Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR)

Restoring a river of global importance and engaging the communities it supports.

This Give to the Max Season, your generosity will directly support the Our River Campaign, FMR's vital multi-year initiative to protect the Mississippi River. From November 1 to 20, all GTMD gifts will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $20,000, by a generous donor, doubling the impact of your contribution.

Thanks to supporters like you, we've already raised $5.5 million toward our goal. Help us reach the new stretch goal of $6 million by December 31. Your support is crucial in ensuring a cleaner, healthier river for future generations. Give today and make a lasting difference!

Our River Campaign
The Mississippi River is one of the great rivers of the world. More than half of all North American birds migrate along its flyway. Fifty cities and 20 million people rely on the river for drinking water. It is vitally important to our national economy. And it is the lifeblood of our local region, flowing through the heart of the Twin Cities.

For over 30 years, FMR has been a strong, balanced, and effective conservation leader in the Twin Cities. Together with our supporters and partners, the river is healthier, enjoys better protections, and is a beloved community treasure many people are ready to defend.  

But there is still work to be done. The Upper Mississippi, recently named the most endangered river in America, faces urgent threats from climate change, industrial agriculture, short-sighted development and public policies, and systemic inequities, making the next 10 years critical for the future of the river and its communities. 

That's why in 2021, we launched the Our River Campaign. We have a vision of a transformed and thriving Mississippi River with clean and healthy waters, a vibrant watershed resilient to climate change, and diverse, engaged communities caring for its future.

Thanks to our community of supporters, we’ve already met our $5 million goal for the Our River Campaign — but we’re not done yet. We’ve set a stretch goal to raise an additional $1 million by December 31, 2025. With your continued support, we can finish strong and do even more to protect and restore the river we love. 

At the heart of this campaign is the vision of a healthy Mississippi River. The impact of the Our River Campaign will be transformational and enduring in Minnesota and for all the downstream communities along the 2,350-mile river.

The Our River Campaign will fund work to:
Restore the river by investing in new agricultural strategies, protecting vital lands, and advocating for new public funding.
Engage communities by advocating for the river, growing programs for youth and communities, and providing volunteer stewardship opportunities.

It all starts here. Thank you for considering support for FMR and the Our River Campaign by December 31.

Learn more about the Our River Campaign.

Thank you so much to our campaign lead donors!
Friends of the Mississippi River extends our deepest thanks to our lead campaign donors for their investment in FMR and the future of our river. Together, we’re protecting, restoring and enhancing the Mississippi River for this and future generations.

$1,000,000+

Thane & Blanche Hawkins

$500,000 - $999,999

Anonymous

Cochineal Charitable Trust

Steve King & Susan Boren

$100,000 - $499,999 

Anonymous (2)

Stewart & Lesley Crosby

Chad & Maggie Dayton

Edward & Sherry Ann Dayton

Ellie Crosby - The Longview Foundation

F.R. Bigelow Foundation

Peter & Mary Gove

HRK Foundation

Julia Kaemmer Fund of HRK Foundation

Art Kaemmer, MD

Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation

The Paul and Mary Reyelts Foundation

Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation 

Credits
Header image by Jim Hudak