Northwest Minnesota Foundation
RESOURCE
SPRING 2015 Number 68
Board of Directors Pete Haddeland, Chair Tom Anderson, Vice Chair Faye Auchenpaugh, Secretary Leah Pigatti, Treasurer Judy Roy Jody Horntvedt Jon Quistgaard Jon Linnell Tom Anderson Cathy Forgit Kristin Eggerling Edie Ramstad Steven Anderson
Developing Community Assets Serving 12 Counties
The Northwest Minnesota Foundation invests resources, facilitates collaboration and promotes philanthropy to make the region a better place to live and work.
NMF CIRCLE OF VISION AWARDS DINNER – DONORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) Board of Directors and staff hosted a Donor Appreciation Dinner to recognize individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the Foundation’s endowment or charitable funds that it manages. At the Hampton Inn in Bemidji, more than 100 people gathered on March 26th to celebrate the philanthropic spirit in Northwest Minnesota. Seven new Circle of Vision donors, who have each made gifts of over $100,000, received awards. They are Jess and Wanda Dishman, born in Oklee, who established a scholarship fund for Red Lake County schools; Sam and Jane Evans, Roseau, who established a DonorAdvised fund; the Mike and Sarah Karvakko family, Laporte, who are also building
a Donor-Advised fund; the Mississippi Headwaters Blood Bank, Bemidji, which recently disbanded and began a scholarship fund for area students entering Clinical Laboratory Science along with an Interactive Blood Display project fund for Bemidji’s Headwaters Science Center, and; Bob Naylor, Bemidji, who has a Donor-Advised fund with NMF. Also included posthumously were John and Faye Hedin, Fosston and Gonvick, who set up a bequest to fund scholarships in their home towns, and Russell and Eleanor Jeske of Mahnomen, who with a bequest are supporting the economic development of the Twin Valley area through a community fund at NMF. Continued on page 5
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Nancy Vyskocil
LaRae Maddox
Linde Linde
CONGRATS!
LaRae Maddox retired April 10, 2015 after working for the foundation from its inception in 1986. We will miss her insights and historical perspective. We thank LaRae for many years of service to Northwest Minnesota. Linde Linde, one of the bright smiles behind our front desk, also retired in April. All the best to both these great ladies. We will miss you.
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It is wonderful to note that the foundation has been serving the region for nearly 30 years! During that time, NMF has provided assistance and delivered services resulting in millions of dollars in local philanthropic gifts being funneled back to organizations that help us achieve our mission.
NMF seeks to strengthen these assets by investing our resources in their development. We work with partners in the public and private sectors to align resources around common priorities, and promote the transfer of personal wealth to make additional resources available.
In our evolving role, NMF has studied the region’s economic status extensively. We believe that knowledge and talent will be the drivers of economic prosperity in the 21st century. Attracting new talent and retaining
Our foundation has been generously supported by the McKnight Foundation for many years. In fact, they believe so firmly in our shared success that they provide a dollar for dollar match to each NMF
the great talent already in the region will be key to the economic future of our region. In today’s highly mobile world, the location decisions of talented workers are based on the quality of life afforded by particular places and communities. Our foundation’s mission, therefore, is to make the region a better place to live and work.
General Endowment donation. There is no guarantee this match will last indefinitely, so it is critical we gain your support.
Quality of place can mean many things to different people, but our research shows that people like amenities. We are drawn to natural assets like the parks, trails, and wildlife. We want good schools, hospitals, housing and other structural assets and enjoy social assets such as the arts, peace and quiet, and economic assets like good jobs and fair compensation.
Your investment in the NMF endowment will help to make certain that local resources remain in the area permanently. NMF is well positioned to help local people make a difference by retaining assets in Northwest Minnesota. Our mission is to leverage these resources in ways that will make the place we call home a more attractive place to live, work, and enjoy the good life. Please join me and consider a donation to the NMF General Endowment today, to double the value of your gift. Thank you!
ASSET BUILDING GRANTS Grants totaling $369,904 were awarded from March 2015 - May 2015 COMPONENT FUNDS TOTAL: $181,404
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD TOTAL: $20,850 24 SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
40 GRANTS AWARDED
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS NATURAL RESOURCES
TOTAL: $50,000
TOTAL: $25,000
COMMUNITY PLANNING TOTAL: $103,500
MCN Northwest Regional Office and Nonprofit Support – Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
FARM Manager – Bemidji Community Food Shelf
Amherst H. Wilder Foundation – Minnesota Compass
Leave a Legacy Minnesota Project: Supports statewide Leave a Legacy project
Comprehensive Plan – City of Ada
Accountable Communities for Health Leadership – North Country Community Health Services
Component Fund grants can be found online at
Feasibility Study Multi-Generational Center – City of Warren Redesign of Park Rapids Industrial Center – Park Rapids School District
WWW.NWMF.ORG
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM MICROLOANS
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Business counseling and loans are available to help entrepreneurs develop small business and selfemployment opportunities. One loan was made totaling: $9,000
Two businesses from Roseau and Bemidji received a total of $1500.
