Grant will help impacted residents navigate insurance deductibles, home repair assistance and mental health care through disaster case managers Summary: Blandin Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to the Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) to support long-term recovery in storm-impacted counties and the White Earth Nation following the June 21 derecho. The grant will help launch a …
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (July 28, 2025) – Blandin Foundation is pleased to celebrate the 380 Itasca-area students who have been awarded a Blandin Foundation Scholarship to support their academic goals. The total amount awarded for the 2025-26 school year is $1.7 million to students from 11 Itasca-area schools or to students who attend school from …
More than 40 area organizations receive grants to build community wealth and resilience Key Points: Blandin Foundation awarded $10.2 million to 48 organizations across Itasca County and rural northern Minnesota. Strategic Community Alignment: The grants, ranging from $20,000 to $2.8 million, align with the Foundation’s priorities of community wealth building, rural placemaking and capacity building. …
$1.575 million grant adds momentum to longtime effort to build a community-owned grocery store Key Points: Blandin Foundation awarded $1.575 million for construction of the Free Range Food Co-op (FRFC) in Grand Rapids. The Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation (GRACF) serves as fiscal sponsor for the grant. Strategic Community Alignment: This initiative aligns with the …
Planning for New Amphitheater and Cultural Center Underway Key Points: Blandin Foundation has awarded a $475,000 grant to Reif Performing Arts Center to explore plans for a new amphitheater and cultural center. Potential new facilities would serve as additional year-round cultural and civic hubs, offering outdoor concerts, community events and increased arts access for residents. …
New Grant Portfolios Designed to Strengthen Community Wealth Building, Small Communities and Rural Placemaking Grand Rapids, Minn. – March 6, 2025 – The Blandin Foundation announced applications for its 2025 grant programs open on March 7, 2025 for prospective grantees in its local giving area of Itasca County, Blackduck, Hill City, Northome and Remer. The three …
$114,720 grant to use community-driven planning to strengthen Grand Rapids as a regional hub and improve infrastructure, safety and economic opportunity Key Points: Boost Regional Revitalization: Blandin awarded $114,720 to the Grand Rapids Economic Development Authority (GREDA) to revitalize the Highway 2 corridor with MNDOT, improving infrastructure, safety and economic development. Strategic Community Alignment: This …
The Daily Yonder talks with Jennifer Bevis, Blandin Foundation’s Senior Rural Advocacy Manager, about the charms of living in rural Minnesota, some of the unique challenges and opportunities of small-town philanthropy, and a big picture view on how we might reach a more prosperous future for rural people and places. Read the Interview
Grants to Minnesota’s smallest towns highlight needs, dreams and innovation in rural areas. Key Points: Blandin announced funding to 72 grantees in rural MN communities with populations under 5,000 in Blandin’s local giving area and throughout the state. Rural communities in MN receive only eight percent of philanthropic funding despite hosting 23 percent of the …
Strong regional collaboration and largest cumulative investment in Foundation history of $37M has improved early childhood, education and social outcomes in Itasca County area Key Points: $2 Million Grant: The Blandin Foundation awarded a $2 million grant to Invest Early, completing a 20-year funding commitment to a nationally recognized, community-driven partnership. Community-Centered Impact: Invest Early …