The Northland Foundation awarded nearly $2 million in grant funds in the last quarter of 2023 to benefit people and communities in its geographic service area.
The lion’s share of grant dollars – $1,175,000 total – were awarded through the Northland Foundation’s Integrated Rural Community Aging Program. The program provides resources to help three targeted rural sites and three Tribal nations to integrate care coordination, social engagement, and quality of care for older adults, Tribal elders, and their caregivers. This is the second three-year phase of this special program, focused on deeper capacity-building work to bolster services and supports which give rural older adults opportunities for social connections and access to care.
“Northland Foundation has been engaged in aging and intergenerational programming in our rural region for 30 years,” said Zane Bail, Northland Foundation’s COO. “We are pleased to be able to offer grants to partners that are doing the hard work of providing services that help older adults in our region to live well in their homes and local communities.”
Northland also awarded more than two dozen grants to help increase the availability of licensed child care in northeast Minnesota. The foundation collaborates with local, regional, and statewide partners working to address the region’s critical shortage of child care. Funding partners include the City of Duluth 1200 Fund, St. Louis County, and the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development providing resources to support child care startup and expansion, staffing attraction and retention efforts, and funds to help programs cover expenses or improvements they need to remain licensed.
The Northland Foundation works within the counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis, and the Native nations Zagaakwaandagowininiwag (Bois Forte Band of Chippewa), Gichi Onigaming (Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa), Nagaajiwanaang (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa), Gaa-zagaskwaajimekaag (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe-District I) and Misi-zaaga'igani Anishinaabeg (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe District II).
All quarterly grants awarded October 1 – December 31, 2023, are as follows.
BELONGING GRANTS Efforts to help all people be fully a part of their community with the voice and power to shape institutions and systems
The Northspan Group Inc, Duluth: $50,000
To support work in rural communities across northeast Minnesota to foster belonging and address structural inequities.
BASIC NEEDS GRANTS Food security, homeless services, affordable housing, and other human needs essential to wellbeing
Second Harvest North Central Food Bank, Grand Rapids: $40,000
To provide general operating support for food distribution to rural, underserved communities in north-central Minnesota.
Aitkin County Habitat for Humanity, Aitkin: $10,428
To provide general operating support to build and repair affordable housing in Aitkin County.
United Way of Carlton County, Cloquet: $32,820
To provide basic resources, support, and connection to housing opportunities in the community to youth experiencing homelessness in Carlton County.
Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, Saint Paul: $20,000
To support delivery of comprehensive services to veterans identified as at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Center City Housing Corporation, Duluth: $25,000
To support children's services in the Family Supportive Housing Program for low-income families experiencing homelessness in Duluth.
Life House Inc, Duluth: $40,000
To provide general operating support for programming to assist Duluth youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage: $10,000
To support preventive and restorative oral health care, education, and resource support to improve dental health for adult Grand Portage Reservation band members.
Community Action Duluth, Duluth: $40,000
To provide general operating support for programs that work directly with community members in Duluth and southern St. Louis County to support their goals of empowering themselves financially.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE PREVENTION GRANTS Prevention and intervention in
relation to domestic and family violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking
Advocates Against Domestic Abuse dba HOPE, Aitkin: $40,000
To support community advocacy, direct services, and education for those experiencing domestic violence in Aitkin County.
Advocates for Family Peace, Grand Rapids: $50,000
To support intervention efforts to end relationship violence in northern St. Louis and Itasca Counties.
Family Pathways, North Branch: $26,000
To support people healing from experiences of abuse and provide resources to build healthy relationships through skill-building, outreach, and advocacy.
OUT-OF-SCHOOL-TIME SERVICES GRANTS Programming and enrichment activities for
children and youth
Boys and Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids and Greenway, Grand Rapids: $35,000
To support positive out-of-school time programming for youth in Itasca County.
EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION GRANTS Early care and education quality and access,
parenting education and supports
A Chance To Grow, Minneapolis: $20,000
To support the continued implementation of an innovative learning readiness program for family child care programs that provide the tools to support the healthy development of young children.
Duluth Public Schools-ISD 709, Duluth: $16,548
To provide support for Circle of Security training for Duluth Public Schools Head Start and Preschool providers.
Rock Ridge Public Schools ISD 2909, Virginia: $25,000
To support training workshops on positive child development for Rock Ridge Public Schools Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten teachers and support staff.
Early Learning Grants, Northeast MN: $4,993
To support planning and activities that strengthen the learning continuum from early childhood to 3rd grade, for school district teams that attended the Northland Foundation's 2023 Early Childhood Summit.
- Mesabi East Schools ISD 2711, Aurora: $1,993
- Cloquet Public Schools ISD 094, Cloquet: $3,000
Child Care Grants, Northeast MN: $306,713
With funding support from various partners, the Northland Foundation has awarded grants to help both existing licensed child care programs and new start-up child care businesses.
