News Items

Key Points Blandin Foundation has awarded a $490,000 grant over three years to Department of Public Transformation to expand creative civic engagement programs in rural Minnesota. The grant supports the nonprofit’s Engage Rural initiative, which equips rural leaders with creative strategies to strengthen civic participation and community connection. The effort aligns with Blandin Foundation’s Rural …

Key Points $2.64 million in grants support 33 projects across the Itasca area, 20 of those in small communities, highlighting strong community-driven ideas and demand. Funding supports the Foundation’s focus areas: community wealth building, placemaking, and local capacity building. Additional $990,000 in grants advance community wealth building and rural placemaking in rural Minnesota. Investments are …

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (Jan 20, 2026) – Applications for Blandin Foundation scholarships are being accepted until March 1, 2026. The scholarships provide Itasca area students with $1,000 to $6,000 or more per student for the 2026-2027 school year. Students may reapply each year, until they are age 25 or have earned a bachelor’s degree. Students …

Grants fuel rural information access, community capacity and long-term financial resilience Key Points Blandin Foundation awards two major grants totaling $1.5 million to strengthen community wealth building, rural information access and organizational capacity in the Itasca Area. $1 million supports the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation’s efforts to expand local endowment growth and long-term community …

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. …