Where Are You Getting Your News?

Two weeks ago, I met with my colleagues from the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations for a presidents’ meeting. We had several guests including Steven J. Rosenstone, MnSCU Chancellor; Michael Langley, CEO of the new organization Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Economic Development Partnership; Bill Blazer, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Business Development at the Minnesota Chamber;  and Curt Brown, a staff writer at the Minneapolis Star Tribune. I’ve shared before just how valuable I find all of these connections and discussions.
 
For today, I really want to focus on the opportunity to work with Curt and build a better relationship with metro-based media, ultimately to make sure they know about of all the good things happening in our region.

This isn’t the first time news coverage has come up during conversations at SWIF. Southwest Minnesota boasts award-winning newspapers and top-notch radio stations and public access channels. And, Pioneer Public Television out of Appleton is a great regional asset. But unlike any other region in Minnesota, we don’t have one central news source that’s a go-to for our region.

If you live here, you might watch television news coverage from the Twin Cities, Sioux Falls or Alexandria. Newspaper coverage is likely local. But sources are unlimited if you pick up your smartphone or sit down at your computer. The news industry and the way we share information is changing so quickly.

So, how does this affect our region and the stories that are (or aren’t) told about it? This connection to a major Minnesota news source creates a great opportunity to share our stories, but we need your help. You know better than anyone about the amazing new things your business is doing, or about the person who stepped up to make a huge difference in your community.

What story do you want to hear told? Please share by posting a comment or connecting with me at sherryr@swifoundation.org.

photo credit: Mustafa Khayat

Warming Up to 2012

If we’re talking temperatures, our first week of January seemed more like the first week of March here in southwest Minnesota. I’ve heard mixed reviews about our winter so far. It’s been so much easier for us to travel throughout the region.  It’s also made my long walks with my new standard poodle puppy, Lilly, very nice without either of us getting too cold!

But I know many people are more than ready to see snow and get going with the outdoor activities that it brings. So much is affected by this mild, dry weather—from leisure time, to businesses, and even thinking ahead to the spring planting season. This winter is filled with CHANGE that impacts many people in many different ways.

There are more changes to come in 2012, but I believe it is going to be a great year for SWIF and all of our friends and partners!

Five things I’m excited about in the New Year:

1. Plans for new staff at the Foundation to help us raise the bar on our technology and data base management and a new leader in donor development.
2. Kicking off a new brand promise that has unlimited possibilities!
3. Being on the Council on Foundation Board of Directors as we conduct a search and hire a new President to take our field forward at the National level.
4. Engaging and adding new communities in our early childhood and community foundation work.
5. Meeting new leaders and donors who want to make a difference in southwest Minnesota AND of course, staying connected with all our relationships of leaders and donors.

What’s at the top of your list for 2012? Leave a comment to share what you are excited about.

Excitement for the Marshall Community…and Christmas

I’m finding that the Christmas season gives me an even higher level of gratitude for the leaders who make southwest Minnesota such an incredible place. Yesterday, that was brought to light as our SWIF Board of Directors met for our December meeting at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. The board travels to different communities throughout the region for six annual meetings as a way to stay connected and better serve our region. I say it after every board meeting, but I’ll say it again—WOW! We could not have a better group of committed, engaged leaders guiding and supporting our work.

And, we were all once again impressed by the local leaders we connected with in Marshall. We started the day with an overview from three leaders representing the local retail, healthcare and agri-business industries. I want to share a very special thanks to our guest presenters Steve Klein, owner of Klein Foods; Mary Maertens, CEO of Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center; and Jon Knochenmus, President/CEO of Ralco Nutrition. They all recognize challenges for their businesses and organization going into the future, but they also shared their excitement for the strides they’ve taken and hope to continue.

We learned even more about the Marshall area during our community leader luncheon. It’s always fun for us to gather our friends and partners and hear what’s happening ‘in their backyard’ – it’s so inspiring to me, to then take that and think about how it fits into and can enhance our entire region.

We asked guests to share what they felt held some of the greatest opportunity for Marshall’s future. Here are some of the highlights:

• SMSU’s new nursing program and School of Agriculture
• My Marshall, a grassroots initiative of people passionate about aligning the area for future growth;
• New partnership among Lyon County, City of Marshall and the Marshall Chamber of Commerce for aligned and strengthened economic development initiatives
• Update on designated Regional Amateur Sports Commission benefiting a large area of southwest Minnesota
• Coalition of the Arts, which is a model for vibrant, collaborative arts communities
• Welcoming, safe, attractive community atmosphere
• New constructed Marshall-Lyon County Public Library
• Early Childhood Initiative and Marshall Community Foundation, both created through partnerships with SWIF

What would you add to the list?

Thank you to all who joined us in Marshall yesterday. I am so excited to take yesterday’s positive conversation right through the holidays and into the new year! I hope all of you are also able to experience peace, joy and inspiration this holiday season.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Gifts That Go Beyond the Holidays

We are ALL bombarded with letters and calls asking us to consider giving to dozens of worthy organizations this month as 2011 draws to a close.  Who do you give to?  Do you know all the different ways to give before Dec. 31?

It truly is the season of giving, which includes year-end gifts to charity. As we get ready to flip our calendars to 2012, we should also prepare for some changes that could affect our giving options, including using your IRA to support a public charity, like the Southwest Initiative Foundation or our fund partners—which include community foundations, school foundations and others.

If you are age 70½ or older, this is a GREAT option, as you may direct your traditional IRA (or a portion of the required minimum distribution) to support a charity, up to $100,000, between now and Dec. 31, 2011. An IRA rollover distribution is excluded from your gross income (so you don’t have to pay tax on it), which also means it is not eligible for a tax deduction. It is a great way to support things you care about using assets you may not need today—and that are heavily taxed when passing to heirs.

For more information about whether this is the right choice for your specific situation, we encourage you to contact your financial advisor. And, remember, SWIF has many tools to help you give to support southwest Minnesota. Along with celebrating the many blessings and excitement of this holiday season, we’re available to talk through how you can wrap up 2011 with a gift that will continue to benefit others long after the holidays.

Who will you give to before Dec. 31, 2011?

Refusing to Be Anything But Positive

Messages of thanks are showing up all over social media, store ads and other places this week. While we have so much to be thankful for throughout the year, Thanksgiving Day offers us a chance to truly show gratitude and grace.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been reminded over and over how grateful I am to serve southwest Minnesota. I am inspired daily by the people who are making great things happen, even when facing challenges. During a time when negative headlines and economic problems seem to be everywhere, I am absolutely refusing to see anything but the positive things happening around us.

I realize that many in our rural communities have great needs and very real challenges. But this makes me even more determined to keep moving forward, capitalizing on opportunities to help meet those needs. And, it makes me so thankful for the many blessings in my life.

Our region needs all of us as leaders to share a message of hope. I believe whole-heartedly that our region is poised to do even greater things in the future because of the people leading the way. I hope you’ll take on my attitude of optimism!

Let’s all celebrate gratitude, grace and hope for southwest Minnesota’s future together this week.

Leave a comment finishing this sentence:

I am thankful for…

photo credit: The Knowles Gallery

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