Northwest Minnesota Foundation ~ Developing Community Assets ~ Serving 12 CountiesFALL 2008 • Number 47

REGIONAL ALLIANCE TO IDENTIFY ECONOMIC VISION FOR NORTHWEST MINNESOTA

Alliance Members

Debra Boardman, President/CEO RiverView Health

Lauren Brorby, CEO, Red River Valley Cooperative Power Association

Vic Carder, Vice President of Human Resources, Marvin Windows & Doors

Charles Casey, Chancellor, University of Minnesota Crookston

Rodger Coauette, Executive Director, Northwest Private Industry Council

Brent Gish, Superintendent, Red Lake Schools

Bob Hager, CEO, Border State Bank

Leon Heath, Executive Director, Northwest Regional Development Commission

Gary Johnson, COO, Paul Bunyan Telephone Cooperative

Floyd “Buck” Jourdain, Chairman, Red Lake Band of Ojibwe Indians

Arlen Kangas, President, Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation

Dan McElroy, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development

Steve Muzzy, Controller, Central Boiler, Inc.

Jon Quistgaard, President, Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College

Mike St. Onge, President, Alerus Financial Grand Forks

Anne Temte, President, Northland Community and Technical College

Murray Turner, Executive Director, Pine-to-Prairie Cooperative Center

Rick Trontvet, Vice President of Human Resources, Digi-Key

Cliff Tweedale, Executive Director, Headwaters Regional Development Commission

Erma Vizenor, Chairwoman, White Earth Reservation Tribal Council

Nancy Vyskocil, President, Northwest Minnesota Foundation

Patricia Wangler, CEO, First Care Medical Services

Dan Wenner, Executive Director, Rural Minnesota CEP

Men and women with a common interest in the future success of Northwest Minnesota gathered September 15th & 16th in Thief River Falls. These key decision makers, named the Regional Economic Alliance, have begun to develop a collective vision for the economy of Northwest Minnesota. This vision will be used to guide the deci-sion makers in planning for the future of their own businesses, organizations and commu-nities. It will also be used to align resources across the region in pursuit of common eco-nomic goals. Beginning in the fall of 2007, the Minne-sota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) issued a request for proposals to convene local interest groups to prepare regional economic development plans. Ingenuity Frontier, which is a collaborative project working to increase the pool of manufacturing and applied engineering talent and innovation in northwestern Minnesota, consists of partners Bemidji State University, Headwaters Regional Development Commission, DEED, Northland Com-munity and Technical College and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. With NMF as the lead, they submitted a successful proposal on behalf of Northwest Minnesota. The active partners going forward in the grant project include the core team of Ingenuity Frontier, joined by the University of Minnesota Crookston and the Center for Research and Innovation at BSU. The central action of the project is a Regional Summit attended by some of the principal stakeholders in Northwest Minnesota’s economic future. Participants were recruited from all sectors, both public and private, includ-ing: manufacturing, healthcare, banking, energy, tribal government, higher education, K-12 schools, economic and workforce development, and philanthropy. According to Marty Sieve, NMF vice president for programs, the forma-tion of the Alliance is vital to the project. “To be successful, economic

(Continued on page 2)

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Nancy VyskocilA Message from the President

Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” It would seem that Septem-ber is a strange time to be planting seeds in Northwest Minnesota, but that is just what happened on September 15th and 16th. Over twenty leaders from throughout the region and across disciplines joined together to begin the work of creating an economic vision for our twelve county area.

When I consider the seeds that were planted, I see that some will grow fast and others will take years to reach full maturity. An immediate outcome for the region is the relationships generated by the intense “roll up your sleeves” interaction that took place over the two days. Leaders, now named the Regional Economic Alliance, left with new colleagues, friends, and resources that had not been in place only days before.

Long term benefits for the region will center on increased collaboration among entities that include local and tribal governments, K-12 and post-secondary education, business and the non profit sectors. Strengthening education and the work force are issues that will have strong support from all parties. As the ideas of the Alliance germinate from vision to plan, and plan to action, more partners who are committed to continued growth and success in Northwest Minnesota will be needed.

