West Central Initiative



Through philanthropy and planning, the West Central Initiative fuels insight and action for the benefit of the region and the world. Along the way, the foundation understands its progress through two lenses: the Minnesota Association of Development Organizations (MADO) DevelopMN Cornerstones and the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Both lenses focus in on what a region and community needs to accomplish to become strong and resilient for generations to come.

Assets and Giving for West Central Initiative

Assets

2019 - 71,296,541
2018 - 68,913,134
2017 - 66,461,730
Domestic Grants

2019 - 2,829,367
2018 - 3,470,688


    

Recent News from West Central Initiative


Northwest Minnesota Foundation receives child care grant
Foundation: Initiative Foundation, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation, West Central Initiative

"We know families are facing big challenges finding quality child care right now, especially in rural Minnesota," said Tony Lourey, Minnesota...more

SMIF among Greater Minnesota groups to get $1.5M to grow child care access
Foundation: Initiative Foundation, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation, West Central Initiative

Initiative Foundation in Little Falls has said it will bring together local leaders and give challenge grants to help child care providers address gaps...more

Greater Minnesota groups to get $1.5 million to grow child care access
Foundation: Initiative Foundation, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation, West Central Initiative

PAUL -- Six Greater Minnesota regional development groups are set to receive more than $1 million in state grants aimed at growing access to...more

West Central Initiative to host two Nov. 7 events
Foundation: West Central Initiative

WCI is a regional community foundation serving the nine west central Minnesota counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope,...more

WCI grant provides dental kits to students
Foundation: West Central Initiative

The schools contract with Wilkin County Public Health to do the health screenings, and the county's health department received a $500 grant...more

Cities awarded Change Makers grants
Foundation: West Central Initiative

The Minnesota cities of Breckenridge and Campbell have received two of the first ever Community Change Makers Grant awards from West...more

Schara joins WCI as marketing coordinator
Foundation: West Central Initiative

West Central Initiative is a regional community foundation serving the nine west-central Minnesota counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin. WCI...more

Oral health care products being collected for distribution at food shelves, Head Start
Foundation: Initiative Foundation, West Central Initiative

So for the month of March, locations in Faribault and Northfield are collecting oral health care products for America's ToothFairy Smile Drive. ... Teri Steckelberg, early childhood director at...more

The Regional Funders Backing Early Childhood Learning—With a Twist
Foundation: Helios Education Foundation, Initiative Foundation, Knight Foundation, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation, McKnight Foundation, William Penn Foundation, West Central Initiative

It also well predates the recent surge of philanthropic interest in this area. The foundations' commitment to early childhood education started back in 2003 with a gift from the McKnight Foundation....more

New grants for improving communities
Foundation: West Central Initiative

For more information, visit wcif.org/change-makers.html or contact Wendy Merrick at wendy@wcif.org or 800-735-2239. West Central Initiative is a regional community foundation that focuses on economic...more



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Edited by: Michael Saunders

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