Vibrant Communities

People. Places. Passion. Progress.

Where you see your community today? And more importantly, where do you imagine your community tomorrow?

At Blandin Foundation, we see a world of possibilities within your answers.

Discover here your fellow rural Minnesotans’ answers. And consider the power and possibilities within your own answers.

Working Across Differences

We’ve learned that real communities are built on hard work.

Meeting Peoples’ Needs

Networks and resources essential to daily life

Creating Your Community’s Future

Visionary leaders. Vital economies. Genuine opportunity. Cars on Main Street...and more.

Nine Dimensions of Healthy Community

A community's health is made up of many separate but inter-related dimensions.

From the Blog: Top 3 Vibrant Communities

We see vibrancy in rural Minnesota every week — and share it with you on Outposts, our blog.

Top 3 Vibrant Communities | August 14 – 18

Aug 18

1. Blue Earth: “The earth so rich the city grows.” This well-known community motto will be working double time as community leaders double down on marketing the area for further development. A $10,000 grant from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation for community collaboration has blossomed into a multi-partner effort to grow the community. “We’ve got a […]

Top 3 Vibrant Communities | July 31 – August 4

Aug 04

1. Cotton: Hosting their first-ever National Night Out, Cotton residents gathered to celebrate and support the community’s public servants. “We’re all about building community here, strengthening families, establishing relationships and things like that,” said Ginger Kinsley, Executive Director for Old School Lives. Full story at WDIO 2. Aitkin: Aitkin County leaders are working with APEX, an economic […]