July 2026 – Willmar-based Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­) was recently recognized with a 2026 Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) for their Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Rideshare Support Project. This Willmar Area Community Foundation-supported project established a meaningful level of rideshare service in Kandiyohi County.

The project involved the recruitment of two rideshare drivers. Each earned a tapered start-up subsidy for 26 weeks in exchange for providing at least 30 hours of local rideshare service. To improve transportation access during times when public transit was less available, the period of focus included late afternoon, evening, and weekend hours. The new-to-the-area rideshare service made it possible for riders to more easily travel to destinations related to employment, leisure, and commerce.

“Our region has been home to a handful of Uber and Lyft drivers for a while but, until our Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Rideshare Support Project, these drivers would typically travel to St. Cloud or the Twin Cities Metro Area to provide their services,â€� said Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Transportation Resource Coordinator Terry Smith. The fact of the matter is, without a critical mass of regular customers, they couldn’t make a go of rideshare service locally. “Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s goal was to help these drivers as they developed a sustaining customer base.â€�

Prior to project onset, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s busiest participating driver reported he normally averaged eight local rideshare fares per month. Through this project, since late July 2025, over 1,800 local rides have been tallied, and this number continues to grow. Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ hopes to support the replication of this project in other more rural areas and is happy to share their process and findings with other communities and organizations.

Presented annually, the NADO Impact Awards honor regional development organizations and their partners for strengthening communities, building regional resilience, and enhancing local economies through creative approaches to economic and community development. NADO is a Washington, DC-based membership association of regional development organizations that promotes programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities, and economies.

This year’s cohort included 94 impactful projects led by 58 organizations across 20 states. These award-winning efforts will be recognized during NADO’s 2026 Annual Training Conference, to be held this coming October in Reno, Nevada. All selected projects are featured in an interactive StoryMap that showcases summaries, images, and key partners. The map is available at https://www.nado.org/2026-impact-award-recipients/.

“Each year, the Impact Awards celebrate the remarkable work being done by regional development organizations to strengthen communities and improve quality of life,� said 2025-2026 NADO President Matthew Dolge, Executive Director of the Piedmont Triad Regional Council in North Carolina. “This year’s honorees demonstrate how strategic leadership, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to progress can create meaningful and lasting benefits across the country.�

“Mid-Minnesota Development Commission is thrilled to receive this recognition, and we look forward to learning more about the other awarded projects. We’re honored to be in excellent company,â€� said Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Executive Director Eric Day.

The Impact Awards are presented in memory of Aliceann Wohlbruck, NADO’s first executive director, who was a lifelong advocate for regional solutions and rural economic development. For more information, contact Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Transportation Resource Coordinator Terry Smith at (320) 235-8504 or Terry.Smith@mmrdc.org.

About Mid-Minnesota Development Commission

Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­) is an independent regional development commission, that coordinates economic and community planning and development across Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, and Renville Counties. It is governed by a group of 27 elected officials and subject matter experts from across the four-county region. Learn more about Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ at MMRDC.org.

About NADO

The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) promotes public policies that strengthen local governments, communities, and economies through the regional strategies, coordination efforts, and program expertise of the nation’s regional development organizations. Learn more about NADO at www.nado.org

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Recently, the City of Willmar received notice that they would receive a $2.3 million grant from the EDA to support continued industrial park development. This could not have happened without our approved CEDS and our region’s Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ District designation. Two other grant applications are also being considered within our region. One would include improvements to Ridgewater College’s Hutchinson Campus, to support the construction of a new electrician training facility, and the other would assist with the needed redevelopment of Renville County Road 21, adjacent to the Southern MN Beet Sugar Cooperative (Renville County’s largest employer). Commerce supporting grant applications like these cannot move forward without an approved CEDS and the quality of our CEDS depends on quality input from our region’s residents, workers, and employers. Thank you for your help!

There’s still time to share your thoughts on the region’s economy – what you think is going well and where you think improvement is needed. Visit:  to weigh in!

The post Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Seeking Public Input On Upcoming Comprehensive Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Strategy appeared first on Mid-Minnesota Rural Development Commission.

