From Business North - August 12, 2019


During the second quarter of 2019, the Northland Foundation awarded 42 grants totaling $389,835. Five grants of $10,000 were made to increase the supply of child care openings in the region. The five child care grants were awarded to help with the start-up four new programs that will be located in Eveleth, Aitkin, Duluth, and Hermantown, and to help expand an existing child care program located in Virginia. The $50,000 in funding for these grants was provided by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

“We are appreciative that the State of Minnesota has committed funding to help increase access to high-quality child care in our region,” stated Tony Sertich, Northland Foundation’s president. “Solutions to the shortage of care can be found if public and private sectors – like the Northland Foundation – work together with local communities, and we continue to support the child care providers who are already doing this incredibly important job.”

All 42 grants made between April 1 st and June 30 th are as follows.

Child Care Grants, Northeastern Minnesota

For child care program start-ups and expansions with funding provided by the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the support of the Northland Foundation. $50,000

Brandie's Little Bear Learning Center, Eveleth $10,000

Hope United Methodist Church, Duluth $10,000

Virginia Drop In Daycare, Virginia $10,000

Aitkin Health Services, Aitkin $10,000

Duluth Area Family YMCA, $10,000

To support high quality care and education for the YWCA's child care and preschool programs. $4,510

Northome KIDS PLUS/Northome School - To provide programming to introduce youth to a variety of careers. $5,000

Northome KIDS PLUS/Northome School - To support a new service learning program for middle school students. $2,500

Hibbing Public Library, Hibbing $5,000

To support a summer reading program in the Hibbing area.

Hibbing Kinship Mentoring Program - To support strong social-emotional development through mentoring for Hibbing area youth. $27,500

Cook County Schools - ISD #166, Grand Marais - To support in-school programming that supports the social-emotional development of students. $18,000

Kids Closet of Duluth, To provide school clothing and winter outerwear to students in need. $5,000

North Shore Health Care Foundation, Grand Marais - To support access to oral health education and care to children and youth in Cook County. $10,000

INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING

Fathers Rise Together, Duluth - To support business planning workshops to assist entrepreneurs of color in the Duluth area. $9,000

Well Being Development, Ely - To support the launch of a new program to help people with chronic mental illness gain access to employment opportunities. $25,000

Arc Northland, Duluth - To support the development of a new strategic plan. $4,500

Northland Counseling Center, Grand Rapids - To support an updated housing study for Itasca County. $2,500

Falls Hunger Coalition, Inc., International Falls - To increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables for people with low incomes. $10,000

Second Harvest North Central Food Bank, Grand Rapids - To support the distribution of fresh produce to low-income families through market pop-ups. $20,000

Advocates Against Domestic Abuse d/b/a HOPE (Healing Opportunity Provided Equally), Aitkin - To support programming to increase the safety of victims of domestic violence. $25,000

Ely Community Health Center - To support health care services for people without insurance. $11,000

Mobility Mania, Grand Rapids - To increase independent living, inclusion, and integration for people in wheelchairs, aging adults, and their caregivers in Itasca County. $10,000

Koochiching Aging Options, International Falls - To support services for older adults and their caregivers. $15,000

RURAL AGING INITIATIVE – AGE to age IMPLEMENTATION

The following grants were awarded through the Northland Foundation's Rural Aging Initiative to help olders adults and their caregivers live well in their homes and communities.

Northern Itasca Hospital District, Bigfork - To support intergenerational programming through the Rural Aging Initiative. $15,000

Barnum Schools - ISD #091, Barnum - To support intergenerational programming through the Rural Aging Initiative. $15,000

RURAL AGING INITIATIVE – AGE to age SUMMER COLLEGE INTERN PROGRAM

The following grants were awarded through the Northland Foundation's Rural Aging Initiative to help olders adults and their caregivers live well in their homes and communities.

AGE to age Sites, Northeastern Minnesota - To provide paid internship opportunities to college students over the summer, to gain experience in intergenerational programming in their hometowns. $49,500

Lake Superior School District - ISD #381, Two Harbors $5,500

Hibbing AGE to age, Hibbing $5,500

Cloquet Public Schools - ISD #094, Cloquet $5,500

Proctor Public Schools - ISD #704, Proctor $5,500

Chisholm KIDS PLUS, Chisholm $5,500

Aitkin Public Schools - ISD #001, Aitkin $5,500

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Cloquet $5,500

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

McGregor KIDS PLUS/Something Cool, Inc., McGregor $5,500

RURAL AGING INITIATIVE – AGING INNOVATIONS PROGRAM

The following grants were awarded through the Northland Foundation's Rural Aging Initiative to help older adults and their caregivers live well in their homes and  communities.

North Shore Area Partners, Silver Bay - To support the launch of a new program of in-home personal caregiving to older adults in eastern Lake County and western Cook County. $20,000  

CAPACITY BUILDING

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Saint Paul - To support activities to strengthen the nonprofit sector in northeast Minnesota. $5,000

Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage - To support the development of a website to provide historical, program, and community information for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. $8,000

North House Folk School, Grand Marais - To provide increased staff capacity to support organizational expansion. $15,000

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY VITALITY

Iron Range Economic Alliance, Duluth - To support economic development efforts on the Iron Range. $75

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Saint Paul - Membership support for programs and activities in northeastern Minnesota. $750

American Indian Community Housing Organization, Duluth - To support the Indigenous Foods Expo being held in September 2019. $1,000

Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage - To support social engagement programming for Grand Portage elders. $1,000