One of the principle purposes of the Lamberton Area Community Foundation is to promote and facilitate the distribution of charitable donations to our area. Many lives have been enriched thanks to over $21,000 in grants being distributed in our area with the latest $6,000 being distributed in the summer of 2026.
If you live within the Lamberton zip code (56152) or one of the following townships you are eligible: Highwater, Germantown, Charlestown or Lamberton.
Applications must be a 501c3 organization, unit of government or be a partner with a qualifying organization to receive funds. We offer one grant cycle ending on May 31. For more information, send a request to: lambertoncommunity@gmail.com
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Awarded Grants
Imagination Play Area at Lamberton Public Library – $500
This grant will help the Lamberton Public Library create an Imagination Play Area, with hands-on stations that extend reading into imaginative play. Library Director Alicia Vogel plans a set of stations, each with its own theme, like a kitchen, a garage, a doctor's office, or a campsite. As kids invent and act out stories inspired by the props at each station, they're learning new vocabulary and practicing skills that support reading. The library is a gathering place for kids and families all through the year, and the Imagination Play Area makes it a place where kids learn through play as well as books.
IT Career Training for High School Students – $3,000
This grant will help fund a new Digital Skills and IT Career Pathway program at Red Rock Central High School. Tiffany Batalden, Technology Coordinator at Red Rock Central, applied for the grant, which makes it possible for juniors and seniors to work toward real IT certifications, like those from Google and Microsoft, during their 4A period. Students in the program will also provide school-based tech support and take on project-based work that puts their skills to use. The program is built around the kind of IT careers in demand across rural Minnesota, giving students a path toward employment, technical training, or continuing their education after graduation.
New Pagers for Ambulance Responders – $2,500
This grant supports the purchase of new EMS pagers for the City of Lamberton Community Ambulance Service, replacing aging units and equipping new responders. Kim Mittelstadt, Ambulance Service Director and EMT, applied for the grant. The service's call volume from 2024 to 2025 doubled, and dependable communication has never been more important. The new pagers will make sure every responder gets reliable call notifications, improving response times and helping the service recruit and retain volunteers. Lamberton's ambulance service covers 3 cities and 11 townships and approximately 2,500 residents across a large rural area.
Lamberton Swimming Pool Improvements
For more than 60 years, the pool has been a gathering place. Kids spend their summers there. Teenagers earn their first paychecks. Neighbors cool off and reconnect. It's the only pool within 20 miles, and it brings our community together. The pool needed critical repairs to stay open, and the community came through. The Lamberton Area Community Foundation raised $30,000 for improvements identified by the Pool Committee. The Lamberton Lions Club donated $10,000 and challenged the community to match it. Area residents and businesses answered with $20,000, doubling the challenge.
Welcome to Lamberton Signs
In August 2025 the Lamberton Commercial Club received a $700 grant to help replace weather-damaged welcome signs at both ends of town. Jane Zimmerman and Barb Lagrue, representing the Commercial Club, received the funding to help cover the cost of new signs made from durable materials designed to withstand harsh weather conditions. These signs will greet visitors and showcase community pride as travelers enter our community.
RRC Weekend Food Program
In August 2025 the Foundation awarded a $2,500 grant to support the Redrock Rock Central (RRC) Weekend Food Program at Red Rock Central School District. This program ensures students in grades PreK-12 have nutritious meals when school is out for the weekend. Rachel Karnitz runs the program and coordinates weekly distribution of food bags containing breakfast, lunch, and snacks to approximately 45 students. Since starting in spring 2023, the program has consistently served students in need. Through partnerships with Second Harvest Heartland, each dollar provides $3-6 worth of food for families.