Winter 2025/26

Alissa Oeltjenbruns

Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Vitality

alissao@smifoundation.org | 507.214.7023



*header photo: Benya Kraus met with her good friend and original SMIF board member, Ed Frederick, in the fall. We were saddened to hear of his passing just last month and grateful that he dedicated his life to southern Minnesota.

Photo: Rae Jean (center) with Heidi and Margaret, members of the Early Childhood team.

After 35 years of transformative service, Rae Jean Hansen, Vice President of Early Childhood, has retired. Her departure marks a significant moment in the Foundation’s history and in the lives of countless children, families, educators and child care providers across southern Minnesota.



A Career of Impact

As SMIFs longest-tenured staff member, Rae Jean began her journey with SMIF in 1990 and has since become a cornerstone of the organization. Her work has spanned business lending, workforce development, and communications, but her most enduring legacy lies in her leadership of SMIF’s Early Childhood department. As Vice President of Early Childhood, Rae Jean championed programs that support school readiness, literacy and social-emotional development.

You can read the full story about Rae Jean's impact here.

This winter, SMIF welcomed Kelly Fluharty as Vice President of Early Childhood, picking up the reins in the wake of Rae Jean's retirement. Kelly brings expertise from public health and rural healthcare sectors. A resident of Winona, she is passionate about supporting community wellbeing and connectedness and ensuring rural communities have access to what they need to thrive. We are excited to welcome Kelly to the staff. You can read more about her here.

Small Town Grant Spotlight: Montgomery Arts and Heritage Center

In last year's grant round, the Montgomery Arts and Heritage Center was awarded a $10,000 Small Town Grant to create a walking tour along their main street.

Montgomery Museum in the Streets (MMIS) is a walking tour of vibrant and historical Montgomery. MMIS features Montgomery’s Historic District, composed of dozens of buildings spanning nearly half a mile along main street that were constructed between 1877, when the city was platted, and 1940. Through a user-friendly app, website and printed map, visitors can travel back in time while strolling along Montgomery’s historic downtown.

"The MMIS project is designed to foster a more welcoming community and enhance the sense of belonging for all residents and visitors. While the main focus of the walking tour is on the buildings, we are committed to highlighting the stories of underrepresented groups. By doing so, we aim to honor and recognize the contributions of all residents, past and present, and provide a more complete and accurate portrayal of Montgomery’s history," says Maureen Gunderson, chairman of the Montgomery Arts and Heritage Center.

You can read the full story here. And for a full list of this year's Small Town Grant awardees, you can go here.

Taylor Rural Improvements Grant Spotlight: Sherburn Park Revitalization Initiative

In last year's grant round, the City of Sherburn received $25,000 to revitalize two city parks, Robertson Park and Centennial Park, so that they may better serve the city’s residents and visitors. This project replaced the old, degraded equipment with new, accessible equipment suitable to the needs of children in the community.

This project was urgent, as the Martin County West School District plans to build a new school in Sherburn, which will attract families to the city and result in higher numbers of children using local amenities. Both parks had aging equipment in need of replacement, and residents had raised concerns with city staff about the safety and accessibility of some equipment. The new equipment at both parks will be safer and more accessible, not to mention very exciting for the whole community.

This year, the Taylor Rural Improvements Grant focused funding on essential needs in the categories of: food, clothing, shelter, transportation and internet accesibility. “Thanks to Glen A. Taylor and the Taylor Family Farms Foundation, underserved populations in our region are able to access some of the most underfunded needs — capital improvements for essential community services,” shared Benya Kraus, SMIF president and CEO. You can read the full list of this year's awardees here.

SMIF recently added three additional Community Foundations under our umbrella of Foundations that we support, bringing our total to 35! Community Foundations are nonprofit organizations that exists to improve the future of an entire community through uniting people and resources to address the community’s most critical or persistent issues. They are run by volunteer boards and are uniquely able to respond to the specific needs of their community.

Welcome to Kenyon Area Community Foundation, Martin County West Community Foundation and West Concord Community Foundation.

In addition, SMIF also welcomes the SELCO Library Foundation as one of our Donor Advised Funds. The SELCO Library Foundation is a fund that supports public libraries throughout southeastern Minnesota by providing a structured, managed way for donors to contribute to library causes. Its mission is “to provide support and promote growth for our community libraries within the region.” The Foundation acts as a steward of contributions, ensuring that funds are handled responsibly and distributed to benefit a number of participating libraries—especially smaller or rural ones—through grant support.

Photo: Pleasant Grove Pizza Farm, Waseca and Squash Blossom Farm, Oronoco

We love seeing our loan clients thrive! Two of SMIF's loan clients, Pleasant Grove Pizza Farm in Waseca and Squash Blossom Farm in Oronoco, were featured in Tasting Table's 15 Best Pizza Farms in the US article.

"We are very proud of these two businesses," shared Marcia Haley, SMIF senior lending director. "They both use local foods when possible, some grown on their own farms. They also each offer a beautiful setting and, of course, delicious food! Check them out sometime!"

Join us for an evening of celebration, featuring a plated dinner, an inspiring program with special guests and opportunities to connect with fellow southern Minnesota partners — all in a vibrant, renovated historic building in downtown Faribault.

Formal invitation to follow!

Leave a lasting legacy with FreeWill

Did you know?

SMIF has four endowment funds that you can contribute to. All of these endowment funds support our annual work and allow us to respond to the needs of our region as they arise.

• Our General Endowment supports and sustains our overall work and provides the financial stability our organization needs to continue addressing the emerging needs of our region. 
• Our Tim Penny Small Towns Fund supports and sustains the region's small towns through grant making and our affiliant fund program which currently hosts 153 funds, including 35 Community Foundations.
• Our Youth Trust Fund supports children and Early Childhood professionals through quality trainings and programming, grant opportunities, early literacy, social and emotional development of children and other initiatives.
• Our Entrepreneur Fund provides technical assistance, training and financing opportunities for entrepreneurs and supports economic development in southern Minnesota communities through programming and grantmaking. 

Donating farmland leaves a lasting legacy

Benya Kraus with her cousin Jason Kraus, a farmer in Waseca County

SMIF's Acres for Good program allows farm families to donate their land as a charitable gift upon retirement or passing. SMIF will retain the land and keep it in production by a rental arrangement, allowing farmers the peace of mind that their land will continue to be farmed.

The net income stream from the land can be used to support southern Minnesota communities well into the future, benefiting either a local Community Foundation, a specific cause or SMIF’s programs which support children, entrepreneurs and community vitality in the region.

If you have any questions or want more information about this program, contact Benya Kraus benyak@smifoundation.org or Alissa Oeltjenbruns alissao@smifoundation.org.