Our History

The Southwest Initiative Foundation was established 21 years ago by The McKnight Foundation in response to the economic crisis of the 1980s.  Greater Minnesota was struggling to survive and McKnight was one of the first to take notice and take action.  They created the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations as a means to deliver an economic counterpunch and to become leaders of Minnesota’s rural resurgence.

Twenty years later, the Southwest Initiative Foundation has become an independent rural regional community foundation that has grown from an experiment to a permanent and trusted resource.  With net assets totaling over $50.32 million, a highly committed volunteer Board of Directors, and a staff of 20 professionals, the Foundation is better poised than ever to help local people and communities build a region of prosperity, growth, and opportunity.

For more information about our work on behalf of southwest Minnesota over the course of our history, view our 20-Year Anniversary Online Annual Report by clicking on the banner below.  Be sure to check out the interactive timeline!