Deep Local Roots. A Community Fund Built for the Stillwater Area.
The Stillwater Area Community Foundation has been growing generosity close to home since 2010. As one of the St. Croix Valley Foundation’s local community affiliates, we are locally led, hometown-focused, and deeply connected to the needs and opportunities of the Stillwater area.
Our volunteer advisory board guides the Stillwater Area Community Fund — the permanent community endowment created to invest in what matters most right here. With local insight and the regional strength of the St. Croix Valley Foundation behind us, we help generosity grow into lasting impact for the communities of Bayport, Bayport Township, Grant, Lake Elmo, Marine on St. Croix, May Township, Oak Park Heights, Stillwater, Stillwater Township, and West Lakeland Township—today and for generations to come.
Give Where You Live. Grow What You Love.
The Stillwater Area Community Fund is a long-term, permanent community endowment that fuels local grants, local partnerships, and local impact.
Gifts to the Stillwater Area Community Fund stay in the Stillwater area—supporting priorities identified by the people who know this community best. And because we’re part of the St. Croix Valley Foundation, donors can choose to give locally or Valley-wide or both with confidence that every gift is wisely managed and built to last.
How Local Generosity Shows Up
Grants from the Stillwater Area Community Fund:
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Empower youth through the Ponies Care program, providing hands-on learning, community service opportunities, and inspiring young people to make a difference.
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Make driver’s education more affordable for teens from low-income families, giving them access to essential training, greater independence, and new opportunities for the future.
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Support mental health initiatives and spark creativity in our community—expanding access to vital mental health services and through the Great Idea’s grant program brightening Union Alley with Artwork.
Local Grants that Strengthen the Stillwater Area
Each year, we award grants to local nonprofits through the Stillwater Area Community Fund—supporting programs that reflect our community’s values, priorities, and vision for the future.
Our grant cycles typically open in June, with decisions sent in the fall. Guidelines and application links are posted here when available.
Stillwater area nonprofits may also be eligible for regional grant opportunities offered through the St. Croix Valley Foundation, including the Vibrant Communities Mental Health Grants, which bring affiliates together with the Foundation to support mental health and wellbeing across our six-county region.
Our locally-led, regionally supported grant programs are designed to strengthen community life—and help the Stillwater area thrive.
Where Great Ideas Take Root & Grow
The Great Idea Competition empowers bold thinkers with up to $10,000 to make real, measurable change in their communities. From interactive history trails and pollinator gardens to vibrant art spaces and youth enrichment projects, winning ideas reflect the heart of the Stillwater area and its neighbors.
By inviting groups and organizations to dream big and act boldly, this program strengthens community connections, elevates local pride, and enriches the quality of life across our region. Each year’s success stories prove that when local passion meets support, remarkable things happen throughout the St. Croix Valley.
2025 Grantee Spotlight: Lights, Camera, Stillwater!
In 2025, the Great Idea Competition proudly supports the launch of the Stillwater Film Festival—a bold, visionary event designed to become a locally loved and nationally recognized celebration of cinema in Stillwater, Minnesota. Over three days and four nights, residents and visitors will gather to experience powerful storytelling on the big screen—right here at home.
This festival will elevate Stillwater’s identity, energize local businesses, and offer an arts experience typically found only in major metropolitan areas. By bringing people together to share in the magic of film, the festival will spark community pride, invite volunteer participation, and create a signature weekend that neighbors can’t wait to share.
Impact Spotlight: Union Art Alley Transforms Stillwater
What started as a gritty, forgotten alley in downtown Stillwater has now blossomed into a vibrant art destination thanks to a $10,000 Great Idea Grant. What locals once called “trash alley” is now Union Art Alley — a colorful stroll of murals, installations, performances, and joyful gatherings that draw both neighbors and visitors to linger, take photos, eat, and connect.
This transformation shows the power of community creativity and collaboration — from business owners and artists to city partners — and illustrates just how big an impact a small seed of support can have.
Led by Local Volunteers Who Know & Love This Community
Affiliate advisory board members are trusted local leaders who guide grantmaking from the Stillwater Area Community Fund, build donor connections, and help ensure philanthropy reflects local needs and aspirations.
Role of the Board:
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Recommend grants that strengthen the Stillwater area
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Champion local philanthropy and share impact stories
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Cultivate donor relationships rooted in trust
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Share community insight that guides both local and regional strategy
Stillwater Area Community Foundation Board of Directors:
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Tom McCarty, Chair
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Patrick Boley, Vice Chair
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Laurie Dick
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Bob Gray
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Jacob Grow
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Tracy Kempenich, Secretary
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Cecily Harris
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Erica Oesterreich
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Mary Richie
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Sheila-Marie Untiedt
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Marty Voves, Treasurer
Help Grow the Future of the Stillwater Area
Whether you give, volunteer, or help spread the word, you’re part of something bigger—a community growing good, one gift at a time.
Ways to Get Involved:
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Give to the Stillwater Area Community Fund
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Start a donor-advised fund to support the Stillwater area
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Leave a legacy gift that benefits your hometown
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Join the Stillwater Area Community Foundation board
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Share stories of impact from the Stillwater Area Community Foundation