BUILDING AN ECONOMIC VISION FOR NORTHWEST MINNESOTA

Regional Economic Alliance(Continued from page 1)

development needs the ‘big picture’ view, anticipating trends that are just appearing on the horizon. Planning for the future needs to begin with today,” Sieve said, “and, in order to see the big picture, in order to think and act strategically, top-level policy makers and decision makers must come around the table together.” During the September Regional Summit, the Alliance was guided by Jim Krile through a structured planning process. He is well known around the state as the designer and re-tired director of the Blandin Community Leadership Program. He said, “The members of the Alliance were not only perceptive in their understanding of the economic opportunities and challenges facing all of Northwest Minnesota, but also profoundly aware that a regional economic vision will become reality only as the result of very concrete, specific collaborative actions.”

(Continued on page 3)

At the Swenson House in Thief River Falls, North-land Community & Technical College, the REA met to create a draft of the economic vision.

Cliff Tweedale, Erma Vizenor and Mike St. Onge work on a small group task

The NorthwestMinnesotaFoundation

investsresources,

createsopportunitiesand promotes

philanthropy tomake the region

a better placeto live and work.

BOARD OFDIRECTORS

Eric BergesonChairFertile

Dean JohnsonVice Chair

Bemidji

Gary PurathSecretary

Red Lake Falls

Dean JohnsonTreasurer

Mahnomen

Terri AndersonOgema

David BergmanThief River Falls

Mark HewittPark Rapids

Roger MalmHallock

Kim WilsonFosston

Robert HagerGreenbush

Laurie WilsonCrookston

3

“To be successful, economic

development needs the ‘big picture’ view, anticipating

trends that are just appearing on the horizon. Planning for the

future needs to begin with

today.”

Marty Sieve, NMF VICE

PRESIDENT FOR PROGRAMS

The work of the Alliance will be to develop strong working relation-ships and a sense of identity as the Regional Economic Alliance; to create shared meaning about and agreement on the major elements to be included in a Vision for the region’s economy; producing a list of potential ways to track prog-ress on achieving the Vision; and identifying and prioritizing critical drivers and barriers to achieving the Vision. “Developing a clear, compelling and achievable economic vision for the region is hard, challeng-ing work,” Krile said.

“The leaders who stepped forward to form the Alliance took on this challenge and crafted a first draft of a regional vision at their first re-treat.” He added, “In addition, they identified other individuals, organizations and institutions that will be key to achieving the vision and out-lined the role the Alliance can play in moving the vision forward.” They will be brought back together for a second session in October to continue the plan-ning process, followed by a banquet in Decem-ber. Krile said, “At their October retreat they will get the vision ready to be shared throughout the region and continue to develop strategies to involve others in strengthening the economy of Northwest Minnesota.” Their vision will be shared with a wider audience through media and other means, including a regional conference to be held next spring. Project Manager Michelle Landsverk said many viewpoints will become important to the process. “We need the voices of people who can set policy and make decisions to be part of our early work,” Landsverk stated. “Moving forward we will seek out others who are aligned with this vision, can help support it, and can as-sist with getting our message delivered through-out the region.” For more information, e-mail Landsverk at michelle@michellelandsverk.com or phone 218-435-2834.

Regional Economic Alliance(Continued from page 2)

Jim Krile leading the group.

Business Development Activity

Arlen Kangas and Floyd “Buck” Jourdain at the retreat.

Business LoansTwo loans were recently made from the Revolving Loan Fund totaling $270,000

Cornerstone Nursing & Rehab Center, Inc., BagleyFor working capital to support the newly purchased businessLaValley Industries, LLC., BemidjiFor working capital to support the manufacture of The Deckhand, a new product used in horizontal drilling

MicroloansBusiness counseling and loans are available to help entrepreneurs develop small business and self-em-ployment opportunities. Four loans were recently made totaling $126,500.

