Money follows vision. Without a strong voice to carry your vision, though, the money might not find you. This thought hit home for me and many others attending the panel on closing the philanthropic gap at this year’s Rural Assembly. With only 5.5% of large foundation grants going to rural communities, I, alongside three other rural …
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 …
Journalists’ story selection and tone/content of reporting can raise and shape conversations about issues important to rural communities. Typically, though, traditional reporting focuses only on problems, often leaving rural communities without many options or hope to counteract the negative light in which it is cast. “Solutions journalism“, however, offers a way to see community challenges in a …
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 …
Whether you need to raise dollars, awareness or advocates, all organizations are looking for other to help them achieve their mission. Some organizations aren’t aware they need help; others don’t know how to ask for it. Last month, I attended a session at Minnesota Council on Nonprofit’s Northern Minnesota Nonprofit Summit where Minnesota Historical Society …