As you may have read in the Executive Director’s column, AURI is taking steps to strengthen the organization’s service offerings to Minnesota farmers, entrepreneurs and businesses by increasing and diversifying its funding sources. With the needs of those whom the organization helps surpassing its available resources, AURI decided to explore new alternatives to support the innovative ideas that exist across Minnesota.
One of the best options to help address this need is to accept tax-deductible charitable donations from organizations and individuals who support AURI’s mission. Donations will support resources to advance innovation in AURI’s focus areas: Food, Biobased Products, Renewable Energy and Coproducts. “The end result will be more education, technical assistance, and awareness to bring new products and processes to market than before, enhanced R&D efforts and ultimately a greater benefit to Minnesota’s economy,” said AURI Executive Director Shannon Schlecht.
To make the process as simple as possible, AURI plans to enlist the help of an online fundraising platform to make it easy for AURI’s supporters to donate to the organization. Supporters, partners and past clients can now help support AURI’s mission and play a meaningful role in its many worthwhile endeavors to advance innovative food and agricultural ideas. “We’re embracing this technology because it ensures more of the donation goes directly to advancing innovation and less to administrative costs,” said Schlecht.
AURI plans to have its online donation platform in place by the end of the summer, but in the meantime supporters can also mail a contribution to AURI’s Crookston office, located at 510 County Road 71, Suite 120, Crookston, MN 56716.
AURI hopes you will consider supporting its work to bolster food and agricultural innovation in Minnesota by making a donation today. Your tax-deductible contribution will help make a meaningful difference to the state’s producers, small businesses and entrepreneurs as AURI is able to add resources to further educate, train and provide technical assistance to individuals from north to south and east to west. This, in turn, will further utilization of the state’s commodities and to advance innovative new uses and value added products across Minnesota and the region.