Communication Center State Services for the Blind, Duluth

$12,500

To provide services to older adults experiencing vision loss.

Twin City Christian Homes, d/b/a Avinity, Hibbing

$30,000

To establish a new program using technology to help older adults at the LEE Center in Hibbing to maintain their independence.

United Way of Northeastern Minnesota, Chisholm

$4,950

To support the professional development of early childhood educators and care providers.

Woodland Hills, Duluth

$30,000

To provide out-of-school-time programs to youth in Duluth's Central Hillside.

CLIMB Theatre, Inc., Inver Grove Heights

$17,000

To provide educational programming in northeastern Minnesota schools on the dangers of heroin and meth.

Duluth Area Family YMCA, Duluth

$20,000

To establish a new staff position to increase opportunities for youth to engage in outdoor recreation activities.

School Districts, Northeast Minnesota

$4,000

Support for education professionals in northeastern Minnesota to participate in the PreK-3rd Grade Principal Leadership Series learning opportunity.

Cloquet School District - ISD #094, Cloquet

$1,000

To purchase books to help strengthen students’ reading skills.

YWCA of Duluth, Duluth

$20,000

To support out-of-school-time programming to middle school aged girls.

Two Harbors Community Radio, Two Harbors

$5,000

To support intergenerational youth radio programming.

University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth

$5,000

To support programming that teaches astronomy and story telling to Native American students.

South Koochiching-Rainy River School District - ISD #363, Northome

$892

To support student participation in the October 2015 Pathway to Careers event.

Proctor Public Schools - ISD #704, Proctor

$2,545

To provide a retreat for 4th grade students to help foster kindness, empathy, and respect.

Myers-Wilkins Elementary School - ISD #709, Duluth

$3,000

To purchase books for the Myers-Wilkins School Library.

US FIRST, Manchester

$5,000

In support of the 2016 regional robotics competition in Northeast Minnesota.

Duluth Public Schools - ISD #709, Duluth

$1,000

To support environmental education programming at Piedmont Elementary School.

Lester Park Elementary, Duluth

$2,000

To enhance creative expression and personal development through arts experiences for students with disabilities.

St. Louis County Schools - ISD #2142, Virginia

$5,000

To provide professional development for educators to implement a program to improve student engagement and motivation.

Northern Lights Special Education Cooperative, Cloquet

$1,000

To support a day long event to provide information on careers, higher education and services for high school students with disabilities.

Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity, Duluth

$15,000

To expand the capacity of Habitat for Humanity in the Twin Ports to provide affordable housing.

Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, Saint Paul

$10,000

To provide emergency assistance to veterans and their families in crisis in northeastern Minnesota.

One Roof Community Housing, Duluth

$50,000

Support for a new lending director position.

Grace House of Itasca County, Grand Rapids

$5,000

To provide shelter and services for people experiencing homelessness in the Grand Rapids area.

Damiano of Duluth, Inc., Duluth

$30,000

To increase the staff capacity of the Damiano Center.

Community Action Duluth, Duluth

$60,000

Support for community engagement and empowerment programming for low-income families.

Rural and American Indigenous Leadership, Virginia

$20,000

To support women’s leadership in rural and American Indigenous communities.

Valley Youth Centers, Duluth

$2,000

Support for a community event to celebrate the Hmong New Year.

Mesabi Range College, Virginia

$4,950

To support an artist in residency program to help foster self-expression and a greater appreciation of diversity in Quad City area schools on the Iron Range.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Duluth

$5,000

To support a weeklong festival honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrating African American culture.

Range Engineering Council, Hibbing

$2,000

To support events to raise awareness on unconscious bias in schools and the workplace.

Community Action Duluth, Duluth

$5,000

To provide free income tax preparation services for people with low incomes.

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Saint Paul

$5,000

Support for services to increase access to quality nonprofit management capacity-building resources in northeastern Minnesota.

Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, Virginia

$3,200

To support planning efforts around the creation of a social enterprise.

APEX, Duluth

$15,000

To support economic development efforts in Duluth and the surrounding area.

The following grants were awarded by a board comprised of high school students from throughout the region, with guidance from adult mentors, to support youth-led school and community projects. These grants are made possible thanks to the Minnesota Power Foundation.

McGregor KIDS PLUS/Something Cool, Inc., McGregor

$1,000

To create a program that promotes random acts of kidness in the community.

Denfeld High School - ISD #709, Duluth

$1,000

To support the robotics experience that encourages science, technology, engineering, and  careers for youth.

Cooper Elementary School, Superior

$450

To provide emergency assistance to veterans and their families in crisis in northeastern Minnesota.

Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, Virginia

$370

To support a community garden that will teach children about rainwater collection, conservation, plants, and vegetables while providing access to fresh produce.

McGregor Schools - ISD #004, McGregor

$500

In support of a youth-run program in which students can design projects and programs that help others while increasing students' involvement in the school.

Superior High School, Superior

$1,000

In support of high school science students developing and implementing an activity at the Superior School Forest for area 5th graders.

Cherry School, ISD #2142, Iron

$1,000

Expand the presence of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the classroom by engaging students with bikes and bike safety.

Cooper Elementary School, Superior

$600

To provide an enhanced learning environment for children that nurtures social, physical, cognitive, and emotional development.

Valley Youth Centers, Duluth

$600

To provide alternative activities for youth in a safe, supervised afterschool setting.

Woodland Hills Academy - ISD #709, Duluth

$600

To promote community engagement and volunteerism among young people by helping the local animal shelter.

Carlton High School - ISD #093, Carlton

$1,000

To support a program in which students of differing abilities including students with Autism will work together to build a sailboat in the school shop.