Making an Impact

Let's Erase the Stigma Grant “I knew there was a need in the community… I’d anticipated the budgeting classes to be the greater need but the demand for the expungement workshop has far exceeded the expectation.” Let’s Erase the Stigma received the WCF Community Grant Cycle 1: Mission Critical in April of 2021. The organization received $3000. The grant was utilized to purchase a computer, printer, office equipment and supplies needed to start programs. [...]

Winona Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation $7,500 Grant ”Winona County income is about 35% less than the rest of Minnesota, and local employers struggle to find skilled employees." In April of 2021, the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation received a $7,500 grant from the Winona Community Foundation’s community grant program. This grant supported their REACH program. This program was designed to prepare local high school students for careers at local employers, bridging [...]

Elder Network Grant ”Your contributions enabled us to be a vital link to the community” Elder Network received a grant from the WFC Community Grant Cycle 1: Mission Critical in April of 2021. The organization received $7,000. The grant supported the Winona Mental Health Programming facilitated at the Elder Network. This program provides services directly to seniors at affordable rates. These funds enabled seniors to stay living at home for longer, [...]

National Standards Accreditation Affirms Our Commitment to Excellence Winona Community Foundation has recently been accredited with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations®—the highest standards for philanthropic excellence. Winona Community Foundation is pleased to announce that we have recently received accreditation with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations®. This accreditation, signified by the Seal shown here, indicates that Winona Community Foundation meets the highest standards for philanthropic excellence. "This is a significant accomplishment," [...]

The United Way of Olmsted County established a fund with the Winona Community Foundation to support Winona area programs and nonprofits. As a result of the United Way’s affiliation with national corporations, there are Winona County-based companies that participate in United Ways campaigns that participate in the United Way campaigns. UWOC leadership determined that partnering with the Winona Community Foundation would allow them to meet their donors’ expectations by facilitating [...]

Community Grant Program Awards $68,300 to Local Area Nonprofits 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 [...]

2021 Founders Award Phil Feiten “It's truly the people that make the community” – Phil Feiten Give a Donation to Honor Phil Now Phil was born and raised with rural Winona roots. His father and uncle purchased their dairy farm, Feiten Brothers Dairy, where they served as one of the first operations that had pasteurized milk for the customer. Phil spent his childhood days delivering cans of milk to and from the [...]

Charity Golf Outing Success The Winona Community Foundation had their 1st Annual Charity Golf Outing on June 25th, 2021 at the Bridges Golf Course. The purpose of the event was to help local charities make a difference in the Winona Area. By participating in this event, sponsors and volunteers were directly supporting the competitive Community Grant program that benefits local non-profits. Each year, the Foundation receives grant requests that far outweigh our available [...]

Milestones for the Winona Community Foundation Community Grant Program In 2021, the Winona Community Foundation celebrates two major milestones for their competitive Community Grant Program. But before we share those milestones, let’s turn back to 1988, when the program began. THE START The Community Grant Program was started in 1988, one year after the Winona Community Foundation was created, in large part because of direct gift from C Paul and Irene G Venables Foundation. [...]

Click on the links below. Annual Report Webpage 2020 Annual Report PDF

Donor Advised Fund for Corporate Philanthropy Make a Donation Grow the Balance Support Charities From: Tedd and Tracy Morgan, Thern, Inc. Thern, Inc. has partnered with the Winona Community Foundation (WCF) for our philanthropic giving for more than five years now. We have always enjoyed the friendly and professional service provided by the WCF staff. Over the years we have realized the convenience [...]

John and Margaret Cross Memorial Fund of the Winona Community Foundation Benefits Homeless Day Shelter Kevin Cross and Carolyn Cross deMatta, co-fund advisors to the John and Margaret Cross Memorial Fund, directed a $21,000 grant to fund the Catholic Charities Drop-In Day Center. Cross and deMatta are the children of John and Margaret Cross and although neither live in Winona, they stay current on the needs in Winona through their relationship with the Winona [...]