New look; same goals for Hanson Foundation

Hanson Foundation commited to growing north Iowa, has surpassed $50 Million in Awarded Funds
Since its founding in 1970, the Hanson Foundation has awarded over $52 million to organizations in more than 100 communities–the vast majority in north central Iowa. Of that total, $1,168,695 has been awarded to 26 organizations in Lake Mills including the Lake Mills Historical Society, Foundation for Community Improvement, Lake Mills Family Fitness Center, and Lake Mills Entertainment for renovation of The Mills. The organization surpassed the $50 million mark this summer, a milestone that attests to its standing as one of the top philanthropic foundations in the state of Iowa.
Intimately involved in the growth of north Iowa, in her position as Executive Director of Winn-Worth BETCO, Teresa Nicholson, noted that the assistance of the foundaton has been invaluable in many communities, and that the face of north Iowa would be starkly different, if not for the Hanson Foundation.
“Without the Hanson Foundation and their contributions to projects across North Iowa, we may not have refurbished buildings for new businesses (like Teluwut) in Lake Mills, Forest City, and surrounding communities. There would be no Fine Arts Center, no YMCA, no Hanson Fieldhouse, no new housing projects, and many other things in Forest City, let alone our other communities. The Hanson Foundation impact is significant and far reaching.
The projects they have participated in have created jobs, have created recreational and housing opportunities for our residents, and have helped improve and grow our communities and our region,” Nicholson said.
 Lake Mills Mayor, Candy Hanna, herself a long-time member of the Lake Mills Volunteer Ambulance Service, as well as an elected official, agrees. “The Hanson Foundation has done a tremendous amount of good for Lake Mills,” she noted, pointing to numerous donations to the ambulance service, the Park and Recreation Department, the Lake Mills Area Historical Society, among many others. She added, “Without the generous donations of this foundation, Lake Mills—and many other communities—would not be able to enjoy some of the services and amenities they currently can offer to their citizens.”
The Hanson Family Foundation, established as the John K. and Luise V. Hanson Foundation, is administered by the second generation of the Hanson family: Mary Jo (Hanson) Boman, John V. Hanson, and Paul D. Hanson. They maintain homes and an active presence in the communities of Forest City and Clear Lake while enjoying retirement in warmer climates.
“My parents understood that by setting up a foundation, we would have a structure with parameters for giving,” said Boman, “one that could make a positive impact in the communities that Winnebago employees called home and the surrounding areas.”
Boman pointed to the foundation’s capacity to serve as a philanthropic partner as did her brother, John V. Hanson. They share pride in the organization’s ability to establish effective, long-term local partnerships.   
“We [the Hanson Foundation] are typically a partner in a project and not the sole funding source,” said Hanson. “We make projects possible that result in a shared sense of ownership. People come to us knowing that our assistance helps ensure success while strengthening the outcome.”
Foundation recipients represent diverse interests and their supported projects reach a wide number of families. As a result, the Hanson Foundation has a broad impact within communities. Grants typically align inside three primary areas: arts and culture, family recreation, and youth development and education. From its earliest days, the foundation has been particularly supportive of projects with the capacity of making a positive and broad impact.
“There are so many ways our lives intersect with the foundation because they not only support brick and mortar projects but also organizations themselves” noted Forest City resident, Rick Skjeie. “For instance, on weekends we might be sitting in one of the shared athletic facilities to watch one or both of our daughters cheer–Payton for Waldorf and Audrey for Forest City. And they both are learning to golf, so our family enjoys the Back Nine at Bear Creek together. Plus our children have enjoyed sports camps through the Y or Waldorf, and this summer, Carter was on stage with BrickStreet Theatre getting to see what it’s like to be in plays. We also use the bike trails regularly, and all the children have been part of the Y’s after school program.”
“In the beginning, there was the family with me, who they asked to assist, sitting around the bank’s board room table with a stack of grant requests,” said Linda Kay, the foundation’s key administrative officer. “The foundation steadily grew, from responding to requests once a year to the quarterly cycle we do now.”
Kay saw the amount of grants grow substantially in the mid-90s as the family’s second generation became the primary guiding benefactors and the foundation’s assets reached a level able to sustain gifts in larger amounts.
“The family–each one of them–has a heart for giving and has set an example for me. I contribute more to places because I’ve seen them do it,” said Kay, who values her foundation role. “I’ve never felt this was a job. Not in a traditional sense. Each quarter as requests come in, I am amazed by what has been accomplished,” she said.
Nicholson noted the role of the Hanson philosophy and vision, “The Hanson Foundation has played a part in the continued development of our area through funds that have helped our communities build housing projects, recreational trails and other recreational opportunities, allow our local fire departments and ambulance services to acquire new equipment and vehicles, and many other things. We should be appreciative and thankful that John K. and Luise V. Hanson had the foresight to set up a foundation to continue their philanthropy into perpetuity. What a generous gift they made to our residents and communities and continue to give, even after they are both gone.”
Hanson family members continue to model leadership in giving and share Kay’s sense of awe at the scope of the foundation’s long-term impact. From individual Eagle Scout projects executed by volunteers to multi-million dollar construction projects, the foundation excels at collaborative partnerships. Recent examples are the athletic complexes in Forest City–two shared facilities that benefit the school district and Waldorf University while serving as pre-season training locations for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps of Lacrosse, Wisconsin. However the YMCA, the foundation’s first collaborative endeavor, remains a stand-out endeavor.
“Looking back, I think one of the projects that shines as having a large community impact is the YMCA in Forest City–how it’s tied to the Waldorf facilities,” said Boman. “Without it, there wouldn’t be a place for people of all ages to come together for a variety of activities for health and wellness. And it’s been filling that role now for generations.”
The foundation, with total assets in excess of $60 million, is poised for a philanthropic future as strong as its past. Its healthy financial standing ensures grants will remain ongoing for generations to come. In addition, the third generation has become actively involved in the foundation’s decision-making processes.
“As the next generation becomes involved in guiding the foundation, my hope is that it remains centered and focused on the communities of north central Iowa, to serve them first,” said Boman, reflecting on her parents’ commitment to the families of the employees who made Winnebago Industries an industry leader. “My parents–our family–acknowledged they didn’t do it alone. The Hanson Foundation wouldn’t exist had it not been for Winnebago. Giving from the foundation is our way of giving back.”
Boman and Hanson acknowledge the foundation’s historical ties to Winnebago Industries. Today, connections established through MBT Bank also help the foundation maintain strong ties to north Iowa communities and Rochester, Minnesota.
“The next generation seems to have a good feel for the foundation’s role as a philanthropic partner,” said Hanson. “My hope is they continue the path we’ve been on.”