Winter 2009

Northwest Minnesota Foundation ~ Developing Community Assets ~ Serving 12 Counties WINTER 2009

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Number 48

NMF Launches New Grant Initiative Focusing on Joint Ventures, Sharing Resources

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is responding to inquiries from entities in the region that are struggling in today’s economic climate. NMF’s Board recently approved a new grant initiative, entitled the Community Connections Program, to help nonprofits and public agencies find ways to continue to provide critical services as they work to increase effectiveness and seek to diversify funding sources.

The purpose of the Community Connections Program is to help organizations develop new networks, foster coalition building and promote collaborations between human service providers, other organizations, and/or public agencies. Applicants must be qualified nonprofit organizations or public agencies located within NMF’s twelve-county service area.

NMF will consider projects that address one or more of the following: • Joint ventures leading to increased effectiveness and efficiency among organizations and/or public agencies; • Cooperative planning and implementation, including shared resources, staffing, programs or possible mergers between organizations and/or public agencies.

NMF will consider requests for grants up to $25,000; applicants will be required to provide matching funds in the form of cash and in-kind support. Projects should result in long-term, formal, systemic changes in organizational structures and/or service delivery systems.

The first Community Connections grant was awarded at the January board meeting to Evergreen House, Inc. of Bemidji. NMF provided $25,000 for transition funding to merge programs that were being provided by Healthy Community Healthy Kids (HCHK) into Evergreen’s services.

Evergreen provides emergency shelter services for youth, along with chemical dependency treatment programs and transitional living housing with services.

The agency currently provides a continuum of services to 2,500 high-risk children, teens, and families annually.

Thousands more are served through outreach, referrals, and presentations, and personal contacts. Based in Beltrami County, Evergreen’s programs draw youth and families from fifteen rural counties in northwest and north central Minnesota

HCHK existed to build assets for youth in the area and they incubated the Boys and Girls Club and other programs that ultimately became independent.

L-R: Becky Schueller, Evergreen House; Nancy Vyskocil; Beth DeKrey, HCHK board; and Jim Steenerson meet to discuss the grant and present a check for the award.

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A Message from the President Nancy Vyskocil

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

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Eric Bergeson Chair Fertile Mark Hewitt Vice-Chair Park Rapids Gary Purath Secretary Red Lake Falls Dean Johnson Treasurer Mahnomen Terri Anderson Ogema David Bergman Thief River Falls Roger Malm Hallock Kim Wilson Fosston Robert Hager Greenbush Laurie Wilson Crookston Jody Horntvedt Baudette Judy Roy Redby

So many things are on my mind at this time. It seems that these winter months bring thoughts of family, friends and tradition to the forefront. At the same time, listening to the news on the economy, the state budget deficit, funding cuts in our schools and political change adds many issues to think about.

For my husband and I, these concerns all crossed paths in December when we established a fund at NMF to support elementary education in the Clearbrook-Gonvick School district. Rick and I are like many of you reading this newsletter -- we have a comfortable life style that allows us to meet our needs, but do not have the kind of resources people normally associate with setting up Donor Advised Funds or Family Foundations.

By way of explanation, here’s a bit of family history. My Grandmother, Esther Engebretson Walberg, was a teacher. She taught in Leon Township School in Clearwater County for many years, then moved to town school in Gonvick where she spent many years teaching second grade and touching many lives. An equally significant person in my family was Lisa, my youngest sister. Lisa was a very giving person, always volunteering her time and energy to a wide variety of causes and projects. Lisa died unexpectedly 10 years ago, much too soon at age 32, leaving a huge gap in our family.

For years we have traditionally given gifts on birthdays and Christmas to charities that aligned with Lisa’s and Grandma’s passions. We decided it was time to do something with more focus, and which we hope will have a greater impact. From the convergence of our charitable goals and the stream of news about increasing needs in our schools came the Swanson Family Education Fund. The establishment of this fund will continue to make a difference for years to come.

Our desire is for a teacher, a class, or students to gain the experience of a special project or a field trip that will inspire. We can’t come close to filling the holes left by the state budget crunch, but we hope to shine one small light in the darkness.

I’m relaying this very personal story for one reason only. That is to encourage those of you who are looking for a way to make a difference to explore the options available to you. And if the foundation can be a partner, please give us a call.

NMF Adds Two Board Members Jody Horntvedt, Baudette, and Judy Roy, Redby, were recently elected to the Northwest Minnesota Foundation’s board of directors.

Horntvedt is an Extension Educator in the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality with a program focus in Leadership and Civic engagement in the Northwest region of the state.

