Skip to Main Content

News Items

In the news: Philanthropies nationwide speak out on census citizenship question

Philanthropies across the country have called for the question about citizenship to be removed from the 2020 Census. Our Census webpage offers resources for you to learn more about the census and rural Minnesota, including CEO Kathy’s Annette’s appointment to the first-ever statewide Complete Count Committee, interactive maps with data on how your area showed …

News Item

Clip: MN rural towns fight brain drain by rebranding

From the Apolitical blog: Western Minnesota communities along the Upper Minnesota River valley built an online campaign that moves beyond tourism to attract new residents. Longtime Blandin broadband partner, the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission, was a key leader in the work. See the Get Rural campaign for yourself. Visit our Partner Directory to …

News Item

Keynote: Healthy, hopeful, vibrant rural communities

Blandin Foundation CEO Kathy Annette’s keynote presentation to the Direct Services Tribes National Meeting, July 11, 2018. Healthy, hopeful, vibrant rural communities   Hello everyone!  It’s great to be here with you all.  I see many familiar faces, and I am honored that you have invited me back to share some thoughts today. Before I …

News Item

Blandin Foundation awards $3.3 million in grants, names new trustees

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (June 29, 2018) – Trustees of Blandin Foundation elected three new board members and approved 48 grants totaling $3,282,607 during their quarterly meeting on Monday, June 25 in Grand Rapids. Brian Nicklason, chair of the Foundation’s board of trustees, announced that three Itasca County residents will join the Foundation’s 12-member board in …

News Item

Four more communities selected for Blandin Community Broadband Program

Blandin Foundation announced today that it has selected four additional rural Minnesota communities for intensive, two-year partnerships with the Foundation to advance local broadband initiatives. Swift County, Rock County, Cannon Falls and Koochiching Technology Initiative were successful in their communities’ bids to become Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC). Communities were selected based on demonstrated commitment to …

News Item

Blandin Foundation Education Grants awarded to 344 local students

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (June 26, 2018) – Blandin Foundation recently shared with 344 Itasca area students that they have been awarded grants of up to $4,500 for their education after high school, putting higher education better within financial reach. The total amount awarded for 2017-18 is $1,053,200 to students from 11 area schools. “Students from …

News Item

Tune in: rural vibrancy on MPR today

MPR’s Ground Level series is about listening throughout the state to build bridges across differences. Last week they hosted a conversation here in Grand Rapids.  You can find the recording here. Among the topics: local insights on the Ground Level Survey of Minnesotans, and  rural brain gain, a trend tracked by University of Minnesota Extension researcher Ben Winchester.

News Item

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation renews partnership with Blandin Broadband Communities Program

Two-year program provides planning, technical and financial support for four communities Grand Rapids, MINN. (June 14, 2018) – Blandin Foundation announced today that it has renewed its partnership with Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation to advance access to and use of broadband in the region through the Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC) program. The selection process …

News Item
arrow icon pointing up Back to Top