Our Shared Spaces Story

For 40 years, the Greater Mankato area community dreamed of a nonprofit center, a dedicated space designed to support and empower nonprofit organizations. In 2012, this vision took a monumental step forward when the Mankato Area Foundation (MAF) Board of Directors wove it into their strategic plan. Their mission was clear: create a vibrant, sustainable workspace where nonprofits could thrive, share resources, amplify their impact, and spearhead new community initiatives.

By 2014, the MAF Board identified a historic building in the heart of Mankato as the perfect location for this shared space. In January 2015, the Foundation secured the building at 127 S. 2nd Street, setting the stage for transformation. Renovations began in June, and by late June, Foundation staff moved in to ensure property tax exemption for 2016. On September 1, 2015, the Mankato Area Foundation Shared Spaces - A Center for Nonprofit Collaboration opened its doors, turning a decades-long dream into a reality. It became a dynamic haven where nonprofits could grow and collaborate, offering a new era of possibilities.

Since its grand opening, Shared Spaces has empowered nonprofits to expand their regional footprint and grow their staff, necessitating more office space. In 2020, a generous gift of the adjoining building allowed MAF to expand the facility, establishing the Shared Spaces Philanthropy Center. This new addition underscored the importance of charitable giving in the region and provided current tenants with much-needed room to flourish.

In late 2022, the same generous donor gifted MAF a beautiful historic building, formerly the Emy Frentz Arts Guild. Located just four blocks from the original Shared Spaces, this new acquisition offered even more opportunities for collaboration and cost savings. It also fulfilled a longstanding need for a large multi-purpose space for board meetings, gatherings, and training sessions.

Shared Spaces at Emy Frentz now stands as an additional nonprofit "hub," particularly benefiting smaller organizations that had been operating virtually due to high costs of professional office space. This new community asset provides these organizations with a physical space, fostering collaboration and strengthening the fabric of the local nonprofit community.

The journey from a dream to a thriving reality highlights the power of vision, community support, and the unwavering commitment to creating spaces where nonprofits can grow, innovate, and lead. The Greater Mankato area now boasts not just a Nonprofit Center but a testament to the enduring spirit of collaboration and shared purpose.

Designated Gift

Family Connections

Tony Frentz always wanted to find a way to honor his late mother Emy’s memory.

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Emy moved to Minnesota at a young age to attend college, where she would study art. She loved art in all forms, though her most used medium was acrylic paint. As she started a family and had children, she taught art classes to both children and adults in her spare time, always encouraging others to find their artistic side. “Besides her family and her friends, her passion was art,” Frentz said.

Sadly, Emy’s time in the Mankato community was cut short when she passed away at age 43. Frentz was only a freshman in college, but he knew that someday he would carry her torch forward however he could. Read More