November 2006 Volume IV, Number 11

Compiled by Deb Miller Slipek, News Finder Extraordinary
& Jane Leonard, MRP President & Editor

IN THIS ISSUE:

As always – if you want to zip to the web version of the newsletter, click on  http://www.minnesotaruralpartners.org/newsletter.htm

ACROSS THE FIELD
RURAL COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTER
FUNDING
MEETINGS
RESOURCES

ACROSS THE FIELD, by Jane Leonard
Getting Back to Work.

Election Day is over. Whatever your party affiliation, we showed the world once again that we are a democracy – a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The people have deemed common sense and balance to be highly valued -- common sense and balance to solve the difficult challenges of our era with, let’s hope, more cooperation and ingenuity.

And Minnesota will be particularly blessed by the results of this election. In the words of several red and blue politicians, we are “humbled” by the extraordinary leadership responsibilities to be shouldered by our Congressmen Collin Peterson and Jim Oberstar, as incoming chairs of the House Agriculture Committee and House Transportation Committee, respectively. What an amazing opportunity for Minnesota, as we build new foundations for our economy, including the resources and know-how on renewable energy from agriculture-based resources.

The E85 flap that vexed Lt. Governor-candidate Judi Dutcher earlier this month should give rural and urban Minnesotans pause. While many pundits had a field day poking at why a candidate for statewide office could not correctly identify E85, the episode shines a light on the difficulty that many people still have in understanding this issue. I think very few people know that alcohol from farm products was considered to be a sustainable alternative to petroleum 100 years ago. Agricultural scientists in 1908 at the University of Minnesota published articles about the use of grains, root crops such as potatoes and sugar beets, and soft corn to make denatured alcohol as an energy source. The alcohol could be processed right on the farm, through the use of smaller scale distilling plants that would benefit farm and local community energy needs alike. (Check out the Minnesota Farmers’ Institute Annual Report from 1908.)

These distilling plants, imported from France, would enable farmers to use “unmerchantable grains, potatoes, fallen or imperfect fruits…” for on-farm and nearby local use as “the coming mechanical power” began. The rise of the internal combustion engine and the cheaper price of refining gasoline from oil led us to set aside those ag-based innovations for 100 years, until now when they are seen as market-worthy again, thanks to high gas prices and the war and instability in Iraq and the Middle East.

We used to be pretty self-reliant until it became cheaper and easier to use energy sources that seemed endless. Let’s hope this time as we move into “renewables” that we add into the economic equation the benefits of sustainability, and count the costs of environmental degradation. It’s all in the book from the Farmers’ Institute in 1908: “And while water runs, electric light and power will more and more come to the aid of alcohol, and when water runs no more, there will be no life on earth to care whether it runs or not.”

FUNDING

--Pre-applications are due November 17 for the 2007 Rural Hospital Capital Improvement Grant Program. The program helps small hospitals (50 or fewer beds) in a rural area or in a community of less than 15,000 outside the seven-county metro area update, remodel or replace aging facilities and equipment. Information and applications are online or email Doug Benson or call him at (651) 201-3842.

--The AgStar Fund for Rural America, the corporate-giving program of AgStar Financial Services, has announced they are once again accepting grant applications.  Grants are available up to $10,000 per organization for programs specifically supporting farmers and rural residents.  Applicants can request funding in one of four focus areas: Education, Environment, Technology or Quality of Life.  Those seeking funding can visit www.agstar.com  to learn more and to obtain guideline criteria. Grant applications must be completed on-line and will be accepted through November 30.   Successful grant recipients will be notified in March 2007.

--Minnesota Rural Flex Grant Program funds are now open for application. Critical Access Hospitals, rural hospitals with 50 or fewer beds, rural health networks (nonprofit or local government entities) and rural EMS organizations are encouraged to apply. Activities that promote regionalization of health care services, improve access to quality health care services, and provide for the development and/or enhancement of rural health networks are eligible. Applications are due December 1, 2006. Information is online or email Pam Hayes pamela.hayes@health.state.mn.us or call her at (651) 201-3850.

--One-time grants (up to $5,000) are available for certain expenses incurred in consideration of and preparation for designation as a Level III or Level IV trauma hospital. Applications are considered on a first-come basis and will be accepted between October 12, 2006 and May 31, 2007, or until the funding is exhausted. Grant funds must be expended no later than August 31, 2007. The one-page application is online. For further information emailTim Held tim.held@health.state.mn.u or call him at (651) 201-3868.

