June 2026

Alissa Oeltjenbruns

Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Vitality

alissao@smifoundation.org | 507.214.7023



Photo: community members roasting marshmallows at an Alden Area Community Foundation event

Summer in small towns brings people together—parades, farmers markets, county fairs, ball games and neighborhood block parties. For Community Foundations, these gatherings are more than seasonal fun—they’re powerful opportunities for friend-raising that naturally lead to future philanthropy. 

Rather than creating entirely new events, consider meeting your community where they already are. Set up a welcoming presence at established gatherings: a simple booth at the farmers market, a sponsorship at a local concert series, or a “community stories” table at the county fair. These settings are relaxed and social, making it easier to start authentic conversations about your Foundation’s impact and invite people into your mission—without the pressure of a formal ask. 

Practical tips for summer engagement: 

• Show up consistently: Familiar faces build trust. Attend weekly or recurring events so people begin to recognize your presence. 
• Make it interactive: Invite participation with a quick activity—share a wish for the community, vote on funding priorities or pin a note on a community map. 
• Tell real stories: Highlight local impact with photos or short testimonials. People connect with neighbors helping neighbors. 
• Keep it light and welcoming: Summer is about connection, not commitment. Focus on listening, relationship-building and curiosity. 
• Collect connections (not just donations): Offer a simple sign-up for updates, volunteer opportunities or future gatherings. 

In small towns, relationships are at the heart of everything. By tapping into the energy of existing summer events, your Foundation can deepen connections, grow awareness and plant the seeds for lasting support—all while celebrating the community you serve.



Each year SMIF offers a professionally printed piece at no cost to you. We will print up to 250 per Foundation. This year we are offering a promotional piece on the Acres for Good program. This is a great opportunity to grow your Foundation and keep farmland in production! Please see an example here.   

We are also offering to print Acres for Good posters branded for your Community Foundation.  

Please let me know if you have questions and/or would like to participate – contact either Forest or Alissa with the following information: 

• Which opportunities (printed brochure, poster or both) you would like to participate in. 
• How many of each (printed brochure and/or posters) 
• Foundation mailing address 
• Foundation email 
• Mailing address for items to be shipped to. Cannot be a PO box.  

Deadline: July 10 

SMIF truly believes this program can be instrumental in keeping our small towns thriving and our farmland in production. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. 

Photo: Alissa with Growth by Design's Kristi Ackley at the Spring Mixer last month.

We are proud to partner with Growth by Design to create companion worksheets for the video resources unveiled in the fall.  You can find them on the educational resources page on our website here. Several of you have already watched the videos. I suggest rewatching one prior to each board meeting and working through the companion sheet as a group.  

We will be continuing this partnership and unveiling additional videos in the coming months. Stay tuned!  

We have received a number of requests for marketing support in the past couple of months. Just a reminder, we have great resources right on our website! Learn best practices and tips for simple ways to boost your presence here. 

Please reach out if you need any additional assistance in this space. We are always here to help! 

Watch for these upcoming SMIF grant opportunities on our website and social media:

• Economic Development Grant: opens June 29, 2026. This grant seeks to support initiatives which enable communities to create more prosperous local economies. SMIF seeks applications that support economic development and entrepreneurship.

• Small Town Grant opens in July 22, 2026. This grant seeks to invest in collaborative initiatives which improve the way your community works together, solves challenges, creates a welcoming community and sense of belonging for all. SMIF seeks proposals from communities under 10,000 which impact the culture, education, economy and/or social aspects of the town.

• Taylor Rural Improvements Grant opens fall 2026. This grant seeks to fund capital projects in communities under 10,000. This year the grant will focus on enhancements to community gathering spaces, and applicants may apply for up to $25k.

• Taylor Rural Child Care Grant opens fall of 2026. This grant is for communities of 30,000 or fewer. Additionally, this grant prioritizes projects that benefit families facing disproportionate access barriers. This may include low-income families, communities of color, immigrant families, families needing nontraditional hours, children with disabilities/special health needs.

• Early Care and Education Grant opens fall of 2026. Grant funds can be used to support social, emotional, physical and mental health, training and development to operate and address the needs of young children, or other activities necessary to maintain the services in early care and education.

Photo: SMIF President and CEO, Benya Kraus, with her cousin, Jason Kraus, at his farm in Waseca County.

What is Acres for Good?

Our Acres for Good farmland succession program is focused on keeping farmland farming while using the extra income to impact causes the landowner cares about for future generations.