$100,000 in grants awarded to Northwest Minnesota organizations to support welcoming, inclusion

BEMIDJI — Seven organizations in Crookston, Thief River Falls, Roseau, and Bemidji received a combined $100,000 in funding to support welcoming and inclusion efforts in their communities.

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation approved the grant funding for proposals committed to advancing welcoming communities through intentional focus on improving the inclusion of newcomers and/or underrepresented community members. Initiatives were evaluated based on criteria including intentional focus on improving inclusion, incorporation of underrepresented voice and priorities, testing of solutions addressing identified gaps in services and systemic barriers for unrepresented community members, and involvement of multiple community stakeholders.

Awardees include:

• LifeCare Medical Center: Embracing Diversity: A Cultural Welcome to Our Community (Roseau). As part of their ongoing efforts to support workforce diversity and community integration, LifeCare is organizing an event celebrating the rich variety of cultures that contribute to the very foundation of our community. Through engaging activities and interactive experiences, they aim to create a welcoming environment where individuals from all backgrounds can come together to learn, share, and connect.

• Roseau Civic and Commerce: Roseau Unity in Action Network. Roseau Unity in Action Network is developing monthly welcoming events where different ages, religions, and races can come together. This group can serve as a platform for educational discussions, awareness building, and proactive engagement with individuals from diverse backgrounds, ultimately enriching the community fabric and promoting a more inclusive environment for all its members

• Downtown Crookston Development Partnership: Downtown Tuesday Tunes and Market. Downtown Crookston Development Partnership is planning a welcoming community event, “Fiesta de Crookston,” focused on inclusive activities, vendors, and entertainment with a focus on Hispanic cultures. The event will encourage the Crookston community to embrace a new experience with the broad Hispanic culture and be a starting point for further conversations and engagement.

• Crookston Housing and Economic Development Agency: Crookston Housing and Economic Development Agency is undertaking a research project that will result in recommendations on how to grow the community’s stock in human and social capital to encourage more entrepreneurialism and engagement of the non-majority population within the Crookston community. Primary research efforts will engage cross sectors of the community to gain a greater perspective of the problem, along with the barriers and challenges that affect minority business enterprises specific to the Crookston community. A toolkit or recommendations focused on making Crookston a more welcoming and inclusive community where all residents can be engaged within the community will be developed.

• Advance Thief River: Join-Us Thief River. This project aims to foster integration of new residents into the community through community concierge program, social gatherings, and community events. Thief River Falls residents will assist in newcomer welcoming and advocate for increased positive community interactions with newcomers.

Additionally, the project will facilitate connections to English learning opportunities and provide translation services to better assist newcomers and forge pathways to community resources. Anticipated outcomes of the project include retention of international workforce, increased cross-cultural respect and appreciation, and long-term systems change.

• Peacemaker Resources: Building Skills and Creating Spaces of Belonging (Bemidji). This project includes the development and execution of workshops and community gatherings focused on convening in shared, safe spaces, learning together, and building new relationships. Using an ongoing reflective process, the project will gather community feedback and eventually demonstrate success in positively impacting bridging and sense of belonging in our communities.

• Pride Support Network: LGBTQ2S+ Community Visibility Through Arts (Bemidji). This funding will enhance the annual Bemidji Pride event through the provision of increased stipends to artists and performers. Additionally, the funding will support LGBTQ2S+ youth programming, facilitating an art project for 15 youths over 5-8 weeks, including art supplies and interactive educational sessions in various artistic mediums.

“The people behind these initiatives are leading vital work exposing needs and opportunities to bring diverse groups together, honor difference, and co-create solutions for thriving communities,” said NMF Thriving Together Program Officer Kristin Anderson. “We are excited to support and learn alongside these grantees engaged in community-driven welcoming and inclusion work.”

Grantee recipient Michelle Landsverk, from Advance Thief River, shared, “This grant will enable us to implement vital programs that not only welcome but also integrate newcomers into our community, fostering a stronger, inclusive, and economically vibrant Thief River Falls.”