Through Extension, Horntvedt has had a variety of different roles, including County Program Coordinator and regionally, as Project Team Facilitator for watershed districts in the Red River Basin.

Horntvedt is involved with the Lake of the Woods Historical Jody Horntvedt

Society as a board member, and is also an Advisory Committee Member and Treasurer for the Northwest Minnesota Women’s Fund. She is an active member of the Wabanica Lutheran Church.

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New Grant Initiatives

(Continued from page 1)

HCHK continued to operate the Kinship North mentoring program and the Suicide Prevention Program.

According to NMF Grant Specialist Jim Steenerson, the grant is a great example of how the Community Connections program works to increase effectiveness and efficiency and share resources and staffing.

“The Evergreen House has found a way to provide continuity and leadership for the mission of the nonprofit organization, while retaining essential programs and volunteer support within the community.”

HCHK was faced with the decision to dissolve the organization due to a lack of operational funding sources. After evaluating the various services that HCHK had been offering, Evergreen sought to maintain the Suicide Prevention Program in its entirety and continue Kinship North.

Executive Director Becky Schueller said, “Evergreen sees the Healthy Community Healthy Kids programs as a strong fit with our mission to strengthen youth and preserve families.” She added, “We recognize and thank the HCHK board and the Kinship North Advisory Board for their hard work to make this program transition possible. We also greatly appreciate the confidence shown by the Northwest Minnesota Foundation in making an investment to support this program transition. Without this support, the program transition wouldn’t have been possible.”

Evergreen will rehire HCHK staff so that important services to the Bemidji community will not be compromised and

New Board Members

current gains will not be lost, particularly the apparent reduction in youth suicide numbers. Several of HCHK’s funders want these programs to continue, and it is expected that previous grant agreements will transfer to Evergreen in time. Evergreen and HCHK are working on a process to transition some of HCHK’s board members to the Evergreen board.

One of those board members, Beth DeKrey met recently with NMF staff and Schueller. She said, “We want to thank the foundation for helping to preserve these programs and for helping with the transition.”

Along with the transitioning programs, Evergreen will now serve as fiscal agent for Bemidji Skate and Bike Association, which has secured funding to build a skate park in Bemidji and HCHK and Evergreen continue to work on a home for the Bemidji Youth Advisory Commission.

NMF also has other resources available to help build the capacity of the region’s nonprofit organizations, including a wide variety of workshops offered through the Nonprofit Excellence Program. Course evaluations and participant feedback show this training to be a great benefit to managers, directors and board members seeking to achieve professional and organizational excellence.

Please visit the NMF website at www. nwmf.org or contact Jim Steenerson or Jane McKelvy at the NMF office for more information regarding grant programs or training opportunities.

(Continued from page 2)

Judy Roy is retired after serving three terms from 1994-2006, as Red Lake tribal secretary, constitutional officer of the Red Lake Band.

From 1990-1994 Roy was the Executive Administrator of the Red Lake Tribal Council where she supervised all tribal programs and enterprises.

Previously, she worked in the Red Lake Head Start Early Childhood Program, beginning as a teacher’s aide, then a teacher and later, as the director.

Roy is involved with the Circle of Nations School Board, Wahpeton, ND, as the current president. She is also a Trustee with North Country Health Services, Bemidji, MN, and serves as a member of the Upper Judy Roy Mississippi Mental Health Center Board.

Roy is involved with the Circle of Nations School Board, Wahpeton, ND, as the current president. She is also a Trustee with North Country Health Services, Bemidji, and serves as a member of the Upper Mississippi Mental Health Center Board.

“We also greatly appreciate the confidence shown by the Northwest Minnesota Foundation in making an investment to support this program transition.”

Becky Schueller, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EVERGREEN HOUSE

Northwest Minnesota Foundation 2009 Regional Summit “Igniting Innovation: Starting, Sustaining & Growing Business” Keynote Speakers:

Mark Your Calendar Now for the first annual Northwest Minnesota Foundation Regional Summit to be held May 12, 8:30-5:00 at the University of Minnesota Crookston.

Join us as we celebrate the innovation of Northwest Minnesota and explore new ways to enhance our region’s economy.

This is an event you WILL NOT WANT TO MISS. The agenda features a fourstar line-up of speakers: Rich Karlgaard

• Keynote Speaker, Rich Karlgaard, is the publisher of Forbes - the world’s most popular business and financial magazine, read by 4.5 million people per issue. He also is the author of the book. “Life 2.0 How People Across America Are Transforming Their Lives by Finding the Where of Their Happiness,” which was an Amazon and Wall Street Journal business best-seller.