KC’s Flat Concrete and Bobcat Services, Bemidji For the purchase of equipment Kerri’s Ideal Diamonds, RoseauFor inventory and working capital Interiors by Decorating Den, Bemidji To establish a new interior decorator businessGregoire Agency, Inc., East Grand ForksFor purchase of an existing business

Technical AssistanceTwo businesses from Thief River Falls and Ada re-ceived $1,100 in outside consulting for management and technical assistance.

4

NMF will offer a 10%

match on new endowment

dollars donated to

funds that are established through a

community fund, or are marketed as part of an area’s

community fund family.

GrantsGrantsGrants Totaling $231,095 were made from June - September 2008

Caring Communities Total: $2,270Children & FamiliesMagelssen Elementary School ................... $2,270

Community Planning Total: $21,000Economic & Community DevelopmentCity of Waubun .......................................$12,000 To develop a three to five year comprehensive city plan to provide guidance in growth for the economy and social stability of the town. Growth ManagementHeadwaters Regional Development ..........$9,000 For Progress Park Rapids to be the organization that will help the community understand how it is doing now in selected areas vital to community success.

Natural Resources Total ...............$800New TechnologiesPembina Trail R C & D ................................. $800

Training Total $7,635Individual EffectivenessB-WELL ....................................................... $825 Organizational EffectivenessBoys & Girls Club of the Bemidji Area ..... $1,743 Ours to Serve House of Hospitality ........... $4,817Sexual Assault Program ............................... $250

Component Fund Total: $199,389Bagley Early Childhood Initiative FundClearwater Library Foundation ......................$700

Bemidji Area Parks and Trails Fund Bemidji in Bloom Fund City of Bemidji ...................................$1,599 Bemidji Waterfront-Paul and Babe Maintenance Fund Northwest Minnesota Foundation * .....$2,090

Bemidji Lumberjack Foundation Fund Rick Lee Memorial Fund Bemidji Area Schools ............................. $200

Component funds are established with the Northwest Minnesota Foundation for a specific purpose. A donor or group of donors helps to build a permanent endowment from which inter-est earnings are used to fund projects, programs or activities and/or scholarships that support the mission of the fund. A local fund advisory committee recommends distributions based on specific purposes and criteria. The NMF board, for purpose of IRS regulations, approves the advisory recommendations for grants, but the component funds are the source of the grant dollars.

General Scholarship Fund Bemidji Area Schools ............................. $345 Tom Gardner Memorial Fund Bemidji Area Schools ..........................$250

Clearbrook-Gonvick Early Childhood Initiative FundClearbrook-Gonvick School .....................$1,000

Clearwater Health Care Fund Clearwater County Nursing Service ..........$1,300 CHS Hospice Fund Clearwater County Hospice, Inc .......... $4,000 Clearwater County Emergency Services Endowment and Project Fund Clearwater Ambulance Service ............... $898 Crookston Early Childhood Initiative Fund City of Crookston ................................... $11,685 Crookston School District #593 ................. $800 Fertile-Beltrami Public School..................... $250 Fertile Area Armed Forces Veterans FundNorthwest Minnesota Foundation * ........ $39,000Fosston Area Community Fund LuVerne Trogstad Scholarship Fund Katelyn Winkelmann ............................ $5,000 Lucy Radack ........................................ $5,000 Hopes, Dreams and Smiles FundNorthwest Minnesota Foundation * ........ $26,100HRDC Leadership Fund HRDC Successful Communities Challenge Fund City of Waubun .................................... $6,000 Headwaters Regional Development ...... $5,000 Headwaters Regional Development ...... $4,500 John and Eloise Ostrem Charitable FundBoys & Girls Club of the Bemidji Area ....... $500

Lake of the Woods County Historical Society Endowment and Project Fund

Lake of the Woods County Historical Society .................................... $175 Laporte Education Endowment and Project Fund

Laporte School District #306 .................$500

Mahnomen Area Community FundMahnomen Health Care Fund Mahnomen Health Center .................... $5,481 Mahnomen Education Endowment and Project Fund Mahnomen School Track Fund Mahnomen Public School .................. $30,691 Marshall County Early Childhood Initiative FundStephen/Argyle School ........................... $13,000

5

NMF’s priority of Quality of

Place centers on making the region a place where people want to live and work.

