Issuu

APRIL 2021 / VOLUME 86 @nwmnfoundation

@NMF_1986

NMF Works with Partners to Launch Mobile App to Support Youth Experiencing Homelessness

www.nwmf.org

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

SONS OF NORWAY ESTABLISH SCHOLARSHIP FUND 06

INITIATORS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM EXPANDS TO NORTHWEST MINNESOTA

COVID COMMUNITY HEROES CAMPAIGN Do you want to change your mailing preferences? Please contact Bethany, Communications Director, at bethanyw@ nwmf.org so we can update your information in our database. Thanks!

Northwest Minnesota Foundation RESOURCE / VOLUME 86 / APRIL 2021

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” ̶Desmond Tutu I find myself hopeful these days. Between the unseasonably warm weather, the recent uptick in vaccination rates, and the slowdown of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, I am filled with both hope and gratefulness. I am especially thankful for the region’s tribal communities who have opened their vaccination sites to non-tribal member residents of multiple communities and counties. Your generosity of spirit is inspiring. Miigwech.

OUR MISSION The Northwest Minnesota Foundation invests resources, facilitates collaboration and promotes philanthropy to make the region a better place to live and work.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kristin Eggerling, Chair Steve Anderson, Vice Chair Cathy Forgit, Secretary Todd Beckel, Treasurer Jason Carlson Kaitlyn Grenier Cheri Gunvalson Mike LaRoque Michelle Paquin

Over the past year, since COVID-19 first emerged, we’ve witnessed many acts of neighbor helping neighbor, of communities coming together in new ways to confront this devastating pandemic. Here at the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, we want to celebrate these everyday heroes and spread the stories of their kindness. This is why we have launched the COVID Communities Heroes campaign, to highlight and applaud the exemplary efforts occurring in our communities. You can find more information about the campaign later in this Resource. Please nominate a hero in your community and let’s celebrate the many ways we can come together for one another. I would also like to acknowledge and express my appreciation for the amazing board and staff of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation for keeping our organization strong throughout the difficulties of the past year. The Foundation’s staff worked hard, day in and day out, to build better lives for those who call the region home. Over the past twelve months, we have processed more grants and helped more businesses than we normally do over three years’ time. We’re not stopping yet! We will soon release a fifth round of grants through the Northwest Minnesota Emergency Disaster Recovery Fund. Thank you to all of the fund’s generous donors. Your gift is going directly to the non-profits, tribal organizations, and agencies serving those in need in our region. Your gift truly makes a difference in northwest Minnesota. With gratitude to all of the everyday heroes of the past year,

Leah Pigatti Kristi Thorfinnson Deb Zak

@nwmnfoundation @NMF_1986 www.nwmf.org

Karen White President and CEO

VOLUME 86 / APRIL 2021 / Northwest Minnesota Foundation RESOURCE

STAFF UPDATES Bethany Wesley has been promoted to Communications Director. She will be leading the communications strategy, including developing and implementing an integrated, organization-wide strategic communications plan to broaden awareness of the philanthropy sector and strengthen the Foundation’s brand identity.

Kari Cooper has been promoted to Program Officer, Hub Implementation Project. She will be leading the implementation of the Hub Grant project in collaboration with seven partner agencies around the region; Bi-County Community Action Programs, Intercounty Community Council, Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership, Northwest Community Action, Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Red Lake Nation and White Earth Nation. The community hubs were established with federal funding dedicated to helping pregnant and parenting families with children 8 years and younger navigate Minnesota’s childhood system.

Chloe Keprios has joined NMF as the Administrative Assistant/ Receptionist. She previously worked at Paul Bunyan Communications in Bemidji where she served as an account executive for seven years. Chloe brings a strong background in customer service, technical assistance, and administrative skills to the team.

You can find an updated staff list and contact information on our website. Visit www.nwmf.org/who-we-are/our-team.

NMF WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) is pleased to announce three new members who recently joined our Board of Directors. Jason Carlson: Jason lives in McIntosh, Minnesota and is the Chief Executive Officer of Tri-Valley Opportunity Council. He helps provide opportunities for disadvantaged and vulnerable populations in Northwest Minnesota. He is passionate about improving the quality of life for people and communities in our region. Carlson has been a long-time supporter of NMF initiatives and is excited to help advance the work of the Foundation. Kristi Thorfinnson: Kristi lives in Crookston, Minnesota and works a dual role as the Housing Specialist Coordinator and Community Development assistant for the Northwest Minnesota Multi-County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. She is involved with the federal homelessness initiative, Continuum of Care, and is passionate about advancing the personal, professional, and community opportunities in northwest Minnesota. Thorfinnson looks forward to using her background in community development to navigate our region’s unique strengths and challenges. Kaitlyn Grenier: Kaitlyn lives in Bemidji, Minnesota and serves as CoDirector of a community led grassroots Native nonprofit organization, Manidoo Ogitigaan. She is passionate about achieving cultural equity and working on social and environmental justice issues in our region. Grenier is eager to start serving on the Board of Directors and sharing her unique perspective. “We are excited to welcome these new directors to our board. They bring their unique insight, perspectives, and expertise to further the work of the Foundation and strengthen our region,” said Kristin Eggerling, Board Chair. To learn more about the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, visit www.nwmf.org.

