United Way of Southwest Minnesota
United Way of Southwest Minnesota is a public charity based in Marshall, Minnesota. It invests donations in local programs, primarily through Community Impact Grants, serving residents in Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Yellow Medicine, and parts of Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Nobles, and Redwood counties.
Key facts about United Way of Southwest Minnesota
In short: United Way of Southwest Minnesota gave $286K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), mostly in Minnesota. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 41-6023143
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $285,544
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- Average grant
- $19,036
- Median grant
- $15,526
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 15, 2025)
- Total assets
- $787,438
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to apply
- The organization accepts unsolicited requests through its Small Grants and Community Impact Grant application processes. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The next listed Small Grants deadline is January 31, 2027, at 5:00 p.m.
- Next open deadline
- January 31, 2027 (Small Grants Program)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$787K
-8.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$286K
-0.1% YoY
Grant Count
15
-11.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
+13.2% YoY
Is United Way of Southwest Minnesota open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 15 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $16K repeat.
- 93% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+9%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s mission is “uniting people and resources to improve lives and strengthen communities in southwest Minnesota.” Its stated Community Impact priorities are Youth Opportunity, Healthy Communities, Financial Security, and Community Resilience. Its grant-program materials also describe focus areas including health, education, hunger, and safety and well-being.
Community Impact Grants are intended for programs serving people in the service area. The organization’s 2024 filing describes partnerships with nonprofit agencies, schools, and local units of government. The 2026–27 application announcement lists 501(c)(3) organizations, public schools, and government units as eligible applicants. Small Grants are for nonprofit organizations in the service area; the program description also allows public schools, government units, and fiscally sponsored groups to apply.
Grantmaking
The IRS filing data lists zero grants for each of 2023, 2024, and 2025. Separately, the available grant record identifies a $23,500 award to ServeMinnesota in 2022. ServeMinnesota describes its mission as strengthening Minnesota through high-impact service.
Review Cycle
and is past. The organization’s announcement said applications would be reviewed by community volunteers, with final funding decisions made by the board. First-time applicants were required to attend a grant workshop. The guidelines state that incomplete submissions would not be considered and list exclusions including marketing, event or fundraising promotions, capital expenses, and funding for organizations that distribute funds at their own discretion.
How to Apply
es. Small Grants applications are reviewed by local volunteers; Community Impact Grant applications are reviewed by community volunteers, with recommendations submitted to the board for final approval. Check the current program guidelines for required materials and restrictions.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from United Way of Southwest Minnesota
Ready to take the next step with United Way of Southwest Minnesota?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The stated service area is Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, and Yellow Medicine counties, plus portions of Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Nobles, and Redwood counties in Minnesota. The grant programs describe funding for projects or programs serving people within this area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $261K (2022) to $300K (2021). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $286K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Imagination Library ($64K). Together the top 10 received $238K.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 70 (93%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Imagination Library Marshall, MN | Youth Opportunity | $63,691 |
| United Community Action PTSHP Kitchen Table Food Shelves Marshall, MN | Healthy Communities | $32,500 |
| New Horizons Crisis Center Crime Victim Services Marshall, MN | Community Resilience | $26,388 |
| United Community Action PTSHP the Refuge Marshall, MN | Community Resilience | $23,572 |
| United Community Action PTSHP Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Pro Marshall, MN | Financial Security | $16,840 |
| Serveminnesota Reading Corps Minneapolis, MN | Youth Opportunity | $16,000 |
| New Horizons Crisis Center Parenting Time Program Marshall, MN | Community Resilience | $16,000 |
| Stuff the Bus Marshall, MN | Youth Opportunity | $15,526 |
| Marshall FOOD4KIDS Marshall, MN | Healthy Communities | $14,000 |
| Wild About Kindergarten Marshall, MN | Youth Opportunity | $13,327 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $787,438 | $409,767 | $518,506 | 0 |
| 2024 | $861,140 | $571,722 | $498,797 | 0 |
| 2023 | $820,050 | $483,822 | $496,551 | 0 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $787,438 | $861,140 | $820,050 |
| Revenue | $409,767 | $571,722 | $483,822 |
| Expenses | $518,506 | $498,797 | $496,551 |
| Net Investment Income | $20,284 | $17,449 | $1,643 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS December 16, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Meg Louwagie as CEO; Al Castor as chair; Shawna Christianson as “Community IM”; and Doug Desmet, Tracie Hansen, Angie Hennen, Kim Holm, Brian Jerem iason, Andy Lanoue, and Melissa Maranell as directors.
