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| Foundation Announces Community Investments (Sept - Nov 08) |
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RELEASE DATE: January 01, 2009
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The Initiative Foundation announced that it has awarded 11 community grants totaling $47,300. The following organizations were selected as grant recipients during the month of September 2008:
Cambridge Medical Center; Reach Out and Read ($1,000) - to purchase books for distribution and support the message to parents of young children that early literacy is critical to a child's future health and well-being. Contact: Karla Patrick, (763) 689-2398.
Central MN Task Force on Battered Women, Saint Cloud; Increasing Capacity of Fund Development Program ($2,500) - to assist staff and board members as they gain skills to support donors, leading to a successful fund development campaign in order to better provide services to battered women and their children. Contact: Maxine Barnett, (320) 253-6900.
Isanti County Historical Society, Cambridge; Board Development and Financial Systems Assessment ($2,500) - to develop board training materials and advance financial management goals in order to better promote and educate citizens about the history of Isanti County. Contact: Kathy McCully, (763) 689-4229.
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Cass Lake; Annual Great Lakes Region Native American Fish and Wildlife Society ($1,800) - to sponsor the annual meeting of the Great Lakes Region chapter of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Association. Contact: Bruce Johnson, (218) 335-7421.
Lutheran Social Service, St. Cloud; St. Cloud Area Crisis Nursery ($5,000) - to increase the number of volunteers, childcare providers and parenting education opportunities for families facing temporary crisis situations. Contact: David Nusbaum, (320) 251-7700.
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, St. Paul; Nonprofit Leadership Institute ($3,500) - to provide two scholarships for central Minnesota nonprofit leaders to gain a better understanding of their key roles within their organizations and broader community. Contact: Jon Pratt, (651) 757-3077.
Mora Early Childhood Family Education; Grandparents Support Group ($1,500) - to provide informative speakers, child care, and a meal during monthly Grandparent Support Group meetings. Contact: Sally Nault-Maurer, (612) 390-2010.
Northland Arboretum, Brainerd; Education and Volunteer Coordinator ($2,500) - to support recruitment and retention of a professional education and volunteer coordinator. Contact: Dale Braddy, (218) 829-8770.
Rural Renewable Energy Alliance, Pine River; Solar Heat for Habitat Homes ($7,000) - to design and install solar heating systems in two Habitat for Humanity homes in the Brainerd Lakes Area to demonstrate the financial benefit that renewable energy can provide. Contact: Jason Edens, (218) 587-4753.
St. Cloud Neighborhood Coalition; St. Cloud Core Neighborhoods Implementation ($17,500) - to implement the plans made by seven core St. Cloud Neighborhoods that will build connections between neighbors, encourage home ownership and build safer, more attractive neighborhoods through local volunteers working together. Contact: Marge Pryately, (320) 259-0178.
Wabedo Township, Longville; Design and Planning for New Township Hall ($2,500) - to support stakeholder surveys to determine community needs, and then complete preliminary design for a new township hall. Contact: Barbara Anderson, (218) 363-2649.
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In partnership with other lenders, the Initiative Foundation provides business financing to promote local ownership and create quality jobs. The following business was selected as a loan recipient during the month of September:
The Donlin Company, St. Cloud – to support the expansion of a business that does custom millwork and distribution of building supplies. Contact: Tim Donlin, (320) 251-3680.
Paul Bunyan Land, LLC, Brainerd – to support the expansion of a regional amusement park and farm museum. Contact: Alan Rademacher, (218) 764-2524.
Ever Cat Fuels, LLC, Isanti – to support the start-up of a biodiesel plant. Contact: Marie McNeff, (763) 421-1072.
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The Initiative Foundation announced that it has awarded 17 community grants totaling $56,500. The following organizations were selected as grant recipients during the month of October 2008:
Arc of Minnesota, St. Paul; People First Group Development - Arc Central ($2,500) - to support development of a self-advocacy and volunteerism program for adults with disabilities in Pine and Isanti Counties. Contact: Pat Mellenthin, (651) 523-0823.
Audubon Center of the North Woods, Sandstone; Transition Planning ($2,500) - to assist with a planning retreat for leadership succession within the organization. Contact: Mike Link, (320) 245-2648.
Central Minnesota Community Foundation, St. Cloud; Continuing Conversation on Race ($2,500) - to provide support for the third annual Create CommUnity conference, focusing on the economic opportunity associated with central Minnesota's changing demographics. Contact: Steve Joul, (320) 253-4380.
