Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation

Penny: Collaboration is the way forward

Jan 27, 2021

When I served in Congress, I was dedicated to representing my southern Minnesota district. I was not there to simply vote the party line; I did my best to take into consideration the differing political ideologies that existed at the time among my constituents. As a legislator, I made it a...

SMIF head shares 10 reasons he’s grateful

Dec 30, 2020

With the new year just days away, I have been taking some time to reflect on this past year. While 2020 has been incredibly challenging, I have found myself focusing on the bright spots. It was a year filled with incredible stories of people doing amazing things to help those hit hardest by the...

Regional local food initiative kicks off, seeks advisory committee members

Dec 9, 2020

A new local foods initiative has been launched to support food producers in southern Minnesota. The Local Food Producer Sustainability Project is a partnership between Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association (MFMA), Renewing the Countryside (RTC), Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) and...

Shop local this holiday season

Dec 2, 2020

This time of year is traditionally a time of giving. Minnesotans in particular are known for their charitable contributions – a fact that was solidified recently during Give to the Max Day when Minnesotans set a record by giving more than $30 million to local schools and nonprofits. In addition to...

SMIF CEO - Building connections for a stronger southern Minnesota

Oct 28, 2020

Autumn, with its changing colors and temperatures that encourage us to move indoors, is a natural time to slow down and contemplate life. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), we use this time each year to reflect on the partnerships that have resulted in a stronger southern...

Penny - The role of foundations during crises

Sep 2, 2020

In times of crises, life as we know it quickly unravels, but we immediately start to pick up the pieces and do our best to navigate new terrain. It helps to have organizations that are already positioned to help pick up those pieces. The current health and economic crisis has highlighted the...

Two programs to help small towns

Jul 29, 2020

By Tim Penny Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation Central to Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s (SMIF) current strategic plan is a strengthened commitment to look ahead at the future of rural Minnesota. While we continue to make our programming and resources accessible to communities...

Penny - A rural perspective on racial justice

Jun 24, 2020

“Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” I grew up in the 1960s inspired by these words from the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Yet, I am heartsick that today, over fifty years later, racial injustice continues to be a stain on our national character and a strain...

Penny - Celebrating 25 years of national service

Mar 4, 2020

One of my proudest moments as a congressman was voting to support the creation of the national AmeriCorps program 25 years ago. Little did I know at the time how central this program would become to our culture of volunteerism and giving back to our communities. Even more surprising, and...

Early literacy grants offered

Feb 26, 2020

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), in partnership with publishing companies Capstone and ABDO, is accepting applications for the Early Literacy Grant Program. This grant is designed to support early literacy efforts that enhance school readiness for children birth to age five by...