Child Care Start-up and Expansion Grants
In support of child care program expansion with funding provided by the State of Minnesota Department of Employment nand Economic Development and the Northland Foundation.
- Little Pine Academy, McGregor: $30,000
- Happy Days Preschool Inc, Ely: $25,000
- Bubbling Brook Child Care Center, Duluth: $25,000
Greater St. Louis County Start-up and Expansion Grants
To support the initial start-up of two licensed family child care programs in partnership with St. Louis County.
- Lora Klancher, Cook: $5,000
- Polar Cubs Childcare Center, Floodwood: $25,000
Greater St. Louis County Sustainability Grants
In partnership with St. Louis County, to assist licensed child care programs located in Greater St. Louis County that experienced an unanticipated repair, upgrade, or equipment replacement required to maintain services.
- Milestones Daycare LLC, Virginia: $15,000
- Little Readers Childcare, Ely: $5,000
- Polar Cubs Childcare Center, Floodwood: $25,000
Greater St. Louis County Child Care Workforce Grants
To suppport licensed child care programs to implement creative staff recruitment and retention strategies, in partnership with St. Louis County.
- Children of Grace Childcare and Education Center, Hibbing: $10,000
- Care With Amanda LLC, Virginia: $10,000
- Iron Range Tykes Learning Center Inc, Mt Iron: $10,000
Duluth 1200 Fund Child Care Workforce Grants
In partnership with the City of Duluth 1200 Fund, to assist licensed child care programs to implement creative staff recruitment and retention strategies.
- Educational Frontiers Inc, Duluth: $10,000
- Arrowhead Zoological Society, Duluth: $2,500
- Many Rivers Montessori, Duluth: $7,500
- Hartley Nature Center, Duluth: $5,000
- Building Blocks Learning Center, Duluth: $5,000
- Hope for Kids Childcare Center, Duluth: $5,000
- New Hope Child Care, Duluth: $5,000
- YWCA of Duluth, Duluth: $5,000
- Stella Maris Academy, Duluth: $7,500
- Young Minds Learning Center, Duluth: $4,220
- Lakeside Early Learning, Duluth: $10,000
- University Nursery School, Duluth: $35,000
- Auntys Child Care, Duluth: $10,000
- Observation Hill Childrens Center LLC, Duluth: $5,000
INTEGRATED RURAL COMMUNITY AGING PROGRAM GRANTS
Partner site organizations, northeast MN: $1,175,000
To integrate care coordination, social engagement, and quality of care for older adults, Tribal elders, and their caregivers in targeted rural sites and Tribal nations.
Aitkin County
Aitkin Public Schools ISD 001, Aitkin: $25,000
To provide multi-year support for programs that help reduce social isolation and foster social engagement for older adults in the community.
Aitkin County CARE Inc, Aitkin: $140,000
To provide multi-year support for efforts to improve access, awareness, and availability of services that support successful aging among Aitkin County older adults.
McGregor KIDS PLUS Something Cool Inc, McGregor: $35,000
To provide multi-year support to help strengthen the Age to age programs that provide services and social engagement opportunities to older adults in the McGregor area.
Itasca County
Northern Itasca Hospital District, Bigfork: $20,000
To provide multi-year support for intergenerational activities through the Big Fork Area AGE to age program.
ElderCircle, Grand Rapids: $180,000
To provide multi-year support for efforts to improve access, awareness, and availability of services and supports that help Itasca County older adults.
Lake County
Lake Superior School District ISD 381, Two Harbors: $20,000
To provide multi-year support for intergenerational activities through the Two Harbors AGE to age program.
Community Partners Two Harbors Living at Home, Two Harbors: $80,000
To provide multi-year support for programs that increase access, awareness, and availability of aging services and supports to help older adults and their family caregivers age well in their homes and communities.
North Shore Area Partners, Silver Bay: $100,000
To provide multi-year support to expand existing services and social engagement opportunities to help older adults age in place in collaboration with the North Shore Age to age program.
Bois Fort Band of Chippewa
Bois Forte Health and Human Services, Nett Lake: $175,000
To offer social and cultural engagement activities for elders in the Nett Lake and Vermillion communities.
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Cloquet: $25,000
To provide social and cultural activities, home modifications, and health and well-being services for Fond du Lac elders.
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Cloquet: $175,000
To provide social and cultural activities, home modifications, and health and well-being services for Fond du Lac elders.
Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Oshki Ogimaag Charter School, Grand Portage: $25,000
To provide multi-year support for intergenerational activities through the Grand Portage AGE to age Program.
Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage: $175,000
To expand chore services, home modifications, and social engagement opportunities to help elders age in place.
