March 2007 - Volume V, Number 3
Compiled by Deb Miller Slipek, News Finder Extraordinary& Jane Leonard, MRP President & Editor

IN THIS ISSUE:

•     Across the Field
•     Kudos
•     Funding
•     Meetings
•     Opportunities
•     Miscellaneous

Across the Field by Jane Leonard
TRANSITIONS

I write this in Chisholm, Minnesota, having driven up here to present at a workshop tomorrow for Rural Libraries. The drive from St. Paul reminded me of the many blessing I have been given over the years – to get to know all of Minnesota, from top to bottom and side to side. We have a great state, both diverse and divided, connected and fragmented all at once.

Being able to hold that complexity and still function well is a trait I am coming to appreciate, especially as I take on a new role – that of Executive Director of the Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission (www.mn150years.org). It’s a two-year gig to help Minnesotans celebrate our 150th birthday as a state (we became a state on May 11, 1858). I look upon this time as an opportunity to reflect on who we are as a state – our accomplishments, our history – the common good, the conflicts, the losses and the gains. Looking ahead, the Sesquicentennial can be an extraordinary catalyst, to help Minnesotans create a thriving and innovative future.

If all goes well, there should be funding from the Legislature for community grants to both celebrate and make longer-impact improvements that can commemorate this special time in our shared lives. While I am off organizing the Sesquicentennial, Denise Pfeifer will be serving part-time as acting director of Minnesota Rural Partners. MRP will work hand-in-hand with the Sesquicentennial and continue its role to incubate good ideas and strategies.      

I’m especially pleased that we can kickoff this celebration and begin to orient our future with the upcoming Rural Summit, May 10 & 11, 2007 at Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd. We’ll have a packed schedule, all about how design and planning have been and will continue to be so critical to our community and economic development. Keynote Speaker Art Merhoff will set the stage with a presentation on the importance of community-based design and the changes in the American landscape – how that has affected and been affected by economic forces. Tom Stinson – our state economist, and Tom Gillaspy – our state demographer – will join a panel of experts to tell us  the state of the state and what our future holds, and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie will help us launch the one-year count to Statehood Day 150, at the conference on Statehood Day 149 (May 11). We’ll honor the Minnesota Design Team communities and the Thriving by Design competition winners. Like I said, it will be jam-packed and you’ll definitely get your money’s worth! Register by April 1 to get the early-bird rate. Go to http://www.minnesotaruralpartners.org/2007_summit/index.html for more complete info and registration.

See you at the Summit! And at the Sesquicentennial – invite everyone home for the big anniversary – it’s great to be in our state in ’08!

KUDOS

MARL class graduates: Congrats to the 32 participants in the current Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership (MARL) Program class (Class IV) who recently completed their national study tour experience to Washington, D.C. (We hear they met the President & First Lady in person at church!) In January 2008 MARL will begin recruiting the next class of participants.  For more information, contact Tim Alcorn, Executive Director, MARL, alcornt@SouthwestMSU.edu; phone: (507) 537-6280 or (800) 642-0684 www.MARLprogram.org.

Freedom of Information Day & Award Ceremony, noon on March 16, 2007, Minneapolis Central Library. Presentation of the John R. Finnegan Freedom of Information Award to Gary Hill, journalist and Open Government advocate. Further information at www.mncogi.org.
 
FUNDING

--Rural Business Opportunity Grants (RBOG) from USDA Rural Development are due March 30, 2007.  Approximately $1.5 million is available nationally.  The average grant is $50,000.  For more information go to:  http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/mn/rbs.htm or contact David Gaffaney at 651-602-7814 or David.Gaffaney@mn.usda.gov
 
--There is a new February 2007 version of “American Indian and Alaska Natives: A Guide to USDA Programs.”  It is available at: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_
1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=NativeAmericans.xml  

MEETINGS
--Dynamic Farmers’ Markets – Spring Conferences: Owatonna on March 20 and Staples on March 29. For more information, contact: Marilyn Nysetvold Johnson at 763-434-0400.

--Grantseeking for Beginners Seminar will be held March 22nd at the Continuing Education and Conference Center at the University of MN – St. Paul Campus.  Provides beginning grantseekers with a solid, comprehensive introduction to the basics of grantwriting. This seminar will help you identify potential funding sources using the leading print and electronic research tools, learn the key elements of an effective grant proposal, and understand the grant proposal review and decision-making process from a grantmaker's point of view through an interactive panel discussion with leaders of some of Minnesota's leading foundations and corporate giving programs. Sponsored by the MN Council on Foundations.  For information contact 612-338-1989 or www.mcf.org/seminars
     
--MDA Offers Essential Export Advice.  Learn the first steps of exporting your food or agriculture products by taking advantage of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's (MDA) complimentary lunch meetings (see list below for dates and locations). Even if you're an experienced exporter, the informational meeting will help you in expanding your market reach.

