Department of Public Transformation to Strengthen Civic Engagement in Rural Minnesota with $490,000 Blandin Foundation Grant

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 Placemaking focus area, which supports locally driven projects that build pride in place and community vitality.
• Ten rural communities with populations under 20,000 will participate in a Civic Arts Cohort, receiving technical assistance and project funding.
• The program will also build a statewide network of rural leaders through a Community of Practice focused on arts-based civic engagement.

Grand Rapids, Minn. — April 27, 2026

Blandin Foundation has awarded a $490,000 grant over three years to Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) to support creative strategies that strengthen civic engagement, leadership and community connection in rural Minnesota.

The grant will expand the nonprofit’s Engage Rural program, which equips rural communities with creative and inclusive tools to broaden participation in civic life, build trust in local systems, and strengthen pride in place.

The Engage Rural program builds on lessons from a pilot project offered in 2022 with three southwest Minnesota communities. During the pilot, every $1 of an initial investment in creative civic engagement leveraged an average of at least $2.97 from other funding sources for creative community-engaged projects.

“Creativity isn’t a decorative add-on for communities,” said Ash Hanson, founder and 
creative executive officer of Department of Public Transformation. “It’s one of the most powerful tools we have for helping people connect, solve problems and participate in shaping their future. This support allows us to work alongside rural leaders, artists, and neighbors to build stronger civic systems that reflect the people and stories of each place.”

“Thriving rural communities depend on people feeling connected to their neighbors and confident that their voices matter,” said Tuleah Palmer, president of Blandin Foundation. “Department of Public Transformation brings a community-centered approach to rural placemaking that is grounded in local creativity, broadens leadership, and strengthens civic participation in ways that reflect the unique character of each place.”

Founded in 2018, Department of Public Transformation develops creative strategies that increase community connection, civic engagement and equitable participation in rural places. The organization leads programs across Minnesota, the broader Midwest region, and nationally, working alongside artists, community leaders, organizations, and municipalities. Its staff frequently presents their work at regional and national gatherings, and its board includes artists, community champions, and professionals with expertise in finance, technology, and community and economic development.

Through the grant, the organization will expand two core Engage Rural program areas, the Civic Arts Cohort and the Connect Community of Practice track.

Two Civic Arts Cohorts will support ten rural Minnesota communities with populations under 20,000. Each community will receive technical assistance for planning and engagement, support connecting with local artists and arts organizations, and $12,000 in funding to design and implement locally driven civic arts projects.

A Community of Practice (the Engage Rural Connect track) will bring together teams from about 20 rural Minnesota communities in two year-long learning cycles, starting in 2027. Participants will engage in consultations, workshops and peer-learning sessions designed to build leadership skills and confidence in using arts-based strategies in civic processes.

“These programs recognize that some of the most powerful civic leadership in rural communities comes from artists, cultural workers, and informal leaders who care deeply about where they live,” said Kyle Erickson, grants director at Blandin Foundation. “By building networks, sharing knowledge and supporting creative approaches to civic life, this work helps communities strengthen relationships and sustain engagement.”

Mary Magnuson, Blandin Foundation’s grants program officer for rural placemaking, said the grant reflects the foundation’s goal of supporting both rural communities and organizations that help them succeed. For example, Milan, a town of about 400 residents, worked with DoPT on civic arts engagements that helped catalyze new leadership pathways, including the appointment of the first woman of color to serve on the city council and the first time more than one council seat was held by women.

“Meaningful placemaking requires authentic engagement from a broad cross-section of residents, including those whose voices are often underrepresented,” Magnuson said. “Department of Public Transformation’s approach emphasizes that process. Their staff and programs help communities build relationships, strengthen pride in place and create projects that reflect the people who live there.”

Communities will be selected to participate in the program through an open call and application process launching in May 2026.

––END––


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. Our grants, opportunities that connect rural leaders, and policy work build up financial and human capital, so rural Minnesota places can welcome diversity, address injustice, and embrace change to create a sustainable and equitable future.

About Department of Public Transformation (DoPT)
Department of Public Transformation is a nonprofit organization that develops creative strategies for increased community connection, civic engagement, and equitable participation in rural places. Learn more at publictransformation.org.