Initiative Foundation Earns USDA Grant to Tackle Rural Poverty

The Initiative Foundation, Little Falls, has received a federal grant of $250,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its Healthy Communities Partnership (HCP) program.

The grant will support the foundation's efforts to help residents of economically distressed rural communities confront local challenges by offering a proven combination of HCP leadership training, planning assistance and project funds. Funds may be used to increase access to home ownership, quality jobs, workforce education and business development. Eligible communities will be those with household incomes at 60 percent or below Minnesota's median household income. The first participants will be selected by July 1, 2004.

Chris Alsop, deputy administrator for USDA community programs, and Steve Wenzel, USDA state director, presented the grant to the foundation during a short ceremony on March 10. Carl Kuhl, regional affairs and policy liaison, represented U.S. Senator Norm Coleman at the event.

"There are few organizations that contribute as much to the social good and social fabric of Minnesota than the Initiative Foundation," said Wenzel. "This grant will provide some much-needed assistance to communities in central Minnesota."

Alsop added that the Initiative Foundation application was among only 27 selected to receive federal funding from the USDA. There were a total of 114 applications nationwide.

"We are honored that USDA has entrusted such a significant sum of federal dollars to the Initiative Foundation to do what we do best - partner with citizens to envision and plan a brighter future for their communities," said Kathy Gaalswyk, president of the Initiative Foundation. "We believe strongly that USDA's approach to empower local people will prove to be the most effective solution to rural poverty across the United States."

Since 1999, the Initiative Foundation's HCP program has helped more than 80 central Minnesota communities combine local assets, talents and ideas to create a shared community vision and plan for the future. During one year of HCP training, community leadership teams of about 15-20 diverse residents are trained to facilitate community discussions and a public "visioning session." Leaders are expected to put that vision into a simple plan of action, the success of which requires citizen volunteers. Communities with HCP plans earn priority consideration for future Initiative Foundation grants and investments.

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