Charitable Funds Established in 2025
In 2025, we were pleased to welcome 36 new funds established by philanthropic individuals, families and businesses throughout our community. Charitable funds established in 2025: 650 Second Avenue Legacy Fund All American North Trail* Berg Legacy Fund Bethesda Lutheran Church Foundation Fund BIO Girls Permanent Endowment Fund Brittany Brandt Donor Advised Fund Darren and Andrea […]
FM Area Foundation Invites Community to Celebrate $100 Million in Grants Awarded
The FM Area Foundation is inviting community members, nonprofit partners, donors and professional advisors to join a special Summer Celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 11, as the Foundation marks a significant milestone: more than $100 million in grants awarded to charitable causes throughout Cass and Clay counties. For more than 65 years, the FM Area Foundation […]
Join Us for the Lakes Area Happy Hour
The FM Area Foundation team is excited to return to lakes country for our annual donor happy hour on July 16, 2026, at Detroit Mountain in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Thanks to generous donors like you, more than $100 million has been granted to strengthen communities across our region. Join fellow fundholders, donors, and friends for […]
Rethinking legacy: Balancing gifts to heirs with the community’s future
Next time you meet with your estate planning attorney, it may be a good idea to check in on your long-term plans and ask yourself questions you might not yet have considered. Some planners, for example, report that more and more clients are reconsidering an automatic estate distribution to heirs. Instead, their clients are evaluating […]
Charitable giving, due diligence, and how the FM Area Foundation can help
Many people want to be thoughtful in their charitable giving, but that doesn’t always make the process easy. In fact, one of the most common challenges donors face is simply feeling confident in their decisions. With so many worthy organizations, urgent needs, and compelling opportunities, it can be difficult to know where to start—or how […]
What type of fund, or funds, is right for you?
At the FM Area Foundation, we know that charitable giving is deeply personal and that choosing the right tools matters just as much as choosing the causes you care about. Whether you are considering establishing your first fund with the FM Area Foundation or considering adding another fund to complement the ones you already have, […]
Eye on the storms: Keep giving
Uncertain times often cause people to pause and reassess. Whether the uncertainty comes from markets, employment changes, health concerns or the general feeling that the world is unpredictable, it is natural to wonder what this means for your financial plan. For many donors, that uncertainty also raises a question about charitable giving: should I slow […]
Why 2026 is different: Four tax-time reminders
It’s tax season, which means it’s a terrific time to ensure that your charitable giving goals are on track. If you’ve already established a fund at the FM Area Foundation, please reach out to discuss your charitable priorities for 2026 and beyond. If you’ve not yet established a fund but are considering doing so, we […]
Two Opportunities to Meet in Arizona
The FM Area Foundation team is looking forward to hosting two upcoming events in Arizona. North Dakota Picnic in Arizona Sunday, March 1 | 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Red Mountain Park (7745 E Brown Rd) | Mesa, Arizona The North Dakota Picnic in Arizona is happening March 1 at the Red Mountain Park in Mesa, […]
Donor-advised funds: Bunching, abundance, and flexibility
Many people establish a donor-advised fund at the FM Area Foundation to simplify their giving, stay organized, and even engage the next generation in philanthropy. And, for some families, 2025 is the year when the donor-advised fund takes on an even bigger role in aligning charitable giving goals with changing tax laws. Even families who […]