Today we welcome guest blogger Matt Rezac, director of rural community partnerships at the Sherwood Foundation in Omaha, Neb., and former Blandin Foundation staff member. He shares comments on a recent Nebraska-Minnesota rural philanthropy learning tour. A couple years ago, my wife and I made a difficult decision to leave tremendous personal and professional circumstances …
With the gentle play of rope, guided by two veterans, a flag caught the September morning breeze and began flying proudly at the Itasca County courthouse. Its colors – red and white, black and yellow – were illuminated in the crisp sunshine, signaling to those who watched its ascent, and those who will enter the …
Today we welcome Jean Lane, Blandin Foundation director of finance. She recently traveled to Worthington and Windom to meet with Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (MIRC) partners there. She shares how high-speed internet projects and diverse downtowns create welcoming, vibrant community. Windom. What a great town! Stately, historic buildings really caught my attention. The Masons building …
How would you describe where you live? Daily Yonder takes a look at this question through the lens of the recent Center for Rural Affairs poll. The poll found that forty-two percent of Americans classify themselves as “rural,” while 45 percent say they’re from a “small town.” Armed with this knowledge, does there need to …
Broadband technology is revolutionizing rural life. From budding online entrepreneurs, to long-distance learners, grandmas on Facebook to telehealth, online connectivity is opening up opportunities in rural America that did not previously exist. Recognizing the importance of broadband to the health and vitality of rural communities, in 2003 Blandin Foundation made a decision to commit resources …
By Jane E. Tigan, Minnesota Compass Rural Minnesotans believe that access to high-quality jobs is the most important issue facing their communities, and that not enough is being done to make that happen, according to the Rural Pulse survey. This perception presents major challenges for community and business leaders, especially since Greater Minnesota has more …
Recently, both federal and state governments have taken bold steps to improve early childhood education. In May, the state education budget increased by $485 million after being signed into law by Governor Dayton. More than $170 million of that increase will go towards early education programs like all-day kindergarten and preschool. Similarly, in President Obama’s …
Today, the Daily Yonder took a deep look into a recent poll released by the Center for Rural Affairs. In their article, they summarize the poll’s findings while answering the central question: Will rural be better off in four years? The response seems split. Younger rural residents are generally optimistic about the future, while there’s an overall …
“I like to think Blandin Foundation is in the hope business,” said Blandin Foundation President Kathy Annette in a recent speech. Quite a few years earlier, Napoleon Bonaparte echoed this thought when he said, “A leader is a dealer in hope.” That’s what the Blandin Community Leadership Program has been doing for over 25 years …
Can a small community stimulate new business based on the use of an ultra-high-speed broadband network? This question nipped at Blandin Community Leadership Program (BCLP) alumnus Scott Adkisson as he weighed on how to capitalize on Red Wing being chosen as a US Ignite program partner. “At first, people didn’t get it,” said Scott. “It’s …