Park Rapids Area Community Fund Fireworks Fund Northwest Minnesota Foundation *.........$4,030 Heartland Homes Endowment and Project Fund Heartland Homes, Inc ..........................$11,000 Heartland Homes, Inc ............................$3,545 Hewitt Family Charitable Fund Headwaters Regional Development .......$3,750 Park Rapids Summer Youth Baseball ......$2,500

Grants - ScholarshipsRobert J. Johnson and Mary L. Johnson Charitable Fund Northland College Foundation ............. $1,000 Warroad Area Community Fund Dorrance H. Johnston Scholarship for Engineering Fund Eric Friesner ..........................................$4,500

* NMF is not the actual grant recipient, but dis- burses funds for projects and accounts for their use.

Philanthropic ServicesNMF Offers Matching Gift Opportunity

Retaining financial assets in Northwest Min-nesota is a key goal within the mission of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. It aligns with our Quality of Place initiative; the region needs assets that build resources to attract and retain residents.

To support this goal, the foundation has offered matching gifts since 1993. NMF has transferred over $700,000 in unrestricted funds from our own earnings to component fund endowments.

The Red River Valley Emerging Leadership Fund and Northwest Minnesota Women’s Fund are regional components funds of NMF. They have had a match opportunity since July 1, 2001. We are happy to report that the Women’s Fund is less that $10,000 away from meeting its $100,000 challenge goal.

NMF’s priority of Quality of Place centers on making our region a place where people want to live and work. To further this effort, NMF has joined with communities to form commu-nity funds. These funds encourage residents and people who have ties to the community to give locally.

Presently there are 15 community funds at NMF. Each community fund has the opportu-nity to receive a 10% match, up to $50,000, for endowment gifts to the community fund or it sub-funds. This match program began July 1, 2003 and was scheduled to end July 30, 2008. The Warroad Area Community Fund reached the full match within that time period.

After reviewing the impact of the match pro-

gram, the NMF Board of Directors has decided to extend the community funds match with the one exception of scholarship funds. While we will continue to establish scholarship funds, there will no longer be a match for those gifts.

We will focus our match on education-based gifts to endowment funds that make grants to our local schools serving Pre-Kindergarten through high school grades. Education endow-ment funds help to enhance existing programs, often unavailable because of district budget constraints. The funds’ grant support can help our schools to stay current in technology and innovations that allow our students to remain competitive, in a time when schools are strug-gling to keep up.

In addition, gifts to all other sub-funds of the community fund, such as arts, library, park and recreation, health care, and donor-advised funds will continue to earn a match, which will be allocated to the general endowment of the community fund. The match will be limited to a total of $50,000 per community fund includ-ing prior matching gift programs. It will be continued on a year-to-year basis; an annual program review will determine the matching gift status for the next year.

It is our hope that the matching gift op-portunity will encourage communities to add resources that enhance the places where residents live and work. Through the establish-ment of community fund endowments, and with NMF support, a permanent resource can continue to grow and build on each dollar donated.

6

“I’m interested in this kind of practical

learning experience

that will help me to become

a better teacher.”

Josh Wheeler,STAR YouthAdvocate

Youth Advocates Are Successful STAR Teams Partners

The YA orientation included a circle time where each person has the attention of the group and actively listens to the speaker, which is an everyday part of each retreat.

A successful combination of people come together when Youth Advocates assist in the two-day STAR Teams youth leadership training retreats.

Youth Advocates – also called YAs – are typically college-aged individuals majoring in social work or education at Bemidji State University, although eligibility is not limited to that sector.