In every issue of Forbes, Rich writes a column called Digital Rules. It appears in the front pages of Forbes, directly after columns by Steve Forbes. In his Digital Rules column, Rich writes about technology, entrepreneurship, regional and economical development, and the future of business and work. He frequently lectures on these subjects and is a regular guest on the Fox News Channel’s Forbes on Fox. In 2005, Rich began writing a daily blog, which appears on the homepage of Forbes.com.

Rich joined Forbes in 1992 to start Forbes ASAP, a technology magazine, along with Forbes CEO and editor-in-chief Steve Forbes, and the futurist and writer George Gilder. At Forbes ASAP Rich commissioned original works by Tom Wolfe, John Updike and other notable American writers.

Jeffrey A. Stamp

Bill Payne The 2009 IDEA Competition Award Winners will be announced at the Summit. Up to five innovators will receive as much as $10,000 each to advance their business idea.

Rich is an accomplishyed entrepreneur. He has co-founded two companies (Garage Technology Ventures in 1997; and Upside Magazine in 1988) and one civic organization (the 5,500-member Churchill Club in 1985). For the latter, Rich was a co-winner of the Ernst & Young Northern California “Entrepreneur of the Year” award. Rich was raised in Bismarck, North Dakota and graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Political Science. Currently, he lives with his wife and two children in Northern California.

• Bill Payne, Angel Investor, has funded dozens of startups in the last 20 years, some of whidh have made him millions, others of which have lost him thousands. That’s the game and he loves playing it. Today he consults with dozesn of companies and Angel Groups all over the world. According to Brock Blake, CEO, Funding Universe, “Bill is, bar-none, the nation’s leading expert on angel investing. No one else in the country has spoken at more events, consulted more startups, and advised more angel groups. He is the current Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and a regular speaker at investment conferences across the country.”

• Jeffrey Stamp, Assistant Professor and Chair of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of North Dakota. He was the inventor, creator, and brand manager of “Baked Lays” for Frito-Lay, which achieved $230 million in first-year sales and was named by Ernst and Young as the top brand introduction in the 1990s for the food sector. After his corporate life, he built his own successful business as a master brand innovator in both consumer goods and technology arenas by serving for six years as the chief trained brain and vice president of technology for Richard Saunders International’s Eureka! Ranch, a top new product and service creativity think tank. Jeff and his team were awarded the George Land World-Class Innovator Award from the Innovation Network and Fast Company magazine. Stamp is an experienced professor of entrepreneurship, having held the Markley Visiting Professor of Creativity and Entrepreneurship at Miami University of Ohio.

TENTATIVE AGENDA:

www.ideacompetition.org

Registration and Continental Breakfast • Rich Karlgaard keynote - Q & A session • Panelists will share their business experiences and lessons learned • Lunch • Jeff Stamp keynote • Bill Payne keynote - Q & A session • Panelists will share angel investor advice and guidance, entrepreneur experience with angels

Crookston ECI:

Play it Forward Campaign

Groundbreaking for the Wildwood Playground in Crookston.

The Crookston Early Childhood Initiative, one of 12 NMF coalition communities, recently received a grant for $25,000 from the Otto Bremer Foundation for its “Play it Forward” campaign, an effort to provide developmentally appropriate playground equipment for children under the age of five.

These specially equipped playgrounds will be in five neighborhoods throughout the community and will offer space for the entire family to play.

The project resulted from surveys of parents and childcare providers, along with a community forum, in which responses emphasized the need for indoor and outdoor family play spaces. The outcome is one playground completed so far with a structure and two swings for children under age 5.

They plan to enhance five playgrounds, one each year for the next four years.

Gayle Nelson, ECI Coordinator says, “The Crookston ECI contends that providing spaces for large motor activity contributes to all areas of a child’s development, prepares them for success in school, and gives children the opportunity to develop to their full potential.”

Prior to the Bremer grant, gifts to the ECI included $4,280 from a City Parks and Recreation Department stipend, generous donations from the Crookston Rotary Club and from local businesses and individuals along with NMF support. Donors

giving substantial contributions are being recognized with inscribed pavers that form a walkway in the park.

“Play It Forward” has been well received by the Crookston community. The ECI is recognized for carrying out necessary and valuable projects. Because of this high regard, the group has other entities interested in partnering to extend the project. The City of Crookston is constructing a new hockey arena and wants to include a playground appropriate for children under age five. The indoor structure would serve children waiting for older siblings at the arena and could also be used as an indoor space for childcare providers.

Crookston cares about their youngest citizens and plans for their needs. “Play It Forward” makes this clear and real.

L-R: Dr. Jodi Boerger Wilder, ECI steering committee; Bremer Bank Crookston President Rob Jacobson, Lin Backstrom, NMF early childhood specialist; Gayle Nelson, Crookston ECI coordinator.

