9 Organizations Are Impacted
Willmar, Minn. – The Willmar Area Community Foundation announced today the recipients of $95,000 in grants to support five key programs and organizations in Kandiyohi County. WACF also awarded an additional $4,000 to support local arts initiatives.
The largest grant awarded was to Willmar’s Destination Playground for $50,000 to support the construction of the destination playground on Robbin’s Island. Sara Carlson, Executive Director of the Willmar Area Community Foundation states, “The Foundation is very pleased to be a part of the Destination Playground effort, working alongside such committed volunteers and community leaders. The energy in our community around this project is amazing and it will be a true legacy left for generations to come.”
The Willmar Area Community Foundation does two grant rounds per year and focuses its grant making primarily on proposals from organizations providing service in the following areas: Youth Initiatives, Productive Aging, Diverse Communities and Vision 2040 endorsed projects.
General Grants:
| Organization Name | Project Name | Amount Awarded |
| Heartland Community Action Agency, Inc. | Helping People Get There | $10,000.00 |
| Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA | YMCA Mentor Program and Summer Learning Loss Prevention Program | $10,000.00 |
| Faith Lutheran Church | The Link: Client Services & Outreach for At-Risk Individuals and Families | $15,000.00 |
| The Resource Center Program of WCI | The Resource Center Program | $10,000.00 |
| City of Willmar | Willmar’s Destination Playground | $50,000.00 |
Arts Grants:
| Organization Name | Project Name | Amount Awarded |
| Willmar Area Arts Council | Studio Hop and Celebrate Art! Celebrate Coffee! 2017 | $1,500.00 |
| Prairie Winds Concert Band | 2016-2017 Prairie Winds Concert Band Season | $750.00 |
| Willmar Community Theatre Inc | The Barn Theatre’s Children’s Productions | $1,000.00 |
| Willmar Area Symphonic Orchestra | Willmar Area Symphonic Orchestra | $750.00 |
The Willmar Area Community Foundation (WACF) in affiliation with CommunityGiving, is a public charity that attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local community. Since 1998, WACF has grown to over $16.1 million in assets and awarded $5.2 million in grants to local nonprofits. CommunityGiving is a collaboration of community foundations united under a single framework to create efficiencies that maximize the impact of our donors. The core foundations working with CommunityGiving include the Alexandria Area Community Foundation, the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation, the Central Minnesota Community Foundation and the Willmar Area Community Foundation. Collectively, CommunityGiving administers more than 650 funds totaling more than $115 million. Learn more at CommunityGiving.org/Willmar.