Graduation season is here – and along with it, the usual discussions of “brain drain:” rural youth leaving in droves for larger towns and cities for college and other post-secondary training. But research by Ben Winchester at the University of Minnesota Extension Service’s Center for Community Vitality suggests there’s another chapter to this story: Rural […]

Helping rural communities make the most of broadband takes work on many fronts. Communities across rural Minnesota are successfully tackling various facets of that work as part of the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (MIRC) project. Community leaders have been focusing their efforts on reducing barriers and encouraging online ventures, and their work is bearing fruit. […]

The Northwest Area Foundation kicks off summer with its Grassroots and Groundwork conference. This year’s conference emphasizes knowledge sharing — facilitated discussions and site visits will allow participants to learn about “proven or emerging strategies to reduce poverty and build community assets and wealth.” Accroding to a note from NW Area Foundation staff, the event […]

The Northwest Area Foundation kicks off summer with its Grassroots and Groundwork conference. This year’s conference emphasizes knowledge sharing — facilitated discussions and site visits will allow participants to learn about “proven or emerging strategies to reduce poverty and build community assets and wealth.” Accroding to a note from NW Area Foundation staff, the event […]

On January 26, 2012, the Blandin Foundation kicks off a series of Listening Meetings throughout the Itasca County area communities that comprise its “home giving area.”  New Blandin Foundation President Kathy Annette will meet with local community members over the next several months to hear about opportunities and challenges in their area. This feedback will […]

A recent Growth & Justice report—“Whole Towns Coming Together for All Students”—shines the spotlight on rural and greater Minnesota communities that, through community engagement, have come together to find new ways for all students to succeed in the ever-changing economic and culturally diverse landscape. Report author and Growth & Justice President Dane Smith profiles and […]

Some very interesting findings were unveiled this week about possibilities and challenges for redesigning the way Minnesota government entities work together.    The report, Focus on Outcomes, harvests learning from six regional gatherings of city, county and school board leaders in November 2011.  The report highlights three critical lessons: 1. Redesign is facing some barriers to […]

Go Run! American Indian women can do this! This message repeatedly resounded at the GO RUN convening on November 18-20, 2011 at the Deep Portage Learning Center near Hackensack, where twenty-eight American Indian women gathered to share knowledge and resources with the objective of facilitating a conversation centered on developing political leadership. GO RUN is […]

Northwest Minnesota gathers today in Bemidji to think regionally and act locally.  Blandin Foundation invited alumni of its leadership programs to gather to explore the region’s trends and to imagine new ways to frame issues, build social capital and mobilize resources around a shared regional vision. Nearly 100 people are gathered for this event, the first of […]

Thirty community projects have been selected as winners in the 2011 Minnesota Community Pride Showcase competition sponsored this year by InCommons, MinnPost.com and Minnesota State Fair.  The competition recognizes collaborative work to improve minnesota towns and neighborhoods.  We were delighted to see that many Blandin Foundation partners were selected as winners: Rabideau Conservation Academy and […]