Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) recently approved four grants totaling $69,020 to support early childhood and economic development projects within southern Minnesota.

Riverland Community College Foundation was awarded a $20,000 grant to offer boot camps for up to 300 entrepreneurs to introduce aspirational farmers to concepts such as high-tech farm operations design, niche market creation and business model sustainability.

“SMIF’s Incentive Grants are designed to support projects that involve collaboration and achieve sustainable, measurable results,” says SMIF Grants Coordinator Jennifer Heien.

Grants are reviewed by 14-person grant committee and awarded based on their likelihood to create measurable change in the areas of early childhood or economic development in SMIF’s 20-county region. Typically, two rounds of Incentive Grants are offered annually. Other grantees include: Brown County Childcare Enhancement Project, Mankato Area Foundation’s Shared Spaces Entrepreneurial Collaborative Center and Spring Grove Area – Past Present and Future to create a new, accountable model to support entrepreneurs and businesses in all stages through partnering with Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA)

Since 1986, the Foundation has provided over $27.6 million in grants to create economic vitality throughout south central and southeastern Minnesota.

“These Incentive Grant awards represent the many ways our grants can contribute to a vibrant southern Minnesota economy, from strengthening our pre-k caregivers to investments which support entrepreneurs and artists,” says Tim Penny, SMIF President and CEO.

The application process and guidelines for the next Incentive Grant round will be announced in January 2017; applications will be due February 15, 2017. For details on applying for a SMIF Incentive Grant contact Jennifer Heien, Grants Coordinator, at 507-455-3215 orjenniferh@smifoundation.org.