Lakeview Health & Wellness, PLLC
www.ideacompetition.org
The IDEA Hall of Fame added the Steiger family, creator of the Steiger tractor to its distinguished list of inductees. The IDEA Hall of Fame was established to recognize the accomplishments of the region’s legacy innovators—those within the region who have inspired others with their entrepreneurial vision, leadership and achievement.
The IDEA Competition announced the names of three 2015 winners and three runners-up on Wednesday, April 22 at the IDEA awards banquet held at University of Minnesota Crookston. Each winner receives $10,000 in cash to advance their business idea, plus additional specialized technical assistance. The 2015 runners up are NISKY, LLC., creator of the GOALTENDERS BFF, Trinity Land Craft, LLC., creator of the Tanto™ personal vehicle, and Stittsworth Meats, a familyowned and operated meat market.
Mychal Stittsworth, Edwin Dale-Hahn, Paul Eickhof, Jack Eickhof, Will Weaver, Eric Niskanen, Tim Wagner, Adam Wagner
THE 2015 WINNERS ARE:
• Paul Eickhof, Crookston, president of Eickhof Columbaria, Inc. – manufacturer of columbaria, now bringing to the market the Ossuarium, a new product that incorporates traditional architecture with the idea of an ossuary. • William Weaver, Bemidji, founder of LitWeaver, Inc. – a cloud-based digital curriculum provider for grades 5-12, designed to address the opportunities and challenges of 21st century education.
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• Adam and Tim Wagner, founders of Vertical Malt – a craft malting company, which is rooted in the local agricultural economy and provides specialty malt products to the craft brewing industry.
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Upon accepting the Circle of Vision award, Jane Evans said, “Our belief is that giving is important, whether it is our time or money. We are grateful to God that we have been able to make a significant gift. We thank Northwest Minnesota Foundation for their guidance in setting up our donor advised fund to create this legacy. It will allow our children to also experience the joy of financial giving.” A new giving level was initiated this year for donors whose lifetime giving has reached or exceeded $500,000. Two couples were recognized as Circle of Vision Community Champions: Mark and Peg Hewitt of Park Rapids and Peggy and Sam Johnson of Warroad. They each have contributed to Donor-Advised Funds, other component funds housed with NMF, and generously supported NMF’s general endowment. “It is an honor to recognize these individuals,” said NMF Board Chair Pete Haddeland. “It is truly amazing how their generosity is impacting the region in which we live – they are all great community partners and we appreciate their willingness to give back!” The Arthur and Jane Snustad Trust added a third category to celebrate – the Circle of Vision Leadership Society, which recognizes gifts exceeding $1 million in donations. The Snustads’ bequest provides grants for support of education and scholarship awards for graduates in the Win-E-Mac school district. Art and Jane knew that a good education is the key to a successful life and wanted to give back to their home community. NMF President Nancy Vyskocil expressed deep appreciation for these donors and the difference they are making for the region. “One of the most important things the foundation helps with is connecting donors to their charitable interests and the programs they wish to support,” Vyskocil said. “The impact that one person or family can make is clearly seen in the generosity of the people we are honoring. They chose to make a tremendous difference for the causes they are passionate about.”
For more about the Circle of Vision awards and NMF’s philanthropic services, visit www.nwmf.org.
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MARK AND PEGGY HEWITT of Park Rapids said their family created the Hewitt Family Charitable Fund, a donor advised fund with NMF, to provide support for projects or activities in the Park Rapids area, which don’t ordinarily receive the financial help and attention they need, but are just as worthy as those that are more conventional. They are working to build their family fund to the point where the grants they are able to make from endowment earnings will have a great impact. Peggy said that they have always recognized the importance of being involved, whether it is with school, community, church or civic organizations. She said, “The Hewitt Family Charitable Fund is another avenue to reflect, strengthen and sustain that philosophy. We are proud of our community and its schools and are delighted and blessed to be able to invest in its future.” They also want their children to learn the value of giving for the common good. “We could bequeath all our assets to our children,” Hewitt said, “but I think it’s very important for them to make their own way as much as possible. I hope that by showing them how we can help other individuals and organizations, they’ll better appreciate their own advantages and use their future earning power to help as well.”