The Hutchinson and Glencoe Area Chambers of Commerce are once again teaming up for their annual Farm Fatigue “Bucket of Thanks� event! Each fall, 300 buckets filled with snacks, wellness items, and safety gear are hand-delivered to farmers across McLeod County during harvest.

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ is proud to support this community effort and encourages local businesses and individuals to join in!

Return forms and donations by September 5, 2025

Suggested items: Snacks, SPF products, bottled drinks, safety gear, and other on-the-go essentials. Monetary donations are also welcome!

For questions, contact the Hutchinson or Glencoe Chambers (details on flyer).

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Contact: Eric Day, Mid-Minnesota Development Commission

Phone: (320) 235-8504

Email: eric.day@mmrdc.org

Blake Barnard Joins Mid-Minnesota Development Commission

Now Serving as Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s New Transportation & Community Planner

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ is pleased to welcome Blake Barnard to the regional development team. Barnard will apply his skills and experience as the organization’s new Transportation & Community Planner. “Blake has a natural curiosity and a knack for writing, both of which will serve him well in the planning role,â€� said Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Executive Director Eric Day. “He is going to really come into his own at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, as he helps our communities plan for thoughtful developmentâ€�

Much of Barnard’s work will center on a longstanding MnDOT grant, through which Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ provides technical assistance for the planning and prioritization of various regional transportation projects. He will also lead and support other planning projects to help Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s communities ensure health, safety, sustainable growth, and a high standard of living. Prior to joining Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, Barnard enjoyed success in estimating and project management roles in the manufacturing industry. He also brings business ownership and management experience and plans to apply this private sector lens to his public planning efforts.

Barnard resides with his wife and three children in Hutchinson, MN. In his free time, Blake enjoys running, volunteering, and organizing a local chess club.

To learn more about Mid-Minnesota Development Commission, visit MMRDC.org.

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Contact: Eric Day, Mid-Minnesota Development Commission

Phone: (320) 235-8504

Email: eric.day@mmrdc.org

Mike Nicholas Appointed to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Team

May 2024:  Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­) is proud to announce the appointment of Mike Nicholas as the organization’s new Economic Developer. Nicholas, who has been serving as the Transportation and Community Planner since September of 2023, will transition into his new role effective immediately and will join Economic Developer Nate Reuss to support economic development initiatives.

Nicholas brings a fresh perspective to the economic development sector. His dedication to the region and his understanding of the local communities’ needs makes him an ideal fit for this position.

“Mike’s expertise in planning and community development, combined with his passion for economic growth, align perfectly with the Commission’s goals,â€� said Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Executive Director Eric Day. “We are confident that Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ will continue to thrive and bring new opportunities and foster continued growth in the region.â€�

In his new role, Nicholas will focus on supporting local businesses, and implementing strategies to enhance the economic vitality of the Mid Minnesota area. He will also assist stakeholders with grant applications, tackle issues such as housing and workforce development, and assist with the management of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s three revolving loan funds. “I am honored to take on this new challenge and eager to contribute to the economic prosperity of our communities,â€� said Nicholas. “I look forward to collaborating with Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s partners to build an even more vibrant and resilient regional economy.â€�

Mike resides with his wife and college-age son, in Benson, MN. In his free time, Mike enjoys spending time with friends and loved ones, biking, and going for drives in his family’s 1972 Plymouth Duster.

To learn more about Mid-Minnesota Development Commission, visit MMRDC.org

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Contact: Eric Day, Mid-Minnesota Development Commission

Phone: (320) 235-8504

Email: eric.day@mmrdc.org

Carol Lundgren Joins Mid-Minnesota Development Commission

Will Serve as the Organization’s New Regional Development & Grant Specialist

March 2024:  Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­) is pleased to welcome Carol Lundgren to the regional development team. Lundgren will apply her skills and experience as Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s first ever Regional Development & Grant Specialist. In this role she’ll assist regional stakeholders interested in pursuing funding for, among other things, clean energy solutions. She’ll also assist the organization and region by leading and assisting with various community and regional planning projects, environmental and otherwise.