YAs serve by mentoring younger students in the Students Teaching Attitudes of Respect (STAR) Team Program, sponsored by NMF. They work with 6th and 7th grade students, advisors from their own schools, and trainers attending the STAR Teams training at Concordia Language Villages near Bemidji.

STAR Teams nurture young people in the develop-ment of their character, values and relationships. Focus is on communication skills, media awareness, personal styles in conflict management, non-competitive games and thought processes. Training is provided by Peace-maker Resources, including Barb Houg, executive direc-tor, along with Sue Liedl, Candy Roberts, Marlin Farley, Eric Sundeen and Anna Carlson.

STAR Teams training sessions are held in the fall and the teams return for a second session later in the school year. STAR Teams is available to 6th and 7th grade stu-dents from schools throughout the NMF service area. To date more than 1,700 students from area schools have taken part in the program.

By coming to STAR, the YAs gain success-building skills through their valuable work with kids in an educa-tional, real-life setting. The kids have a more successful experience because they are exposed to energized, fun, and eager mentors; they have someone to lean on in an unfamiliar situation. The trainers have time to focus on a successful retreat because they have additional talented, supervisory people who are fully engaged in the training.

Each year, staff from Peacemaker Resources visit university education classes to describe the program and encourage students to participate in the program. They also rely on referrals from current and former YAs who may recommend candidates.

YAs are taught to catch the “teachable moment” during the program. They actively and easily engage the STAR Teams students in discussions regarding the concepts being presented.

Prospects are invited to a 2-hour orientation and training session to outline the goals and activities of the retreats. The orientation helps them to discover whether the program is a good fit for the student and vice versa. This session also gives an overview of the program and describes the responsibilities of the Youth Advocates. They have the opportunity to start getting to know each other and

to participate in some STAR activities, which gives them a flavor of the experiential nature of the sessions.

Josh Wheeler, a new recruit who attended the Sep-tember YA orientation is a student teacher at Schoolcraft Learning Community, a Bemidji area K-8 charter school. He said, “I’m interested in this kind of practical learning experience that will help me to become a better teacher.”

The YAs are prepared for an early start, an overnight stay, and more activities the following day. They set a positive, fun and safe tone for the students as soon as they arrive. Overall, their duties include:

• Protect the overall safety and health of the youth assigned to their cabins. This includes both physi-cal and emotional safety.

• Facilitate group discussions.

• Supervise and assist students in the cabin with scheduled program activities.

• Participate in every aspect of the retreat, providing on-going support and positive role modeling.

• Assist youth in utilizing the skills they have been learning as conflicts or situations arise.

The experience is so positive for the YAs that they have nearly a 100% return rate. Once they have com-mitted to attending and have been working with the kids, nearly all agree to participate in the next round of sessions.

Sarah Shelton returned as a YA for her second year. She said the reason she wanted to come back is because she thinks that most kids do not have the opportunity to have very many positive interactions with young adults. “The kids really

look up to the YAs,” she said, “and I always feel like I am truly making a difference in the lives of the kids, even though it is a short time period.”

7

“I think most kids do not have the

opportunity to have very

many positive interactions with young

adults.”

Sarah Shelton,STAR YouthAdvocate

Anna Carlson was involved with STAR Teams for three years as a YA. She has now been hired by Peacemaker Resources as a trainer and will continue to be an important part of this successful program. Carlson said, “I am so excited to get the chance to switch roles at the STAR retreat this year and begin as a trainer. After being a YA for three years, I am confident that the

skills learned in STAR have changed my life. I can only hope that I can share what I have learned with these students and begin to see the effect take hold in their own lives.”

“When I was first introduced to STAR, I didn’t know what to expect,” Carlson stated. “I agreed to

Youth Advocate in the Next Stage Shares Success

Anna Carlson

This is a game that looks easy, but is quite diifficult, in which everyone has to keep two fingers on the hula hoop until it reaches the floor.

be a Youth Advocate for the program from a desire to teach skills for community building and healthy relationships among children. Little did I know that I would be the one getting the education.

