TopLine Credit Union Foundation just wrapped up their 10th annual lawn bowling fundraiser, and they absolutely crushed it—raising over $70,000 for student scholarships and community programs.
Not too shabby for an afternoon of rolling balls across grass.
The event went down at Brookview Golf Course and Lawn Bowling in Golden Valley, Minnesota on July 16th, drawing more than 150 people and 30 sponsoring organizations from across the country. Attendees got to try their hand at lawn bowling (think bocce ball’s more sophisticated cousin), do some networking, and bid on items during both live and silent auctions. All proceeds go toward helping students tackle the eye-watering costs of higher education through the foundation’s scholarship program.
But the money doesn’t stop at scholarships. Donations also fund social responsibility initiatives, support local nonprofit partners based on what communities actually need, and provide free financial education workshops and counseling services. Because knowing how to manage money matters just as much as having it in the first place.
A Decade of Making a Difference
Since TopLine Credit Union Foundation launched in 2014, they’ve handed out more than $218,000 in scholarships to students pursuing or continuing their post-secondary education. That’s a lot of textbooks, tuition payments, and hopefully some decent ramen upgrades.
The foundation also throws in up to $25 in matching funds when young members open their first youth savings or checking account—a small nudge to get kids thinking about saving early. Smart move, considering most of us learned about personal finance the hard way (read: credit card debt and buyer’s remorse).
In 2025 alone, the foundation contributed over $91,000 to local communities through cash and in-kind donations, awarded $41,500 in scholarships, logged more than 670 volunteer hours, and reached 400 people through financial education efforts. You can check out their annual report for the full list of benefactors and programs.
It Takes a Village (and Some Generous Sponsors)
“On behalf of the TopLine Credit Union Foundation, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our generous sponsors and dedicated participants,” said Taylor Tollette, President of TopLine Credit Union Foundation. “We couldn’t have done it without their spirit of giving and commitment to supporting the needs in our communities. Their invaluable partnership and support at our fundraising event will enable us to award scholarships and bolster other community outreach efforts. Together, embracing our credit union values of ‘people helping people,’ we are making a lasting impact.”
Translation: This stuff works because people showed up and opened their wallets for a good cause. And in a world that can feel pretty divided, there’s something genuinely refreshing about folks coming together to help students chase their dreams and strengthen their communities.
TopLine Credit Union Foundation is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of TopLine Financial Credit Union, a local member-owned financial cooperative. Which is just a fancy way of saying it’s a credit union that actually belongs to the people who bank there—and one that’s clearly putting its money where its mission is.