“Energy and environment is a newer space for Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­. I’m excited to have Carol aboard to help lead the way. I anticipate that her experience, both environmental and grant-related, coupled with her positive attitude and her internal drive will serve our communities well,â€� said Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Executive Director Eric Day.

Much of Lundgren’s work will be funded by a new Minnesota Department of Commerce administered Local Grand Development Assistance Program grant. The intent of this funding is to provide grant research, writing, and administrative services to those eligible for clean energy funding made possible by the federal Inflation Reduction and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Acts (IRA & IIJA). Lundgren will also help these applicants access Statewide Competitiveness Fund dollars that were set aside by the State of Minnesota in 2023 to assist applicants with the typically required non-federal financial match. Those interested in learning more about this new initiative should contact Lundgren at Carol.Lundgren@mmrdc.org or (320) 235-8504.

Prior to joining Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, Lundgren gained experience as a Stormwater Best Management Practice Specialist for the Capitol Region Watershed District. She also worked in a number of positions for the Eden Prairie Community, including several years as their Sustainability Coordinator, during which time she, among other things, executed an energy action plan to increase participation in renewable energy programs and helped the city to achieve SolSmart Gold designation.

Lundgren holds a Bachelor of Environmental Planning degree from the University of Minnesota and will complete her Master of Natural Science and Environmental Education degree at Hamline University in 2024.

To learn more about Mid-Minnesota Development Commission, visit MMRDC.org

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for Residents of Care Facilities in McLeod County

June 29, 2022: Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­) is the recipient of a 2022 AARP Community Challenge Grant. The organization will receive $12,800 to help residents of care facilities (e.g., assisted living facilities, group homes, etc.) afford and access public transit services. The vast majority of funds will be used to purchase ride tokens and passes from Trailblazer Transit, McLeod county’s public transit service provider. These tokens and passes will be distributed to care facilities who can, in turn provide them to their residents. Along with the tokens, residents will receive educational materials that will help them easily connect with the transit ride they need. Recipients may either use the tokens/passes themselves or share them with friends or family who could use them to visit them at their home or meet the recipient at a coffee shop, restaurant, community event, or other location.

“With the assistance of this Community Challenge Grant, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ hopes to remove financial barriers to public transportation while also improving residents’ comfort level with public transit services. At the same time, we hope to help them increase and maintain healthy levels of community participationâ€�, said Mid-Minnesota Development Commission Transportation Resource Coordinator, Terry Smith. “This project would not have been possible without the generous support of AARPâ€�. While over 3,000 organizations applied, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ was one of just 260 AARP Community Challenge Grant recipients. “We’re very excited about this opportunity to enhance service to our McLeod County residents. We can’t thank AARP enough for their supportâ€�, added Smith.

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µþ²âÌý | Staff Writer MINNPOST

When Kati Stage moved from the Twin Cities to Embarrass in rural northern Minnesota last summer, her only choice for the internet was HughesNet, a satellite service she said was slow “since day one.�

Then, in November, she one day noticed a “strange long line of lights� pass above her in the sky. After some Googling, she found out what it was: Starlink.

The service, owned by Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX, offers broadband through a growing network of low-orbiting satellites, which now number  and can look like a  as they move.

The sign from above-led Stage to sign up for Starlink internet, and she said she loves the service, which she uses for work and entertainment. “We paid Hughes off and sent their modem back immediately after seeing the difference,� Stage said.

Experts say Starlink’s novel technology has the potential to connect swaths of rural Minnesota where high-speed internet is expensive to build and hard to come by. It’s heralded by some as practically a silver bullet for broadband woes in the state.

But Starlink has also stirred up plenty of debate — and even frustration — among Minnesota officials, who at times see the company as something of a distraction from efforts to publicly fund more traditional types of broadband such as fiber-optic cables.

“Starlink is kind of the shiny new penny that’s dangling,� said Michelle Marotzke, an economic development official with the Mid-Minnesota Development Commission in Willmar. “A lot of people ask about it: ‘Well, what about Starlink? That’s going to fix all of our problems.’�

Why Starlink is different

There are parts of Minnesota where people still don’t have access to quality broadband. 

