Resource Summer 2018

Northwest Minnesota Foundation

RESOURCE

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation invests resources, facilitates collaboration and promotes philanthropy to make the region a better place to live and work.

SUMMER 2018 Number 79

Board of Directors Pete Haddeland, Chair Tom Anderson, Vice Chair Leah Pigatti, Treasurer Kristin Eggerling, Secretary Faye Auchenpaugh Jon Linnell Cathy Forgit Edie Ramstad Steven Anderson Todd Beckel Michelle Paquin

CIRCLE OF VISION MEMBERS HONORED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS On Monday, August 6th, the newest members of NMF's Circle of Vision were recognized at the Red Lake Falls American Legion. The Circle of Vision was established to recognize individuals who see the possibilities of tomorrow, believe in their communities, and have chosen to share of themselves and their resources. This award is presented in recognition of gifts of $100,000 or more made in direct support of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation or any of its component funds.

Neen Lillquist - Neen's Future in Space Scholarship Anita “Neen” Lillquist was honored posthumously for her impact on education in Northwest Minnesota. As the director of Northwest Minnesota Community Health Education Council in Bemidji in the mid-70s, Neen advocated for and provided health education and disease prevention services.

She was also the director of Ah-Gwah-Ching State Nursing Home, director of Nursing Service at the Aga Khan University Hospital The Fontaine Family

Developing Community Assets Serving 12 Counties

Facebook.com/ nwmnfoundation @NWMnF northwestminnesota foundation.blogspot.com

in Pakistan, and she served in Kathmandu, Nepal, as a senior nurse administrator under the World Health Organization. Her help aided the development of a 650bed hospital in Pakistan, which served as a model for developing countries. In 2014, she established Neen’s Future in Space Scholarship Fund, providing annual scholarships to students pursuing a major or career focus in science, technology, engineering, or math.

Kris Fontaine Memorial Scholarship Keith and Sandra Fontaine Keith and Sandra Fontaine moved to the Red Lake Falls community in 1969, and they have always believed in the value of education and in the young people in the community. Sandra was the transportation director for the school district, and when Keith retired, he began driving school bus for her. Keith often drove buses of young people to sporting events and other activities. continued on page 7

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Hello Friends,

To say we’ve had a busy summer here at NMF would be an understatement.

We entered a new strategic plan on July 1, and our staff have been hard at work to kick off our new program areas. As we build upon quality of place in Northwest Minnesota, we will be homing in Nancy Vyskocil on the key areas where we can build better lives for our residents and the generations that will come after us.

In September, we held an event at my home to give our closest friends a chance to learn about our new strategies for creating a more meaningful impact in the communities we serve. As we move forward, we intend to continue having these important conversations with our partners, donors, and supporters.

Finance program. I invite you to peruse this newsletter and visit our website for more information. NMF is uniquely positioned to find creative solutions to these challenges, and we look forward to facilitating these conversations and working diligently with outstanding community leaders who have already broken ground on these issues.

NMF cannot do this alone; it’s going to take all of us coming together to make this region even better than it already is.

Please stay engaged in our work, ask the tough questions, and provide us with the tools we’ll need to build better lives for everyone in our community.

Your support for our organization is truly humbling, and it’s the reason I wake up every morning with renewed commitment to seeing these priorities through.

Sincerely,

We will be working to address these critical issues: housing, childcare, children and families, entrepreneur development, and community philanthropy. We have already launched our new Communities Thrive program, along with a Childcare

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM NEW! CHILDCARE FINANCE PROGRAM Nine childcare loans were made totaling $76,000.

• The Clubhouse Childcare Center – McIntosh • Emily Gubrud Daycare – East Grand Forks • Bright Beginnings – Solway • C’s Daycare – Red Lake • Marie Zupke Daycare – Mahnomen • Little Critters Learning Center – Fosston • Childcare by Carly – East Grand Forks • Step Above Childcare – Park Rapids

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BUSINESS FINANCE

MICROLOANS

Two loans were made totaling $100,540.

• Larson Parts – Bejou • Ward Enterprise – Twin Valley

Two microloans were made totaling $60,000.

• K9 Design Spa & Pet Boutique – Warroad • Elite Additive – Bemidji

The Childcare Finance Program launched on July 1, 2018. This program was created to recognize and support the childcare providers in Northwest Minnesota.

Priorities: 1. Increase childcare slots in the region.

2. Increase the number of Parent Aware rated childcare providers and/or those providers who are already rated and are moving up the rating scale.

3. Retain existing childcare slots.

For more information, visit www.nwmf.org and click on the “Entrepreneurs” section on the homepage.

