Two Minnesota Founders Will Match Every Gift From Minnesotans, Up to $50,000, for the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

The Minnesota Challenge Campaignruns November 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027, and could raise $100,000 for the museum.

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Minnesota business leaders are inviting their neighbors to double the impact of their giving to the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum, which works to recognize and share women's contributions to American history. Rachel Schromen, Founder and Managing Attorney of Schromen Law, and Erin Pash, CEO and Founder of Pash Co and Founder of Ellie Mental Health, have committed a combined $50,000 to launch the Minnesota Challenge Campaign and pledged to match it dollar for dollar up to $50,000 for every gift made by a Minnesotan.

If Minnesota donors reach the full match, the campaign will generate $100,000 in total support for the museum. It is the first Minnesota-based campaign of its kind for the museum, and will run from November 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027,

"Women have always built things by pulling their communities together, and that is exactly what this campaign asks Minnesotans to do," Schromen said. "Our gifts open the door. The match only reaches its full size if our neighbors walk through it with us."

"Both of us built our businesses from nothing, and we know what it takes for someone to believe in you early," Pash added. "The women who shaped this country deserve a visible place in the national record, and Minnesota can help make that record more complete."

The challenge reflects a long tradition of women organizing networks and mobilizing communities around shared goals. Schromen and Pash hope it prompts both giving and a broader conversation about the people whose experiences, accomplishments and contributions belong in American history.

How Minnesotans can take part

Any Minnesotan can participate. Gifts made during the campaign window will be matched until the $50,000 cap is reached, so early giving helps ensure that every dollar is doubled. https://womenshistory.si.edu/?form=FUNTABMAELK

Minnesota's role in the Making History Network

The campaign also highlights Minnesota's place in the Making History Network, the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum's nationwide ambassador program. Ambassadors advance the museum's outreach and fundraising goals by inspiring philanthropic support, strengthening the museum's presence in their communities, and fostering connections. The Minnesota Chapter is made up of local Ambassadors who support fundraising for the museum.

Interviews

Rachel Schromen and Erin Pash are available to discuss why they committed their own resources, the museum's mission, and how Minnesotans can take part. Joint and individual interviews can be arranged through [email protected]

SOURCE Pash Co.