“I went through the first STAR retreat feeling like the 6th and 7th graders as though these concepts were brand new and ground breaking. Skills such as effec-tive communication, dealing with bullies and coopera-tive games are not central in our traditional education and after attending the STAR retreat I soon realized the consequences of such an education. I deal with difficult people every day, as most of us do, and learn-ing the skills taught through STAR teams gives me an opportunity to work them into my own life and see the positive changes that occur when I confront conflicts

This fun, fast-paced game energizes the group as they toss stuffed toys to one another, using memory skills as the sequence in which they are supposed to catch and throw.

using these skills,” Carlson added.

“These are life long skills and not just aimed at 6th and 7th graders. I can only hope that the realization of the importance of such skills will someday be integrat-ed into every school’s curriculum,” she said. “Through the ripple effect, these kids truly have the power to not only change their world, but the world of those around them.”

According to Anna, the best part about being a YA is that you are constantly amazed at the capacity 6th and 7th graders have to not only learn, but teach you new things about yourself. “Each group of kids is so extremely different that the experience of being a YA is constantly changing,” she said. “It helps me to realize the importance of flexibility, patience and understand-ing in my own life, and how crucial it is to go through these experiences along with the kids, coming together as equals and having each others’ voices heard. The students feel respected and empowered to make their own decisions regarding the conflicts they encounter. It is truly phenomenal to see these skills in practice throughout the STAR retreats and to see the joy on kids’ faces when they realize they have the power to become a peacemaker in their school.”

When asked what YAs need to be successful Carl-son knows that YAs need to be flexible, and friendly, understanding and most importantly, willing to learn. She said, “STAR retreats are a great form of experien-tial education for the students, trainers and YAs alike. To come to a STAR retreat as a YA and think that you will do the teaching to the kids, is a misunderstand-ing!” she stated. “If you come with an open mind and excitement for learning, the kids will teach you more than you could have imagined.”

For more information about the STAR program, visit www.nwmf.org. If you are interested in learn-ing more about how to be part of the STAR training, contact Jane McKelvy (218-759-2057 - email janem@nwmf.org).

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StrengthQuest – participants commit to all three dates in the sessionSession II: January 29, March 5 & April 2Time: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Location: East Grand Forks, MN (site to be announced)Fee: $249Note: Nonprofit attendees willing to stay for lunch and be part of a focus group until 2:00 p.m. each day will be refunded $100.

Apply proven principles: promote personal growth and achieve results. When you attend StrengthQuest, you will receive a copy of the best-selling book Strengths Finder 2.0, by Tom Rath. With that comes the opportunity to take Gallup’s Clifton Strengths Finder – a web-based assessment tool that is designed to identify the most prevalent human strengths. Understand and leverage the unique dynamic created by individual talents by attending this important series of Strengths Finder workshops.

Register online at www.nwmf.org or call to request a brochure.

NMF LeaderImpact - participants commit to both sessionsSession I: March 25, 26 & 27(11:30 a.m. start time on the 25th through 4:00 p.m. on the 27th) Session II: June 18th &19th(Starts with dinner on June 17)Location: Swenson House, Thief River Falls

Become A Great Leader. Make An Impact On Your Busi-ness. Success starts with your leadership, and NMF Leader-Impact will help you to become better at what you do. Through two transformational leadership retreats and twelve weeks of integrated Action Learning Lab, you’ll arm yourself with critical leadership skills and strategies to improve the efficiency of your business. NMF LeaderImpact is a one-of-a-kind training programWhether you measure success in profits, membership or success stories, your team will benefit from the improved leadership that you will display. Learn to lead, and you’llfind success in business, community and life

For more information or to download forms, visit Events & Workshops at www.nwmf.org, or contact Jane McKelvy (218-759-2057 -- email janem@nwmf.org)