Community News - February 2019
Resources for community foundations & designated funds
Greetings!

I hope you are all keeping safe during this snowy and blustery winter. Below is some information for you to digest when you have time relaxing in the warmth of your homes. Thank you for choosing to volunteer on the board of one of SMIF’s affiliate funds. I know your time is precious, and the fact that you spend it making your community a better place is commendable. I hope the below resources will help you in your mission to make lasting community change. As always, if you have any questions or concerns I am here to help.

Community Philanthropy Director  
507-214-7023
Community Foundation Spotlight: Lanesboro
Year-end Direct Mailing
I bet many of you have heard the phrase “direct mail is dead.” Many people think if you send letters they will just get thrown in the trash with the rest of the junk mail. The reality is direct mail solicitation is still the king of fundraising and should be the cornerstone of your annual fundraising strategy. However, when sending a request letter, you should only expect a response rate of 3.4%. Over time your success rate will increase. For SMIF, our average response rate varies between 7-11% for businesses and individuals and 40% for cities and counties. The Lanesboro Area Community Foundation (LACF) recently wrapped up their first direct mail ask and it was a smashing success! They planned their letter and list and set goals to measure their progress.

From Louise Wolfgramm, Lanesboro Area Community Foundation President:

“I think a combination of things contributed to a successful first-time community 'ask.' We started the foundation two and a half years ago but waited until December 2018 to send a fundraising letter. By that time, we had a small track record of grants made to various causes that showed our areas of interest.
We brainstormed a list of people to receive our year-end letter. The list was narrowed to those that the board thought would respond positively because of a previous experience with the foundation, or a relationship with a board member, or an interest in the work of the foundation and who had a reputation for being charitable. Merchant’s Bank offered a matching grant; matches from Tim Penny for new donors and SMIF‘s matching funds were also made available. The letter explained that in order to earn the matches, we needed to receive the contributions by December 31, 2018. The letter was written by two board members - someone who writes for a living and someone who raises money for a living – also highlighted the grants that LACF made in the last year and a half.

That board member who added a personal note at the bottom of the letter was someone that has a relationship with the prospective donor. All board members names were listed on the return card so the recipients could see who is running LACF. We included a stamped self-addressed envelope. The letter was sent shortly after Thanksgiving with the idea to avoid the crush of Christmas mail.”

One of the key factors in Lanesboro Area Community Foundation’s success was to follow up after the mailing. Did you know over 60% of nonprofits make at least three touches during their solicitations? Next time you send out a letter try following up with two additional contacts. Maybe it is an email, a phone call or a radio ad. Make sure your message and ask is heard multiple times. 
Facebook how-to: keeping it manageable and successful
Social media is a great way to connect with people in your community. It is important to post often and include eye-catching content. The more likes, reactions, shares, and comments the better. Below are some tips for running a good Facebook page. For an example of a great community foundation Facebook account check out Montgomery Community Foundation’s page!


  1. Post often… but not too much! Posting once a day or a few times a week if you are a smaller organization is good, but posting once a month or five times a day is not so good.
  2. Have engaging posts- this means use high-quality photos or videos and not too much text. Long posts will bore the reader.
  3. When linking to other websites or your own website (do this often!), shorten the link with something like bit.ly so you don’t have a long URL in your post.
  4. You can also use things like Boomerang (an app that makes mini repetitive motion video) or Canva (allows you to create images with text, collages, and more) to make your posts interesting.
  5. Keep your messaging and branding consistent! Have your mission statement and additional information on your About page and use your logo as a profile picture.
  6. Utilize Facebook Live at events! This is a great way to make people feel part of what you are doing from anywhere.
  7. Tag partners and other organizations to increase engagement on your post.
  8. Always include a photo/video/web page preview with your post! It is more likely to be noticed on someone's feed than just text.
  9. Utilize the events page.
  10. Post to your story
  11. Invite people to like your page! You can take 5 minutes at the beginning of a board meeting to do this. Maybe even give a prize to the person who gets the most people to like your page.

If you have any questions about how to update or start your Facebook page feel free to reach out to Grace McClintock at gracem@smifoundation.org for assistance. 
How to dispel the endowment myth in your fundraising
The below article was published by Development Consulting Solutions. SMIF manages all the investing and spending policies associated with your endowment. Also, it is the intent of SMIF community foundation endowments to be allocated on grants back to the community. The endowment fund offers long term sustainability for your community work. Let’s dispel the myth and increase our impact!

Sometimes I work with organizations that have endowments. And, these endowments scare these organizations as they consider fundraising. They wonder if having an endowment, some of them significant in amounts, will deter donors and others (e.g., foundations) from making gifts to them.

