FMC Endowment Fund Update

RECENT SCHOLARSHIP and GRANTS

2024 State Honor Choir Scholarship Recipients @ $4,745

• 9-10:    18 scholarships
• 4-5-6:   13 scholarships
• 7-8:      19 scholarships

Special Note: All families and students who applied were awarded honor choir scholarships!

Thanks to a grant from the Twin Cities Opera Guild, we were able to offer additional Honor Choir scholarships last year.

2024 Summer Dialogue Scholarship Recipient

Summer Dialogue scholarship recipient is Angie Braunwarth-Hartwell who currently works at Mankato Middle School.

2024 Summer Dialogue Student Conductor Scholarship Recipients

Front (L-R) Emma Sivestri (St. Olaf College), Sophie Kessel (College of St. Scholastica), Casi Sas (Winona State University), and Jenna Altonen (College of St. Scholastica)

Back (LR) Dr. Mike McGaghie (Macalester College), Jakob Waller (St. John’s University), Joe Koroll (Concordia College), Sam Sadlowsky (Concordia College), Dr. Stephen Kingsbury (Southwest Minnesota State University)

2024 State Conference Transportation Grants

• Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs Cantabile – Michelle Gehrz, conductor
• Buffalo High School Unified Music – Zack Carlson-Giving, conductor
• Luther College Cathedral Choir – Mark Potvin, conductor
• Minnesota State University-Moorhead Concert Choir – Michael Johnson, conductor

Note:  All scholarship and grant applicants received awards!

REMARKABLE SUPPORT OF THE FMC ENDOWMENT FUND

Throughout these many years, the FMC Endowment Fund has expanded its support to our Minnesota choral music community by providing scholarships for members to attend graduate school, attend professional development conferences, support a needs-based state honor choir scholarship program, and support and encourage young music students to pursue choral conducting as a career. A new transportation grant program was launched in 2021 to assist choirs to perform in the annual ACDA-MN state conference, and beginning in 2023, the IDEA Fund has begun to support people and programs that are making choral music more equitable and inclusive. In addition, the fund provides considerable financial assistance to the ACDA-MN operational budget that considerably reduces registration rates for Summer Dialogue and State Conference, and further supports a portion of the salary for the Executive Director and Director of Development.

FEATURED SUPPORTER

Sarah Abelsen

Elementary Music Specialist and Choir Director at Minnewashta Elementary and past Board of Directors Secretary

When did you make your first donation to ACDA-MN?

My first donation was at my first Summer Dialogue in 2014. I loved the idea of competing districts, and, as an elementary teacher, I’m a sucker for a gold star to put on my name badge!

Why is it so important for you to contribute to ACDA-MN?

When I first started giving, it was because I love a good competition, but I continued to give because ACDA-MN has given me so much! What better way to give back than to fund the future of the organization?

What is one part of ACDA-MN’s future that excites you?

In the ten years that I’ve been a member of ACDA-MN, I have seen so much wonderful growth – a widening of our perspectives, our ideals, our beliefs about who we are – all to the benefit of our members, and the singers we work with on a daily basis. I can’t wait to see where we’ll go from here and I’m so proud to be able to support ACDA-MN by being a donor!

Now more than ever, your gifts have and will continue to make a huge difference in our ability to live out our mission as we seek to inspire and support a community of choral musicians in our state. Thanks a million!

FMC SCHOLARSHIP FUND SCORECARD (since 1997)

Number of scholarships and grants awarded: 695

Dollar Amount Awarded: $360,917

GIVE TO THE MAX DAY

Teaming up with hundreds of Minnesota nonprofits, ACDA of Minnesota, through its FMC Endowment Fund, will participate in the annual Give to the Max Day scheduled for Thursday, November 21, 2024. Special giving incentives will be offered throughout the day for donors to maximize their contributions. Historically, millions of dollars are generated each year for Minnesota non-profit organizations through the Give to the Max campaign.

2024 GIFTS TO THE FMC ENDOWMENT FUND

We thank these individuals who contributed to the FMC Endowment Fund during May-August, 2024.

2024 GIFTS TO THE FMC ENDOWMENT FUND

We apologize for any errors or omissions. Please contact Jamie Andrews at jandrews@acda-mn.org for any corrections.

Gifts to the FMC Endowment Fund

Acknowledge a mentor, colleague, relative, or friend by donating to the FMC Endowment Fund. Your donations in ANY amount are welcomed at ANY time.

Your gift to the FMC Endowment Fund supports choral music excellence in Minnesota today and into the future.  ACDA of Minnesota is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization and all gifts are tax deductible.

Make a Sustaining Gift

A sustaining gift is an easy way to make a difference everyday that works for your budget and schedule. It is convenient, customizable, and environmentally friendly, and helps ensure a steady source of funding for ACDA-MN.

You can set up your recurring gift by credit card now by going to GiveMN.org. Select “Donation,” then “Monthly donation”

Once you have entered your payment information and submitted your recurring gift, ACDA-MN will automatically deduct gifts monthly from your credit card according to the amount you select. And don’t worry—your online donation is secure and flexible.

For more information or to make an online contribution by credit card click acda-mn.org Or mail your contribution by December 31 to:

FMC Endowment Fund
Jamie Andrews, Executive Director
4445 44th Avenue South
Minneapolis MN. 55406
jandrews@acda-mn.org

We greatly appreciate your ongoing generosity and support. Thank you!

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT POLICY

ACDA-MN leadership, overseeing the FMC Endowment Fund and the Alice T. Larsen Memorial Scholarship Fund, annually advises our investment management firm to adopt selective investment strategies that utilize socially conscious investment options that focus on environmental, social, and corporate governance criteria.

Members of the FMC Endowment Fund Committee:

• Daniel Digre
• Marie Spar Dymit
• Rikka Estenson
• John Habermann
• Paula Holmberg, Chair
• Jon Kietzer
• Melanie Payne
• Andrew Parr
• Anne Klus
• Kathryn Larson
• Teri Larson
• David Mennicke
• Karla Miller
• Mark Nelson
• Ron Rydell
• Randy Schafer
• Daryl Timmer
• Michael Walsh, Past-Chair
• Jamie Andrews, Executive Director

Members of the FMC Advisory Committee

• Anton E. Armstrong
• Philip Brunelle
• Carol Barnett
• Abbie Betinis
• Rene Clausen
• Jocelyn Hagen
• Brian Newhouse
• Jake Runestad
• Kathy Saltzman Romey
• Timothy C. Takach
• Dale Warland