President Joe Biden is expected to be in the Northfield area today.
This will be the first in a series of events that will take the President and members of his administration across the country, promoting his agenda for federal investment in rural areas.
Biden’s agenda includes money for rural infrastructure, including broadband internet, safe roads and bridges, modern wastewater systems, clean drinking water, and reliable and affordable electricity. During his remarks, the President is also expected to tout climate-healthy opportunities that have opened under the federal Inflation Reduction Act. He will discuss new food systems that have been created, and efforts his administration is making to enhance competition for farmers, as well.
President Biden is expected to make his remarks at a farm outside of Northfield sometime this afternoon.
Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation supports recognizable programs in Northfield
Longtime residents of Northfield and Southern Minnesota will Remember Tim Penny as the man who represented much of this area in Congress from 1982-1994. While serving in Washington D.C., Penny earned a reputation as a true centrist whose values leaned toward both financial and social responsibility. Since leaving politics almost 30 years ago, the former Congressman spent time in the private sector working with a public affairs firm, and as an educator at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.
In 2007, Penny became President and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, an organization that, as he put it, looks for ways to invest in the economic vitality of 20 counties in the south-central and southeastern regions of Minnesota.
Under Penny’s leadership, the Foundation has focused its work into three areas, small town programming, early childhood needs, and entrepreneurship. Penny said in his experience finding specific areas of focus is the key to creating an effective impact.
“If you spread too few dollars over too many things, you’re not going to move the needle. You’re not going to get much done. So, we really have tightened our focus in these three buckets of small town help, early childhood programming and entrepreneurship as a way of focusing our work so that the dollars we bring to the table here in this region can have a bigger impact.”
Within those areas of focus, however, the foundation has many different initiatives. For example, he said, they have just announced the four communities with which they will work in their Rural Entrepreneur Venture Program. Kassen, Plainview, Caledonia, and the Sibley County area that makes up the Winthrop-Gibbon-Fairfax School District will all work with the foundation for several years to improve their entrepreneurial cultures. Another program the foundation is developing is an Inclusive Community Grant program that will help communities in their outreach campaigns for economic development in their new migrant and minority populations.
Here in Northfield, the foundation has sponsored or helped to create some recognizable programs over the years, including the Riverwalk Market Fair, and both the Mainstreet Revitalization and Riverfront Enhancement grant programs that help owners of buildings in the Historic Downtown District to restore and refurbish their property. Penny said the foundation is also involved in the redevelopment of the former Archer House property.
Through all of the foundation’s work, Penny said they are always looking for collaborators. He said the foundation seeks out others who are responding to these specific needs in the region and looks for effective ways to assist with its resources, because things always seem to improve when like-minded organizations come together.
“Another thing I learned in my political life is, if you cooperate, and you work together then the sum is always greater than the parts. So instead of everybody working in their own silo, by coming together there’s a synergy that grows out of that, and you produce better results.”
Those interested in learning more about the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, or getting involved, should visit the foundation’s website at smifoundation.org.
Microgrants awarded to youth, family oriented organizations
The Rice County Area United Way announced yesterday that another round of microgrants will be awarded to two grantees this month, as approved by a community-led committee.
The microgrants are given throughout the year to groups that have urgent needs or innovative programs with a charitable purpose. The projects funded by a microgrant affect members of the Rice County community in the United Way target areas of financial stability, health, and education. While the applying entities do not need to be registered as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization, they should be able to demonstrate limited access to funding, and the project for which they are applying should focus on a charitable, tax-exempt purpose.
A statement issued by the Rice County Area United Way singled out the local development group Rebound Partners as an important benefactor of their program with a donation of $6000 for 2023.
In October, a grant of $700 was awarded to the Exchange Club Center for Family Unity. The funding will supplement payments made by low-income parents to support supervised visits to reunify families. The nonprofit offers in-home mentoring to parents who can use additional support to be successful parents.
Another $700 grant was awarded to help launch United Youth Prep in Faribault. The objective of the organization is to empower youth to explore career pathways beyond high school. Currently, the program mentors youths and provides a youth soccer program. In the future, United Youth Prep plans to provide a safe space for youth in Faribault.
Rice County Area United Way Executive Director Elizabeth Child said that the microgrant program, which was piloted in 2022, has been successful as a stop-gap source of help for unforeseen issues that do not fit into the annual grant cycle, and it has been a good way to reach charitable groups that may not have established funding sources.
The next microgrant awards will be made in December. Applications are due November 30th. A description of the grant objectives and a link to the microgrant application can be found at ricecountyunitedway.org/microgrant.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
