Service Area & Impact
Impact on Southwest Minnesota
Since its inception by The McKnight Foundation in 1986, the Southwest Initiative Foundation has grown to become a permanent resource for southwest Minnesota. The Foundation envisions southwest Minnesota as a highly productive and engaged region where growing numbers of people choose to live. About 287,000 people live in our 18-county service area, which covers 12,340 square miles.
The mission of the Foundation is to be a catalyst, facilitating opportunities for economic and social growth by developing and challenging leaders to build on the region’s assets. The Foundation accomplishes this mission by providing leadership and resources focused on renewable energy and economic advancement, community development
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and leadership, and other efforts that
actively advance southwest Minnesota.
To date the Foundation has…
- Contributed more than $48 million through its grant and loan programs
- Helped more than 460 businesses start or expand
- Created or retained more than 7,500 jobs
- Established 14 Early Childhood Initiative Coalitions
- Established 14 Youth Energy Summit (YES!) teams
- Established 21 community foundations and more than 65 designated funds
- Yielded a 330 percent real-money return on every dollar invested to southwest Minnesota communities
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