--Minnesota State Loan Forgiveness applications, available to health care students or health professions residents, are due December 1, 2006. Applications and information are online or emailAmy Vallery amy.vallery@health.state.mn.us or call her at (651) 201-3870.

--Federal loan repayment is available through the National Health Service Corps. Candidate and site applications are due March 30, 2007. Email Deb Jahnke debra.jahnke@health.state.mn.us or call her at (651) 201-3845 with questions.

--MPCA  Environmental Assistance Grants are now available.   A two- to four-page pre-proposal is due November 27, 2006.   A 33% match required ($1 in match to $3 in grant). There is a $40,000 maximum grant with $500,000 available.  Details at http://www.pca.state.mn.us/grants/eagrants.html  These annual Environmental Assistance grants support the development of environmentally sustainable practices in Minnesota through voluntary partnerships and goal-oriented, economically driven, innovative approaches to pollution prevention and material conservation. In general, projects that produce results and promotional materials useful to others in the state are funded. This year there are four focus areas.

1. Advancing the goals of increased renewable energy generation, energy efficiency gains, and greenhouse gas reductions.
2. Best uses of solid waste.
3. Storm water pollution prevention and assistance.
4. Increasing environmentally sustainable actions (geographically-focused towards communities in the two-thirds of the state that is part of the greater Lake Pepin watershed, including the Minnesota River Valley).

Project proposals the MPCA is interested is seeing include:
--Regional or statewide energy outreach campaigns.
--Community renewable energy, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction initiatives.
--Community-based distributed wind and solar installations, promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency.
--Model sustainability ordinances, sustainability indictors, municipal green building policies, landfill gas-to-energy feasibility studies.
--Food reuse or recycling programs, new organics recycling programs.
--Local ordinances/plans to require low-impact design on building sites.

--Blue Cross Foundation Announces Letter of Inquiry Deadlines for Minnesota Projects
The Blue Cross Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota , has two primary funding opportunities: 1) Healthy Together: Creating Community with New Americans and 2) Growing Up Healthy: Kids and Communities.

Healthy Together: Creating Community with New Americans is a grantmaking program focused on the intersection of health, immigrant integration, and social adjustment in Minnesota. The foundation will provide one-year planning grants of up to $10,000 each and one- to three-year implementation grants of up to $150,000 each for community, regional, or statewide efforts. Letter of Inquiry Deadline: February 1, 2007.

Growing Up Healthy: Kids and Communities is a grantmaking program to engage community-based health, early childhood development, housing, and environmental organizations in improving children's health and well-being in Minnesota.

Planning grants of up to $25,000 each and implementation grants of up to $150,000 each are available. Letter of Inquiry Deadline: April 13, 2007.  Visit the Blue Cross Foundation's Web site for complete program information and application procedures http://www.bluecrossmn.com

--AEO in partnership with eBay Foundation is offering the eBay Foundation Techquity Program.  The program provides funds to microentrepreneurs for the purchase of technology equipment and to microenterprise organizations for operating the project and providing technology training to their clients.  The deadline is November 17.  Please visit http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeId=27 to confirm your state and county eligibility.  For more information, contact Zulma Bianca at zbianca@assoceo.org or visit http://www.microenterpriseworks.org/index.asp?bid=128

--J. Jill Compassion Fund is accepting proposals for its 2007 grant cycle for funds to support programs for poor and homeless women.  Grant funds should be used to help poor and homeless women become self-sufficient.  Priority will be given to programs and organizations that directly affect the people served.  The deadline for proposals to be postmarked is between October 15 and December 1.  For more information and additional requirements, visit http://www.jjill.com/about/cfgrant.asp?AreaID=OL

--U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company’s Operation Ranger program provides Polaris Ranger 6x6 utility vehicles to emergency first responders. http://www.ussmokeless.com/operation_ranger.cfm

--The Purpose Prize for Social Innovators Over 60 has now opened its nominations process. Civic Ventures, a think tank and program incubator helping society achieve the greatest return on experience, announced the opening of nominations for the 2007 Purpose Prize, a major initiative that invests in Americans over 60 who are leading a new age of social innovation. In its second year, the Prize includes five $100,000 investments and ten $10,000 investments in entrepreneurs in the second half of life who are combining their passion, creativity and experience to address issues of social significance.  To nominate someone or apply yourself, visit www.leadwithexperience.org  The application deadline is February 1, 2007. The awards will be announced in the summer of 2007.
  
