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 …
Nonprofits and funders are finding new ways of working together to achieve greater impact, a survey conducted by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations found. Forging partnerships through authentic communication is crucial to understanding the needs of both grantees and those they serve. Building deeper relationships was the focus of a recent visit between Blandin Foundation trustees …
In November, Carolyn Olson joined Blandin Foundation as the Administrative Executive Assistant for our CEO, Vice President and Director of Human Resources and Board Services. In this role, she handles correspondence, travel and meeting logistics, and document management. To get to know Carolyn better, we asked her a few fun questions: What can’t you live …
Hope springs eternal. These uplifting words were spoken by our president, Kathy Annette, in a recent MNSights article. While this message pertained to a specific instance in Kathy’s life, it could be said that MNSights, a publication of the Minnesota Philanthropy Partners, showcases stories that spring eternal hope – stories about energizing kids’ creativity to stimulate …
If you threw a dart at a map of the United States, it might get stuck in a canyon in the Southwest, perch on the peak of a prodigious mountain in the Northwest or skim swaying wheat fields of the Midwest. Regardless of where you land, it’s likely to be in rural territory. An astounding 72 …
In the words of rural Minnesota native Bob Dylan, times they are a-changin’ at Blandin Foundation. In just a few short months, we’ve said goodbye to cherished, long-time colleagues and we’ve also welcomed new talent. Here’s an update on who’s in rural’s corner at the Blandin Foundation. Mary Kosak retires After 18 years of commitment …
By Wade Fauth
Today we welcome Wade Fauth, vice president of the Blandin Foundation. As vice president of the Foundation, Wade is responsible for organizational assessment and planning as well as coordination of the Foundation’s leadership, policy, grants, communications, and information services activities. The Blandin Foundation, like many foundations and nonprofits, is a complex organization that engages in …
This week more than 600 ninth graders from seven Itasca County schools traded their sneakers in for a comfy set of loafers, putting themselves in the shoes of local business men and women for a day. As part of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Future Workers program, students were paired with over 57 organizations …
By Tom Sippola
Today we welcome Tom Sippola, Multi-Media Leadership Assistant at Blandin Foundation. For over 25 years the Blandin Foundation has worked with rural leaders across the state of Minnesota to help build and sustain healthy communities. With over 6,000 Blandin Community Leadership Program (BCLP) alumni, nearly 500 Blandin Reservation Community Leadership Program (BRCLP) alumni, and countless …
During their spring meeting March 20 and 21, Blandin Foundation trustees voted to extend the organization’s decade of work in rural broadband another two years (through 2016) and allocate $1.5 million more for community broadband grants. “We see every day what local leaders can do to address very significant and complex challenges,” said Dr. Kathleen …