MDA has the resources to help food and agriculture companies market their products in other countries.  In particular, federal funding is available to reimburse you for expenses related to marketing efforts in export markets.  The funds can make your marketing budget stretch twice as far!  Please join MDA staff for a casual lunch meeting at one of the following locations to learn about these resources and to educate us about your international marketing plans and needs.  To register, call MDA International Resources Manager Shannen Bornsen at 651-201-6658 or send an email to shannen.bornsen@state.mn.us. Please register at least one week in advance of your selected meeting date.

March 22     St. Cloud at Noon at the Best Western Kelly Inn
March 29     Worthington at 4:00 p.m. at the Worthington High School
March 30     Moorhead at Noon at the Courtyard by Marriot
April 12        Rochester at Noon at the Kahler Grand Hotel
April 16        Duluth at Noon at the Inn at Lake Superior
April 26        Mankato at Noon at the Best Western

--UMORE PARK – on March 28 (Wed., 7:30am - noon) in Minneapolis there will be a presentation on and discussion of the opportunity, vision and challenges for this unique development: a 12 square mile site, 25 miles south of the Twin Cities (see http://www.umorepark.umn.edu).  Sponsored by the Urban Land Institute, Sensible Land Use Coalition.  Cost is $25 - $70.  Details at http://minnesota.uli.org

--The Reality of Disability & Racial Attitudes Conference at SMSU April 4, 2007 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm at SMSU Conference Ballroom.  The Southwestern Center for Independent Living and Office of Cultural Diversity of SMSU invite you to attend their third annual disability and racism conference.  This conference will engage, challenge and enlighten attendees about disability and racism issues.  The conference is free and open to the public.  No pre-registration is required.  A light lunch will be served from 12:00 – 12:30 pm on a first-come, first-served basis.  No parking passes will be required on campus that day.  Because there is no registration, requests for reasonable accommodations must be received by March 15, 2007.  Requests can be made by calling JP Morman at 507-537-7121.  Hearing impaired callers use the Minnesota Relay Service – 711 or 1-800-627-3529.    CEU’s will be available ($1.00 charge).  This is a smoke and fragrance free event.  For more information contact JP Morman in the Office of Cultural Diversity at SMSU, 507-537-7121.  Email:  mormanjp@southwestmsu.edu.

--Government Procurement Fair will be held April 10, 2007 at the Grand Casino Mille Lacs, Onamia.  Small businesses interested in doing business with government agencies are encouraged to attend this Trade Fair. Here, you can meet with government representatives and participate in workshops ranging from how to sell to the State of MN to obtaining a GSA schedule and more! The event is free, but registration is required. Click here for more information or call Sherri at 612.259.6565.

--West Central Initiative Foundation’s Workforce Solutions Conference will be April 18 from 8:30 – 3 at the Bigwood Event Center in Fergus Falls.  Futurist Ed Barlow will offer a candid look at tomorrow’s world and help brainstorm strategies for a thriving and successful future.  Mr. Barlow will look specifically at strategies to position west central Minnesota to appeal to employees and help maintain an organizational climate for success in the region.  Early bird registration is $79 by March 15, $109 after. More info and registration online at www.wcif.org.

-- The East Central Minnesota 2007 Business Development Summit –“Painting Economic Development Green” will be held May 2nd at the Grand Casino Mille Laces Convention Center.  Registration is $55.  The registration deadline is April 20th.  For more information contact Sara Schlegel: SSchlegel@grcasinos.com.

--The 7th Annual Grant Writing Bootcamp will be held May 14-18 at the Comstock Memorial Union Ballroom, 6th Avenue South and 14th Street in Moorhead.  This workshop is intended for a diverse audience.  Objectives are to learn “the big picture” of grant writing. Learn how to locate sources of money, with emphasis on local and regional grantors, to tailor needs of organizations to funding priorities of grantors; learn essentials of grant writing and strategies for outcome evaluation and tips on administering a grant.  Presenters are Dr. Shawn Ginther and Dr. Susan Humphers-Ginther of the MSUM faculty. Both presenters have more than a decade of experience with grant writing and administration. Non-credit fee for the course is $260 Questions: 218-477-5862 or e-mail www.contstdy@mnstate.edu.

-- The 5th Annual Symposium on Small Towns "Leveraging Resources to Improve Schools and Communities will be held June 5 & 6 at U of MN Morris.  Please join a conversation style format to explore how we are finding and using resources to improve our communities and schools. For more information go to www.centerforsmalltowns.org or call at 320-589-6451.

