Blandin Foundation

Today's day of gratitude goes to rural Minnesota, with the invitation for everyone to Go Rural this weekend: ??? All 64 Minnesota State Parks are free to visit this Friday. Find a new one in rural and enjoy! https://bit.ly/3YZwU7w! ??? This Small Business Saturday, consider the rural Minnesota-based company who probably has what you're looking for, whether you can pick it up in person or order it online. How are you planning to give thanks to rural this weekend? Tell us in the comments!

We begin a week of gratitude with thanks to the local artists, craftspeople and installation creators who helped bring beauty and a sense of belonging to our recent building renovations: Karen Goulet, Watermark Art Center -- Bemidji Sarah McCrae, Medallion artist -- Madison Greg Mueller, Meuller Studio LCC -- Lutsen TahSheena Smith, Birch Bark Biting artist -- Onigum Eric Mann, Frame-Up -- Grand Rapids John Enger, Enger Grove -- Bemidji Anthony Prato, Bear Trail Builders Trade -- Marcell Riley Nelsen, Dying to Film -- Baxter MacRostie Art Center -- Grand Rapids Images courtesy of Itasca County Historical Society and Itasca County Department of Surveying and Mapping

Congratulations to the seven Heart of Community Honor recipients announced by the McKnight Foundation and the Minnesota Council on Foundations. Recognizing and investing in the capacity of individuals helps move all our communities, especially rural communities, forward. Special nod to Lynn Mizner and Aida Simon, both with notable Bland Foundation connections. We join in celebrating your empathetic leadership and generous commitment to others. Meet the honorees: https://bit.ly/3V1tbF6

If you're an economic or community developer, a state or local government employee, a nonprofit finance officer, a small business owner, or someone working to address local economic challenges, this course will help you reach your funding goals. The Council of Development Finance Agencies's highly anticipated Intro Federal Finance WebCourse is back and taking place from December 9th and 10th. Over two days, representatives from EPA, USDA, DOT, DOE, and other federal agencies will give an overview of their programs and provide insights to apply for and receive funding. Federal grant experts will also join us to highlight strategies and best practices for assembling a grant writing team, submitting an application, and administering your eventual awards. An early registration rate is available through November 22nd. Learn more about the opportunity and register: https://bit.ly/48UFHMr

This Thursday is Give to the Max Day, our state's annual giving holiday when thousands of Minnesotans choose to give for good! If you're planning to make a gift this year -- early giving is already underway! -- we invite you to search "rural" on GiveMN.org to find the organizations making rural Minnesota an incredible place to live, work and play.

Our friends at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis are out with a new article focused not only on Greater Minnesota but on small communities and county-wide data. Highlights include: ?? Current market conditions in Greater Minnesota make housing transactions tough. ??? Tight markets and rising costs are leading to rent increases. ?? Construction challenges are easing or stabilizing. To better understand Greater Minnesota’s housing markets, researchers interviewed 18 firms with a stake in the multifamily housing business and conducted listening sessions with other housing operators. This article describes what they heard -- insurance, interest rates, and staffing -- as common challenges and, where possible, incorporates current quantitative data. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4hJ50oP

Nationwide and across Minnesota, a higher percentage of veterans reside in rural areas. This adds to the rich diversity of our rural communities, and it invites opportunity to show up for our veteran neighbors. In addition to giving thanks and honoring veterans this year, Minnesota author Diana Oestreich suggests creating community connections, facing truths about military service, and giving veterans access to their own stories: https://bit.ly/4fm2DH6 For those seeking community connection, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs has compiled a list of Veterans Day events happening around the state: https://bit.ly/4hNd2NF Map: Veterans as a percentage of the adult population tabulated by the Housing Assistance Council from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.

Believe it or not, it's time to start thinking about financial aid for the 2025-26 school year! On or before December 1st, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available, one step toward potential grants, scholarships, work-study funds and loans for college, career/trade school or graduate school. It's wise for students and those involved in their education (parents, guardians, spouses, etc.) to begin understanding the FAFSA form today, including the role of contributors, who will need to provide personal and financial information, complete sections and sign the FAFSA alongside the applying student. Start your studying at https://bit.ly/4ftwMUy

It's a favorite time of year over here! Happy Halloween from our referees, chickens, tacos, hippies, witches and more to yours! ??

That's a wrap of visits to Battle Lake, Red Wing, New London and Grand Marais for the Heartland Heartwork book tour! On display at each was powerful story sharing, compelling examples of placemaking, and rich histories of place and community. We extend deep gratitude to all the hosts and partners, to the many contributing artists, and to Springboard for the Arts for partnering with Blandin Foundation to create the field guide, which one host and community catalyst referred to as "an incomparable resource". Did you attend one of the tour stops? Share what you learned or walked away with in the comments! Learn more about the field guide to place and possibility for rural leaders: https://bit.ly/4cQzqBQ