Accelerating Opportunities Looking Back. Looking Ahead. Growing Home.
A MESS GE FROM TRACI TAPANI, BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR
Dear Friends, As a community foundation dedicated to improving the economic and social wellbeing of the region, the Initiative Foundation is constantly working to accelerate opportunities—forging partnership and investing in activities that lift people up and close opportunity gaps. On the next few pages you will see a look back and a look ahead at our work in Central Minnesota, including an excerpt of our 2018 annual report and the framework of our 2020-2022 strategic plan. Combined, they provide a snapshot of where we’ve been and how we’ll ...
• Improve the status of financially disadvantaged people
• Support communities as they seek to creating affordable, reliable child care solutions
• Elevate the capacity of regional nonprofits to deliver vital services
• Inspire and accelerate the next generation of entrepreneurs and community leaders.
It’s all part of Growing Home—a hopeful, optimistic mindset that all of us in Central Minnesota can rally around to bring about the change we seek. And it’s all supported by the generosity of funders and donors like you. Consider joining our Community Builders Circle and unite with Central Minnesota donors who believe in our role, our values and our commitment to improve prosperity in our region. It’s through donor generosity that the Initiative Foundation and its partners can do the good work to lift up early childhood literacy; advocate for quality, affordable child care; help workers gain new skills and grow their income; and develop new leaders so that families and communities can continue to be healthy and vibrant. A sincere thank you from all of us to all of you for making this important work possible!
Traci Tapani
24 Initiative Foundation ifound.org
OUR NUMBERS: 2018 ANNUAL REPORT SOURCES OF FUNDS: $10,485,758
USES OF FUNDS: A SNAPSHOT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS FINANCING, INVESTMENTS Inspire Local Ownership, Quality Jobs Investment Total:
$3,444,000 Grants & Contributions $5,730,300 | 55% Investment Income* $2,283,863 | 22% Business Financing Revenue & Repayments $2,276,901 | 22% Other Operating Revenue $194,694 | 2% *Excludes $5.7 million unrealized loss on investments for 2018.
o
etail/Wholesale R $648,350 | 19%
anufacturing/ M Construction $520,500 | 15% o
o
ealthcare/Service H $334,499 | 10%
o Tourism
$160,000 | 5% o Alternative
Agriculture $125,000 | 4%
o Nonprofit
Organization $120,000 | 3%
o Housing
$85,000 | 2% o Technology
$79,000 | 2% o Child
Care $30,000 | 1%
GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS & FELLOWSHIPS Empower People Investment Total:
$2,027,155 USES OF FUNDS: $8,493,818
o
artner Funds P $981,649 | 48%
quatic Invasive A Species Prevention $352,775 | 17% o
o
I nnovation Fund $248,002 | 12%
E arly Childhood/ Dental Network $119,500 | 6% o
ommunity & Economic C Development/ Workforce $101,629 | 5% o
cholarships & S Fellowships $223,600 | 12% o
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Create Thriving Communities Investment Total:
$1,291,095 Economic Development, Business Financing, Investments $3,444,000 | 41% Grants, Scholarships & Fellowships $2,027,155 | 24% Community Programs $878,490 | 10% Foundation Operations $822,738 | 10% Fund Development $474,507 | 6% Communications & IQ Magazine $434,323 | 5% Partner Fund Program $412,605 | 4%
I nitiators Fellowship/ Enterprise Academy/ Technical Assistance $1,341,651 | 39% o
o Thriving
Communities/ o Volunteers in Service Early Childhood to America $431,152 | 34% $257,998 | 20% artner Funds P $412,605 | 31% o
o Nonprofit
Organizational Development $189,340 | 15%
A complete audit report prepared by Schlenner Wenner & Co. is available upon request.
Endowment Value $48.7 Million Total Assets $71.6 Million
To view our complete 2018 annual report, visit ifound.org/about-us/annual-reports.
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OUR 2020-2022 STRATEGIC PLAN OUR MISSION To empower people throughout Central Minnesota to build a thriving economy, vibrant communities and a lasting culture of generosity.
OUR VISION Community: We are a region of robust, highly engaged communities where people choose to live, work, give and play.
Economy: We have an abundance of talented people and job-creating enterprises that contribute to economic growth and vitality.
Generosity: People across our region give generously of their time, talent and resources.
OUR ROLE
OUR VALUES
OUR COMMITMENT
• Convene and connect people and organizations to elevate and advance emerging issues and move toward concrete action.
• Civility: Civility across perspectives and interests is essential to our shared future.
• We embrace our responsibility to introduce, promote and defend pioneering ideas—even when they incur risk.
• Provide access to strategic funding in the formof grants, loans, scholarships and fellowships. • Deliver expertise and build capacity through technical assistance, training opportunities and partner referrals.
• Localism: Our primary resources are local people who invest their time, talent and assets. • Diversity: Advancing equity and inclusion honors the rich diversity of our region. • Partnership: A shared vision among many partners is the best way to achieve lasting change.
