations. Former MCA Director Mark Roekers helping to sort [...]

On October 13th, the Winona Community Foundation was proud to present Gloria Siewert with the 2026 Founders Award, which honors individuals who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to improving life in the Winona area through the use of their time, talent, and treasure. Over 150 community members gathered to celebrate Gloria's ongoing contributions to Winona and beyond. Gloria arrived in Winona exactly 60 years ago and has actively contributed to making Winona better. [...]

Left to right: Katie Van Eijl (Project FINE), Craig Putz (Semcac), Carol Ehlinger (Benedictine Living Community), Michelle Repinski (Benedictine Living Community), Shella Schneider (Winona ORC), Michelle Monerson (Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center), Isabel McNally (Engage Winona), Mandy Hansel (Storm Sporting Events), J.C.  Wagner-Romero (Big Brothers Big Sisters: 7 Rivers Region), Jen Tepovich (Ampact),  Phillip Huerta (Winona County Dive & Rescue),  Mandi Olson (Winona Community Foundation). An important part of the Winona Community Foundation’s [...]

The Winona Family YMCA's mission is to strengthen community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Earlier this year, they received a $6,421 grant from the Winona Community Foundation to purchase and install ten educational signage along the hiking trails at Camp Wenonah, which serves over 300 Winona County children each summer through outdoor education and character-building programs. This August, all ten the signs were installed. Each sign was designed to share information [...]

Habitat for Humanity serving Winona County helps low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities across Winona County to both obtain and maintain safe, healthy homes. In 2025, the organization received a $7,500 community grant from the Winona Community Foundation to purchase a new equipment-hauling trailer for use in their construction and repair programs. The purchase of the new, larger trailer supports Habitat for Humanity's ability to continue providing essential services that help our neighbors [...]

Pictured from left to right: Steve Ringlien, Mandi Olson, and Kevin O'Reilly. On June 19, the Winona Community Foundation hosted its 6th Annual Charity Golf Outing at the beautiful Bridges Golf Course in Winona. 23 teams teed off in support of the Foundation's Community Grant Program, which supports a wide range of initiatives in our community, including education, arts & culture, health & human services, childhood literacy, and more through grants [...]

Riverway Learning Community (RLC) is a public charter school district whose mission is to nurture the growth of the mind, body, and spirit of its students, both as individuals and as members of the larger community. In 2025, RLC received a $5,450 community grant from the Winona Community Foundation to host a free, public Earth Day event open to all. Having taken the event over from the local co-op, this was RLC's [...]

Project Get Outdoors (Project GO) was established in 2005 and provides training to community organization leaders and volunteers to help connect kids with nature. Project GO programs have been offered at community centers, boys and girls clubs, recreation centers, libraries, and low-income housing complexes. In 2025, the non-profit received a $4,000 community grant from the Winona Community Foundation to develop and lead a training workshop for 40 mental health professionals who work with [...]

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 [...]

Left to right: Adam Muschler (Adult Housing Program Manager), Erik Sievers (Executive Director), Katie Donahue (Adult Housing Director), Tim Hunter (Deputy Director), Ryan Buhler (Marketing & Communications Specialist) In 2024, the Winona Community Foundation's Board of Directors awarded the Foundation's first $100,000 Impact Grant. The recipient, Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center (HVMHC), was selected through a competitive process. With the use of the dollars, they set out to address two major needs [...]

For over 25 years, Ready Set School has worked to work to ensure that all K-12 students in Winona County have the basic supplies and clothing necessary for school. All funds raised by the organization go directly to the students' families in the form of vouchers so they can decide whether to purchase supplies, clothing, or a combination of both. In 2024, Ready Set School received a $5,000 community grant from [...]

Founders Award 2025: Honoring Judy Davis On October 14th, 2025, the Winona Community Foundation was proud to honor Judy Davis with the 2025 Founders Award, which honors individuals who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to improving life in the Winona area through the use of their time, talent, and treasure. Individuals selected to receive the award have the opportunity to grant $5,000 dollars from the Founders Endowment Fund to the charity of their [...]