JOHN AND FAYE HEDIN have quietly left a wonderful legacy that will help people in Northwest Minnesota for decades through their philanthropy. They set up a generous scholarship fund for graduates of Clearbrook-Gonvick and Fosston High School through their will bequest. The couple was born and raised in Gonvick and Fosston. Strong ties and love of the Northwest drew the pair back to their home town area when they retired.
Special memories will soon be made for the students who are awarded scholarships from the John and Faye Hedin Scholarship Fund. Faye’s passion for education and connection to their home towns led them to establish an endowment of $250,000, which will provide a total of $12,500 in awards each year in perpetuity. The scholarships are for broad education interests and open to any student from Fosston or Clearbrook Gonvick who graduated high school or earned an equivalence diploma, with no specific grade point requirement. The awards will be renewable for up to four academic years. WANDA AND JESS DISHMAN received farmland in Oklee from her parents’ estate, so they decided to
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establish a trust with the land. When the time was right, they intended to sell the land and give the proceeds to support children and pets in the Oklee area. This support reflected passions of both the Dishmans and Wanda’s parents, Orlo and Millie Melby. In the fall of 2013, Jess completed their vision to honor Wanda’s parents when the long-time farm managers were interested in buying the property. The Orlo and Millie Melby Scholarship fund with approximately $286,000 in assets will provide scholarships for graduates of the Red Lake County Central School. The Pennington County Humane Society also received proceeds of the farm sale to help the pet population. Wanda had passed away two years before the gifts were made, but because they had a plan, Jess was able to honor not only the Melbys, but his wife with these gifts. MIKE AND SARAH KARVAKKO invested in a Donor Advised Fund with Northwest Minnesota Foundation, beginning in 2012. They have a growing family that they wish to involve in learning
about charitable giving. The Karvakko Family Fund is still new and hasn’t yet matured to full grant making status. It is set up and will soon provide future support for a broad range of interests that focuses on improving educational opportunities.
hunter, worked at the corporate office at Marvin Windows in human resources. Peg, a retired teacher, volunteered for several local organizations including the Warroad Area Community Fund until losing her battle with Multiple Myeloma this past July.
Mike and Sarah have worked together to build a thriving engineering business headquartered in Bemidji, with branch offices in Minot, North Dakota and Chassell, Michigan. Sarah also has a photography service specializing in lifestyle photography in which everyday life is captured in a meaningful way.
Our small towns and the entire region thrive when they are supported by local residents who support the needs of a community whether it be for education, healthcare, public libraries, parks and recreation or assisted living for the elderly. Thanks to the Johnsons for being an example of good stewards to the region.
They are very active in the community through involvement with their church, sitting on the boards of Greater Bemidji, United Way of Bemidji and most recently on the board of Oak Hills Christian College.
PEG AND SAM JOHNSON are long time supporters of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation and the region. In 2005, they were recognized as Circle of Vision donors when they established a donor advised fund. To date, over $128,000 has been granted to nonprofits from their fund.
BOB NAYLOR Many people know they want to make a difference but it takes a lot of soul searching to determine how and to what they will leave their legacy. Bob Naylor started a donor advised fund 20 years ago with the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. In the past few years, he has discovered areas that he feels passionate about – areas that he wants to support for the long term. He has been able to give through outright gifts, grants through his donor advised fund, through IRA distributions and by including a bequest in his will. When there is a willingness to do good, there are countless ways!
SAM AND JANE EVANS When you come from a giving family, you often grow up with a desire to make a difference in other people’s lives. Sam and Jane Evans both were raised in generous families, who gave their time, talent and money where they saw a need. Sam and Jane continued their family’s legacy of giving by helping many organizations from church to 4-H and youth sports. Jane helped form an ALS Fundraising team 16 years ago and had led the team for the last 10 years. They have initiated raising over one million dollars for research and equipment to help patients with ALS. She also serves as Chair on the LifeCare Healthcare Fund advisory committee. Sam is active behind the scenes in his volunteer work, helping wherever he is needed. Together they established a donor advised fund allowing them to accomplish two things: distribute grants to nonprofits that support areas that they are passionate about and continue a legacy of giving to the next generation.
