Over 200 community members gathered at the Sanford Center to celebrate four decades of philanthropy, community investment, and regional leadership.
BEMIDJI, Minn. — The Northwest Minnesota Foundation celebrated 40 years of working alongside the people and communities of Northwest Minnesota with an anniversary gathering on September 30th at the Sanford Center. The celebration brought together neighbors from across the region, including donors, volunteers, local leaders, and community partners, to reflect on the people, partnerships, and investments that have shaped Northwest Minnesota over the past four decades — and look ahead to what comes next.
Reflecting on four decades of community investment, the evening highlighted NMF’s ongoing commitment to people, places, and possibilities. Since its founding in 1986, the Foundation has worked alongside people and communities across Northwest Minnesota — investing over $100 million through grants, business loans, philanthropic giving and community investments across Red Lake Nation, White Earth Nations, and the 12 counties in Northwest Minnesota.
“Forty years is really a story about the people of Northwest Minnesota—people who saw possibilities in their communities and were willing to work together to pursue them,” said Karen White, President of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. “Northwest Minnesota Foundation has had the privilege of walking alongside them, connecting ideas with resources and people with one another. As we look ahead, our commitment remains rooted in listening to our region and working alongside our neighbors to build what comes next.”
A history rooted in trust
NMF was established in 1986 by the McKnight Foundation as one of six Minnesota Initiative Foundations created in response to the severe economic challenges facing Greater Minnesota during the 1980s farm crisis. Rather than designing programs from a distance, McKnight leaders Virginia McKnight Binger and Russ Ewald traveled across Greater Minnesota to listen directly to local leaders in community centers, schools, and church basements.
The event featured a keynote address by Tonya Allen, President of the McKnight Foundation, who connected that founding vision to the region’s current strength.
“The future is not something that happens to us,” Allen said. “We design the future that we want to live in, and the way that we design it is by what we do today. That’s why the founding belief behind why McKnight invested in the Minnesota Initiative Foundations across the state matters as much today as it did 40 years ago. Communities need strong local institutions that understand the realities of what’s happening and can build relationships across difference. I’m going to put my bet on you the way that Virginia Binger put her bet 40 years ago, because I believe in Northwest Minnesota.”
2026 Ruth Edevold Awards of Excellence and Community Compass Awards
A central highlight of the program was the presentation of annual awards celebrating individuals, businesses, community leaders, and nonprofits, whose work and efforts are strengthening our communities.
Ruth Edevold Award for Excellence in Leadership: Jody Horntvedt (University of Minnesota Extension) was honored for three decades of developing local leaders, strengthening rural communities, and building connections across Northwest Minnesota and beyond.
Pictured are, from left, Karen White, president of Northwest Minnesota Foundation, and Jody Horntvedt, Extension Educator of University of Minnesota Extension at the NMF 40th anniversary event held September 30th in Bemidji.
- Ruth Edevold Award for Nonprofit Organizational Excellence: United Way of Bemidji Area was recognized for its trusted community leadership, including its extraordinary response to the June 2025 derecho, mobilizing more than 1,000 volunteers and helping lead the region’s long-term recovery.
Pictured are, from left, Karen White, president of Northwest Minnesota Foundation; some members of the United Way of Bemidji Area; Denae Alamano (Executive Director), Annie Butler Ricks (Community Development); Megan Hill (Community Impact); not pictured is Gretchen Anderson (Marketing & Support) and Halen Groenke (Community Relations), with Cory Boushee, Vice President of Programs, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, at the NMF 40th anniversary event held September 30th in Bemidji.
Community Compass Awards:
- Mark Karl (Karl Manufacturing Solutions): Recognized for his leadership and significant personal investment in developing a child care facility that created space for two child care providers and expanded access for families in Roseau County.
Pictured are, from left, Karen White, president of Northwest Minnesota Foundation, and Mark Karl, of Karl Manufacturing Solutions at the NMF 40th anniversary event held September 30th in Bemidji.
- Lead for Inclusion: Recognized for creating opportunities for young people of all abilities to lead, build skills, form meaningful connections, and make a difference in their communities.
Pictured are, from left, Karen White, president of Northwest Minnesota Foundation, and some youth leaders of Lead for Inclusion: Kalel Spears, Kayla Will, Jocelyn Galdamez, William Duncan, and Aidan Warner, with their Chairs: Megan Wollschlager, Chloe Kirkpatrick, Shannon Murray, at the NMF 40th anniversary event held September 30th in Bemidji.
- Ne-Dah-Ness Rose Greene (Greene Photography LLC): An enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, recognized for her work as a photographer and visual storyteller celebrating Indigenous people, preserving culture and history, and bringing greater visibility to the stories and issues affecting Native communities.
Pictured are, from left, Bethany Wesley, vice president of Advancement, Northwest Minnesota Foundation; and Ne-Dah-Ness Rose Greene (Greene Photography LLC) at the NMF 40th anniversary event held September 30th in Bemidji.
Community Philanthropy Award: Bemidji Area Arts Endowment Fund was celebrated for nearly three decades of investing in the arts, granting more than $248,000 to local arts organizations and building a lasting resource for the Bemidji area.
Special Recognition Award: Friends of the Fair Fund was recognized for helping bring the TDS Event Center to life, with more than 80 donors contributing over $1.3 million toward the new community gathering space at the Polk County Fairgrounds in Fertile.
Recipients of the Ruth Edevold and Community Compass Awards were presented with custom pottery by local artist Butch Holden and received a $1,000 grant to direct to a nonprofit of their choice. The Community Philanthropy and Special Recognition honorees each received a $1,000 contribution directly to their respective funds.
Looking forward
Looking ahead to its next decade, NMF aims to double its historic milestone by placing a goal to invest close to $100 million into the region over the next 10 years. That work will span the Foundation’s role across the region — strengthening local philanthropy, investing in businesses and communities, advancing housing and other community-driven solutions, and bringing people and partners together around shared challenges and opportunities.
“For 40 years, this work has taken root in our communities,” said Bethany Wesley, Senior Vice President of Advancement at NMF. “Those roots continue to grow through the generosity, leadership, and vision of people across our region. We are proud of what we have built together, and excited for what comes next.”
Learn more about the Northwest Minnesota Foundation at www.nwmf.org
