This morning, Blandin Foundation president Kathy Annette participated in a Rural Assembly panel entitled, “Closing the Philanthropy Gap. She, along with Justin Maxom of the Mary Reynolds Babock Foundation, Jamie Bennett of ArtPlace America, Heetan Kalan of the New World Foundation, provided their expertise and insight to answer the question: What is the role of …
If you know what it feels like to step into a buzzing small town cafe, bursting with happy chatter and hugs, then you have a taste of what it was like to attend the rural philanthropy gathering at this year’s Council on Foundation’s (COF) annual conference. Coming together like long-lost friends, nearly 30 philanthropic professionals from rural …
If there is one thing you need to know about effective community leadership, it’s this: creating a shared vision for the future, a vision arising from and embraced by the community, is the engine that powers change. Sure, that sounds good on paper, but how do you go about creating a shared vision. In one word — …
Today we welcome Brian Nicklason, chair of the Investment Committee and board member for Blandin Foundation. Brian is president and CEO of Woodland Bank, with offices serving the northern Minnesota communities of Deer River, Cohasset, Hill City, and Grand Rapids. He has been a board member of the Foundation for 11 years. Last month, I, along …
Since the early 1900s, the Cloverdale Town Hall has been the gathering place for people living in Nashwauk Township. Community dances, baby showers, weddings, and funerals – the space has held a bountiful array of celebrations that have bolstered community spirit and kept community ties strong. A couple that celebrated their wedding decades ago would …
Last month, The Daily Yonder reported on a new USDA study that looks at the distribution of grant dollars between urban and rural. The results looked at all types of funding (not just development) and was based on data from the nation’s 1,200 to 1,400 largest foundations. What did they find out? Here are some highlights …
Today we welcome Mike Johnson, chair of the Blandin Foundation board of trustees. Mike recently retired as provost of Itasca Community College and is a lifelong resident of Grand Rapids. He has been a board member of the Foundation for 11 years. Each year, more than $3 billion in grants are awarded to hundreds of …
It’s a different time, said Blandin Foundation president Dr. Kathy Annette during an interview with Ampers‘ Melissa Townsend on work happening in Bemidji around racial disparities. During the interview, Dr. Annette relived her experience walking into the Bemijigamaag Powwow, held at the Bemidji’s Sanford Center, with her 81-year-old aunt. Head in April, this first-of-its-kind event encouraged all community …
In just a handful of months, we will be blowing out our 75th birthday candles. As we get closer to that date, we want to share with you the ways in which Blandin Foundation continues to honor its commitments to its founder, Charles K. Blandin, and to its local Itasca area communities. So here’s your first …
You have to do it yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone. We use this mantra in all of our leadership programs because if we’ve learned one thing in our nearly 75 years working with rural leaders it’s this — leadership isn’t a one-person show. The true test of a leader isn’t in …