Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation is currently accepting applications for its economic impact grant program. Nonprofit organizations, units of government or public institutions in SMIF’s 20-county region are eligible to apply. Requests of up to $20,000 will be considered.

“At SMIF, we strongly believe that communities which invest in their people are ultimately investing in their local economy,” said Pam Bishop, vice president of economic development at SMIF. “This new grant will support ideas to grow economic opportunities in southern Minnesota.”

According to a press release, applicants are encouraged to consider submissions to support current or future business growth, access or expansion of resources to underrepresented populations, and/or grow the community’s ability to embrace and develop a grow-your-own community culture. This may include, but is not limited to, initiatives in the areas of tourism, the arts, food accessibility and business services.

Examples of initiatives may include the creation of a system to increase information gathering from early stage companies to further business training and grow the economy; designing new approaches to resource-sharing and educational talent to grow business knowledge; advancing opportunities for minorities to successfully start or expand enterprises; creating processes to increase prosperity for art, tourism or food economies.

Applications are due to SMIF by Oct. 4. For the application and guidelines, visit www.smifoundation.org or contact Jennifer Heien, grants coordinator, at 507-214-7040 or jenniferh@smifoundation.org.