Neighbors helping neighbors
We know Northwest Minnesota offers boundless opportunities. That’s why we measure our impact by the results we create for the people, businesses, and communities we serve.
Featured achievements
Leadership training for 4,000 youth and adults
More than $62.5 million in grants
4,168 jobs created or retained
Serving the needs in 45 communities
Accomplishments
In addition to the important work we continue to pursue, we have achieved the following:
- Made 927 loans for a total of $33.7 million,
- Created or retained more than 4,168 jobs in our region
- Leveraged more than $140 million in additional lending
- Made over 11,800 grants totaling more than $62.5 million
- Our leadership programs have trained almost 4,000 youth and adults
- Our nonprofit management and diversity training programs have addressed the needs of 358 organizations and 45 communities
- We have more than $97 million in total assets and 440 funds in our family of funds
Impact Report
Click HERE to read our most recent Impact Report.
Financials: Form 990
Click HERE to read our most recent IRS Form 990.
News & Ideas
See how our initiatives, partnerships, and collaborations are making an impact.
It takes a community – strengthening the network behind child care
Who takes care of the people who take care of our children? It’s a question we don’t often ask. But communities don’t thrive by chance, they thrive because people show up for one another… It’s the person reading one more bedtime story before mom gets home from work. The neighbor who watches children after school. …
Bemidji Area Arts Endowment awards $22,000 to local arts and cultural projects
August 5, 2026 (Bemidji, MN) – The Bemidji Area Arts Endowment (BAAE), a component fund of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, has awarded $22,000 in grant funding to support a diverse array of arts, music, and cultural initiatives across Bemidji and surrounding communities. Commenting on this, Terri Darco, Community Senior Philanthropy Officer at Northwest Minnesota Foundation, …
Bemidji 31 Education Foundation Fund meets fundraising goal for Bemidji High School Manufacturing Modernization Project
George W. Neilson Foundation investment and local fundraising support pave the way for new manufacturing equipment, with broader expansion plans already underway. July 28, 2026 (BEMIDJI, MN) – A partnership among local philanthropy, community donors, and regional businesses has successfully secured funding to modernize Bemidji High School’s Machine Tool Classroom, ensuring students have access to …