“The Crookston ECI contends that providing spaces for large motor activity contributes to all areas of a child’s development.”

Gayle Nelson, ECI COORDINATOR

Grants Grants Totaling $284,584 were made from October 2008-January 2009 Caring Communities Total: $81,200 Children, Family & Elderly Mental Health Consumer/ Survivor Network................................. $2,000 NMF will offer a 10% match on new endowment dollars donated to funds that are established through a community fund, or are marketed as part of an area’s community fund family.

For Northwest Regional Resource Center

Clear Waters Life Center..................... $19,200 For a program to improve physical fitness in the local population of Clearbrook

Emergency Assistance

Awarded for flood relief and/or crisis needs of low-income families and individuals ........$60,000

$11,800 $8,200 $7,200 $10,800

Inter-County Community Action Council Mahube Community Council, Inc. Northwest Community Action Program Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc

Community Connections Total: $25,000 Evergreen House, Inc..........................$25,000 To preserve essential community services including suicide prevention and children’s programs by moving them from Healthy Community Health Kids, which dissolved, to Evergreen House, Inc.

Community Planning Total: $25,000 Growth Management City of Thief River Falls...................... $25,000 To develop a vision, strategy, and implementation process for the City and surrounding nine communities Component funds are established with the Northwest Minnesota Foundation for a specific purpose. A donor or group of donors helps to build a permanent endowment from which interest earning are used to fund projects, programs or activities and/or scholarships that support the mission of the fund. A local fund advisory committee recommends distribution s based on specific purposes and criteria. The NMF board, for purposes of IRS regulation, approves the advisory recommendations for grants, but the component funds are the source of the grant dollars.

Component Fund Total:

$124,134

Bagley Area Community Fund

Bagley Beautification Fund

For City of Bagley signage........................... $933 Bagley Early Childhood Initiative Fund (3)..............................................$4,800 For Ready to Read, Life Books, Media Project Bemidji Area Arts Endowment & Project Fund

Ernie Rall Children’s Performing

Arts Fund......................................... $500

To Bemidji Community Theater for production of Rodgers & Hammerstein Cinderella Bemidji Area Early Childhood Initiative Fund......................................$1,350 For “Ready, Set, Grow”-Transition to Kindergarten Bemidji Area Parks and Trails Fund First City Lights Fund (3) For lighting needs..................................... $6,082 Clearwater Health Care Fund (2)...........$2,722 For surgical equipment upgrade; for Clearwater Health Services Diabetic Fair CHS Hospice Family Room Project Fund....................................$10,000 For Hospice Family Room Crookston Early Childhood Initiative Fund (2).................................$4,000 For Play It Forward and expenses

District #593 Education Foundation Fund .................................................$5,735 For Fall 2008 grant round Fertile-Beltrami Early Childhood Initiative Fund.........................................$250 For Share a Story family literacy event Full Stride Fund......................................$500 For a Thief River Falls ECI early childhood advocate

John and Eloise Ostrem Charitable Fund......................................$500 For Bemidji Food Shelf donation Lake of the Woods Early Childhood Initiative Fund (3) ...............................$2,220 For Kid’s Night Out; ECI expenses; Makit plate night LifeCare Health Care Fund (2)..............$1,082 For blood pressure monitors and security cabinets Eagles Auxiliary Diabetes & Dialysis Fund................................$2,500 For the Senior Medical Travel Program

LifeCare Hospice Fund...................$1,000 For Healing Garden Project LifeCare Roseau Manor Fund..........$1,786 .

For Healing Garden Project Maggie Adams Medical Equipment Fund (2)......................................$12,189 For Infusion Chairs; for NeoPap Infant CPAP System Think Pink Breast Cancer Fund (2) . ........................................$790 For Women’s Health Promotion; for Eagles Breast Cancer Campaign 2008

Mahnomen Education Endowment and Project Fund

Mahnomen School Track Fund........... $246 For repairs and upgrades to the track Marshall County Early Childhood Initiative Fund......................................... $750 For Marshall County child care provider’s flu vaccine incentive Mississippi Headwaters Area Dental Health Center Fund........................................ $4,758 For public access dental clinic start-up North Valley Endowment Fund............ $25,000 For radiology equipment Ole and Ruth Tweet Family Fund.............. $500 For Zion Lutheran Church Boy Scout/Eagle Scout troop project Park Rapids Area Community Fund Heartland Homes Endowment and Project Fund........................... $22,091 For Van Purchases