Peg and Sam exemplify the title “Community Champions”. They believe not only in giving but invest in areas that they are passionate. Since moving back to Warroad, they invested both time and finances to make their community a better place to live and work. Sam, an avid 7
Eleanor and Russell were great friends of the Urdahls and both families loved their home town. The Urdahl Foundation was set up primarily to benefit economic development activities in Twin Valley and the Jeskes wanted to contribute to its success. The Jeskes were active in the Wild Rice Lutheran Church. Eleanor was known as the flower lady, as was her mother. She often brought her flowers and drove the widows to church on Sunday. She is remembered as an elegant, well-dressed lady, who also could be relied on to give flowers to the boys who needed corsages for their prom dates. Russell sang in the church choir and was known for his parts in duets and quartets. His other great passions were walleye fishing and vegetable gardening. So far, the Jeskes’ bequest has added $160,000 to the fund. MISSISSIPPI HEADWATERS BLOOD BANK established a scholarship fund with the Foundation that will benefit students who have graduated from schools within their service area. The blood bank has disbanded and is no longer operating since Sanford Bemidji Medical Center began using its own resources in Sioux Falls, SD. The board decided to invest the cash reserve to establish the endowed fund with $132,000, which will provide generous scholarship awards for years to come. The Fund will provide annual scholarships to qualified students from Bemidji, Laporte, Bagley, Blackduck, Cass Lake, Kelliher, and Northome who are pursuing post-secondary education and preference will be given to students who intend to pursue a career in Clinical Laboratory Science. The board also established a project fund of $30,000 for helping put up a display of an interactive blood exhibit project at the Headwaters Science Center in Bemidji. Board Member Dan Johnson began working many years ago with the founder, Laddie Elwell, to have the exhibit become a part of the Science Center.
ARTHUR I. AND JANE B. SNUSTAD EDUCATION FUND The legacy that Art has left to the Win-E-Mac school district amounts to nearly two-and-a-half million dollars that will be invested for the long term through the Foundation – a Leadership Society Circle of Vision gift that was set up and designated to support the Snustad Education and Scholarship Fund. What this means is that for the foreseeable future, Win-E-Mac will have about $45,000 annually to spend for educational programs, projects and activities in the Win-E-Mac schools that encourage, inspire and support student interest in education and preparation for college. In addition, scholarship dollars totaling over $40,000 each year will be awarded to awarded to graduates of Win-E-Mac. The scholarships are renewable for up to four years if the student meets certain conditions.
ELEANOR AND RUSSELL JESKE This couple was well known in the Mahnomen and Twin Valley area for being hard workers, who started out in farming, then transitioned into running the John Deere dealership in Mahnomen. In their will, they left a generous portion of their estate to the Joseph Urdahl Foundation, which is now part of the NMF family of component funds. Art Snustad 8
Jane Snustad
WILL YOUR WILL BE KNOWN? It may have started the first time we took a deep breath and blew out the candles, or perhaps it was when we gazed upon a lone star in a dark sky. We would quietly make a wish and take care to tell no one in hopes that the wish would come true.
Here are some options for your bequest to charity:
Whenever it began, the practice of keeping our most personal hopes and dreams to ourselves is a tradition that Americans, in large number, tend to revive when it comes to a final communication with friends and loved ones.
Your gift is important to us! While many may think philanthropy is reserved for a select few, the truth is that every bequest to this organization helps us to further our mission to make the region a better place to live and work.
This final communication is called The Last Will and Testament. Regardless of how we’ve come to view this document, it is a final opportunity to give expression to personal wishes.
If you would like more information about how to prepare your will or make a charitable bequest to the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, visit our website at www.nwmf.org and click on the Planned Giving button located on the upper left hand corner. For more information and a free wills guide, call us at 218-759-2057 or email Development Officers: Caryl Turnow, carylt@nwmf.org or Lisa Peterson, lisap@nwmf.org.
The Charitable Bequest The charitable bequest is one of the best ways for you to express your specific philanthropic goals. In fact, the bequest is the most frequently utilized method to support charity in America.
• A specific dollar amount • A percentage of the estate • Specific assets
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NMF EXCELLENCE AWARDS HONOR PAST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RUTH EDEVOLD Since 1993, the Foundation has recognized the contributions of individuals and organizations in northwest Minnesota. Sixtynine excellence awards have been given, which includes an unrestricted grant from the Foundation to the nonprofit of the recipients’ choice. This represents $69,000 in grant-making to our partners to develop assets in our communities and improve the quality of places throughout the region. This year’s award luncheon was held in Bagley to honor four award recipients and to remember the contributions of Ruth Edevold, the first and founding Executive Director for the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. Edevold is remembered as a woman of great integrity and intelligence, who understood the issues of Northwest Minnesota. She knew the needs of the region’s businesses, the nonprofits, the arts community, our social service agencies and she helped to create programs that developed capacity and leadership. Her great compassion drove her desire to not just offer people a helping hand, but to identify opportunities that made a lasting difference. Since its inception in 1986 as the Northwest Minnesota Initiative Fund to its evolution into a diverse community foundation, Edevold worked toward achieving its mission to improve the quality of life for the people of northwest Minnesota. She helped build a rural experiment in philanthropy into a major regional force.
