OWATONNA — Grants supporting small towns in the region were announced this week by the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.

SMIF approved 22 grants totaling $190,215 to towns of 10,000 or less in the foundation’s 20-county region.

Among the 2022 Small Town Grant awards were:

• $10,000 to Lafayette to build a safety ramp to the new platform of the bandstand in collaboration with volunteers to bring a sense of connection and pride to the community.

• $10,000 to Sleepy Eye Economic Development Authority to develop a walking tour brochure and signage for historic buildings in town, enabling residents and visitors to learn more about the history of the buildings, the businesses that housed them and community history.

• $10,000 to Springfield for a veteran’s memorial park to enhance the social, cultural, educational, spiritual, economic and physical quality of life in the great Springfield community and the historic downtown.

“The interest in this program has greatly expanded since its start in 2017,” said Tim Penny, president and CEO of SMIF. “There are so many people who want to make a difference in the place they call home, and this grant can help them achieve that.”

The Small Town Grant program was launched in 2017 to support smaller communities which can benefit from additional financial resources to help them grow and address challenges. Since then, SMIF has supported 91 projects through the Small Town Grant program.

The Small Town Grant program is supported, in part, by a donation in memory of Paul Johnson, who wanted southern Minnesota’s smallest communities to thrive.