• Promote philanthropy and leverage resources through funding tools and volunteer opportunities.
• We will remain responsive, nimble and ready to adapt to emerging needs and opportunities. • We pay particular attention to resource gaps that prevent those we serve from contributing to their full ability. • We communicate our mission through the programs and resources we provide to the region, through our many partnerships, through high-quality media, and by the example we set in our daily interactions.
In keeping with the entrepreneurial spirit that is core to the Foundation’s identity, we’re proud to share with you a synopsis of our 2020-2022 strategic plan. As a refresh of our current plan, it calls for significant continuity with the highly effective approaches that have long been central to the work of the Foundation. At the same time, it also makes meaningful refinements to our priorities and strategies, all to better reflect the ever-changing nature of the environment in which we operate. This plan is a product of months of dedicated work by the board, staff and partners. We present it with a sense of great pride in our track record, and an eagerness to shape the future and advance our mission.
Matt Varilek, Initiative Foundation President
26 Initiative Foundation ifound.org
OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THRIVING ECONOMY ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUPPORT: Foster growth of businesses by providing training, financing and technical assistance, with an emphasis on underserved communities and social enterprise ventures.
WORKFORCE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT: Tap under-utilized pools of talent and support career exploration and skill development in high-demand fields.
CHILDCARE AVAILABILITY: Catalyze innovation within the region and coordinate with partners in support of economically sustainable, quality child care.
VIBRANT COMMUNITIES NONPROFIT CAPACITY BUILDING: Provide training to anti-poverty organizations, other nonprofits aligned with our values, and Foundation Partner Fund volunteers and board members to enhance their impact throughout our region.
NONPROFIT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INNOVATION:
WORKPLACE BEST PRACTICES:
Use training, technical assistance and grant funding to support innovative early-stage projects that foster inclusive engagement and development of emerging leaders.
Model best practices through a holistic approach to diversity, equity and inclusion; workplace wellbeing; organizational culture; and other operational activities.
LASTING CULTURE OF GENEROSITY ENDOWMENTS:
LEGACY GIVING:
INTEGRATED IMPACT:
Grow endowment assets and secure major gifts by cultivating donor relationships and making direct asks across multiple forms of media so that we can do more good for the world.
Preserve and grow the region’s wealth by encouraging bequests and maintaining and initiating region-wide relationships with priority stakeholders.
Multiply impact by seeking opportunities for coordination across Innovation Fund grantmaking, Foundation programming and Partner Funds, and by connecting to external grant-makers.
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YOUR GENEROSITY: THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR HEARTLAND. If you believe growing the economy, building community and creating a lasting culture of generosity are important to Central Minnesota, then you believe in Growing Home. As a donor-supported community foundation, the Initiative Foundation is powered by you—your friends, your family, your neighbors—and a range of carefully cultivated partnerships to ensure that Central Minnesota remains prosperous and vibrant—now, and for future generations. We accomplish this by ...
• Strengthening our donor-supported endowment, a permanent investment fund serving the 14-county region of Central Minnesota that powers our grant-making and operations.
• Providing loans for existing and new Central Minnesota businesses and nonprofits.
• Convening regional community leaders to champion common causes.
• Cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurs and emerging leaders.
• Supporting and educating hundreds of nonprofits in our region.
• Hosting 100-plus Partner Funds that preserve our region’s wealth and turn it into a force for good in support of students, families, nonprofit organizations and volunteer-led groups.
DONATE TODAY You have the desire to give. We have the programs, partnerships and community-based Partner Funds that benefit Central Minnesota. Let’s work on Growing Home together. Visit ifound.org/give to make your recurring gift or call (877) 632-9255.
28 Initiative Foundation ifound.org
CONNECT Join our COMMUNITY BUILDERS CIRCLE with a $1,000 annual gift. Contact a member of our External Relations team to learn how to maximize your Growing Home gift.
CARL NEWBANKS
Grants & Development Manager cnewbanks@ifound.org (320) 631-2042
BRENDA GUGGLBERGER Philanthropy Specialist bgugglberger@ifound.org (320) 631-2061
MIKE BURTON
External Relations Officer mburton@ifound.org (320) 631-2059
To enquire about creating a donor-advised fund to support Growing Home in your community, contact a member of our Community Philanthropy team.
KATE BJORGE
Community Philanthropy Manager kbjorge@ifound.org (320) 631-2048
KERIE THOMA
Program Associate kthoma@ifound.org (320) 631-2054
OTHER WAYS TO ENGAGE Subscribe to IQ Magazine at ifound.org/subscribe and follow the region’s economic development, community vitality and philanthropy trends. Subscribe to our monthly newsletters on ifound.org Follow us on social media: Facebook (@ifound)
Twitter (@ifoundmn)
Instagram (@ifoundmn)
(877) 632-9255 | 405 First Street SE, Little Falls, MN 56345 | ifound.org
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