--The 2007 Minnesota Rural Health Conference is June 18-19, 2007, in Duluth.  Information is http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/orhpc/conf/07.htm or call (218) 727-9390 or rhrc@ruralcenter.org

OPPORTUNITIES
--Minnesota Sesquicentennial Fellows Program
The Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission is recruiting undergraduate and graduate students to work as Minnesota Sesquicentennial Fellows, starting immediately and throughout the next two years (Feb 07-Feb 09).

Students should be interested in one or more of the following fields: history, public administration, public affairs, community and economic development, planning, journalism and communications, arts and humanities. Fellows will work under the supervision of the Minnesota Sesquicentennial staff; work will be wide-ranging, from office support to planning events and administering aspects of the grant program, working with organizations and communities throughout Minnesota. There may be stipends available or credit. Work hours flexible and time as a Fellow can be in quarters or semester blocks, depending on the student's schedule. The Sesquicentennial office is in the James J. Hill House on Summit Avenue in St. Paul. Some work may also be in the field, throughout Minnesota, so students outside the Twin Cities metro area should also apply. Contact Jane Leonard, Sesquicentennial Executive Director, with any questions and/or send your letter of interest and resume to minntwin@comcast.net. You can learn more about the Sesquicentennial at www.mn150years.org.

--Paid Summer Internship – Apply by March 15
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation seeks a college student pursuing a Baccalaureate degree in health or social sciences, public affairs, or human services with an interest in philanthropy for a paid summer internship beginning June 1. Reporting to the Program Officers, the intern will work closely with the foundation team on a variety of projects and events related to the foundation’s two grant making initiatives: Healthy Together-Creating Community with New Americans and Growing Up Healthy-Kids and Communities. For information on each of these programs, visit the foundation website at www.bluecrossmn.com/foundation. Contact Jocelyn_L_Ancheta@bluecrossmn.com or Lisa_K_Simer@bluecrossmn.com for more information or to apply.
--The Partners Internship Program is seeking students to apply for paid summer internship positions in nonprofits across the region.  If you know any students that may be interested in these opportunities, please pass this along. The extended deadline to apply for these internships is March 23, 2007.

ReStore Development Intern- Barron County Habitat for Humanity, Rice Lake, WI
Curriculum Development Intern- Earthrise Farm Foundation, Madison, MN
Editorial/ Design Intern- Hill Top Heritage Foundation, Killdeer, ND
Arts Programming Intern- Itasca Community Television (ICTV), Grand Rapids, MN
Program Evaluation Intern- Local Initiatives Support Corporation Duluth (LISC)
Curatorial Intern- North Dakota Art Gallery Association (NDAGA), Minot, ND
Volunteer Management Intern- Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL), Backus, MN
Service Guide Intern- Western Minnesota Legal Services, Willmar, MN

For more information about the Partners Internship Program and how to apply as an intern: Visit www.hecua.org/pip/html.

MISCELLANEOUS

--Blandin on Broadband (http://www.blandinonbroadband.com/) is a new blog that tracks broadband policy and applications, especially as they relate to rural Minnesota.

--"Will Energy Markets Refuel the Rural Economy?"   This first quarter Economic Review article by Jason Henderson and Maria Akers reviews the state of the rural economy and explores rural prospects for 2007-including the influences of robust energy activity. http://www.kansascityfed.org/Publicat/Econrev/ermain.htm

--New Pro Bono Service:  Ask an Expert - Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) and the Stanford Graduate School of Business Alumni Consulting Team (ACT) have teamed up to answer your questions about managing nonprofits.  For almost 20 years, ACT has been providing pro bono management consulting to San Francisco Bay Area nonprofits. Now, seven ACT consultants are offering their expertise and experience to the public through the SSIR Web site.

To pose a question or browse previous questions and answers, visit their Web site’s newest feature Ask An Expert. For additional advice on a range of topics, explore the Ask ACT knowledge base or www.ssireview.org/expert/.

--The latest issue of the Rural Monitor is now available.   The issue contains:
•     Cover Story: A Head Start for Rural Kids
•     Rural Kindergartners Often Disadvantaged
•     Getting Children Where They Need to Go
•     Rethinking Human Services: What is Poverty in America?
•     Look What's Coming: Hospitals and Insurance - The Weak Protecting the Strong
•     Around the Country: Special Series on Technical Assistance Centers - TASC and TAP
•     Focus on Funding: Funding for SCHIP Outreach
•     Resource Roundup: Rural Updates in Real Time: RACs RSS Feeds
Go to the RAC web site at:
HTML version: http://www.raconline.org/newsletter/web/winter07.html  
PDF version: http://www.raconline.org/newsletter/pdf/winter07.pdf
--MN Government in Brief--2007 [PDF], MN House Research, 3/1/2007
provides details about such items as the state’s population, the number of people the state employs, and how state revenues are allocated. Designed as an easy reference to state information, the publication is divided into four major sections: demographic and economic data; government organization and employment; government finance; and major government functions and services.

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

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