--The Development Corporation for Children has loans for family childcare providers ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 and loans for childcare centers and early education programs ranging from $1,000 to $75,000.  The loans should be used to cover the costs of start-up, expansion, leasehold improvements, supplies and equipment and working capital needs.  Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.  For more information, contact Charissa Banov at charissa@dcc-corner.com, call 866-562-6801 or visit http://www.dcc-corner.com/

MEETINGS

--State Budget Basics Webinar.  This Webinar provides an overview of the State of Minnesota’s budget, including how it is divided into different funds, major sources of revenues, major categories of expenditures, and how the state’s tax system is structured. Presented by Nan Madden, Minnesota Budget Project Director for the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. It will be held Thursday, November 16 from 1 to 2 p.m. from any online computer!  The fee: $35 for MCN members/ $50 for nonmembers.  To register: Register online.  To Find out more about MCN's Webinar series you can click the highlighted copy or MCN's program director, Stephanie Haddad, would be glad to talk with you. You can contact her at 651-642-1904.

--A Green Communities Forum and Workshop: How to Plan and Build Healthy, Sustainable, Affordable Communities in Greater Minnesota.  A series of regional community design forums and trainings by Minnesota Green Communities.  Pick the Date and Location that is most convenient.
Monday, November 20, 2006 – Brainerd 
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 – Mankato 
Tuesday, November 28, 2006 – Grand Rapids
Register online at:  http://www.greencommunitiesonline.org/minnesota/default.asp?nc=585&id=86

--Facilitating a Great Meeting” workshop with speaker and author, Dr. John Eller will be held Tuesday, November 21st, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls.  Cost: $75 includes lunch and materials.

Helping groups work collaboratively can be a daunting task.  As facilitator, you play a key role in making (or breaking) the meeting.  You can make a meeting productive, engaging and positive.  Or you can contribute to turmoil and frustrating outcomes.  In this interactive session, Dr. John Eller, author of “Effective Group Facilitation in Education", will provide you with the tools and techniques needed to tame even the most difficult groups.  With real-life scenarios and practical advice, you will be prepared to efficiently lead group discussion and achieve desired results.  To register, contact Karl Samp at (877) 623-9255 or grants@ifound.org by November 14th.

--Microenterprise Tools & Techniques will be held November 21 & 22 at the University of Minnesota Rochester in the Heintz Center, Room HA102.  Cost is ONLY $15!  To register call 800-553-9656 extension 5869 or visit www.minneapolisfed.org/community/events

-- The Northern Minnesota Reservation Economic Development Summit and Trade Show is November 29th-30th at the Shooting Star Casino and Event Center in Mahnomen MN.   For more information visit; www.mntribalinitiative.org

--Minnesota Council on Foundations’ Grantseeking for Beginners Seminar is December 5, 2006, in St. Paul, Minnesota. http://www.mcf.org/mcf/grant/beginners.htm

--The “Planning for the Future” Health Workforce Summit is December 5, 2006, in Bismarck, North Dakota. http://www.med.und.nodak.edu/depts/rural/events/pdf/HealthWorkforceSummitFlyer.pdf

--Follow the Federal Dollars: A guided tour through the federal budget process.  December 6, Marshall, MN. Would you like to become a more effective advocate on federal budget and policy issues?  Advocates, community leaders, front-line staff, and members of the public will all benefit from understanding how the federal budget process works - and how to participate in that process on behalf of the programs they care about and the people they serve.   In this workshop, you will gain an understanding of key federal budget terms and concepts, and the basics of the federal budget.  This workshop is led by Steve Francisco, Federal Policy Director, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. It will be held in Marshall on Wednesday, December 6, 2006 from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. (Lunch at 12:30, Workshop begins at 1:00) at the Bremer Bank, 208 East College Drive, Lower Level Conference Room, Marshall.  The fee: $35 for MCN members/$50 for nonmembers - includes lunch.  For scholarships: View MCN's events scholarship policy

To Register for Follow the Federal Dollar either: Register online
By fax - download and complete the registration form (including credit card information) and fax the form to 651-642-1517
By mail - download and complete the registration form, include payment (either a check payable to MCN or credit card information) and mail to: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits; 2314 University Ave. West, Suite 20; St. Paul, MN  55114.

