The Otto Bremer Trust Makes $47 Million in Grants in 2016

Serving as both a trustee and co-CEO of the Otto Bremer Trust, Daniel Reardon brings more than 20 years of experience to his role. Working alongside his fellow trustees, Daniel Reardon oversaw a record-breaking year for the trust in 2016. 

At the beginning of 2017, the trust announced that it has distributed $47.3 million to people, places, and organizations throughout the Upper Midwest. In total, the trust contributed to the activities of over 550 organizations, with the investments focused on those that provided services that improve Bremer communities.

Grants included one of $50,000 to Steele County Clothesline, Inc., in support of a project that provided clothing and general household items to residents of the county, and one of $43,500 to Owatonna Healthy Seniors Program to help the organization offer volunteer services.

Further, it provided grants of $1 million to three organizations in the Twin Cities, including Habitat for Humanity, the Metropolitan Economic Development Association, and the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund.

The Minnesota Cross Country Ski Trail Grants Program

Investment executive Daniel Reardon serves as co-CEO and trustee of the Otto Bremer Trust in St. Paul, Minnesota. A graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in economics, his duties include managing the Otto Bremer Trust’s responsibilities as a grant making institution. Daniel Reardon enjoys outdoor activities in his free time, including skiing.

Skiing is a winter sport that involves moving across snow-covered ground on skis, which are narrow pieces of flexible but hard material that strap to an individual’s feet. In Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) is charged with providing outdoor recreation opportunities, such as skiing, among its other responsibilities. In this role, the MN DNR also maintains a Cross-Country Ski Trail Grants-In-Aid (GIA) program to promote skiing activity in the state.

The GIA program is designed to support the maintenance and upkeep of cross-country ski trails in the state of Minnesota. The program was created by the state legislature in 1973 and includes approximately 700 miles of ski trails that participate in the program. Grants are awarded annually to local units of government to help keep ski trails in good condition. In turn, these participating entities fund the program through the sale of ski passes.