Black Oak Getty Community Foundation
A Partner Fund of the Initiative Foundation
About the Fund
The Black Oak Getty Community Foundation exists to improve the quality of life of all citizens in the Black Oak Getty Wind Farm Area Communities, by awarding charitable grants that promote community development, encourage responsible stewardship of our resources, and foster educational growth.
The Black Oak Getty Community Foundation is a Partner Fund of the Initiative Foundation. As a program of the Initiative Foundation, all Black Oak Getty Community Foundation contributions are professionally managed and stewarded for the benefit of the community now and long into the future.
Engage With the Fund
Donate Online: When you give to the Black Oak Getty Community Foundation, your gift establishes an enduring legacy that will benefit the Black Oak Getty Wind Farm Area communities for years to come. Give now! If your employer makes matching donations for their employees, be sure to inquire on the process before making your gift. Gifts of all sizes are appreciated!
Mail a Check: To make donations and payments more secure and to streamline processes, the Initiative Foundation partners with Old National Bank. Please write the check to the Initiative Foundation, noting the Fund name on the memo line, and mail it to this address:
Initiative Foundation – 446122
Attn: BOGCF
P.O. Box 64182
St. Paul, MN 55164-0182
While the mailing address may be in St. Paul, the Initiative Foundation continues to maintain its headquarters in the heart of Central Minnesota at 405 First St. SE, Little Falls, MN 56345.
Give a Planned Gift: If you would like to contribute another type of gift, please contact a member of the Black Oak Getty Community Foundation advisory team or call the Initiative Foundation at (320) 632-9255. An Initiative Foundation staff member will be happy to answer your questions and guide you through the process.
Making a charitable bequest in your will is often the easiest way to make a significant gift and leave a lasting legacy. Gifts large and small are important. It is simpler than you might think to make a meaningful difference to future generations of the Black Oak Getty Wind Farm Area communities.
If you would like to leave the Black Oak Getty Community Foundation in your will, make another type of planned gift, or contribute an appreciated asset, please call the Initiative Foundation at (320) 632-9255 and a staff member will be happy to answer your questions and guide you through the process. Through an Initiative Foundation partnership with FreeWill, you can create your will online at no cost, and it only takes about 20 minutes. This simple step offers peace of mind, ensuring your wishes are documented and your future plans are secure.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. In partnership with the Black Oak Getty Community Foundation, the Initiative Foundation owns and manages financial contributions for the Black Oak Getty Community Foundation.
Engage With the Black Oak Getty Community Foundation
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Apply for a Grant
Black Oak Getty Community Fund welcomes and encourages grant applications from tax exempt, non-profit organizations that are likely to have a substantial positive impact in one or more of the following broad categories:
- Education Support and Youth Development
- Housing, Food, and Other Basic Needs
- Civic Engagement and Community Development
- Conservation and the Environment
Preference will be given to innovative programs in the areas of education, environment, and community development that encourage volunteerism, community development, and/or promote environmental awareness and improvement.
The grant application closes on Nov. 15th.
Past Grants
2025
- Crow River Trail Guards, Inc.—Purchase a Large Ultralight Screen Tent: $1,160
- Guardians of Conservation—Protecting the Wild: Endangered Cat Habitat Education Project: $1,500
- Melrose Area School District—Robotics Team: $1,000
- Sauk Centre School District—Robotics Team: $2,500
- Sauk Centre Trap Team—Increased Participation: $3,500
- United Way of Central Minnesota—Imagination Library, Sauk Centre: $5,370
- Community Connection of Sauk Centre—Food Shelf: $5,000
- Sauk Centre Youth Baseball Association—Sauk Centre City Fields Improvement Project Part II: $2,500
- Sauk Centre Archery Boosters: $3,600
- Sauk Centre School District—Community Education Technology Enhancement: $2,000
- Sauk Centre School District—Robotics: $2,000
2024
- Crow River Trail Guards, Inc.—Funding for Three Canoe Back Packs to be Used by the Youth in the Crow River Trail Guards: $1,000
- Sauk Centre Dollars for Scholars—Black Oak Getty Community Foundation Scholarships: $1,000
- Crow River Trail Guards, Inc.—New Lawn Mower for the Crow River Trail Guard Kids: $1,000
- United Way of Central Minnesota—Imagination Library Sauk Centre Area: $4,710
- Sauk Centre Area Combined Fund—Food Shelf: $2,000
- 510 Art Lab—Provide More Class Space by Remodeling the Basement for Storage Space for Artists and a Board Room: $2,500
- Junior Achievement North—Sauk Centre 2024-2025: $2,500
- Holy Family School Walking Classroom: $1,000
- Sauk Centre Trap Team: $3,000
The following grants were awarded to the Sauk Centre School District:
- Archery Boosters: $3,600
- 1:1 Technology Enhancement for Community Ed Programs: $2,000
- Robotics: $2,000
2023
- Sauk Centre Area Combined Fund: $2,000
- Sauk Centre Sno-Cleats, Inc.—Youth Snowmobile & ATV Education and Training Center: $2,500
- Crow River Trail Guards, Inc.—Funding for Two Tents to be Used by the Youth in the Crow River Trail Guards: $700
- Terebinth Refuge—Basic Needs: $1,000
- Holy Family School—Lunchroom and Classroom Equipment Updates: $2,100
- Sauk Centre School District—Archery Program: $2,700
- Sauk Centre School District—Sauk Centre Public School Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Learning Initiative: $2,000
Advisory Team
Local volunteers serve as advisory team members to advance the mission of the Black Oak Getty Community Foundation. The partnership with the Initiative Foundation combines local knowledge and leadership with additional professional expertise, oversight and guidance to identify community needs, serve donors and manage the investments.
Kevin Lahr
ChairChad Quelle
TreasurerJody Schirmers
Advisory Team MemberBill Berg
Advisory Team MemberJanet Lahr
Secretary
FREE Service: Make Your Will
Planning your estate has never been easier—or more accessible. Through an Initiative Foundation partnership with FreeWill, you can create your will online at no cost, and it only takes about 20 minutes. This simple step offers peace of mind, ensuring your wishes are documented and your future plans are secure.
By including this Partner Fund in your will, you can play a vital role in strengthening Central Minnesota. Your legacy can help build a thriving economy, vibrant communities, and a spirit of generosity that lasts for generations.
Not ready to finalize your plans? Use FreeWill to outline your wishes before meeting with an attorney. Take control of your legacy today—it’s quick, easy, and impactful.
Contact the Fund
Are you looking for how to engage with the fund, leave a legacy, or donate? Contact a member of the fund’s advisory team or reach out to the Initiative Foundation. We’re here to help Central Minnesotans build a thriving economy, vibrant communities, and a lasting culture of generosity.
Start a Fund
Looking to leave a legacy in Central Minnesota? Start a Partner Fund with the Initiative Foundation and maximize your tax benefits while supporting important causes and organizations.