City of Clarissa; Wellhead Protection Plan ($1,000) - to create a plan to assure future clean groundwater supplies in and around the greater Clarissa area. Contact: Sue Kent, (218) 756-2170.
Friends of Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Little Falls; Strategic Planning ($2,000) - to assist with an initial strategic planning retreat for programming and support of the Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Contact: Marilyn Emerson, (320) 632-1575.
Gull Chain of Lakes Association, Nisswa; Shoreline Restoration ($5,000) - to support design and implementation of at least three "lakescaping" projects using native plants and wildflowers to enhance wildlife habitat and protect water quality. Contact: Rosemary Guff, (218) 568-4349.
Kinship Partners, Inc., Brainerd; Funds Development Project ($3,500) - to assist staff and board members as they gain skills to support donors, leading to a successful fund development project in order to better provide mentoring services. Contact: David Downing, (218) 829-4606.
Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration, Maplewood; Advanced Topics and VRL Continuation in Central MN ($7,500) - to provide advanced training and support through the Volunteer Resource Leadership program, engaging diverse populations in volunteerism, including rural populations, baby boomers and culturally diverse people. Contact: Mary Quirk, (651) 255-0469.
Onanegozie RC&D Council, Mora; Spectacle Lake Natural Shoreland Restoration ($5,000) - to support design and implementation of 15-20 "lakescaping" projects using native plants and wildflowers to enhance wildlife habitat and protect water quality. Contact: Gordon Aanerud, (651) 674-8740.
Pequot Lakes School District; Pequot Lakes Area Early Childhood Coalition ($8,500) - to continue early childhood projects which promote a healthy start for young children and their families in the Pequot Lakes area. Contact: Rick Linnell, (218) 568-4996.
Pine Habilitation and Supported Employment Inc., Sandstone; PHASE Recycling Education Project: Message in a Bottle ($5,000) - to assist in an informational campaign for new recycling efforts in Pine County. Contact: Timothy Schmutzer, (320) 245-2246.
Saint John's Arboretum, Collegeville; Growing Green for Growing Cities Conference ($1,000) - to promote effective and affordable strategies for preserving rural character and natural resources while planning to guide continued population and economic growth in the Avon Hills region of Stearns County. Contact: Tom Kroll, (320) 363-3163.
Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District, Waite Park; Conservation Reserve Project ($5,000) - to partner with Pheasants Forever to promote a program that provides financial incentives to farmers to remove environmentally sensitive lands and wildlife habitat from agricultural protection near Rice and Koronis Lakes. Contact: Dennis Fuchs, (320) 251-7800.
LITTLE FALLS AREA FOUNDATION:
The Little Falls Area Foundation, a component fund of the Initiative Foundation, announced the following grant award:
Morrison County, Little Falls; Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall ($2,500) – to promote the exhibition of "The Moving Wall", a half-size replica of the Washington, DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial that has been touring the country for more than twenty years. Contact: Steve Reger, (320) 632-0293.
SCHLAGEL ENDOWMENT:
The Schlagel Endowment, a donor-advised fund established by John and Bonnie Schlagel of Cambridge, announced the following grant awards:
Cambridge Christian School; Christian Education ($1,000)
Contact: Mark De Long, (763) 689-3806.
Pregnancy Resource Center of Cambridge; Program Support ($1,000)
Contact: Gina Kennedy, (763) 689-4319.
Young Life, Cambridge; Support Christian Education ($1,000)
Contact: Terri Holm, (763) 689-3823.
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The Initiative Foundation announced that it has awarded 20 community grants totaling $104,800. The following organizations were selected as grant recipients during the month of November 2008:
Anna Marie's Alliance, St. Cloud; Developing Healthy Relationship Communities ($5,000) - to assist with the implementation of a program, within multiple community sectors, that emphasizes awareness, action and positive role-modeling, moving closer to violence-free communities. Contact: Maxine Barnett, (320) 253-6900.
Blueberry Township, Menahga; Wastewater Treatment Planning ($10,000) - to support education on septic system management and provide inspection of older systems. This grant is supported by funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Community Development Initiative. Contact: Kari Tomperi, (218) 564-5335.
Central MN Re-Entry Project, St. Cloud; Mentoring and Community Partnerships ($10,000) - to assist with the coordination of a mentorship program that matches volunteers with exoffenders so that they may become productive citizens and reduce their chances of recidivism. Contact: Joe Gibbons, (320) 761-8133.
City of Little Falls; Retail Market Study ($5,000) – partnering with the Little Falls Area Foundation to conduct a retail market analysis in order to identify potential for additional retail stores and services in the area, develop marketing materials and collect contact information for viable companies. Contact: Garrison Hale, (320) 632-2341.