Customers line up to grab Golden Sun for lunch in downtown Bemidji

Pineapple pork adobo with fried rice

Filipino egg rolls

A TASTE OF THE PHILIPPINES COMES TO NORTHWEST MINNESOTA It’s a beautiful Friday in September and the Golden Sun food truck is parked on the sidewalk next to Bemidji Downtown Meats.

Four people are standing in line at 11:30 a.m. On a typical day, the truck serves food from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., but they often sell out well before closing time. Inside the trailer, Renzo Alia and Dennice Permites are hard at work cooking each meal fresh to order. The couple opened Golden Sun in the spring of 2018, just in time to get in front of Northern Minnesota’s hungry tourists.

With support from these resources, Dennice and Renzo created a viable business plan. Next, they approached Northwest Minnesota Foundation to apply for a loan through the Entrepreneur Development Program. By winter of 2017, they were able to purchase a custom-built trailer that would be used as their food truck. They set up for the first time in the spring of 2018, and since then they have been traveling to a number of towns outside of Bemidji and setting up for numerous events.

Golden Sun is a one-of-a-kind food truck that is attracting attention in Bemidji and the surrounding communities. They specialize in Filipino egg rolls, and their menu rotates through a variety of Filipino dishes. “Filipino comfort food” is how they describe their offerings on the Golden Sun website, goldensunbemidji.com. Dennice, whose family owns a food business in her home country, is the primary cook. All the recipes are dishes that Dennice watched her mother cook while growing up in the Philippines. “I call her a lot to ask about recipes and cooking advice,” says Dennice.

“It’s a lot of traveling, but we want to serve these dishes the way they are meant to be enjoyed, which means using the most authentic Filipino ingredients that we can find,” says Dennice.

Renzo and his mother moved to Bemidji from the Philippines in 2007 and Dennice made the same move in 2016.

“I always knew I wanted to open a business; I just didn’t know what kind,” says Renzo. After he received his business degree from Northwest Technical College, he started working for Affinity Plus. Meanwhile, Dennice was working as a medical technician at Sanford Health. Together, they decided to take the first steps to opening their own food truck. After being turned down by a number of banks, they sought help from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Deb McGregor, a business consultant with the SBDC, directed them to Launchpad in Bemidji for advice and resources for opening a business. She also introduced them to Grant Oppegaard, another SBDC consultant.

Their ingredients include local meats from Bemidji and authentic Filipino seasonings and egg roll wrappers that they purchase from an Asian grocery store in Minneapolis. To keep enough supplies on hand, they make the trip to Minneapolis two or three times a month.

Golden Sun has a website and a Facebook page, but they said most of their business has come from word of mouth. They see a number of regulars, many of whom are military veterans who have enjoyed Filipino cuisine while on deployment. Their rotating menu allows customers to try many different dishes.

When asked what’s next for this thriving business, Renzo and Dennice say their dream would be to open an Asian food store of their own in Bemidji. They also hope to do more catering.

Dennice is even working on convincing her mom to move to Bemidji from the Philippines to help expand the business.

Renzo says the best advice he could give someone thinking about opening their own business in Northwest Minnesota is to just take the plunge.

“Keep your head up, don’t get discouraged when things don’t go as planned, and don’t hesitate to ask for help,” says Renzo.

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ASSET BUILDING GRANTS Grants totaling $201,290 were awarded from July 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018 Find Component Fund Grants online at nwmf.org under the Donor menu.

COMPONENT FUNDS

SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

42 GRANTS AWARDED

2 SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

TOTAL: $201,290

NEW FUNDS ADDED • Angel Baby Fund: Supports funding to ensure the future of a Pregnancy and Child Loss Support program, equipment and services necessary to meet the needs of the community as they relate to the care and support of individuals and families dealing with pregnancy and child loss.

• Northern Minnesota Cystic Fibrosis Fund: Supports the Minnesota Cystic Fibrosis Chapter and other entities that are fighting for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

TOTAL: $5,500

• Warroad Schools Project Fund: Supports programs, projects and activities of the Warroad Schools to include but not be limited to: support for the Eagle Monument project, facilitation of reunions, and outreach to all Warroad High School graduates.

• Bemidji Jaycees Paul Bunyan’s Christmas Tree: Supports community development efforts and beautification of the waterfront area in Bemidji, MN.

NEW! COMMUNITIES THRIVE PROGRAM ‟Brain gain” is a trend of population increases in residents ages 30-49 in rural areas across Minnesota. Launched on September 4, 2018, the Communities Thrive Program is a “deep dive” to help a small number of communities capitalize on this trend and build on the strengths and diversity of our region.

Communities Thrive uses place-making and planning approaches to support community vitality. Initially, we will work with one or two communities to identify the communities’ needs. Then, we will provide a variety of tools and resources, including flexible lending and grant products, to help the them meet their needs. Whether it is downtown revitalization, an industrial park with tenants, a new senior living facility, a community wellness center, improved parks and recreation, or something else, we help with capital needs to make the community’s vision a reality.