--The Third Annual Rural Health Care: Journey to a Culture of Quality for Minnesota rural hospitals is December 8, 2006, at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. Email Mary Montury at  mmontury@mnqio.sdps.org  or call her at (952) 853-8541.

--Midwest Energy Independence: Taking Ownership – Help Design a Roadmap for our Energy Future. December 12 & 13, 2006, Crowne Plaza Riverfront Hotel, St. Paul, MN , brought to you by the Midwest Ag Energy Network . Cost is $125. Register online at www.midwestagenergy.net.

--Save the Date - April 25 & 26, 2007:  The 2nd Minnesota Conference on
Sustainable Tourism hosted by the University of Minnesota Tourism Center.  Why sustainable tourism?  Research shows that sustainable tourism practices are recognized and desired by travelers.  In fact, 1/3 of all travelers say they are influenced by a company’s actions to preserve the environment and/or history and culture of destinations; and 58 million are willing to pay more to use companies that do so! (TIA 2005).  For more information go to www.tourism.umn.edu.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS - TENTH Annual Minnesota Rural Summit, May 10 & 11, 2007, at Cragun’s on Gull Lake in Brainerd. Theme is Thriving by Design. For more information and to register now to get the early bird price, go to http://www.minnesotaruralpartners.org/2007_summit/index.html

 (Be the first person to send us this2007 Rural Summit logo along with the name of the first keynote speaker for the 2007 Summit listed on the agenda, and we’ll give you a free registration for the 2007 Summit. Send your entry by snail mail to Minnesota Rural Partners, 1533 Grantham Street, St. Paul, MN 55108. Be sure to send us your contact information so we can send you the free registration if you are the winner! Ties decided by earliest postmark. Summit Planning Team members, MRP Board members, and Summit sponsors are not eligible – but thanks for your support!)

--Biomass ’07 – Power, Fuels, and CVhemiclas Workshop, May 15 & 16, 2007, The Alerus Center, Grand Forks, ND. For more information, go to www.undeerc.org/biomass07 or 701-777-5246.

RESOURCES

--The Minnesota Department of Health has a free breast and cervical cancer screening program. Please pass this on to women you know who do not have insurance or have inadequate insurance. Check out eligibility, services, and available locations throughout Minnesota at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/hpcd/ccs/mbcccp.htm. Or call toll-free at 1-888-643-2584, ext 1135. The Sage Screening Program (formerly the Minnesota Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program) is a statewide comprehensive breast and cervical cancer screening program whose primary objective is to increase the proportion of age-appropriate women who are screened for breast and cervical cancer by: providing free screening and follow-up services to uninsured and underinsured women, reaching out to women who may not have regular health care providers, educating the public about the importance of screening, raising awareness among health professionals, and developing statewide partnerships to promote screening.

--Rural Development Strategies.  Rural communities adopt a wide array of development strategies that address their particular needs. The Rural Development Strategies briefing room examines these strategies, and their main components, including infrastructure improvement, business assistance, education and training, amenity-based development, and community development. It also covers rural development funding and related policies of Federal and State governments. See http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/RuralDevelopment/

--Adjusting for Living Costs Can Change Who is Considered Poor.  The prevalence of poverty has historically been greater in nonmetro than metro areas since poverty rates were first officially recorded. However, adjusting the official poverty measure for cost-of-living differences reverses the rankings of metro and nonmetro poverty. Such a reversal would have important implications for the geographic and demographic distribution of Federal funding of poverty-based programs. See http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/November06/Features/Adjusting.htm

--Using Zip Codes to Target Information.  The HRSA in My Neighborhood Web site is a new tool providing searchable data by zip code. Available data includes: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant data, grantee names, contacts, amounts awarded by fiscal year, health care service delivery sites, Health Professional Shortage Areas, Medically Underserved Areas and Populations, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and other Medicare-approved providers, census data, births and infant deaths and geographic data. http://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov/

--The Rural Assistance Center’s Am I Rural? service can help determine whether a specific location is considered rural based on various definitions of rural, including those used as eligibility criteria for federal programs.