As of , 16.9 percent of state residents in rural areas did not have access to internet with download speeds of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 3 Mbps. The state has a goal to provide 25/3 Mbps access to everyone in Minnesota by 2022.

Peter Peterson, a computer science professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth, said high-speed internet has primarily come through cable television infrastructure since the 1990s, and that cable equipment wasn’t built in many rural areas largely because it is more costly to bury cable in sparsely populated areas with fewer potential customers to recoup costs. Public subsidies created a nationwide telephone network, but phone lines don’t have the same capacity for speedy broadband, Peterson said.

The state has lately subsidized construction of broadband infrastructure, namely fiber-optic cable, spending  on a grant program for developers since 2014 before lawmakers  as part of Minnesota’s latest two-year budget. 

Fiber is reliable and fast, but it is also expensive to build, and other technologies have become more popular lately, too, including fixed wireless, in which homes get service from a signal placed high on a nearby building. There’s also traditional satellite internet. 

Peterson said both can work well but have downsides. Fixed wireless needs some infrastructure, plus homes must be somewhat close to it and have topography that doesn’t block the signal. Satellite internet is expensive, and the service is typically slowed after hitting a data cap, Peterson said. It also has high “latency,� which is what creates, say, a delay in a video call between when you say something and when another person on the call hears it.

Starlink also relies on satellites, but it’s very different from traditional satellite internet. Typical connections rely on one large satellite. Peterson said that the satellite is  and is in “geostationary orbit,â€� meaning it’s over the same spot on Earth at all times. SpaceX, however, has built a “constellationâ€� of smaller, moving satellites that it launches from rockets into “low-earth orbit,â€� roughly 340 miles in the air, Peterson said.

“As long as there’s a satellite over your house at one time you can have internet service from this satellite,� Peterson said. “The latency is a lot lower because it’s so much closer and the bandwidth is really high presumably because they have enough hardware to support high bandwidth.�

°¿²ÔÌý, Starlink says its broadband service is ideal for rural and remote communities and runs “without the bounds of traditional ground infrastructure.â€� Service is not available everywhere, but the company says it plans to “continue expansion to near-global coverage of the populated world.â€�

Starlink says users can expect to see download speeds between 100-to-200 Mbps. As the company launches more satellites and installs more “ground stations� — which are needed to provide the internet service to users — Starlink promises speed and latency will improve.

Starlink hasn’t imposed any data caps for now, and the service has cost $99 per month after an initial $499 for the internet receiver and other equipment. 

The rocket company turned internet provider has many fans in Minnesota, including state Rep. Pat Garofalo, a Farmington Republican who previously chaired a House committee with oversight of broadband subsidies. 

Garofalo said the state has been too reliant on paying for expensive fiber to expand broadband access in Minnesota. That may work for dense areas, but fixed wireless and satellite internet are better in sparser places, and are becoming more widely available regardless of whether they’re being subsidized, he said.

“This is just another example of technology solving our problems for us,� Garofalo said. “When they’re talking about making sure that communities have access, well everyone already does have access. The infrastructure is already in place, it’s just the monthly fees. 

“Rather than subsidizing a fiber connection to a wealthy suburbanite who has a cabin in northern Minnesota, put some means-testing onto some Starlink annual plans,� Garofalo said. “That way you’re going to get more people more access to broadband at a lower price.�

Not a ‘silver bullet’

Starlink has been controversial, however, among some public officials who are trying to build broadband in rural areas of Minnesota. At a Minnesota conference dedicated to expansion of high-speed internet earlier this month, the comment section of one Zoom meeting morphed into something of a public airing of frustrations about the SpaceX service.

