We recognize a non-profit of the month with $1,000

Chad Kulas

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We recognize a non-profit of the month with $1,000_Chad Kulas.mp3

Minnesota can jokingly be called the “land of 10,000 nonprofits” for all the charitable organizations calling our state home. And the Midway can feel like the epicenter of them; our proximity to the Capitol, transit options, and central location in the metro have led to an abundance of the sector.
While some may only think of businesses when they think of a chamber of commerce (the name does suggest it, doesn’t it?) chambers typically also have nonprofit members and the Midway Chamber is no exception. In fact, due to our large number of nearby nonprofits we can boast more than most other chambers our size (and in some cases more than larger chambers). A fun fact – chambers of commerce are also nonprofits.
In 2016, the Midway Chamber was looking for a way to recognize our nonprofits on a regular basis, and the Nonprofit of the Month award was created. At our monthly membership luncheon, we recognize a deserving nonprofit and invite them to say a few words and hand out marketing material. Often, the nonprofit we recognize has an upcoming program or major event we want them to promote. Other times they may have recently hired a key new staff member.
The award was brainstormed by Mike Zipko, a former board member who is a co-founder and principal at Velocity Public Affairs. Our initial sponsor of the award was Hiway Credit Union, who became Blaze Credit Union when they joined forces with SPIRE Credit Union early 2024. At our annual Celebration of Nonprofits event in December, Blaze made the announcement that each honoree would also receive $1,000; they even announced they will honor each of the 2024 recipients with $1,000, too. For many of our nonprofits, that donation goes a long way and it’s one of the perks of the job to know we can help make a difference to their mission.
The value in membership for a nonprofit can start with the desire to get connected to businesses. Our for-profit members often times end up volunteering for the nonprofit members, as well as making donations, attending their events and even serving on their board of directors.
Nonprofits play a vital role in our community, and it goes beyond their actual mission. Their leaders and also leaders in our city, and they employ many of our residents. Those employees are also utilizing our businesses, paying taxes, and making professional connections with our business and educators.
It’s fun to honor different nonprofits and learn about their work. I look forward to recognizing a new one every month in 2025 and finding out how they’re building a stronger Midway.