To make a gift to support our COVID-19 relief efforts around the region, go to www.nwmf.org and click “Give Now” or text SUPPORTNORTHWESTMN to 50155.

Northwest Minnesota Foundation RESOURCE / VOLUME 86 / APRIL 2021

NMF WORKS WITH PARTNERS TO LAUNCH MOBILE APP TO SUPPORT YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS Building better lives has been a guiding vision for the Northwest Minnesota Foundation since we implemented our current strategic plan in 2018. One way we have been working toward this mission is by addressing homelessness in our region. In 2019, NMF was asked to become the Collaborative Applicant for the Northwest Continuum of Care (NWCoC). The Collaborative Applicant assists in being a liaison between the northwest region of Minnesota and the United States Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). One of our collaborative efforts through the NWCoC is the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project (YHDP). A key goal of the YHDP was to implement technology into the response system for youth experiencing homelessness. As such, we are thrilled with the recent launch of MyPath, an app that connects youth experiencing homelessness throughout our region with much-needed resources. MyPath is here to empower Northwest Minnesota youth, and their communities, to ask for and connect

to the resources they need to successfully access housing, avoid homelessness, and pursue happiness. “We are doing what we can to promote systems change around youth homelessness,” said Cory Boushee, Program Officer at NMF. “Instead of telling homeless, or home insecure, youth what they need, we wanted to create a platform for them to tell us what they need.” MyPath allows unaccompanied youth between the ages of 16 and 24 to access resources in various categories such as mental health, education, food, shelters, and much more. MyPath also allows homeless youth to ask for other resources they may be searching for. Visit www.mypaths.org to learn more about the ways MyPath can help youth experiencing homelessness. This project has brought NMF one step closer toward making significant and verifiable progress toward ending homelessness among unaccompanied youth in the Northwest Continuum of Care region of Minnesota. The YHDP is hoping to bring new and existing stakeholders together to prevent and end homelessness for unaccompanied youth, ages 16 to 24, throughout the northwest region of Minnesota. The work of assisting youth in crisis is done by our incredible YHDP partners. We certainly could not list all of them, so we will call out those partners who have received funding from HUD: Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership, Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Northwest Community Action, Inter-County Community Council, and Northwest Indian Community Development Center. These partners and their services span the entire northwest region. Since the program began in 2019, 66 people have received housing assistance, including 39 adults and 27 children, indicating that mostly young families are being served. Of the people who have exited the program, 85 percent had a positive outcome, meaning they were able to move on to living on their own without this support.

Visit www.nwmf.org/resources/strategicpartnerships/nwcoc/ to learn more about the NWCoC and YHDP, among other projects that NMF is working on through our Homelessness program as we work to build better lives throughout Northwest Minnesota.

RentHelpMN RentHelpMN is launching in mid-April to assist renters and landlords who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you or someone you know is a renter who is behind on housing expenses, or if you know a property owner with tenants who are behind, help is on the way. The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting housing stability throughout northwest Minnesota. We know many people impacted by the pandemic are behind on rent but are, thankfully, still housed due to a moratorium placed on evictions. We also know that eviction moratorium has placed an overwhelming burden on property owners across the northwest region. How much do people owe? How many people are behind? These are questions we wish we could accurately answer, but here is what we do know: At the end of 2020, Minnesota Housing launched the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program. In northwest Minnesota 1,827 people applied for $2,728,000 in assistance for housing expenses. The RentHelpMN program will launch in midApril with $290 million available for people in Minnesota behind on rent and associated housing expenses. NMF was able to fund partners in the region through a $250,000 grant from Minnesota Housing to support program outreach and to assist people with barriers to accessing the program. NMF will be working with Community Resource Connections, Northwest Indian Community Development Center, Northwest Community Action, Inter-County Community Council, and Tri-Valley Opportunity Council. If you have questions about this program, please call 211 or visit the website at www. renthelpmn.org. We do have partners who can help, but you will first need to go through the 211 system.

If you would like to learn more about how to make a meaningful gift in your community, visit www.nwmf.org and click “Ways to Give.” Text “NMF” to 50155 to donate from your phone to our general endowment fund!

VOLUME 86 / APRIL 2021 / Northwest Minnesota Foundation RESOURCE

Ashley Hofstad, scholarship recipient

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT TESTIMONIAL: ASHLEY HOFSTAD

Pictured from left to right are Kelly Martinka, Northwest Minnesota Foundation Development Officer, Craig Moe, Sons of Norway Vinland Lodge 1-193 Treasurer, and Mary Moe, Sons of Norway Vinland Lodge 1-193 Secretary.

