How we give back
Helping injured workers get their lives back is central to what we do, but it’s not the only way we serve the community. At SFM, it’s important to us that we support nonprofit organizations and causes that enrich the lives of people in our surrounding communities and where our policyholders do business.
Charitable giving program
An important way we make an impact in the community is by supporting nonprofit organizations through our charitable giving program. Donations can be direct gifts from SFM or through matching funds.
Minnesota Keystone Program
In 2024, SFM became a member of the Minnesota Keystone Program , which promotes corporate philanthropy by recognizing and honoring companies that donate at least 2 percent of their pre-tax earnings to charitable organizations.
Read more about SFM’s Keystone participation
SFM Foundation
A unique way we give back is through the SFM Foundation, a nonprofit SFM created to ease the financial burden on families affected by workplace accidents. College is expensive, but it’s even harder to afford when a child’s parent has been severely hurt or killed at work.
The SFM Foundation helps education be more affordable for these families by providing post-secondary education scholarships to children whose parents were injured while working for Minnesota or Iowa employers.
- $4.1 million has been committed to support 247 scholarships awarded since the Foundation began in 2008
- Each student can receive up to $15,000 per year for up to five years
- Fundraising and event planning is done 100% by our employees and donated by SFM
- All funds raised go directly to scholarships
- Scholarships involve workers’ comp claims handled by 55 different insurers
- One scholarship each year is funded entirely by our employees
The SFM Foundation is an affiliate of the national nonprofit organization, Kids’ Chance of America , and is also known as Kids’ Chance of Minnesota and Kids’ Chance of Iowa. Kids’ Chance creates, assists and supports organizations across the United States that provide educational opportunities and scholarships to the children of workers who were seriously injured or killed on the job.
Bob Lund Scholarship
SFM created the Bob Lund Scholarship in 2022 to invest in future leaders and introduce them to rewarding careers in the insurance industry. The scholarship is named for SFM’s former CEO, who is widely known for his service to the field of insurance and his continuing passion for making the world a better place.
SFM partners with Minnesota-based nonprofit Wallin Education Partners to name a new scholar each year, with the goal of providing scholarships for four students at a time. Wallin focuses on helping students from historically underserved communities and eliminating barriers for groups that are underrepresented in business leadership roles by connecting them with the resources they need to succeed in college and beyond.
Volunteer opportunities
Floating day off to volunteer
SFM offers one floating holiday each year for employees to volunteer at the charity of their choice.
Annual company-wide volunteer day
Each year we host a company-wide day to gather together and volunteer in the community in a variety of ways.
Charitable giving committee
Our charitable giving committee plans volunteer events and fundraisers to benefit local charities. Through the committee’s events, SFM employees have helped build and paint homes, done yardwork, packed bag lunches, made blankets, created sensory tools for kids, completed charity mailings, organized donation drives and silent auctions, attended charity galas and more to help those in need.
Volunteering at Habitat for Humanity
Doing yardwork at a local charity
Painting at a PPL property
Volunteering at VEAP
Cleaning supply drive
Making tie blankets for SAVE
Painting a fence at Cornerstone
