Regional Highlights
“My goal is to use my influence as a volunteer leader to shine a brighter light on the potential in each of us to do more.”
– Joe Nayquonabe Jr., new Initiative Foundation Board of Trustees member and chief executive officer for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures
MORRISON COUNTY | VISTA to Rev Up Engagement, Recruitment Efforts
Oasis Central Minnesota, a Little Falls-based nonprofit providing income-eligible food and housing support, has selected Sara Mayo as its 2017 AmeriCorps VISTA service member. Mayo, a communications graduate from the College at Brockport in Brockport, New York, will develop a recruitment and management program to help Oasis engage reliable local volunteers to support the services it offers.
TODD COUNTY | Culture, Agriculture Coalesce at Salsa Fest
Local, sustainable agriculture was on display Sept. 16 during the Sustainable Farming Association Central Chapter’s first-ever Minnesota Salsa Fest in Long Prairie. Attendees at the Initiative Foundation-sponsored event enjoyed vendors, demonstrations, live music, food and a completely salsa-fying salsa contest! Visit sfa-mn.org/salsafest to learn more.
WADENA COUNTY | Taking a Data-driven Approach to Economic Development
The Wadena Economic Development Authority is using data-backed insights to guide its growth strategies. With grant support from the Initiative Foundation, Wadena economic development leaders are partnering with Buxton, a Texas-based analytics firm, to understand the city’s current retail mix and to identify and attract new businesses that can fill service needs and add to the community’s quality of life.
CASS COUNTY | Band Awarded $60,000 in National SunShot Energy Competition
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe has been awarded $60,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its SunShot initiative. The Band will use the funds to develop a solar microgrid that can distribute energy to small housing clusters. The Initiative Foundation is providing technical assistance for this 18-month initiative, the culmination of which is the potential of a $5 million prize.
CROW WING COUNTY | Contest Seeks Downtown Brainerd Entrepreneurs
Dreamers can become doers by winning $50,000-plus in the Destination Downtown Business Challenge, a contest for the best entrepreneurial vision to locate a business in downtown Brainerd. Judging for the Initiative Foundation-supported event occurs in October with the winner announced in November.
MILLE LACS COUNTY | Give Me Five Program Provides Youth Friendship, Mentorship
A Milaca School District mentorship program is pairing trained adult mentors with vulnerable students in grades 5 through 8 to develop leadership, social and organizational skills. The Give Me Five program incorporates fun outings and community service projects to aid in leadership and provide validation, friendship and guidance. This project is supported by the Milaca Community Foundation, an Initiative Foundation Partner Fund.
BENTON COUNTY | New Facility Lifts Gymnastics, Activity Center to New Heights
Kids and families in the greater St. Cloud area will have access to quality recreational activities for years to come at North Crest Kids Activity Center. With assistance from an Initiative Foundation gap loan, North Crest owners have purchased the building at their location and are committed to providing an encouraging environment where kids can develop their athletic skills and character.
SHERBURNE COUNTY | The Art of Negotiation: Initiators Fellow Gains New Skills
Annie Deckert, owner of Elk River-based Decklan Group and one of four Initiative Foundation Initiators Fellows, has a new set of skills to serve regional economic development. With support from a Foundation grant, Deckert attended “Strategies for Effective Negotiations,” an executive education offering from the University of St. Thomas.
STEARNS COUNTY | Fund Powers Sauk Centre-area Community-Building Efforts
The Black Oak Getty Community Foundation, a new Initiative Foundation Partner Fund, has been established to serve the Greater Sauk Centre area. Supported by Sempra Energy, the fund will be used to improve the quality of life in Ashley, Getty, Raymond, Sauk Centre townships and their surrounding areas (collectively known as the Black Oak Getty Wind Farm service area).
WRIGHT COUNTY | Workforce Program Ignites the Entrepreneurial Spirit
With a workforce shortage affecting much of Greater Minnesota, the Initiative Foundation looks to support projects that support a healthy labor pool. One such project, Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO), a program of the Wright County Economic Development Partnership, introduces high school students to entrepreneurial possibilities by exploring careers and developing youth-led business plans.
CHISAGO COUNTY | Chisago Lakes Area Improvements Keep Rolling
The Chisago Lakes Area is rolling along with improvements following its April Top 8 finish in the America’s Best Communities (ABC) contest. In addition to creating an Initiative Foundation-hosted Partner Fund to support joint efforts, the five participating communities have added signage along
the Chisago Lakes Water Trail, and they’ve dedicated a new Memorial Park trailhead in Lindstrom with sightseeing information and hydration and bike repair stations.
ISANTI COUNTY | Community Backs Braham Area Education Foundation
A vision is taking shape for the Braham Area Education Foundation, powered by a community-
wide survey in which residents expressed interest in offering more trade-skill opportunities, filling extracurricular gaps and supporting kindergarten readiness. The 12-member advisory board will launch the Initiative Foundation-hosted Partner Fund this fall after shaping grant priorities and developing marketing materials.
KANABEC COUNTY | Highway Safety Program Receives Funding Boost
The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Towards Zero Deaths (TZD) program is getting a financial bump to improve on-the-road safety thanks to the John & Bonnie Schlagel Endowment, an Isanti County-based Partner Fund of the Initiative Foundation. The statewide traffic safety program weaves together education, enforcement, engineering and emergency medical services to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths on Minnesota roads.
PINE COUNTY | Grant Helps Spark Pine Tech Mobile Welding Training Lab
A grant from the Initiative Foundation-hosted Greater Pine Area Endowment is supporting the purchase and operation of a Pine Technical and Community College mobile welding training lab. The effort also is supported by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, which forecasts that welding jobs are expected to grow by more than 13 percent by 2020.