Background
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Swedish Council of America is a national umbrella organization uniting around 300 organizations and thousands of individuals interested in Swedish heritage. The Swedish Council of America maintains headquarters and staff in Minneapolis, Minnnesota, and is governed by a Board of Directors representing many geographic, cultural, professional and organizational interests throughout Sweden and Swedish America.
The mission of Swedish Council of America is "supporting and fostering cooperative relationships between all groups and individuals whose purpose is to promote knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the Swedish heritage in American life, and strengthening contemporary cultural and educational ties between North America and Sweden."
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Swedish Council of America was founded in 1972 by four leading Swedish-American institutions: the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, the American Swedish Historical Foundation in Philadelphia, the Swedish-American Historical Society in Chicago and the Detroit Swedish Foundation in Detroit. These four large organizations sought to establish a national organization that would unite all Swedish Americans in a common effort to preserve and promote Swedish heritage in America.
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In fulfilling its mission, Swedish Council of America acts as a national clearinghouse for all manner of information about Swedish and Swedish-American culture, history, heritage and current events. Swedish Council of America Web site is a rich resource for events and programming provided by its affiliated organizations, as well as for information of general interest to Swedish America. Conferences, awards programs and grants are also part of the national service that the SCA provides.
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Swedish Council of America has hosted ten Conferences of Swedish America. These educational meetings provide limitless opportunities for individuals and organizations to network and learn from each other as well as from presenters. Our 2009 conference, Colony to Community: The Story of New Sweden, was held in Philadelphia, October 22-25, 2009. This conference was a partnership between the Swedish Council of America, the American Swedish Historical Museum and the Swedish Colonial Society.
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Through its foundation, Swedish Council of America makes about $40,000 in grants every year in support of projects, individuals and groups that promote knowledge and understanding of Swedish-American culture, Swedish heritage or the cultural ties between Sweden and the United States.
Swedish Council of America recognizes the achievements of Swedes and Swedish Americans through programs such as the Great Swedish Heritage Award, America’s Swede of the Year Award, Award of Merit and the Glenn T. Seaborg Science Award.
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