One person who chimed in was Lezlie Sauter, the economic development coordinator at Pine County in east-central Minnesota. While the Legislature and some local governments have consistently funded broadband grants used on fiber in recent years, Sauter said in a later interview that some people are dismissive of her efforts to expand fiber broadband in the area with public money “because they’re like ‘Starlink will fix it all, I don’t know why we’re even talking about putting fiber in the ground.’ �

Starlink could be the only option for some people, but she said it’s not affordable for many while and fiber internet is reliable, fast and “almost fail proof� since it’s in the ground. Pine County residents have among the worst access to quality broadband in the state.

Marotzke, from the Willmar-based Mid-Minnesota Development Commission, said Starlink poses other concerns. Problems may not be able to be fixed as easily as traditional infrastructure, where someone can call a provider like an electric cooperative and have a technician show up at their house.

Starlink’s internet can still be slowed by inclement weather and obstacles like trees, and Marotzke said ongoing costs associated with thousands of satellites could prove to be expensive compared to fiber that requires little maintenance once it’s buried. “We have technology that is proven, that is solid,� Marotzke said. “We can literally put the shovel in the ground and get it done.�

Peterson, the UMD professor, also expressed doubts about Starlink being a broad solution to internet problems long term. SpaceX has to keep launching satellites as it gains customers, raising environmental “space junkâ€� concerns and affecting astronomy. (Starlink has previously said .) 

Rural America also shouldn’t be forced to rely on one company, Peterson said, because if there are issues or outages that could affect a massive number of people. But if another competitor comes along, he said that would only grow the huge constellation of satellites.

One common argument among fiber proponents is also that it can be done now, while Starlink isn’t widely available yet. “We’re already behind,� said Jay Trusty, who chairs the Minnesota Rural Broadband Coalition, which includes telecom companies, counties, economic development officials and even the Mayo Clinic.

During the pandemic, Trusty said, “we had all these kids that couldn’t access their schools, people stayed at home trying to work from home.â€� 

“We’ve got broadband issues that aren’t going to wait five, 10, 15 years.�

A growing presence in Minnesota

It’s unclear how many Minnesota customers Starlink has. That data is submitted to the state Public Utilities Commission but is considered a “trade secretâ€� and not made public by the agency. A spokeswoman for SpaceX also didn’t respond to a request for comment. Still, the service is generally growing and becoming a larger part of Minnesota’s broadband universe. 

SpaceX even won $8.42 million from the federal government to help subsidize broadband development in Minnesota late last year as part of a .

The grant program, known as the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), included $408 million for Minnesota. SpaceX won bids to serve 7,529 customers — the second-most in the state of those participating in that round of the grant program.

A  shows SpaceX plans, at least preliminarily, to serve several rural pockets of Lake County and small parts of many counties, including Itasca, Koochiching, Crow Wing, Cass, Hennepin, Anoka and Clearwater. (Though it’s technically in Michigan, Starlink even won a bid to serve parts of Isle Royale, a remote island near the North Shore of Lake Superior.)

The FCC said at the time that nearly all locations to be served with help from the federal grants would get broadband speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps, and more than 85 percent would get gigabit speeds. Starlink has to offer broadband to at least 40 percent of locations in its RDOF zones by the end of 2024 and 100 percent by the end of 2027.

This summer, Starlink was  as an “Eligible Telecommunications Carrierâ€� as part of the RDOF program. The commissioners, however, said in an order that because of the “novelty of Starlink’s proposal to provide “space-basedâ€� broadband,â€� the company needed to explain the benefits and services Minnesota customers in the grant areas would get that’s different from what customers outside the subsidy zones will receive.

In a June , Starlink attorney Gregory Merz said the company has to offer Lifeline — a subsidy for low-income people — to qualified customers. FCC money will also allow Starlink “to accelerate service for those who need it most and prioritize deployment to the underservedâ€� in RDOF areas. 

That includes speeding production of satellites and customer equipment, and, despite the company’s claim of being a good fit for sparsely populated rural areas, Merz said federal cash makes it more cost-effective for Starlink to build the ground infrastructure it does need to serve thinly populated areas where it might not otherwise be financially worth it. “The same market forces that drive the placement of these (Starlink) gateways also drive the deployment of terrestrial networks,� Merz wrote.

