Northwest Minnesota Foundation
RESOURCE
WINTER 2015
The Northwest Minnesota Foundation invests resources, facilitates collaboration and promotes philanthropy to make the region a better place to live and work.
Number 67
Board of Directors Pete Haddeland, Chair Tom Anderson, Vice Chair Faye Auchenpaugh, Secretary Leah Pigatti, Treasurer Judy Roy Jody Horntvedt Jon Quistgaard Jon Linnell Tom Anderson Cathy Forgit
CHILDCARE IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA There is a joke in northwest Minnesota that many parents can relate to: “The first person you should call after learning you’re pregnant is a child care provider.” Once you learn of the long waiting lists or even total lack of spaces available, it isn’t a laughing matter at all. The Northwest Minnesota Foundation has been working with First Children’s Finance for two years on the >MN (Greater Than Minnesota) Project, an innovative initiative that works to address the challenges of rural child care and early education in Greater Minnesota. This project, involving all six Minnesota Initiative Foundations recognizes that too often, decisions about early care and
education are made in the Twin Cities metro area, while communities in Greater Minnesota are left out of the conversation. The populations may be smaller, but the stakes are just as high. In October 2013, the >MN project was introduced and launched at a town hall meeting in Fertile with the help of Heidi Hagel-Braid, who is the regional director for First Children’s Finance. Quality child care was a major talking point, but so were successful businesses, to whom rural child care providers are a necessity. “What these providers are doing is twofold,” said Hagel-Braid. “They are providing a public good – allowing parents to increase Continued on page 6
Kristin Eggerling Edie Ramstad Steven Anderson
Developing Community Assets Serving 12 Counties
Pictured left to right: Bonny Stechmann (MN Department of Employment and Economic Development), Heidi Hagel-Braid (FCF), Rep. Dan Fabian (MN House District 1A), Vicky Grove (NMF), Rep. Debra Kiel (MN House District 1B).