Northern Dental Access Center – Bob Enger; Cathy Forgit, NMF Board Member; John Lueth
The Ruth Edevold Excellence Awards recognize posthumously the work she did for our region. The Excellence in Leadership Award is given to individuals who have participated in the Foundation’s training or leadership programs and then returned to their job, their volunteer activities and their community actively using the skills they learned. Denny DeMers was this year’s recipient. DeMers is now retired but worked for the Tri-Valley Opportunity Council for more than 40 years. Tri-Valley is a nonprofit action agency headquartered in Crookston that provides services in Minnesota and Northeast North Dakota. Northern Dental Access Center was the recipient of the Ruth Edevold Organizational Excellence Award. This recognition is given to nonprofit organizations that have staff or board members who attended a Northwest Minnesota Foundation-sponsored training program or received a grant from the Foundation.
Denny DeMers; Leah Pigatti, NMF Board Member 10
The Northern Dental Access Center in Bemidji was founded in 2006 as the Mississippi Headwaters Area Dental Health Center. They have a mission to “provide a dental home for those in need.” Patients drive up to 150 miles for services. Their services are making a significant difference in the health of our region’s citizens.
The Quality of Place Award recognizes Northwest Minnesota Foundation partners, grantees, training participants and loan clients who have helped to develop community assets in a manner that enhances the quality of the places in the region through specific activities supported by NMF. A Quality of Place award was received by Tamera and Craig Anderson of rural Trail, Minnesota, who became the owners of the Schoolhouse Grocery Store in July 2014. After overcoming some challenges, they are now successfully running the only grocery store in a 10-mile radius, which provides a critical service that binds a community in our rural region. Gonvick, the next closest town, lost its only grocery store to a fire and was not re-built. This loss heightened the importance of maintaining a grocery store in Gully for the greater community’s needs. Paul Bunyan Communications – Rob St. Clair; Christie Turn; Kathy Peterson; Gary Johnson; Jon Quistgaard, NMF Board Member; Elaine Iverson; Bruce Campbell; Randy Frisk; Brian Bissonette Paul Bunyan Communications (PBC) was also a recipient of the Quality of Place Award. PBC is a true community partner, who has been working in the Bemidji area since the 1950s. The CEO and General Manager Gary Johnson was one of the founding members of IMPACT 20/20 and its Broadband Taskforce, which has worked to support installation of highspeed internet access throughout the region and encourages local businesses to adopt a more robust telepresence.
Schoolhouse Grocery – Craig and Tamera Anderson and Tom Anderson, NMF Board Member
With PBC’s announcement in 2014 to create the Giga-Zone - one of the largest all-fiber optic Gigabit networks in the United States – economic development and expansion will position the PBC territory to be a contender in attracting new businesses to the region. Each award recipient chose to pay it forward by awarding their $1,000 grant to a nonprofit of their choice. Those organizations are Hope House, The Nameless Coalition for the Homeless, Clearbrook-Gonvick Summer Recreation Program, the City of Gully for their playground, and Tri-Valley Opportunity Council.
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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Mailed From Zip Code 56601 Permit No.36
201 3rd St. NW • Bemidji, MN 56601
NORTHERN ADVANTEDGE CAREER EXPO OCTOBER 28, 2015 JOHN S. GLAS FIELDHOUSE BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM Exhibitor registrations are open for the 2nd Annual Northern AdvantEdge Career Expo. Companies in Northwest Minnesota are invited to use the event as an opportunity to attract their future workforce by showcasing career opportunities they can offer. The Expo is designed to educate high school students who are beginning to explore career paths about opportunities available with Northwest Minnesota employers. In addition to career specific breakout sessions, regional businesses will have hands-on exhibits on a showcase floor that will allow students to experience the type of work they could be performing for their companies. The Expo will also address the skills and education necessary to become a future employee in specific careers.
$150 PER BOOTH
Includes 10x10 space with one table, internet and electricity. Sponsorship opportunities range from $500 - $2,000. For more information contact: Ashley Johnson Northwest Minnesota Foundation 218-759-2057 • ashleyj@nwmf.org
The Northwest Minnesota Foundation has refurbished computers available for nonprofits.
Please contact Barb Lien, barbl@nwmf.org for more information or call 218.759.2057