Established 2020
Giving back to the community
Our History
The Windom Area Foundation was formed in the summer of 2020, with identification of advisory board members, terms and officers occurring on July 15, 2020. Terms are three years. In the first year, advisory board members were assigned staggered terms of three years, two years and one year, assuring that the Foundation always has experienced board members.
What Drives Us
Our Mission
Connecting donors with causes – Making the Windom area a great place to live, work and play.
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Get to know us
Who We Are
Windom Area Foundation is one of 29 community foundation partners that are supported by Southwest Initiative Foundation in an 18-county region. It is a 501(c)(3) public charity, which allows gifts to the Windom Area Foundation to be tax deductible to the full extent of the law. The local advisory board is establishing the foundation’s purpose and priorities, as well as building relationships with donors and grant recipients. Meanwhile SWIF provides administrative and technical assistance to ensure local success, in addition to coordinating compliance with all state and federal charitable giving regulations.
About Southwest Initiative Foundation
Southwest Initiative Foundation is a nonprofit community foundation connecting people, investing in ideas and building communities to create a southwest Minnesota where all people thrive. SWIF launched its local community foundation program in 1999 to give Southwest Minnesotans a way to support the charities and the places that were important to their lives and to retain wealth in this rural region. Today, the foundation’s 30 affiliate partners advise 108 funds (including endowment, operating, project and designated funds) with assets totalling $9.2 million. In the last 20 years, these partners have awarded more than 2,400 local grants totaling $6.6 million. Learn more at swifoundation.org.
Team
Board Members

Ryan McNamara
Chairman

Justin Schmit
Treasurer

Mary Klosterbuer
Board Member

Tony Scott
Vice Chair

Dave Fischenich
Board Member

Mike Nesseth
Board Member

Rahn Larson
Secretary

Ann Foley
Board Member

Peggy Pfeffer
Board Member