United Way of Southwest Minnesota is led by Meg Louwagie, CEO on every filing since 2022; 1 of 18 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Meg Louwagie
CEO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$34K (2023) → $55K (2025)
Al Castor
Chair
Resource Development → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Jeremiason
Director
Community Impact → Community Im, 2023
Community Im → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Nuese
Director
Chair → Past Chair, 2024
Past Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug Desmet
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kim Holm
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andy Lanoue
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Angie Hennen
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cedric Williams
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl Smith
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Maranell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Panka
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Voss
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracie Hansen
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hans Zahrbock
Vice Chair
Director → Resource Development, 2023
Resource Development → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shawna Christianson
Community Im
Director → Community Im, 2025
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Casey Pohlen
Treasurer
Director → Co Treasurer, 2024
Co Treasurer → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Suby
Resource Development
Director → Resource Development, 2024
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: Michelle Warme (2021–2024) — Co-Treasurer
- Former: Curt Schake (2022–2024) — Community Im
- Former: Hayley Fruin (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Molly Peterson (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: George Taylor III (2024) — Director
- Former: Joseph Karanja (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Melanie Pedersen (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: See Moua-Leske (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Terry Kriz (2021–2023) — Past Chair
- Former: Kassi Tietz (2023) — Director
- Former: Kevin Veldhuisen (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Krista Kopperud (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Sarah Kicmal (2021–2022) — Previous CEO
- Former: Amy Herrick (2021) — Past Chair
- Former: Bethany Janachovsky (2021) — Director
- Former: Julie Hartle (2021) — Director
- Former: Lee Steffen (2021) — Director
- Former: Luke Tietz (2021) — Community Impact
- Former: Michelle Doeling (2021) — Resource Development
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $55K, to Meg Louwagie (CEO).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 41, Marshall, MN 56258
Phone: (507) 929-2273
Website: https://unitedwayswmn.org
Frequently asked questions about United Way of Southwest Minnesota
How much does United Way of Southwest Minnesota give each year?
United Way of Southwest Minnesota gave $286K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $286K across 17 grants.
What is United Way of Southwest Minnesota's typical grant size?
United Way of Southwest Minnesota's median grant in 2025 was $15,526, and its average grant was $19,036, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from United Way of Southwest Minnesota that year got $8K on average.
Where does United Way of Southwest Minnesota give grants?
United Way of Southwest Minnesota gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Marshall, MN (11 grants).
Does United Way of Southwest Minnesota give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on United Way of Southwest Minnesota's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Youth Opportunity" (5 grants), "Community Resilience" (4 grants) and "Healthy Communities" (4 grants).
Who are United Way of Southwest Minnesota's largest grantees?
United Way of Southwest Minnesota's largest 2025 grantees include Imagination Library ($63,691), United Community Action PTSHP Kitchen Table Food Shelves ($32,500) and New Horizons Crisis Center Crime Victim Services ($26,388), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is United Way of Southwest Minnesota?
United Way of Southwest Minnesota reported $787K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $410K.
What does United Way of Southwest Minnesota fund?
The organization’s mission is “uniting people and resources to improve lives and strengthen communities in southwest Minnesota.” Its stated Community Impact priorities are Youth Opportunity, Healthy Communities, Financial Security, and Community Resilience. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of Southwest Minnesota?
The organization accepts unsolicited requests through its Small Grants and Community Impact Grant application processes. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is United Way of Southwest Minnesota's EIN?
United Way of Southwest Minnesota's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-6023143. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does United Way of Southwest Minnesota accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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