Our Commitment

The Mankato Area Foundation recognizes stewardship of assets entrusted to us as one of our most important responsibilities. I am proud to chair the committee that oversees the investment of assets. This committee is made up of highly qualified individuals from this area—representing the legal, investment, accounting and wealth management fields. The Foundation invests the assets so that the earnings and appreciation can be used for future grants. We adhere to high standards of operational excellence and an investment policy that is regularly reviewed, updated and approved by the Foundation’s board of directors. 

- Christina Bohlke, Investment Committee Chair

Investing Policy

The overall investment strategy of The Mankato Area Foundation is to preserve and enhance the charitable purchasing power of our funds over time. To accomplish this, we retain an independent investment advisor who works with MAF’s Investment Committee to invest our funds pursuant to our Investment Policy. To see a copy of our Investment Policy Statement click here.

Financials at a Glance

As of June 30, 2023

Total Assets: $30,027,639
Total Grants Awarded: $3,556,153
Total Scholarships Awarded: $250,850
Number of Charitable Funds: 152
Grants Distributed: 577

EIN: 41-0011094          Form 990.pdf

For a copy of our audit, please email Tricia.

Funds We Hold

The Mankato Area Foundation continues to help individuals and organizations achieve their charitable goals by offering a variety of giving strategies and funds. Our donors have the opportunity to shape their donations by choosing from flexible funding vehicles including unrestricted, designated, donor advised or scholarship funds. 

Funds that choose to remain anonymous are not listed. For more information, please see our Confidentiality Policy

Endowed Funds

Charles Ingman LMA Scholarship Fund
Elks Charitable Endowed Fund
Mankato Symphony Orchestra Fund
O.P. and E.A. Confer Fund
Ogden P. Confer
Ogden W. and Jane M. Confer Scholarship Fund
Senior Citizen Endowment Fund
Thin Film Technology Fund

Designated Funds

Albert Fallenstein Fund
Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota
CLOVE
Community Fund for Youth
Consultant in Residency Fund
Curt and Debbie Fisher Fund
Dotson Family Charitable Fund
Floyd Palmer Fund
Greater Mankato Inclusivity Study Fund
High School Music Recognition Fund
Hockey Day Minnesota (HDM) 2022 Grow the Game Fund
imagineOne Fund
In Memory of Jean Lovett
Jane and Michael Kearney Fund
Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund
Lowell and Nadine Andreas Fund
Palmer Disability Fund
Recharge Mankato Fund
Roger and Beverly Stoufer Scholarship Fund
Suicide Prevention and Awareness Fund
Women’s Giving Circle

Scholarship Funds

Class of 1960 Scholarship Fund
David and Michelle Schooff Scholarship Fund
Dustin Lemke Memorial Scholarship
Eleanor and Mike Weinzetl Opportunity Scholarship Fund
Florence Nightingale Scholarship Fund
Jane and Lee Carlstrom Scholarship Fund
Mankato Elks Lodge #225 Most Valuable Student Scholarship
Marlyn R. Heintz Scholarship Fund
McKeown/Mehia Team - Opportunity Scholarship Fund
Minnesota River Builders Association Scholarship Fund
Samantha Chase Schaehrer Nursing Scholarship Fund
Samantha Chase Schaehrer Scholarship Fund
Virginia and Martin Krause Scholarship Fund

Agency Funds

Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society Agency Fund
Camp Sweet Life Adventures Agency Fund
Educare Foundation Agency Fund
Feeding Our Communities Partners Agency Fund
LEEP Agency Fund
LEEP Special Olympics Agency Fund
Living Earth Center Agency Fund
Mankato Clinic Foundation Agency Fund
Minnesota Valley Action Council Agency Fund
Partners for Housing Agency Fund
Twin Valley Council, Inc. Agency Fund
United Way Planned Gift Fund Agency Fund
VINE Faith In Action Agency Fund
YWCA Mankato Women’s Fund

Fiscal Sponsored Funds

Golden Hour Concert Series
Help Teachers, Help Children Fund
Hope in Healing
Inspire Heights
Leave A Legacy
Mankato East High School Alumni Wall of Distinction
Mankato Regional Airport Park Fund
Martin County CHW Project
Martin County Prosper Project
NAACP Mankato Chapter
Roots, Shoots and Boots Fund
Saint Peter Art Stroll
The Growth Collective

Donor Advised Funds

Adela Rindal Foundation Fund
Anderson Family Fund
Andrew Willaert Family Fund
Andy and Christine Nessler Fund
Barbara Carson Fund
Be Blessed Fund
Biederman Family Fund
Bob and Linda Sanger Legacy Fund
Bradley and Kathy Brozik Fund
Brian and Mary Duehring Gifting Fund
Brian and Valerie Koch Fund
Bryan and Tami Paulsen Charitable Fund
Carroll Zelenz Family Fund
Category One Fund
Chris and Aura Austin Fund
Chris Larson and Michelle May Charitable Fund
Coldwell Banker Commercial Fisher Group Fund
Consolidated Communications Community Fund
Consolidated Communications Community Fund for Youth
Cunningham Family Fund
Curt Fisher Donor Advised Fund
Darlene and Allen Weckwerth Charitable Fund
David Christensen and Jill Evans Fund
Davis Daughters’ Fund
Dennis and Sue Hood Fund
Devenport Educational Fund
Dobson Charitable Fund
Dotson Family Fund
Eide Bailly Fund
Fredrikson & Byron Foundation Fund
Gary E. Zywotko Family Fund
Gene Biewen & Noel Van Tol Fund
Glen A. Taylor Donor Advised Fund
Greg and Donnette Wheelock Fund
Gwesyn and Gloria Griffiths Fund
Harold and Alice Klaseus Weed Charitable Fund
Helen and Eldon Jones Fund
Hoehn Charitable Fund
Huebsch Family Fund
James and Shannon Gullickson Fund
Jean and Tim Bye Family Fund
Jim and Jackie Weinzetl Opportunity Fund
Jim and Jennie Ward Fund
Jim and Sheri Fedson Fund
John and Jackie Bauernfeind Fund
John and Wendy Kind Charitable Fund
Joyce and Dennis Findley Charitable Fund
Joyce and Gerald Roust Fund
Kay and Lyle Jacobson Family Fund
Kendall and Rod Meyer Fund
Kenneth and Lori Smith Fund
Kristine Lindvall Fund
Lawton Family Fund
Lorentz Post 11 American Legion Fund
Mara’s Light Fund
Marian Anderson Fund
Mary Suedbeck Fund for the Encouragement of the Arts
Maxwell Family Fund
Michael and Lisa Montag Fund
MRBA Building Our Future Grant Fund
Mulford Family Charitable Fund
Naples Family Fund
Nathan and Sarah Kerich Fund
Norland Charitable Fund
Page Jones Richards Family Fund
Pat and Kristin Duncanson Family Fund
Phil and Margie Slingsby Charitable Fund
Polly and Bill Webster Fund
Reichel Insulation Fund
Rose Lynn and Chuck Wingert Family Fund
Rstom Family Foundation Fund
Ruth and Larry Mikkelson Fund
Ryan and Jill McKeown Charitable Fund
Ryan McKeown and Danielle Mehia Financial Advisory
Team Community Fund
Schooff Community Fund
Schott Family Fund
Steven and Kathleen Burnett Fund
Sugden Family Fund
Surprenant Family Fund
Ten Haken Charitable Fund
Tom and Cheryl Vavra Fund
Tom and Diane Lentz Charitable Fund
Veterans Memorial Fund
Voss Family Fund
West Family Fund
West Scheel Memorial Fund
Zierdt Family Charitable Fund