Making an Impact

Through a Donor-advised fund, individuals are able to make tax-deductible charitable gifts into their named fund and then recommend grants to their favorite charities from that fund when the time is right. A donor-advised fund is established according to IRS guidelines that provide tax advantages for the donor as well as administrative efficiencies. Tom and Annmarie DeMarais: Strengthening Community Through Strategic Giving Tom and Annmarie DeMarais have long been committed to making [...]

Pat and Jerry Papenfuss in 2023. Through a Donor-advised fund, individuals are able to make tax-deductible charitable gifts into their named fund, and then recommend grants to their favorite charities from that fund when the time is right. A donor-advised fund is established according to IRS guidelines that provide tax advantages for the donor as well as administrative efficiencies. The Winona Community Foundation offers donor advised funds among its [...]

Pictured from left to right: Kevin O'Reilly and Mandi Olson On June 27, 2025, the Winona Community Foundation hosted its 5th Annual Charity Golf Outing at the beautiful Bridges Golf Course in Winona. The event brought together 24 enthusiastic teams, all teeing off in support of the Foundation’s Community Grant Program—an initiative that directly funds local nonprofit organizations. Thanks to the incredible generosity of 33 sponsors, the outing raised over $42,000, all [...]

Founded in 2000, Miller Mentoring is a local school-based mentoring program that offers individual and group mentoring for students grades 5-12 attending Winona Area Public Schools. The program fosters positive social, emotional and intellectual growth in students with the goal of cultivating appropriate social interactions, emotional maturity, improved self-confidence, and academic success. In 2023, Miller Mentoring received a $6,000 Cycle 2 community grant from the Winona Community Foundation to grow their [...]

The Winona Community Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Judy Davis has been chosen as the 2025 Founders Award Recipient. This community-nominated award is given to leaders in our community who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to improving life in the Winona area through the use of their time, talent, and treasure. Individuals selected to receive this award are given the opportunity to direct a grant from the Founders Endowment Fund to [...]

Left to right: Richmond McCleur, Takka the dog, and Mandi Olson. It was a great day for animals in Winona as the Winona Community Foundation presented a $5,000 check to Richmond McCluer, board member of the Winona Area Humane Society (WAHS), from the Ramona Jezewski English Endowment Fund. This endowment fund was established in 2019 to give yearly to the Winona Area Humane Society in Ramona Jezewski’s name. So far, a total of $30,000 has [...]

Education and children’s literature were Donna Helble’s passions. In 1973, Helble moved to Winona to take a position at Goodview elementary where she taught grades one through four in the Program for Learning in Accordance with Needs. In 1988, she began her career at Winona State University as a professor of education. She chaired the popular community-wide “Reading in the Mall” event for 25 years that promoted children’s literacy in Winona and the [...]

Winona Community Foundation Awards $63,381 to Local Nonprofits Left to right: Mandi Olson (WCF President/CEO), Rebecca Wolfe (Home & Community Options), Ann Gibson (WCF Grant Committee), Judy Davis (WCF Grant Committee), Janet Heukeshoven (Winona Symphony Orchestra), Emily Tipton (Friends of the Winona Public Library), Marcia Ratliff (Engage Winona), Dan Hall (Winona Symphony Orchestra), Mark Peterson (WCF Grant Committee), Jen Tepovich (Ampact/ServeMinnesota), Chris Allen (Winona County Dive/Rescue Team), Janneke Sobeck (Winona Family YMCA), [...]

A Generous Gift to Grow the 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 [...]

Help our local charities make a difference in the Winona area. By participating in this golf outing, you are directly supporting the competitive Community Grant program that benefits local non-profits. Register Online 5th Annual Charity Golf Outing Friday, June 27 12:30 Shotgun The Bridges Golf Course in Winona

The Winona Community Foundation’s Competitive Grant Program plays a vital role in addressing the ever-evolving needs of the Winona area. Through this program, the Foundation awards grants to local nonprofits, supporting a broad range of causes and helping to strengthen our community. Since its inception, the program has become a key source of grant funding for area organizations, and for the 2025 granting year, it is receiving a significant $19,000 boost thanks [...]

For many years, the Winona Community Foundation has helped local charitable projects or groups get off the ground by providing fiscal and administrative infrastructure they need to operate through the use of a fiscal sponsorship agreement. A fiscal sponsorship agreement works for start-up nonprofit organizations, seasonal nonprofit organizations, and short-term projects or initiatives. Fiscal sponsorship allows an organization or project to utilize the benefits of the Winona Community Foundation's nonprofit status while raising funds [...]