WCI ranked as a top foundation

By Bob Williams | The Daily Journal

Published Thursday, October 25, 2007

West Central Initiative (WCI) is ranked 11th on the Minnesota Council on Foundations’ newly released list of the state’s top community and public foundations. Receiving exemplary rankings in the state is nothing new for WCI.

WCI was ranked in the top 50 Minnesota Foundations by Assets in 2004 and 2005, while top 10 Minnesota Community/Public Foundations in 2005, top 15 in 2004.

“We're all looking for ways to make this region a great place to live, work and raise a family. We're pleased this ranking shows at least the financial efforts of these partnerships.” said WCI President Nancy Straw.

WCI is a regional community foundation that serves the nine west central Minnesota counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin. It focuses its resources on increasing business and employment opportunities, helping workers and their families thrive, and strengthening communities and the region.

“West Central Initiative partners with businesses, cities, counties, schools, human service agencies, individual donors and others to make a substantial investment in the communities and people of west central Minnesota,” Straw said.

The Minnesota Council on Foundations compiles the list each year. It ranks community and public foundations by grants and program-related investments paid in 2006. The foundations are comprised of a community of grantmakers, working actively to strengthen and expand philanthropy and improve the vitality and health of our communities. The Council is a regional membership association of family and private foundations, community and other public foundations, and corporate foundations and giving programs.

The Initiative Foundations were created in 1986 by The McKnight Foundation, Minnesota's largest private foundation, in response to the drastic decline in the farming, logging and mining industries in the 1980s. The six independent, philanthropic organizations work in Minnesota's 80 rural counties to make each of their distinct regions stronger and more prosperous. Each foundation's priorities are decided by people in its own region, with grants and loans supporting economic development; leadership development; community building; families, youth, and older adults; workforce development; and environmental issues.

“The beauty of McKnight's experiment in rural philanthropy is that the Initiative Foundations were all created with a common framework. This framework has allowed each organization to evolve in a way that reflects the uniqueness of their regions,” says Tom Renier, founding president of the Northland Foundation. “Each foundation has developed a mission and strategies that respond to needs with locally-driven solutions.”

For more information about WCI programs or how you can be a partner/supporter of WCI, call 1-800-735-2239 or visit the WCI Web site at www.wcif.org.

Projects in Otter Tail County supported by WCI include:

*A Center for the Arts received funds to hold Fergus Falls Reads, a citywide reading program.

*Perham Family Dentistry received start-up funds to obtain a building and equipment.

*The Fergus Falls Community Child Care Center received financial assistance to open its YMCA branch of The Children’s Corner in order to serve more families.

*Manufacturers like Lund Boat, Co., in New York Mills and Innova Industries, Inc., Fergus Falls, participated in WCI's Workforce 2020 program and received job training for their employees.

*CR Mauro, Inc., received funds for start-up of a custom refinishing business.

*Children's Corner Day Care Center has been assisted with the expansion and relocation of their day care facility and received funding to support their "Get The Word Out" project.

*Community Youth Partners, Fergus Falls, has received funding in support of their youth programs.

*Fergus Falls Senior Center, Inc. WCI provided support to explore ways to increase workforce participation among senior citizens.

*IMPACT, New York Mills, received funds to support the community building activities of Mills Impact “Impacting New York Mills Children and Families Positively and Creating Community Togetherness” project.

*Northern Contours, Fergus Falls, participated in WCI's Workforce 2020 program and received training for their employees in Management Resource Planning Software.

*Perham Vision to Action was supported with funding from WCI's Family Initiative to promote the activities of the Perham Area Family Initiative program.

*RRT, Inc. - Vinylite