While that may be the case for some, it doesn't always need to be a deterrent. In fact, it can actually be seen as a source of strength.

Quite clearly, larger institutions such as Harvard and Yale raise significant amounts of money with some of the largest endowments ever. Yes, they do have a strong alumni following and culture of philanthropy that has been instilled over many years. But, the reality is that they have endowments in the billions and still raise significant capital, annual, and program specific monies.

Before you begin to make the case for endowments, you should ask your organizations some very specific questions about the endowment that you do have.

  1. What is the original purpose/intent of the endowment, if any?
  2. Does the endowment consist of any restricted funds and, if so, what are the restrictions? What percentage of the endowment do those restrictions make up?
  3. How much is drawn each year for operating purposes to support the budget? What does it support exactly? What percentage and what dollar amount?
  4. Who manages the endowment and who determines the payout? How often is this payout adjusted?
  5. How much do other sources of revenue pay for project costs? Are endowment funds used to make up that difference? How much is needed?
  6. Has reliance on the endowment increased or decreased over the past several years and, if so, by how much?

One thing that is certain is that an endowment ensures the future of an organization, while annual contributions support the day-to-day excellence of the organization. You need both, operating and endowment. And, an organization that has one indicates, to me, solid future planning and a strong financial posture that is worth the investment.
Community Foundation Match Update
Fiscal Year 19 Matches
Endowment Match for community foundations with endowments under $100,000: $11,590 remaining
Major Gift Match for community foundations with endowments over $100,000
Did you know SMIF is a donor supported organization? We can offer these matches and support your fund with technical and administrative assistance because donors see the value in the services we provide to our communities. In fact, each community foundation receives at least $5,000 in services each year. We believe in equipping and empowering communities to make change at home. If you share this passion as well, I hope you will consider making a personal contribution to SMIF to help us continue this essential program focused on keeping our communities vital.
What's Happening at SMIF
2nd Annual Community Foundation Social
April 4, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Imminent Brewing
519 Division St. S #2
Northfield, MN 55057

This year our social will continue to focus on allowing time for you to mingle and converse with other community foundation board members. We will also have a short session focused on the importance of governance presented by Jennifer Sawyer, former SMIF board chair.

The social will focus on allowing you to learn from one another in a positive way. You will get a free drink for attending and your mileage will be reimbursed! The beer is quite delicious.

RSVP by March 29 by emailing alissao@smifoundation.org .
Seeking applications for Early Childhood Literacy Grants

The Literacy Program is designed to support early literacy efforts that enhance school readiness for children birth to age five by providing children with books. Organizations working with these children in SMIF’s  20-county region  are encouraged to apply for books to be given to families to keep and read to their children.

Applications are due April 16, 2019.
Seeking applications for Paint the Town Grants

We are accepting applications for free paint and coating products for community mural, community welcome sign, or historic structure projects. This opportunity is available to communities with a population under 10,000 throughout  SMIF’s 20-county region .

Applications are due May 15, 2019.
NEW! Regional Sprout Events
This spring we will be holding new events in the four corners of our region. These Sprout! events are a great opportunity to connect with others from the region, hear stories from people who have received grants, loans, or other programming, and to discover the many resources that we have to offer you and your community (and "sprout" new ideas!).

All events are an open house from 4:30-6:30 p.m. with a short program at 5:15 highlighting our partners. This event is FREE and everyone is welcome, both new friends and old. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served. Join us at the date and location that works for you!
April 23 - Cannon Falls, Cannon River Winery
April 25 - Spring Valley, Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery
April 30 - Kasota, Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery
May 2 - Fairmont, Red Rock Center for the Arts
Recent Community Foundation Grants
  • Musical park equipment – Harmony Area Community Foundation
  • Firefighter memorial support – Harmony Area Community Foundation
  • Mobile hotspots at local library – Henderson Community Foundation
  • Community AED’s – Lanesboro Area Community Foundation
  • Highway Veteran’s memorial – Mapleton Area Foundation
  • Field trip support – Plainview Area Foundation
  • Local nonprofit support – Plainview Area Foundation
  • Veterans home support – Preston Area Community Foundation/Harmony Area Community Foundation/Rushford Community Foundation
  • Community livability study support – Preston Area Community Foundation
  • Scholarship support – Rushford Community Foundation
  • Veterans memorial support – Rushford Community Foundation/St. Charles Area Community Foundation
  • Artist in residency program support – St. Charles Community Foundation
  • Downtown flower planter – Wabasha-Kellogg Area Community Foundation
  • Historical Society building renovation support- Wabasha-Kellogg Area Community Foundation
  • Library programing support – Waterville Friends of the Library/Lanesboro Area Community Foundation
  • Music festival support – Wings Foundation
Connect with us!