Making an Impact

On October 10th, 2023, the Winona Community Foundation was proud to honor Pat and Jerry Papenfuss with the 2023 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 $8,000 dollars from the Founders Endowment Fund to the charity of their choice. Pat and Jerry Papenfuss [...]

Update 02/21/2024: The Winona Community Foundation will be holding a press conference to award $100,000 to a local non-profit organization. We invite you to attend on Friday, March 1st at 10AM at the Foundation office at 111 Riverfront Suite 2E in Winona or watch the live stream on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/WinonaCF. About the Impact Grant In its efforts to inspire generosity and greater community giving, the Winona Community Foundation will be awarding an [...]

Winona Community Foundation Awards $64,241 to Local Nonprofits An important part of the Winona Community Foundation’s mission is realized through awarding community grants to meet the ever-changing needs of the community. Since the program’s inception, it has become an essential asset for local Winona area nonprofits. By the September 1st deadline, the Foundation received 32 applications requesting more than $218,000 in funding. The Foundation’s grant committee was challenged to select [...]

In 2022, the Winona Outdoor Collaborative received a $5,000 Cycle 2 Community Grant from the Connect People to Nature fund of the Winona Community Foundation, which supports programs, equipment, and activities designed to get people of all ages outdoors and connect with their natural surroundings. This grant enabled the Winona Outdoor Collaborative to host their environmental education program that seeks to increase access to the outdoors for students who typically [...]

The Frozen River Film Festival offers programs that engage, educate and activate viewers to become involved in the world. In 2022, the organization received a $4,329 Cycle 2 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation. The Foundation's grant helped fund Frozen River Film Festival's mission of offering educational summer filmmaking camps to youth, teens, and their parents. This summer, they held two filmmaking camps: a two-week camp for high school [...]

Pictured from left to right: Nancy Brown and Tom Wynn. The Winona Community Foundation hosted their 3rd Annual Charity Golf Outing on June 23rd, 2023 at the Bridges Golf Course. 22 teams teed off to support the Foundation’s Community Grant Program, which directly benefits non-profit organizations in the Winona area. The event raised more than $31,000 from its collective 38 sponsors which will go back to the community through [...]

Winona Friendship Center Activity Council, Inc received a $6,300 Cycle 1 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2022. This grant supported their PEARLS program that offers a free and comprehensive program that empowers individuals and enables them to lead fulfilling lives. In an effort to provide accessible mental health support to older adults in Winona County, the Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives (PEARLS) emerged as a [...]

Elder Network received a $4,500 Cycle 2 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2022. This grant supported their in-person counseling and virtual support groups for mental health needs provided to the seniors and their caregivers. The Elder Network's mission to prevent a decline in their clients' quality of life involves addressing emotional well-being, enhancing coping abilities, and increasing community engagement. Through annual surveys, the organization sought to assess [...]

The Winona Daily News and the Winona Community Foundation joined forces in 2021 to establish the Above and Beyond Scholarship Fund. This fund aims to provide annual scholarships to high school seniors in the Winona area who have demonstrated exceptional resilience, overcome obstacles, or shown outstanding dedication to serving others. The collaboration between the media group and the Foundation enables the program to have a greater impact by longevity and [...]

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (Saint Mary’s) received a $4,350 Cycle 1 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2022. This grant supported their 10-week summer youth theatre experience and performance. Funding removed participant fees and will allowed the organization to hire a production coordinator. The goal was to help students develop their knowledge of the artistic and professional sides of theatre, confidence, self-esteem, and teamwork abilities. The [...]

Winona Community Foundation Awards $55,240 to Local Nonprofits An important part of the Winona Community Foundation’s mission is realized though awarding community grants to meet the ever-changing needs of the community through a competitive process. Since the program’s inception, it’s become an essential asset for local Winona area nonprofits. By the March 1st deadline, the Foundation received 29 applications requesting more than $188,000 in funding. The grants committee was tasked [...]

SEMCIL received a $10,000 Grant from the Winona Community Foundation’s United Way of Olmsted County Fund in December of 2021. This grant supported their transition program for ages 14-24, all of whom identified as having a disability. This program offered a variety of services including permit classes, 8 on-going classes (i.e. focused on housing, employment, social skills, and health education), healthy cooking, explaining the Soar program, improving financial literacy skills, [...]