As I returned to work from the holidays, I knew I had to get the Sauer Family Foundation on track to closing. This time is bittersweet for me. In December, I celebrated 20 years as the Executive Director of the Sauer Family Foundation.  It has been a wonderful privilege to do this work with the Sauers and my staff. I know that closing the foundation is the right thing to do for many reasons. There has never been a better time to take money out of investments and put it in community to support good work.

We will spend 2026 planning final grants with our grantees and taking the proposals to two board meetings, one in the Spring and one in the Fall. Two of our four funding priorities are still open for grant inquiries – Building Strong Family Relationships & Building Supportive Environments that Promote Emotional Safety.

Our intent is to share the knowledge we have gained through our work in helpful ways and make connections for people before we close. We are cognizant of the systems work we are leaving for others to carry forward in challenging times, and we hope to equip them as well as we can.

We will wrap up our work in the community in the early summer months of 2027 and gather to celebrate 30 years of extraordinary partnerships. This work has been amazing due to the on-the-ground work of our grantees. On behalf of our board and staff, we cannot thank you enough for your love and care for children, youth, and families in Minnesota.

— Colleen