The power of community: Make a difference right in your hometown.
Multiplying the power of you. Stillwater Area Community Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, established in 2010 by a group of community leaders as a way to enable people who love where they live to keep their philanthropic giving local. By combining gifts, great and small, the foundation gives everyone the opportunity to become a local hero. Your generosity makes a real difference right here at home.
Stillwater Area Community Foundation serves cities and villages along the St. Croix River on the Minnesota side, from Marine on St. Croix south to West Lakeland Township north of Interstate Highway 94. These communities are connected by a common school district. And while each one has its own distinct identity, they share many of the same goals and challenges.
What is a community foundation? Community foundations are dedicated to improving the lives of people within a defined local geographic area. Their role is to bring together the financial resources of individuals, families and businesses to support the hardworking nonprofits in their communities. According to the Council on Foundations, there are more than 750 community foundations in operation in the United States, and they can be found in every state.
How is a community foundation different from other non-profits serving the area? Most nonprofits commonly serve a singular need or demographic by providing vital support or services. Community foundations like ours are devoted to helping solve diverse and emerging community problems, primarily by providing financial support. Stillwater Area Community Foundation has the flexibility to channel monetary resources into multiple organizations to help address the most pressing community needs at any given point in time.
How do we help? Through ongoing formal and informal conversations with community leaders and residents, our board members stay informed about the state of the community. We issue financial support annually through our grants program. By building an endowed fund, we are securing—and growing—our ability to play an important role the communities we serve for generations to come, no matter what the future may bring. Over the years, we have contributed to a wide range of social services, the arts, youth and education, and the environment.
Stillwater Area Community Foundation is one of ten community Affiliated Funds of the St. Croix Valley Foundation, which manages our investments and oversees our operations.