The Northland Foundation made 21 grants to nonprofit organizations, schools, and Native nations as well as 25 Tech Boost initiative grants made to small businesses which underwent technology audits.

The two largest grants last quarter were part of a special funding opportunity to support systems change work in the region, offered through a competitive application process. Two organizations received multi-year grants of $150,000: CHUM (Churches United in Ministry) to help house and serve individuals that have experienced homelessness, and Northspan, to support implementation of the Welcoming Communities initiative in northeast Minnesota sites.

The Northland Foundation also awarded nearly $90,000 to help increase child care access in the region, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Child care businesses in Ely, Duluth, Hibbing, and International Falls received grant funding.

In addition, the students serving on the Youth In Philanthropy Board awarded 11 grants in their final grantmaking round of the year, and six Maada’ookiing grants totaling $14,300 were awarded in June to Indigenous individuals in support of grassroots work to strengthen Indigenous community and support Tribal sovereignty.

All quarterly grants awarded April 1 through June 31, 2022, are as follows.

Systems Change

CHUM - Churches United In Ministry, Duluth:  $150,000

Multi-year support for systems change work involving an innovative, collaborative effort to increase services, supports, and permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness.

The Northspan Group Inc., Duluth:  $150,000

Multi-year support for systems change work in rural communities across northeast Minnesota to foster belonging and address structural inequities.

Children and Youth

Area Child Care Businesses, Northeast Minnesota:  $90,000

The following four grants support child care program expansion, with funding provided by the State of Minnesota and assistance from the Northland Foundation.

        Happy Days Preschool, Ely:  $15,000

        Young Minds Learning Center, Duluth:  $25,000

        Dream Weaver Childcare, Hibbing:  $25,000           

        Rainy River Rugrats, International Falls:  $25,000

Grand Rapids School District - ISD #318, Grand Rapids:  $5,000

To support youth leadership experiences for Grand Rapids area students.

Boys and Girls Club of the Northland, Hibbing:  $50,000                                 

To support the launch of a new Boys and Girls Club branch in Hibbing.

REACH Mentoring Program-Youth-Adult Partnerships, Cloquet:  $5,000

To promote the social-emotional wellbeing and academic success of students in the Carlton County area.

Mesabi East Schools - ISD #2711, Aurora:  $25,000

To support the establishment of an after-school program for Mesabi East students. 

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Duluth:  $30,000

To provide independent living skills training to youth and young adults who are at-risk of homelessness.

Children's Dental Services, Inc., Minneapolis:  $30,000

To provide free dental care to children and families in need across northeast Minnesota.

Residential Services, Inc., Duluth:  $2,000

To support the social-emotional wellbeing of children in foster care.

Individual and Community Wellbeing

Loaves and Fishes Too, Minneapolis:  $10,000

To provide free meals to people in need in Aitkin and Palisade. 

Youth Empowerment Support and Safety, Virginia:  $16,500

To provide supportive services to LGBTQ youth across the Iron Range.

First Witness Child Advocacy Center, Duluth:  $25,000

To provide services to support victims of child abuse and prevention education services in Carlton County.

Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity, Duluth:  $16,000

To support home modification services to help older adults live at home in Duluth, Two Harbors, and Silver Bay.

Integrated Rural Community Aging Program – AGE to age Fellows

The following grants were made through the Northland Foundation’s Integrated Rural Community Aging Program, providing support for intergenerational activities in AGE to age sites.

Barnum Schools - ISD #091, Barnum:  $11,000

To support an AGE to age Fellows Team, made up of a college student and a 50+ adult, to work together to offer intergenerational programming in their hometown.

Moose Lake Schools - ISD #097, Moose Lake:  $5,500

To support an AGE to age Fellow Team, made up of a college student and a 50+ adult, to work together to offer intergenerational programming in their hometown.

Capacity Building

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Saint Paul:  $5,000

To support programming to strengthen the nonprofit sector in northeast Minnesota.

Grand Portage Constitution Convention, Grand Portage:  $5,000

To support the Grand Portage delegation working to rewrite the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Constitution.

Small Businesses, Northeast MN:  $22,054

A total of 25 grants were awarded through the Tech Boost reimbursement grant program, designed to help small businesses in our region adopt new technologies that will help them thrive. The Tech Boost grant program is supported through the Arrowhead Intelligent Region initiative and generous contributions from the Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation, the Blandin Foundation, the Northland Foundation, and the Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America.


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