Park Rapids Early Childhood

Initiative Fund............................... $1,500

For classes on mental health issues to area

child care providers

Robert J. Johnson and Mary L. Johnson Charitable Fund (3).............................. $2,583 For Youth Hunting Program at Rydell Refuge; for reshingle, repair and maintenance projects at St. Bernard’s School; for books for Reading Project Roseau County Historical Society Endowment Fund................................. $7,461

For general operation funding

Business Development Activity

Business Loans

Two loans were recently made from the Revolving Loan Fund totaling $195,000 Jared’s Grocery, McIntosh To purchase an existing grocery business Occupational Development Center, Thief River Falls For the purchase of a building in Baudette where the ODC will operate a consignment store

Microloans

Thief River Falls Early Childhood Initiative Fund (2) .................................. $307 For a childrens’ literacy game; for general brochure

Scholarships Total: $29,250

Bemidji Lumberjack Foundation Fund Bemidji Lumberjack Foundation Fund General Scholarship Fund (3) Bemidji Lumberjack Foundation Fund K.E. “Red” Wilson Athletic Fund

Mahnomen Education Endowment and Project Fund General Ike Isaacson and Major Bruce Isaacson Scholarship Fund $250 Leslie Hanson Scholarship Fund (2) $750 Mahnomen Education Endowment and Project Fund (3) $1,250 Milton Hockel Natural Resources Scholarship Fund $500 Major Robert Olson Fund $1,000 Mike Staples Memorial Scholarship Fund $1,000 Red Lake Falls Education Endowment and Project Fund Kris Fontaine Memorial Scholarship Fund (2) $1,000 Kyle A. Myhre Memorial Fund (2) $1,000 Roseau Area Community Fund A.J. Kramer Scholarship Fund $500 Malung PTO Scholarship Fund (3) $750 Marian Foley Memorial Fund $1,000 Marvin LaRue Memorial Fund $500 Warroad Area Community Fund Gaylord A. Gunderson Education and Scholarship Fund $1,000

Business counseling and loans are available to help entrepreneurs develop small business and self-employment opportunities. Three loans were recently made totaling $87,500.

Bad Cat Creations, Bemidji For start-up of a custom jewelry, specialty gifts and novelties store

$6,000

$500 John F. Breen Scholarship Fund (3) $3,000 Ray F. Breen Scholarship (3) $3,000 Clearbrook-Gonvick Education Endowment and Project Fund Mary Jo Klinger Scholarship Fund $500 Olga Peterson Scholarship Fund $1,500 Greenbush Area Community Fund Keith and Ellen Kapphahn Family Scholarship Fund (2) $500 Laporte Education Endowment and Project Fund Laporte-Benedict VFW Scholarship Fund $250 Leonard J. Kucera Memorial Scholarship Fund $1,000 Luther Younggren Memorial Scholarship Fund (2) $2,500

Tom’s Tackle, Baudette For inventory for an existing tackle manufacturing business B & E Fiberglass, Park Rapids For purchase of an existing fiberglass product manufacturer TRF Welding, Thief River Falls For working capital for a welding and metal fabrication business

Technical Assistance Sixteen businesses from Park Rapids, East Grand Forks, Bemidji, St. Vincent, Waskish, Crookston, Kelliher, Baudette and Ada received $16,744 in outside consulting for management and technical assistance.

NMF’s priority of Quality of Place centers on making the region a place where people want to live and work.

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. Postage PAID Bemidji, MN 56601 Permit No. 36

4225 Technology Drive NW Bemidji, MN 56601 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Contact us: 218-759-2057 • 800-659-7859 • nwmf@nwmf.org

Upcoming Events 2009 Northwest Minnesota Women’s Hall of Fame and Opening Celebration to Women’s History Month “Conservation: Women Saving the Planet” February 28, 2009 11:00-2:00 Beaux Arts Ballroom Bemidji State University Tickets $20 – students and age 65+ $15

Workshops

Individual Excellence

Asking Effective Questions for Supervisory Solutions March 19 8:30-3:45 Beltrami Electric Coop, Bemidji

Organizational Excellence

Organizational Effectiveness I & II – **ED and one Board Member commit to both sessions March 12 & April 16 9:00-4:00 Beltrami Electric Coop, Bemidji

NMF LeaderImpact Go to www.nmfleaderimpact.com to view a short video and learn more about the program.

Session I: March 25, 26 & 27 (11:30 a.m. start time on the 25th through 4:00 p.m. on the 27th) Session II: June 18th &19th (Starts with dinner on June 17) **Participants commit to both sessions Location: Swenson House, Thief River Falls

For more information or to download forms, visit Events & Workshops at www.nwmf.org, or contact Jane McKelvy (218-759-2057 -- email janem@nwmf.org)