Board welcomes newly elected chair and two new trustees
With gratitude to Immediate Past Chair and retiring Trustees
At its upcoming December meeting, the Northland Foundation’s Board of Trustees will officially bring two new members into the fold and be guided by a newly elected Board Chair.
Officers for 2021-2022 are: Angie Miller, Chair; Shaye Moris, Vice Chair; Cindy Anderson Bina, Secretary; and Peter McDermott, Treasurer. Find all current trustees on our website.
Angie Miller
“The board sets the foundation’s direction and challenges and encourages us to evolve. We are fortunate to have such smart, dedicated folks working on behalf of our region.”
Tony Sertich
Outgoing Board Leaders
In September, trustees and staff also celebrated Jason Hollinday, who concluded his term as Chair but continues his board service through next spring. Jason has provided steady, flexible leadership throughout the uncertainty of the pandemic. Thank you, Jason!
There was also a warm send-off for Trent Janezich who rotates off the board after ten years, including two as Chair. Trent will stay connected as an Emeritus Trustee Group member, as will former trustee, Lisa Kruse, who retired from the Board in the spring.
Meet New Trustees
Following an open, region-wide search and selected from an impressive group of applicants, Michelle Ufford and Jamie Adams have joined the Board of Trustees. As further introduction, read a bit about their backgrounds and their individual responses to the question, “What about the Northland Foundation’s mission is most meaningful to you?”
Jamie Adams is an Economic Development Planner with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. She also serves on the Northspan and Solon Springs Educational Foundation boards. Jamie has been a volunteer adult mentor with the Northland Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy Board and an AGE to age coordinator. She holds Bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Studies and Urban and Regional Studies from the University of Minnesota Duluth.
“The mission aligns directly with my passion in life, which is helping communities thrive – especially by investing in youth. I appreciate that the foundation listens to each community and recognizes that each one is different,” stated Jamie.
Jamie Adams
Michelle Ufford is the Director of Workforce Strategy for Essentia Health. Previously Michelle worked at the Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training, including 12 years as Executive Director and most recently as School-business Coordinator for Rock Ridge Public Schools. She serves on a number of other boards including the Minnesota Governor’s Workforce Development Board. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota.
Of the mission, Michelle said, “Having been involved in workforce development in our region for over 21 years, as well as being a 5th generation Iron Ranger raising a family here, I have a vested interest in ensuring our communities thrive today and in the future.”
Michelle Ufford
July – September quarterly, fall Maada’ookiing, and Youth In Philanthropy grants
Between July 1 and September 30, 2021, the Northland Foundation awarded $238,450 in 16 quarterly grants to benefit the people and communities within its service area. In addition, 18 Maada’ookiing grants totaling $45,000 were approved in October by the Maada’ookiing Board to Indigenous individuals for creative projects within the shared service area. Another six grants totaling $5,000 were made by the students and adult mentors serving on the Northland Foundation’s Youth In Philanthropy Board. Awards up to $1,000 each are made to support children-and-youth driven projects.
The largest quarterly grant of $50,000 supports the Arrowhead Intelligent Region initiative to advance broadband infrastructure and access in our rural region. The initiative officially launched in February and the first round of project grants were awarded in June. The initiative is led by Blandin Foundation and Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation who, along with economic and community developers in our region including the Northland Foundation, have joined together to establish a grant pool for funding projects to:
• improve broadband infrastructure, • build a knowledge workforce, • incent innovation, • ensure digital equality, • enable community engagement, and • ensure environmental and social sustainability.
“The past 18 months have shown, in stark relief, how a lack of broadband access stifles opportunity—for businesses, schools and students, health care, social connection, needed products and services, and more,” stated Erik Torch, Director of Grantmaking. “We are pleased to support this collaborative effort aiming to expand access so that, in the not-too-distant future, everyone in our region will have the tools to reach their full potential.”
View a listing of all recent grants including grantee name, project information, and dollar amount.
Recently Closed Loans
The Northland Foundation closed on loans totaling $228,500 during the last quarter, supporting the expansion of three businesses in the region. They are:
Grand Rapids Hotel Properties, LLC, Grand Rapids
Doc Witherspoon’s Soul Food Shack, LLC, Duluth
MCKB Properties d/b/a Reed Building, Hibbing.
To learn more about Business Services and loan tools available, please email our Business Services Director, Michael Colclough.
