Blandin Foundation grant helps Greenway community fund top $1 million
A $250,000 investment honors area leaders and expands local giving for generations to come
Key points
- Blandin Foundation awarded $250,000 to grow the Greenway Area Community Fund, bringing its permanent endowment above $1 million and increasing its ability to support local projects.
- The investment keeps charitable resources and decisions close to home; a separate $50,000 community matching challenge remains in place through Dec. 31, 2027.
MARBLE, Minn. — A $250,000 grant from Blandin Foundation will push the Greenway Area Community Fund’s permanent endowment beyond $1 million, creating more opportunities for local residents to support the places they call home.
The grant, awarded to the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation for the Greenway fund, also carries a heartfelt thank-you. In late summer, Greenway-area leaders welcomed Blandin Foundation trustees and staff for a community tour, sharing the projects, challenges and hopes shaping their towns and townships.
“Our trustees came away from the Greenway tour impressed by the care people put into their communities and the generosity they showed us. This grant is a way to back the local leadership we saw firsthand. A stronger community fund means Greenway residents have more resources to act on their own priorities, now and far into the future,” said Kyle Erickson, Blandin Foundation grants director.
The Greenway Area Community Fund serves Coleraine, Bovey, Taconite, LaPrairie, Marble, Calumet and Pengilly, as well as Trout Lake, Greenway, Lawrence Lake and Nashwauk townships. A volunteer advisory committee drawn from those communities helps guide local grant decisions. The Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation manages the endowment, which invests gifts and distributes a portion of its earnings for community benefit each year.
“We were proud to show the Blandin trustees what is happening in the Greenway area, the projects and the people who make them possible. Reaching the $1 million mark is something our communities can celebrate together. It gives us a stronger base to support good local ideas for years to come,” said Kim Venema, Lawrence Township representative on the Greenway Area Community Fund advisory committee.
The fund’s grants have helped bring neighbors together and support everyday community assets. Past examples include $1,000 for the 2022 Marble Days celebration and a gift supporting the Coleraine library. According to the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation, the Greenway fund has invested more than $125,000 in area schools, libraries, fire departments and other community projects.
The endowment milestone matters beyond the new dollars. Rural communities have historically received a disproportionately small share of philanthropic grants. A permanent, locally guided fund gives residents and people with roots in the region a practical way to keep charitable resources close to home, including through gifts made during their lifetimes or in estate plans.
The University of Minnesota Extension estimates that $539 million in wealth will transfer between generations in Itasca County over the next decade. Even a modest share directed to local endowments could help communities address future needs and realize local ambitions.
“This gift changes what the Greenway Area Community Fund can do, but it also sends an invitation. People who live here, and people who still think of the Greenway area as home, can help build something permanent. Our role is to make that giving simple and keep decisions connected to the communities donors care about,” said Mindy Nuhring, executive director of the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation.
The $250,000 grant builds on earlier Blandin Foundation support. A separate $50,000 matching opportunity remains available through Dec. 31, 2027. Community donations of up to $50,000 to the Greenway fund can unlock an equal match through the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation. Community efforts have so far raised more than $31,000 toward that goal. The new endowment grant does not replace that local fundraising goal.
“Community wealth building is about helping local people hold on to and direct the resources that shape their future. Rural placemaking is about the spaces, traditions and connections that make people proud to call a place home. The Greenway fund does both, and its volunteer leaders know best where those investments can make a difference,” Erickson said.
For information about giving to the Greenway Area Community Fund, visit gracf.org/area-funds/greenway-area-community-fund/.
About Greenway Area Community Fund
Established in 2017, the Greenway Area Community Fund is dedicated to strengthening communities and improving quality of life throughout the Greenway Area. Guided by a volunteer advisory board representing local cities and townships, the Fund supports charitable projects and initiatives that address community needs, with a special emphasis on youth opportunities and well-being. Through local generosity and an endowed fund designed to provide lasting support, the Greenway Area Community Fund invests in programs that bring people together, build community pride, and create a positive impact for generations to come. To learn more or make a donation, visit greenwayareacommunityfund.com.
Media Contact
Kim Venema
Lawrence Township Representative
218-259-1771
kimberly@lawrencelakeco.com
About Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation
Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity that connects donors with opportunities to strengthen communities throughout Itasca County and the surrounding area. Through charitable giving, the Foundation supports local needs, invests in important causes, and helps create lasting positive impact. For more information, visit gracf.org.
Media Contact
Kelly Shreve
Development and Communications Manager
218-999-9100
Kelly.shreve@gracf.org
About Blandin Foundation
Blandin Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. One of a handful of rural-based, rural-serving foundations in the country, Blandin Foundation serves rural Minnesota, focusing resources in north-central Minnesota. Its grants, leadership development programs and policy work build financial and human capital so rural communities can welcome diversity, address injustice, and create a sustainable and equitable future. For more information, visit blandinfoundation.org
Media Contact
Jennifer Bevis
Senior Rural Advocacy Manager
218-256-3769
jmbevis@blandinfoundation.org
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