Initiative Foundation Focuses on Natural Resources
and Methamphetamine Issues

The Little Falls-based Initiative Foundation focused its latest round of grantmaking on natural resources preservation and methamphetamine issues.

The foundation provided $20,000 to the Isanti County Healthy Lakes and Rivers Partnership to create citizen-led water management plans that will provide funding and leadership training to eight shoreline associations. Benton County's Bend in the River Park Master Plan was granted $2,500 to preserve and manage a county park that includes 3,000 feet of Mississippi River shoreland. The Northland Arboretum in Brainerd received $1,500 to fund a graduate internship that will develop a plan for managing botanical resources.

Continuing the foundation's awareness campaign about the dangers of methamphetamine use, Kanabec Hospital in Mora was given $10,000 to support a citizen methamphetamine coalition. Brainerd Community Action received $2,500 for audiovisual support at the Minnesota ICE methamphetamine conference. Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools received a grant to sponsor a national speaker to educate 800 junior high school students about the dangers of meth use.

In all, 31 community grants totaling $103,700 were awarded. Other notable grants:

• Artspace Projects, Inc. (Minneapolis): $5,000 to convert the historic Franklin Junior High School into 25 affordable housing and studio units for area artists

• Center for Service-Learning and Social Change (St. Cloud): $2,000 for a youth conference and educator-in-residence program focused on reducing prejudice and embracing diversity through increased volunteerism

• Crisis Line and Referral Service (Brainerd): $2,500 to mobilize Native American volunteers and increase awareness of a 24-hour crisis line

• Todd County Broadband Initiative: $7,500 to support business development through the expansion of broadband Internet access

• Walker Area Community Center: $5,000 to develop a business plan for operations, finance and staffing

The foundation also selected five townships to each receive a $2,500 grant and volunteer leadership training that involves citizens in planning the future of their communities:

• Baldwin Township, Princeton

• Collegeville Township

• Fairview Township, Brainerd

• Mission Township, Crosby

• Palmer Township, Clear Lake

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