City of Rutledge; Wastewater Treatment Planning ($10,000) - to evaluate wastewater treatment options, including a cost/benefit comparison of local land treatment versus connecting with the proposed expansion of the Willow River Wastewater system. This grant is supported by funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Community Development Initiative. Contact: Joe Jirovec, (218) 372-4196.
Cuyuna Lakes Trail Association, Crosby; Trail Connections ($2,500) - to support research on property ownership and to negotiate rights-of-way to allow for a connection from the Cuyuna Range trail in Crosby to the Paul Bunyan trail in Brainerd. Contact: Dennis Palmer.
Isanti County, Cambridge; Shared Active Living Principals ($5,000) - to expand a program which helps communities develop more walkable communities, make good nutrition choices, and make active lifestyles more convenient and accessible for residents of all ages and incomes. Contact: George Larson, (763) 689-3859.
Junior Achievement - Brainerd Lakes Area; Donor Development ($2,000) - to assist with a volunteer and donor development and retention project to support a workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy program for youth. Contact: Gina Blayney, (320) 255-8607.
Minnesota Resource Center (MRC) St. Cloud; Project LEAD (Language and Employment Abilities Development) ($5,000) - to provide refugee and immigrant adults, who have basic English skills, with cultural and skills training so that they may obtain employment and become more fully integrated in the local community. Contact: Debbie Atterberry, (320) 259-5717.
Princeton School District; Early Childhood Coalition ($6,000) - to continue early childhood coalition projects which promote a healthy start for young children and their families in the Princeton area. Contact: Mark Sleeper, (763) 389-6190.
Quantum Connections, Wadena; Strategic Planning in Todd/Wadena Counties ($2,000) - to assist in the development of a three-year strategic plan for an emerging economic development organization. Contact: David Evert, (218) 632-8455.
University of Wisconsin-Superior; Brainerd Area Nonprofits Series 2009 ($1,500) - to support nonprofit management workshops for organizations in the Brainerd Lakes area. Contact: Faith Hensrud, (715) 394-8456.
HEALTHY ORGANIZATIONS PARTNERSHIP (HOP) PROGRAM
Several nonprofit organizations have been selected for the HOP program scheduled to begin January 22, 2009. The program is designed to help nonprofit organizations become more effective by providing leadership training, strategic planning assistance, grants and ongoing technical assistance. The organizations are:
- Audubon Center of the North Woods, Sandstone; ($6,500)
Contact: Mike Link, (320) 245-2648.
- Birthline, Inc., St. Cloud; ($6,500)
Contact: Carrie Tripp, (320) 252-4150.
- H.O.W.A. Family Center, Walker; ($6,500)
Contact: Deb Wright, (218) 547-4273.
- Northland Area Family Service Center, Longville; ($6,500)
Contact: Michelle Tessin, (218) 363-3348.
- Rum River Interfaith Caregivers, Inc., Princeton; ($6,500)
Contact: Randy Sahlstrom, (763) 389-3762.
GREATER PINE AREA FOUNDATION:
The Greater Pine Area Endowment, a component fund of the Initiative Foundation, announced the following grant awards:
Pine Technical College, Pine City; Women in Technology Conference ($1,800) - to support a conference that will introduce Pine County School District girls to technology and science related career opportunities. Contact: Robert L. Musgrove, (320) 629-5120.
Pine Technical College, Pine City; Pine Area Entrepreneurship Initiative ($4,500) - to enhance entrepreneurship opportunities and awareness in the Pine County area. Contact: Robert L. Musgrove, (320) 629-5120.
LITTLE FALLS AREA FOUNDATION:
The Little Falls Area Foundation, a component fund of the Initiative Foundation, announced the following grant award:
City of Little Falls; Retail Market Study ($2,000) - to conduct a retail market analysis in order to identify potential for additional retail stores and services in the area, develop marketing materials and collect contact information for viable companies. Contact: Garrison Hale, (320) 632-2341.
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In partnership with other lenders, the Initiative Foundation provides business financing to promote local ownership and create quality jobs. The following business was selected as a loan recipient during the month of November 2008:
Olympic Granola, Inc., North Branch – to support the start-up of a wholesale granola bar manufacturer and distributor. Contact: Bill Forsman, (651) 257-0068
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The Initiative Foundation seeks projects that strengthen central Minnesota communities and address barriers to economic development. Inquiries for applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are generally reviewed within 14 days of receipt.
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