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United Way of Southwest Minnesota Awards Kindness Investment Program (KIP) Grant to Southwest MN Hacks
MARSHALL, MN — The United Way of Southwest Minnesota (UWSWMN) has awarded a $1,000 Kindness Investment Program (KIP) Grant to Southwest MN Hacks. This funding will support the Southwest MN Student Hackathon on September 12, 2026. During this 24-hour event, participants will design, code, and present projects to solve real business problems.
"We are thrilled to support Southwest MN Hacks with a KIP Grant," said Tanya Moat, CEO of the United Way of Southwest Minnesota. "Initiatives like this are vital for connecting emerging student talent with local employers and helping us retain high-skilled talent in rural communities."
The event is open to students of all skill levels, and participants may compete individually or in teams of up to four. There is no cost to participate, and the hackathon will take place at Southwest Minnesota State University.
"The hackathon is more than just a competition; it is an incredible opportunity for students to receive hands-on guidance from experienced mentors and connect directly with potential employers," said Tesfa Desta, Southwest MN Hacks Organizer. "We are excited to have judges joining us from companies like Meta and OpenAI to evaluate student work. Additionally, past winners have gone on to continue developing their projects with sponsoring businesses, proving what a powerful catalyst this is for workforce development in Southwest Minnesota."
For more information on the upcoming Southwest MN Hackathon, please visit https://www.southwestmnhacks.org/.
KIP Grants are awarded year-round, dependent on available funding, to nonprofit organizations, public schools, and government units for small-scale, community-level projects not currently receiving funding through a Community Impact Grant. The UWSWMN Board reviews requests and may award up to $1,000 for projects that align with one or more of UWSWMN’s priority areas: Youth Opportunities, Healthy Communities, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency.
Projects must occur within the UWSWMN service area and benefit residents in Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Yellow Medicine, and portions of Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Nobles, and Redwood counties. Complete guidelines are available at unitedwayswmn.org/kindness-investment-program-kip.
For more information about the work of your local United Way, please visit UnitedWaySWMN.org.