Scholarship and Education Fund to Benefit Students in the Win-E-Mac School District has been Activated

November 21, 2013 -- Bemidji, MN –A scholarship and education fund to benefit students in the Win-E-Mac school district has been activated through a trust and agreement with the Arthur I. Snustad estate.

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) has begun a process to plan for distributions from the Arthur I. and Jane B. Snustad Education Fund, which was established in 2005 with Snustad and his legal advisor. Upon Snustad’s death, his assets were distributed to family, friends, and other interests, with the remainder going to NMF for the fund. The total gift is estimated at up to $2 million, once parcels of real estate are sold.

The fund will provide scholarships to students who graduate from Win-E-Mac High School with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and who have been accepted at a post-secondary education institution. The scholarships are renewable for up to four years.

The fund also provides support for the school district in the form of grants that support education programs, projects and activities. Snustad wanted to encourage, inspire and support student interest in education and help them be prepared for post-secondary education.

Snustad’s granddaughter DeAnn Givens said, “Grandpa loved to talk about his days at the University of Minnesota. He grew up in the Great Depression and had to work for everything he needed when just a kid. His first job was on a potato farm in Winger. He knew he had to work to go to college and get an education.”

She added, “He wanted kids from where he grew up to have great schools and a better chance at the opportunity to get to college.”

Randy Bruer, Superintendent of Win-E-Mac said, “This was a big surprise. With funding from the Snustad Education Fund, our first opportunity will be to recommend that the grant dollars be used to include new curriculum and cutting edge equipment in our shop to inspire students’ interest in construction, welding, small gas engines and machining technology.

“The Snustad scholarships will make a huge impact in the lives of students attending the Win-E-Mac School,” Supt. Bruer said. “Arthur came from our rural communities and knew that every young child needs a chance to develop skills to prepare themselves for the future of work or post-secondary education. The scholarships will inspire students to extend their education beyond high school and help them plan for post-secondary choices. Win-E-Mac is fortunate to have such a great man graduate from McIntosh high school.”

Snustad fulfilled his desire to create his legacy by naming the Northwest Minnesota Foundation as a beneficiary in a Revocable Living Trust prepared by his attorney.

Transferring assets into a trust can seem so final, but a revocable living trust allowed Snustad to maintain the ability to change or amend it throughout his lifetime. The trust also planned for management of the property if he became incapacitated. Another advantage was avoiding probate, which can delay the distribution of assets and add to expenses.

To learn more about this fund or about revocable trusts and other planned gifts, contact NMF at 800-659-7859.

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation serves twelve northwestern Minnesota counties by investing resources, facilitating collaboration, and promoting philanthropy to make the region a better place to live and work.