Blandin Foundation Helps Strengthen Minnesota's Forest-Based Economy

Grand Rapids-based Blandin Foundation's latest grants included support for several projects to strengthen, improve and diversify Minnesota's forest-based economy, which is a foundation priority and a principal industry in Itasca County.

The foundation's board of trustees approved six grants totaling $753,000 on June 29 for the Vital Forests/Vital Communities initiative. The six projects are designed to respond to priorities identified by participants in two highly interactive "Call to Action" conferences held by the foundation in late 2003. The six grant recipients are:

• Minnesota Wood Campaign, Deer River, $100,000 to help area producers increase employment in the local wood products industry by providing access to higher value markets.
     
• Seaway Port Authority of Duluth, $30,000 for a feasibility study for construction of a centralized clay and pigment handling facility for the coated paper industry.
     
• University of Minnesota College of Natural Resources, $179,000 to develop a low-cost, user-friendly framework to promote third-party certification of small private forest holdings.
     
• University of Minnesota Sustainable Forest Education Cooperative at the Cloquet Forestry Center ($215,000), the Minnesota Logger Education Program ($199,000) and Itasca and Vermillion Community Colleges ($30,000), for three programs designed to improve professional development training opportunities and business success for forest managers and loggers.

"These grants demonstrate our commitment to the strength, stability and sustainability of our forests that are so vital to our community, our region and our state," said Jim Hoolihan, president of the foundation.

The Vital Forests/Vital Communities grants are among nearly $1.9 million in grants awarded by the foundation on June 29, of which 61 percent are dedicated to the Grand Rapids area and Itasca County. Significant Grand Rapids-area grants include:

• $310,000 for major snow grooming and snowmaking improvements at the Mount Itasca Winter Sports Complex in Coleraine.
     
• $280,000 over two years to the Reif Arts Council for operations.
     
• $135,000 in two grants to Second Harvest North Central Food Bank for the warehouse and for the Community Café.
     
• $33,750 to the Grand Rapids Economic Development Authority to commission a downtown plan for the city.

Other local grant recipients include Grand Rapids Library Foundation ($40,000); Independent School District #318 ($25,000); Itasca Little League ($40,000); MacRostie Art Center ($91,000); Minnesota Shooting Sports Education Center ($40,000); and University of Minnesota North Central Research and Outreach Center ($55,000).

The foundation also awarded two "Community Economic Advantage" grants outside the Grand Rapids area. The Central Iron Range Initiative received $60,000 over two years, and the White Earth Land Recovery Project received $30,000 for Native Harvest, a revenue-based venture that markets traditional food and craft products.

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