Highlights of Fiscal Year 2015-2016

Following are some of the key activities that occurred July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016.

We are grateful to the countless community and funding partners who rise to the challenge, supporting the Northland Foundation’s work in northeastern Minnesota.

Grant Program

Awarded 215 grants totaling $1,532,303 to nonprofit and community organizations serving the seven counties of northeastern Minnesota.

Received a $500,000 grant from the Northwest Area Foundation to launch the Social Enterprise Initiative, working with nonprofit organizations to create or strengthen social enterprises, as well as to enhance the regional network of financial and technical support for social enterprise.
Granted $30,000 in our region to address domestic and sexual violence and victims of sex trafficking utilizing funds from the Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation.
Dedicated $45,059 for 12 “Adventure Gap” grants to support opportunities for children and youth, especially those who are at-risk, to experience outdoor activities.
Partnered with other funders to support the creation of a customized neighborhood profiles tool to compile and make accessible a range of helpful data through the Minnesota Compass website.

Business Finance Program

Approved 18 loans totaling $1,536,403 to businesses and nonprofit organizations, most often in collaboration with other lending partners, which leveraged $7.5 million in additional investments and helped create or save 169 jobs in northeastern Minnesota.
Raised the cap for our popular Quick Turn Loans to $150,000 (matched or exceeded by bank financing) enabling business borrowers to access the capital they need to sustain and grow.
Received a commitment of $357,000 from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, increasing our available capital to lend in the region.

Welcomed Jeff Borling and Deb Otto to the Technical Advisory Committee as Heather Rand and Dean Fries completed their terms.
Connected with more than 50 financial institutions, bankers, and development lenders throughout the region to share information about our program, as well as presented at lender forums in Hibbing, Grand Rapids, and Virginia.

Kids Plus Program

Honored with a 2016 Minnesota Ethical Leadership Award from the Synergy & Leadership Exchange for our KIDS PLUS Youth Leadership Academy, an annual leadership program engaging volunteer adult mentors and 50 ninth grade students.
Hosted the 2015 Pathway to Careers with the help of sponsors and exhibitors, enabling 1,200 high school students from throughout the region to spend the day exploring dozens of available careers and higher education opportunities.
Renewed our partnership with Essentia Health and developed a new partnership with the St. Louis County Family Service Collaboratives to support our Thrive Initiative which works to strengthen infant and early childhood mental health resources and improve access for families of young children.

Bolstered PreK-Grade 3 efforts in the region through funding support from The McKnight Foundation and the Minnesota Department of Education to provide training, funding, and community-based programming.
Continued our work with Parent Aware Pathways, which is helping 150 licensed child care programs and more than 300 individual providers in the region to earn, sustain, or increase their Parent Aware rating.
Guided 11 Youth In Philanthropy Board members from high schools across the region to build grantmaking and leadership experience. With help from five adult mentors, the youth awarded 32 grants totaling $24,278 with funding from the Minnesota Power Foundation .

Northland Assisted Living

Cared for a total of 62 residents and employed 61 staff members through Northland Assisted Living, which provides housing-with-services for older adults in Buhl, Hoyt Lakes, and McGregor.

Partnered with Avinity Senior Living to oversee management of the three Northland Village sites.

Other Noteworthy Accomplishments

Reached our 30-year anniversary as an organization, 1986-2016, serving people and communities for a thriving northeastern Minnesota.
Celebrated 30 years by honoring five partners as “Stars of the Northland”: The McKnight Foundation, Blandin Foundation, Essentia Health, Minnesota Power Foundation, and Toni and Leo Monster.
Received a commitment from founder and ongoing funding partner, The McKnight Foundation, for $3 million over three years to further our mission in our rural region through 2019.
Raised nearly $3.1 million in grants, sponsorships, and individual and corporate donations to support our mission, through the generosity of our funding partners and donors .

Began our third year of the Rural Aging Initiative, a multifaceted approach to helping older adults to age with dignity, independence and purpose in their homes and communities. Efforts included training, funding, and technical assistance to aging services providers; support for the Community Care Integration Pilot in Moose Lake and Aitkin County; enhancements and health and wellness activities at Northland Assisted Living locations; and expanded opportunities to tap the talents of older adults to improve the wellbeing of young people through the Northland Foundation's AGE to age: bringing generations together.