--Placemaking Tools for Community Action             http://www.sustainable.org/Placemaking_v1.pdf  is a 47-page free on-line guide, published by the
national group CONCERN in 2002, describes a sampling of computer-based planning tools and assesses their applicability.  It is related to the work being done by the Orton Family Foundation at PlaceMatters.com (http://www.placematters.com/), which has a comprehensive list of and web links to over 160 tools and support in using them. A community member, city official, planner, or design professional will find in these tools ways to promote innovative planning efforts that enhance public participation in decision-making. Many of the tools are visualization software, ranging from GIS analysis tools to high-end three-dimensional visualization tools. These all help most people to more quickly understand proposed building and physical development projects.
The tools fall into the following categories, arranged in the planning (time) order in which a community would typically address issues in the categories:
1. community process tools
2. asset mapping
3. visualizing the future, including visual preference surveys
4. impact analysis
5. scenario analysis
6. performance-based planning
7. predictive modeling

 Names of the individual tools include AmericaSpeaks, CoVision’s Council groupware, Box City (also see http://neighborhoodmodeling.net/ and http://transopoly.cnt.org/), CommunityViz, INDEX, PLACES3, What If?, ArcIMS,SiteBuilder, UrbanSim, Energy10, CITYgreen, and Pathways to Planning (see http://www.surveycafe.com/VtForum/entry.asp)

--The U.S. Census Bureau has released data indicating a rise in rural child poverty rates.  It shows that 22.5 percent of rural children live in households with incomes below the official national poverty level.  To read more, visit http://www.cfra.org/newsletter/current.htm or contact Jon Bailey at 402-687-2103 (Ext. 1013)

--The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently released a study “Multifamily Properties: Opting In, Opting Out and Remaining Affordable” prepared by Econometrica, Inc. and Abt Associates, Inc.  It compares the characteristics, including affordability, of properties that have left the assisted stock, through prepayment or in opt out, and those that are still assisted.  To order a copy of this study, visit http://www.huduser.org/publications/affhsg/opting_in.html

--The Brookings Institution has released “From Poverty, Opportunity: Putting the Market to Work for Lower Income Families.” According to this report, in 2004, 4.2 million lower-income homeowners paid higher than average prices for their mortgages and 4.5 million lower-income households paid higher than average rates for car loans.  And at least 1.6 million pay excessive fees to finance furniture and appliances.  Reducing the cost of living for lower income families by just one percent would give these families $6.5 billion in added spending power.   For a copy of the report, visit http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20060718_PovOp.htm

--Here is good resource focused particularly for nonprofit organizations, large and small, that must work to raise funds each year.   This link connects you to a newly-launched blog by Kate Barr, Executive Director of the Nonprofits Assistance Fund.  In a weekly one-pager, Kate shares her thoughts and insights on nonprofit management.
http://www.nonprofitsassistancefund.org/index.php?src=gendocs&link=Blog&category=Blog

--OMB Watch launched a website that tracks where federal money goes and who gets it.  The online database is free and searchable by grants and contracts.  To access the site, visit http://www.fedspending.org

--The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently launched a one-stop online resource for businesses.  The site provides compliance information, federal forms and government compliance contracts.  More information, including Fact Sheets, Frequently Asked Questions, and a short pre-written article for publications and websites can also be found in the Press Room on the site.  To access the site, visit http://www.business.gov

--AMBER WAVES, November 2006.  Amber Waves presents the broad scope of ERS’s research and analysis. The magazine covers the economics of agriculture, food and nutrition, the food industry, trade, rural America, and farm-related environmental topics. Available on the Internet and in print, Amber Waves is issued in print five times a year (February, April, June, September, and November). The Internet edition, or “eZine,” includes links to web-only resources, such as podcasts and additional articles. See http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/November06/

EDITORS' NOTES: If you have news, announcements, job listings, etc., please send them to jleonard@minnesotaruralpartners.org. We also accept paid advertisements and sponsorships to support the creation of the newsletter. Minnesota Rural Partners is a non-profit organization – we ask you to consider the work we do and if you find value in it, please make an investment to help sustain that work. We receive no state or federal funding. We count on you to help us; please consider making a contribution to help support MRP.

Minnesota Rural Partners is a nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.

November 2006
October 2006
October 2006 (Mini)
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
Mini-May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
Mid-April 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
Mid-March 2004
March 2004
March 2004 Press Release
June 2003
Mar 2003
June 2002