Northland Foundation Grants Support Youth Development, Education Programs

The Northland Foundation, Duluth, awarded 43 grants from July-September, including significant investments to strengthen local resources for young children and their families and provide positive out-of-school opportunities for young people.

In support of early care and education, the foundation's board of trustees committed a total of $73,535 to seven northeastern Minnesota organizations. The YWCA of Duluth received a $24,000 grant to stabilize child care services for families with young children.

Several grants were made to support local programs that are an outgrowth of the foundation's Early Childhood Initiative. Since 2003, the Northland Foundation has been working with six early childhood coalitions, made up of individuals from diverse community sectors, to ensure young children thrive and have a healthy life of learning, achieving and succeeding. With a grant of $12,710, the Hermantown Proctor Early Childhood Coalition will expand its Kindergarten Transition Program to help families and childcare providers prepare children for kindergarten.

To support out-of-school programs, the foundation awarded a total of $72,835 to eight organizations, including $20,000 to Littlefork/Big Falls KIDS PLUS to provide a wide array of after-school academic enrichment and social/recreational opportunities for K-8 students. McGregor KIDS PLUS received $18,835 to implement a youth leadership training program for students ages 13-18. Ely Community Resources Inc. was awarded $11,000 to support peer mentoring programs.

Other grants include support for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and a variety of community support services for children and families throughout the region.

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