Borrower feature: financing collaboration supports new ownership and expansion at Cloquet business
With 40 beverage flavors plus a wide assortment of breakfast and lunch fare and sweet bakery treats, “variety” is a perfect word to characterize the mouthwatering menu at Bearaboo Coffee Escape in Cloquet, MN.
It is also a fitting descriptor for the financial package that helped Natalie Swanson recently finalize her purchase of Bearaboo. A variety of partners contributed to the deal: Swanson with equity, and Frandsen Bank & Trust, the City of Cloquet, and the Northland Foundation with loans.
After the previous owner passed away unexpectedly in 2019, Swanson began working at Bearaboo Coffee to help his widow manage the business. Although Natalie had a highly successful track record running home-based, direct sales businesses, owning a bricks-and-mortar shop was not necessarily in her sites.
“In the beginning, it wasn’t on my radar to buy Bearaboo. However, our family has always talked about how much fun it would be to own a coffee shop, because my husband and I are big fans,” Swanson explained.
When the late owner’s wife expressed the desire to get out of the business, and quickly, Natalie took the opportunity. Originally it was structured as a contract for deed, and in early 2021 both parties opted to move forward with permanent financing.
Frandsen and the City had already approved loans for purchase of the building and some improvements, with an SBA-guaranteed loan anticipated to cover the balance of the acquisition costs. Unfortunately, due to timing issues the SBA guaranty requirements could not be met. The bank referred Swanson to the Northland Foundation, and the last piece of the financing puzzle was put in place.
Since then, Swanson has added a new dining room, larger kitchen, and much-needed storage by annexing square footage from a former self-serve car wash next door. Future projects on Swanson’s wish list include enlarging the parking lot, as well.
Today, Bearaboo is buzzing with caffeine and satisfied customers. The 22 part-time staff serve breakfast, lunch, and baked goods while keeping the coffee flowing until 6 p.m. daily. Find business hours and more details on Bearaboo’s Facebook page.
Essentia Health renews critical funding for infant and early childhood mental health
Essentia Health has awarded $25,000 to help support the Thrive Initiative, focused on improving infant and early childhood mental health for young children and their families.
Thrive provides a critical forum for learning and connections across more than 90 organizations, including county/tribal public health and social services, family-serving nonprofits, mental health and health care, early care and education programs, and others. With ongoing support from Essentia, Thrive has delivered extensive training and piloted programs that have since been embedded into community organizations.
“Essentia Health has long been and is today an outstanding partner,” said Tony Sertich, President, Northland Foundation. “Their support has enabled increased reach and impact across our shared rural region.”
The Northland Foundation and Essentia Health (then the Duluth Clinic) began collaborating back in 1991 to build healthy communities and improve the quality of life for people of all ages, including support for community grants, youth leadership programming, and early care and education training.
Butler Family Foundation commits additional grantmaking support over the next two years
The Patrick & Aimee Butler Family Foundation is providing funding of $100,000 over the next two years, matched dollar-for-dollar by the Northland Foundation, for grant support to nonprofit organizations working in prevention and intervention services related to domestic and sexual violence and sex trafficking in Northeast Minnesota.
Since 2014, the Butler Family Foundation has generously awarded $575,000 in pass-through funds to the Northland Foundation. With $454,500 in match and additional dollars contributed by Northland, more than $1 million in resources has been made available to support prevention and intervention programming in the region. The timing for this latest support from Butler could not be better.
“There has been an uptick in both the number and severity of incidents of domestic violence reported during the pandemic,” stated Erik Torch, Director of Grantmaking at the Northland Foundation, “so this new infusion of funding to strengthen grantmaking in our rural region is greatly needed and appreciated.”
Seeds of Growth: check out the 2020-2021 annual report
The pandemic has affected life as we knew it, and it’s important to acknowledge the struggles. Yet, there are many reasons to be grateful and hopeful.
People and organizations have shown great resilience. They acted boldly, adjusted course, shared resources and inspiration, and led incredible new efforts. It is an honor to call out some of their accomplishments in our 2020-2021 annual report published last month.
It’s all here: the record (by far) grantmaking and funding support received, the launch of an exciting Indigenous-led program, support for tour region’s Small Business Development Center, continued small business development lending and KIDS PLUS programming, and other special initiatives.
Please visit northlandfdn.org/annual-report for the full details of grants, loans, funding, and uplifting stories. Our region keeps going, and growing, through it all.
