Historically, families built their lives close to home. When assets like houses, businesses, and investments passed to the next generation, they often stayed in the same community. Today, that is no longer the case. Once wealth leaves, it may never return.
In this webinar, we share an exclusive preview of the 2025 update of the Minnesota Transfer of Wealth study. This new analysis examines how the pandemic, inflation, and shifting demographics have shaped Minnesota’s asset landscape, with insights on rural trends, the composition of assets, and lessons far beyond Minnesota’s borders. The Minnesota Council on Foundations also reviews its programs and the Minnesota State Share support available for donors, advisors, and foundations.
On-demand webinar
Recorded: October 27, 2025
Shared resources
Transfer of Wealth
- Transfer of Wealth slides, presentation from Ben Winchester and Aiden Opatz
- Transfer of Wealth, for data and more information
Minnesota State Share
- Minnesota State Share slides presentation from Jill Chi and Michelle Maryns
- Minnesota State Share, learn about the campaign
Presenters
Ben Winchester has been working both in and for small towns across the Midwest for around 30 years. He lives in St. Cloud, Minnesota with his wife and two children. Ben is trained as a rural sociologist and works in the Department of Community Development at the University of Minnesota Extension. He conducts applied research on economic, social, and demographic topics surrounding a theme of “rewriting the rural narrative” and received the Rural Renewal Research Prize in 2021 for this work.
Aiden Opatz is a regional educator in community economics, covering Southeastern Minnesota. He specializes in economic impact analysis and forecasting the generational transfer of wealth. Aiden is currently exploring how to model the economic impact of constructing and habitating homes. He received a master’s degree in applied economics from the University of Minnesota and holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Luther College.
Jill Chi (she/her) as the member engagement manager for the Minnesota Council on Foundations, Jill has an affinity for data and the stories it can tell. She has over ten years of experience working with knowledge management and communications in various government agencies, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. She is honored to use this experience to support the development of the Minnesota State Share/Transfer of Wealth campaign in collaboration with Minnesota’s philanthropic community.
Michelle Tran Maryns (she/her) as president of the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) works to connect, strengthen, and mobilize the power of philanthropy to advance prosperity and equity. Prior to her work at MCF, Michelle led advocacy and communications efforts at the Women's Foundation of Minnesota. Her cross-sector experience founding a social enterprise that helps underestimated entrepreneurs and economic development organizations with AI-powered tech tools, leading strategic initiatives at a community development financial institution (CDFI), managing the digital team at the American Academy of Neurology, and serving in federal government as a Foreign Service Officer and Community Relations Specialist gives her a broad understanding of the entire social impact ecosystem.
Reviewed in 2025