SONS OF NORWAY CHAPTER ESTABLISHES SCHOLARSHIP FUND AT NMF The Sons of Norway Vinland Lodge 1-193 in International Falls recently established the Sons of Norway Vinland Lodge 1-193 Scholarship Fund, a component fund of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. The scholarship will support students from International Falls, Little Fork/Big Falls, Indus School or homeschooled students who are pursuing a post-secondary education. The scholarship will be a recurring scholarship for up to four years and students can apply for it starting in spring of 2022. The Sons of Norway is an international cultural organization whose mission is to promote and preserve the heritage and culture of Norway. The Sons of Norway Vinland Lodge 1-193 was established in International Falls in 1918 and have shared

their passion for Scandinavian culture through language, cooking, and other crafting skills. The Sons of Norway Vinland Lodge 1-193 officially disbanded in September 2020 and has distributed their assets to local charitable and nonprofit organizations. International Falls is not within the usual NMF service region. However, a partnership with our sister Minnesota Initiative Fund, Northland Foundation, allows NMF to support scholarships adjacent to the region we serve. If you are interested in learning about how you can establish a scholarship fund at Northwest Minnesota Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www. nwmf.org.

“My name is Ashley Hofstad and I am from Bemidji, Minnesota. I am currently a freshman at Minnesota State University – Moorhead, where I am pursuing a degree in Biosciences in health and medical. In the spring of 2020, I was awarded the George Pelawa-Calgary Flames Scholarship, a scholarship available to students who have demonstrated leadership in the Bemidji High School’s athletic program. I played volleyball and basketball and ran track at Bemidji High School and was a captain for all three sports my senior year. I am extremely grateful for receiving this scholarship through the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. With many qualified students in need of financial assistance to pay for college, I feel honored to have been awarded this scholarship. It has relieved some of the financial burden on my family and has allowed me to focus on my education. Thank you to the many donors who have generously contributed the scholarship program at Northwest Minnesota Foundation, supporting educational endeavors of students like me.” Continued on Page 6

If you would like to learn more about leaving a legacy in Northwest Minnesota through scholarship funds, visit our website at www.nwmf.org and click on “Ways to Give.” Text “NMF” to 50155 to donate from your phone to our general endowment fund!

Northwest Minnesota Foundation RESOURCE / VOLUME 86 / APRIL 2021 Continued from Page 5 The George Pelawa-Calgary Flames Scholarship was established in memory of Bemidji High School all-star athlete George Pelawa, who tragically died in the summer of 1986. George had been selected in the first round of the 1986 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames and was set to start his freshman year playing hockey

at the University of North Dakota when he passed. For more information on how to support the George Pelawa-Calgary Flames Scholarship Fund or any of our other 120 scholarship funds, visit our website www.nwmf.org, under Ways to Give.

INITIATORS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM EXPANDS TO NORTHWEST MINNESOTA

team, including founder and Chief Executive Officer Rick Bauerly, a member of the Initiative Foundation’s Board of Trustees, have worked with the Foundation to develop the Initiators Fellowship since its inception and have generously provided initial and ongoing funding in excess of $4 million in stock donations held in the Initiators Fund that generates annual dividends to support the program.

The Initiators Fellowship, launched by the Initiative Foundation in 2016, is expanding to include the Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) and social entrepreneurs in its 12-county service area and two native nations, Red Lake and White Earth. Aligned with the Fellowship’s existing partners—including the Initiative Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation and West Central Initiative—the program for emerging social entrepreneurs will now be open to applicants from 53 Greater Minnesota counties and six native nations when the application for the 20222023 cohort opens on May 24. An eligibility quiz is now online at greaterminnesota.net/fellows.

“We are excited to bring this unique opportunity to Northwest Minnesota,” said Michael Neusser, Vice President for Operations at NMF. “We know our region has many social entrepreneurs working to make a difference in our communities, and this is just one more way that we’re able to support them in that mission.” The expansion of the Initiators Fellowship is made possible by additional generous funders including the Bush Foundation and Sourcewell. For more information, or to inquire about the eligibility quiz or application process, visit greaterminnesota. net/fellows.

The expansion of the program is made possible by a host of local and statewide supporters, including an extraordinary additional $1.2 million stock donation from founding funder Granite Partners. Headquartered in St. Cloud, Granite Partners is a private investment and holding company with a mission to grow companies and create value for all stakeholders. Members of the Granite Partners

VOLUME 86 / APRIL 2021 / Northwest Minnesota Foundation RESOURCE

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Mailed From Zip Code 56601 Permit No.36

201 3rd Street NW Bemidji, MN 56601 www.nwmf.org 218-759-2057

NOMINATE A COVID COMMUNITY HERO TODAY!

Help us continue our work to

BUILD BETTER LIVES by making a gift to NMF today!

Text

Visit

“NMF” to 50155 to donate from

to complete the online

www.nwmf.org/give-now

www.nwmf.org/covidhero nomination form.

your mobile device or visit to give online.