Despite their concerns, public officials skeptical of Starlink said it could still be a good option for many Minnesotans. Sauter, from Pine County, signed up for the service roughly eight months ago, though she said she has yet to receive equipment.

Peterson, the UMD professor, said his only option in Lakewood Township north of Duluth is brutally slow DSL. And while he hopes his area can get grant money to start a fiber cooperative as a long-term solution, for now he also applied for Starlink and is on a waiting list. “I’m signed up for it because we don’t have fiber in our neighborhood,� Peterson said.

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Contact: Eric Day, Mid-Minnesota Development Commission
Phone: (320) 235-8504
Email: eric.day@mmrdc.org

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Seeks Public Input on Two Major Topics

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Seeks Public Input on Two Major Topics

September 29, 2021: The Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­) is a regional development organization, serving Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, and Renville Counties. As part of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s effort to strengthen communities, by improving quality of life and increasing opportunities for prosperity, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ is currently seeking public input on two major plans.

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ is also working on a separate plan to identify the transportation needs of people with disabilities, older adults, and low-income residents, and then prioritize transportation services for funding and implementation. “The idea is to make sure our region’s non-drivers can get to work, take care of their errands, and participate in social eventsâ€�, said Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Transportation Planner Kyle Ten Napel. “While we know our providers are working hard to provide the highest level of service possible with the resources they have, we also know it’s important to determine if there are any areas for improvement. We want to make sure all of our neighbors have a chance to fully participate in community lifeâ€�, added Ten Napel.

The first plan is the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Region’s Comprehensive Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Strategy (CEDS). This plan will provide our region with an economic development roadmap for the next five years. In addition to prioritizing work for Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Team, the CEDS is the mechanism by which the U.S. Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Administration (EDA) provides Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ District designation. “This designation is important as it provides our stakeholders access to EDA-funding opportunities, including grants that can fund the infrastructure needed for business expansionâ€�, said Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Economic Developer Michelle Marotzke. “When a community applies for a grant to support an industrial park, water treatment facility, or some other improvement, it’s important for us to be able to show that the project is supported by our CEDSâ€�, Marotzke added. “It’s not often that residents are asked for input on economic development issues. However, right now we need to hear from everyone so we can have a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges folks are seeing in their communitiesâ€�.

Residents are urged to visit Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s website (MMRDC.org) and provide their input by completing brief economic development and transportation-focused surveys. Responses will be compiled with information received via community input sessions, focus groups, and other sources. Once plans are completed, they will be made available for further public comment. Appropriate revisions will then be made before the final plans are submitted.

To learn more about Mid-Minnesota Development Commission, visit MMRDC.org.

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Aims to Improve Quality of Life and Opportunity for Prosperity Throughout Region

Update April 11, 2022: The Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ will not be considering more applications until fall 2022.

October 13, 2021: As part of Mid-Minnesota Development Commission’s (Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­) effort to support local communities and ensure high quality of life throughout the region, the organization is launching a new funding opportunity – the Mid-Minnesota Community Enhancement Fund.

501(c)3 nonprofits, school districts, and local units of government (i.e., cities, counties, and townships) located within Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, and Renville Counties will now be eligible to apply to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ for enhancement grants of up to $3,000, which can be used to fund:

• Health, safety, or other wellness-focused training for community members and/or specific professional or volunteer groups

• Supplies and/or equipment needed for improved emergency response

• Items to enhance law enforcement organizations’ ability to develop positive relationships with youth, People of Color, and other groups

• Public amenities that will promote physical and/or mental well-being or increased opportunities for positive community interaction (walking paths, dog parks, playground and recreation equipment, etc.)

• Support workforce training opportunities for youth and other populations

For the fund’s inaugural year, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ has made $30,000 available to communities. “We know many of our residents have great ideas and we want to help them bring these ideas to fruitionâ€�, said Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Executive Director Eric Day. “We know that our small fund won’t solve everything or make every dream a reality, but it’s a start!â€�

To apply for the Mid-Minnesota Community Enhancement fund please complete the form using this link: /download/1718/

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