Grants support education, community and cultural initiatives
MANKATO, Minn., March 16, 2011—The HickoryTech Foundation is pleased to announce today 28 grant awards totaling $111,300 for the upcoming fiscal year. This funding level is a 43 percent increase in grant awards from one year ago. Dedicated to helping the communities where it does business, the HickoryTech Foundation supports initiatives and programs that enhance and strengthen initiatives in the areas of education, community and culture.
Grants are being awarded to the following organizations: Minnesota State University-Mankato, scholarships; $10,000, Minnesota State University-Mankato, theatre performance sponsorship; $10,000, South Central College-North Mankato; scholarships, $10,000; VINE Faith in Action, Chores on Wheels Program; $7,500, Educare Foundation, Educator Initiative/Mini Grants; $7,500, Committee Against Domestic Abuse, playground project; $5,000, Feeding Our Community Partners, Backpack Food Program; $5,000, Greater Mankato Diversity Council, Prejudice Reduction Workshops; $5,000, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Zoo Safari Program; $5,000, Science Museum of Minnesota, Be Creative, Be an Engineer program library tour; $5,000, Teresa House and Welcome Inn Shelters, youth and adult education programs; $5,000, ARC of Minnesota (Aktion Club Theatre of Mankato), theatre performance; $3,000, Junior Achievement, JA Titan Program; $3,000, Mankato Symphony Orchestra, Family Concert Series; $3,000, Merely Players Community Theatre, theatre sponsorship; $3,000, YWCA-Mankato, Women’s Leadership Program; $3,000, ECHO Food Shelf, Thanksgiving food baskets; $2,500, Blue Earth County Historical Society, Front Street Project; $2,500, Northland Foundation, Gender Matters Educational Seminars, $2,500, LEEP, Special Olympics participation; $2,000, City Center Partnership, CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour; $2,000, Let’s Soar Together, Waukee, Iowa Schools technology learning project; $2,000, Lake Crystal Area Rec Center, traversing wall equipment; $1,500, Ruth’s House of Hope, housing program; $1,500, Waseca County 4-H Arts in Program, sound system, $1,500, Waseca County Historical Society, portable public address system, $1,300, St. Peter Creative Play Place, literacy lending bags program; $1,000 and Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Board, community celebration; $1,000.
“This year we’re very pleased to award grants to 28 non-profit organizations to support their programs and initiatives,” said Lyle Jacobson, HickoryTech Foundation president. “HickoryTech Foundation and the Corporation have a long history of supporting community organizations and helping to make our community a better place to live.”
Grants through the HickoryTech Foundation are awarded on an annual basis and through a grant application process. Proposals for the next fiscal year are due Dec. 1, 2011. The HickoryTech Foundation fiscal year runs March through February. More information on the HickoryTech Foundation is available at
www.hickorytech.com/foundation.
Additionally, the HickoryTech Foundation’s Employee Matching Gift Program provided nearly $15,000 in support to non-profit organizations last year. Furthermore, the Foundation’s Employee Volunteer Bonus Program provides a monetary contribution to non-profit organizations of which employees volunteer 40 hours or more during a year.
About HickoryTech Foundation
Built on a tradition of community leadership and corporate responsibility, the HickoryTech Foundation has donated millions of dollars to worthy organizations and focuses its outreach charitable giving to support the communities served by the company. The HickoryTech Foundation, originated in 1963, contributes to numerous non-profit organizations in the areas of education, community and culture.
About HickoryTech
HickoryTech Corporation is a leading communications provider serving business and residential customers in the upper Midwest. With headquarters in Mankato, Minn., the corporation has 460 employees and an expanded, regional fiber network spanning more than 2,750 route miles serving Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota. Enventis provides IP-based voice and data solutions, MPLS networking, data center and managed hosted services and communication systems to businesses across a five-state region. HickoryTech delivers broadband Internet, Digital TV, voice and data services to businesses and consumers in southern Minnesota and northwest Iowa. NASDAQ: HTCO. For more information, visit
www.hickorytech.com.