Better lives are built because of our investments into our region’s communities. We know each community is unique— tourism might provide rich cultural experiences in one place, while other communities rely on business and industry—and the Communities Thrive program is designed to be flexible to capitalize on your community’s unique assets.

Learn more by visiting WWW.NWMF.ORG and clicking on the “Grants” section of the homepage.

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BOAT LAUNCHES INSTALLED IN ROSEAU TO PROMOTE OUTDOOR RECREATION This summer, the Roseau River Watershed District (RRWD) held a celebration for the newly installed boat dock at the Roseau City Park. The dock includes a designated space for launching kayaks and other watercrafts. The celebration took place at the park and included a number of vendors from Roseau-area businesses and organizations. Attendees had the opportunity to take paddleboards and kayaks out on the Roseau River.

Minnesota to map out potential access points along the Roseau River, starting at the headwaters and following a water trail up to the Canadian border.

The vision of this project is to capitalize on what the Roseau River offers. By actively promoting the water trail, the RRWD hopes to increase accessibility for motorized and nonmotorized watercraft, and expand fishing, camping, and birding opportunities.

The installation of the boat dock comes after many months of development planning for the Roseau River Water Trail.

RRWD partnered with the University of

“We will have a healthier community when we can get children and adults outside being active,” said Jane Evans of the Evans Charitable Fund, a component fund of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. Evans spoke to the crowd attending the celebration and congratulated the Roseau community for coming together to make this project a reality.

A Roseau family gets ready to try out the new boat launch

The Roseau River Water Trail promotes enjoyment and conservation of the natural, cultural, and historical resources

(From L to R) Sam Evans & Jane Evans, Evans Charitable Fund; Rebecca Lundgren, ROAR; Dillon Nelson, HDR; Jake Huwe, HDR Engineering; Tracy Halstensgard, RRWD; Jason Braaten, RRWD, Jesse Johnston, A+ Concrete & Landscaping of the Roseau River by encouraging responsible, quality, public access opportunities through partnerships and stakeholder groups.

Partner organizations included HDR Engineering, ROAR, A+ Concrete and Landscaping, U of M Extension, Minnesota DNR, and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation.

ORGANIZATIONS COMPLETE VITAL NONPROFITS TRAINING PROGRAM The Vital Nonprofits Program (VNP) wrapped up in June 2018 after five organizations from the region completed the two-year intensive training program.

This began in September 2015 with strengths-based coaching, and then dug deep into mission, vision, governance, financial accountability, communications, human resources, and fundraising.

Each organization was paired with a consultant guide to work through each topic, and given a $5,000 grant to address issues that arose within the program. In August 2018, external evaluators concluded their report of the program, which showed the greatest benefit was in peer-to-peer learning, quarterly workshops, and direction from

the consultant guides. The strengthsbased coaching was found to be less beneficial.

The following organizations participated in the Vital Nonprofits Program: • Boys & Girls Club of the Bemidji Area – Bemidji • Care and Share of Crookston – Crookston • Clear Waters Life Center – Clearbrook • Northwoods Battered Women’s Shelter – Bemidji • Thief River Falls Area Community Theater – Thief River Falls “These organizations are committed to a long-term process of improving their

daily operations,” says Nate Dorr, senior program officer at Northwest Minnesota Foundation. “They invested significant time to plan for the future, develop better financial management and communication practices, and address their staffing needs. The end result is better services in our communities.”

Representatives from the five organizations who completed the Vital Nonprofits Program

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NORTHWEST MINNESOTA WOMEN’S FUND CONTINUES TO CREATE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS In 1997, the Northwest Minnesota Women's Fund was created by a group of visionary women who felt that our corner of the world had the resources to address issues that disproportionately affect women and girls—poverty, domestic violence, and discrimination. Since then, the Women’s Fund has been continuously making a difference for women and girls in the region.

The dedicated women who have served terms on the fund’s advisory committee agreed to take on a formidable task: raising funds for a brand-new purpose from people who live in a mostly rural, economically disadvantaged, and sparsely populated region. They would also need to educate potential donors about the power of philanthropy through promoting and building an endowment fund.

Thanks to hard work, commitment, and generous donors, the Women’s Fund endowment now exceeds $425,000. Early on, individual gifts of $1,000 to the Founders’ Society and Visionary Partner program were invested for the long term in a permanent fund. Investment earnings have been put to work, with more than $142,000 distributed in grants that support programs and activities for women and girls. It is an exciting development for the founding members and donors who have witnessed the Women’s Fund’s growth.

