The Hudson, Wis.-based St. Croix Valley Foundation recently announced awards from two of its grant programs totaling $232,000 in funds to support arts initiatives and early childhood education. The Valley Arts Initiative provided $65,000 to 18 recipients, while the First Thousand Days Program awarded $167,000 to 13 organizations.
The First Thousand Days initiative seeks to ensure every child in the St. Croix Valley has a strong start in life. The funding was made possible by Bill and Rita Lawson of Somerset, WI, who established the First Thousand Days Field of Interest Fund with the St. Croix Valley Foundation in 2022.
“This kind of collaboration is what makes the St. Croix Valley special,” said Neil Kline, Development and Communications Manager at Family Resource Center and Executive Director of Family Friendly Workplaces. “We all understand the importance of early childhood development, and by working together and building on each other’s strengths, we’re expanding the circle of people who know about it, care about it, and want to support it. And that’s good for our kids and our rural communities.”
The Valley Arts Initiative Fund is an endowed fund created to support arts organizations and programs in Washington and Chisago counties in Minnesota, and Burnett, Polk, St. Croix, and Pierce counties in Wisconsin. The program has awarded more than $691,000 over the past 23 years to support artists and nonprofits, engage the community, and strengthen the creative fabric of the region.
“These grants aren’t just about funding events—they’re nurturing creativity, belonging, and community pride,” said Angie Pilgrim, Vice President of Community Impact at St. Croix Valley Foundation. “Across the Valley, we’re seeing the arts bring people together—sparking conversations, lifting spirits, and strengthening the cultural fabric of this special place we call home.”
2025 First Thousand Days Grant Recipients:
- Bridge to Books – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (Washington County): $10,000
- Chisago Lakes School District #2144 – Early Childhood Education (Chisago County): $5,000
- Elsie’s Barnyard – Babies at the Barnyard (Pierce County): $3,000
- Family Friendly Workplaces, Inc. – General Operating (Regional): $5,000
- Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley – General Operating (Regional): $30,000
- Lakeview Hospital – Little Moments Count (Regional): $30,000
- Larsen Family Public Library – Storytime Program (Burnett County): $1,000
- Mahtomedi Early Childhood – General Operating (Washington County): $5,000
- Pierce County Public Health Department – Birth to 3 (Pierce County): $8,000
- Reach Out and Read Minnesota – General Operating (Regional): $30,000
- Reach Out and Read Wisconsin – General Operating (Regional): $30,000
- Western Dairyland EOC – Child Care Partnership Program (St. Croix County): $5,000
- Wyoming Area Creative Arts Community – Babies Are Artists, Too! (Chisago County): $5,000
2025 Valley Arts Grant Recipients:
- ArtReach St. Croix: Mobile Art Gallery features Poets of Place – $5,000 (Washington)
- ArtReach St. Croix as Fiscal Agent: Movies, Melodies & Memories – $1,000 (Washington)
- Belwin Conservancy: Music in the Trees – $5,000 (Washington)
- Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center: Arts in Nature Summer Camp – $1,000 (St. Croix)
- Franconia Sculpture Park: General Operating – $5,000 (Chisago)
- Gammelgarden Museum: Spelmansstämman–Swedish & Mexican Folk Art – $5,000 (Washington)
- Marine Library Association: Monthly Poetry Night – $2,400 (Washington)
- Marine Mills Folk School: General Operating – $2,600 (Washington)
- Music Saint Croix: Season Concerts 2025-26 – $2,000 (Washington)
- North Woods and Waters: Once Upon a River – $5,000 (Polk)
- Open Door Community Theatre: The Producers – $2,000 (Washington)
- Philadelphia Community Farm: Will You Miss Me? – $5,000 (Polk)
- Square Lake Film & Music Festival: Film Showcase – $5,000 (Washington)
- St. Croix Valley Opera: Opera on the River Festival – $5,000 (Washington)
- Summit Players Theatre: Shakespeare in the State Parks – $2,000 (Polk)
- The Acreage: Healing Through Pollinators and Photography – $5,000 (Polk)
- Washington County 4-H: Arts-In – $2,000 (Washington)
- Wyoming Area Creative Arts Community: General Operating – $5,000 (Chisago)
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