The Women’s Fund also established three scholarship funds with total assets approaching $100,000. With a preference for nontraditional students, the Women’s Fund Scholarship benefits women who attend postsecondary colleges within the twelve-county service area and intend to reside there.

The second scholarship is similar, but it is designated for women attending the University of Minnesota Crookston. The third scholarship was established for female Bemidji State University students who are pursuing careers as educators.

To date, these funds have provided nearly $70,000 for tuition and qualified educational expenses.

Over its twenty years, the Women’s Fund has helped many women achieve their goals. The following examples are just some of its recently funded projects:

Trek North high school students attend equine-assisted learning sessions.

• The Village Family Service Center conducted “Girls 360 Group,” a six-week program for girls aged 13–16 who struggle with low self-confidence and low self-esteem.

Topics covered were healthy lifestyles, relationships and social skills, decision-making and safety, and building their skills and potential for success in school and careers.

• Clearwater County Historical Society hosted a Women’s History Month program that included a session where a noted author spoke about writing women’s stories, memoirs, and recollections.

• KBXE/Northern Community Radio presented professionally facilitated listening sessions about sexual harassment in the work environment, protections through the legal system, portrayals of sexual harassment reporting in the media, and possible actions to change the system and culture of harassment.

• Trek North Junior and Senior High School provided an opportunity for at-risk girls to attend equine-assisted learning sessions to help them become empowered to stand up for themselves in difficult circumstances, establish firm boundaries, and advocate for others.

• Northwest Indian Community Development Center began their project, Building a Healthy Foundation for Women: Sharing our Stories, which provides a forum to connect with leaders through storytelling. Their goal is to build respect and resilience for Anishinaabe women in leadership positions throughout Northwest Minnesota. continued on page 7

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continued from cover

In 1999 when their son, Kris, a school district hockey and golf coach, passed away, Keith and Sandra focused their grief toward establishing the Kris Fontaine Scholarship Fund for Lafayette High School in Red Lake Falls. Through their sponsored golf tournament and with generous contributions from the community of Red Lake Falls, Keith and Sandra have raised more than $100,000 to benefit Lafayette graduates. Since the inception of the Kris Fontaine Scholarship Fund, ninety-two scholarships totaling $53,000 have been awarded. They have certainly established a wonderful legacy that honors their son Kris and supports education and young people in the community. The Fontaine family expressed gratitude for the community's support of the scholarship fund.

The contributions of these Circle of Vision honorees is an inspiration for all of us here at NMF, and surely for their respective communities. Our region is united by a culture of philanthropy. We

thank those who have generously given back to the towns and organizations that are close to their hearts.

CIRCLE OF VISION MEMBERS Leadership Society Arnold F. Lund, Sr. William S. and Margaret W. Marvin Arthur and Jane Snustad Community Champions Bill and Jessie Baer Mark and Peggy Hewitt Peg and Sam Johnson Circle of Vision Maggi Adams Jess and Wanda Dishman Frances Drivold Lyle H. Engelstad Sam and Jane Evans Robert F. and Marian Foley Keith and Sandra Fontaine Orin and Marjorie Green Gaylord A. Gunderson John and Faye Hedin The Hellekson Family/Courage North Ruth Howe and Merril Thiel

Keith and Sandra Fontaine (left) accept their Circle of Vision award from Dawn Ganje (center) and Nancy Vyskocil (right) Eleanor and Russell Jeske Mary and Robert Johnson Dorrance H. Johnston The Karvakko Family Leonard J. and Rosemond Kucera Anita “Neen” Lillquist Frank and Margaret Marvin Susan I. Marvin Mississippi Headwaters Blood Bank Bob Naylor Eldor and Stella Omdahl Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians Elsie Semrau Employees of TEAM Industries/TEAM Foundation LuVerne Trogstad Ole and Ruth Tweet

continued from page 6 • Peacemaker Resources presented “Girls Lead on the Go!” a communitybased leadership experience for middle-school-aged girls in rural communities to teach and inspire leadership, civic engagement, and community action.

Another grant round is underway, and proposals for funding up to $5,000 will be accepted until November 2, 2018. Priority is given to applications that support the Women’s Fund goals, which can be found on our website, www.nwmf.org, under “Latest News.”

Contact Development Specialist Chris Bell at 218-759-2057 or email chrisb@nwmf.org for more information.

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The funding from the Northwest

Minnesota Women’s Fund has allowed Girls Lead to involve rural girls from the communities of Greenbush, Warroad, Roseau, Baudette, Walker and Bemidji in learning leadership from the inside out. The camp experience allowed girls to build relationships with self, other women from the community and take action using their leadership skills to make ripples in their communities.

—Kathy Magnusson M.Ed, Peacemaker Resources

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Girls 360 Group participants 7

201 3rd St. NW • Bemidji, MN 56601

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