Partners, providers, and progress

Celebrating wins, spelling out challenges for child care

Shawntel Gruba is well-versed in the joys and difficulties of child care in northeastern Minnesota.

The northern Minnesota native had two decades of experience in early childhood education before opening Iron Range Tykes Learning Center seven years ago. She knows her chosen profession is vitally important to a rural region where child care is tough to find. Yet, she says, this is an industry on the edge of collapse. Her Mountain Iron, MN, center has space for 100 children … and a perpetual two-year waiting list. This is the reality in most rural communities statewide. There are no two ways about it: access to affordable, quality child care is in crisis.

Gruba and her business partner, Katie Mitrovich, both parents themselves, understand the plight of families, too. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), child care is ‘affordable’ if it costs no more than 7% of a family’s income. By this standard, only about 5% of Minnesota families can afford infant care. Gruba says, “I know people paying two, three, even four times that. People are being squeezed out of the workforce.”

Per 2025 data from the Economic Policy Institute, infant care in Minnesota costs on average $1,880 per month. A year of infant care costs 72% more than in-state tuition at a four-year public college.

Meanwhile, according to a 2024 Fact Sheet from the Office on the Economic Status of Women, the median hourly wage for child care workers in Minnesota was just $14.35. A median child care worker in Minnesota would have to spend 70 cents of every dollar they earn to put their own child in infant care.

“The need is huge, my team is so dedicated, and families we serve are grateful to have quality care,” said Gruba. “It’s just really hard to make the math work. This is a highly regulated industry. We can’t cut corners to keep the lights on. Rising operating costs get passed on to families.”

“In too many cases, parents leave the workforce because there are simply no openings near them, or the cost is more than their household can bear. Meanwhile, a lot of providers are at a breaking point.” —Shawntel Gruba, CEO, Iron Range Tykes

Here for the Long Haul

For 20 years, the Northland Foundation has been at the forefront of early care and education in northeastern Minnesota, affording us and our early childhood, economic development, and community partners with an inside view of the pain points. It has been a race of two steps forward, one step back, gaining new child care slots here, losing a center here or several family providers there. Still, we persist.

As Gruba asserts, child care is in perpetual struggle mode. Providers perform an essential service but profitability proves elusive. Families can’t find care; some are on years-long waiting lists trying to time pregnancies to coincide with an opening. Strides have been made in educating stakeholders the seriousness of the situation, yet critical shifts in public policy and widespread private-sector support have not gained a permanent foothold.

Progress is Possible

Although the system is imperfect, progress is possible. The Northland Foundation’s comprehensive approach has positively impacted two-thirds of northeastern Minnesota’s 357 licensed programs, while building on quality of care with training and quality rating initiatives. That the shortage of child care is slightly less than it was three years ago is a testament to the people and partners who are working the problem from every angle.

“We alone can’t fix all the issues but alongside other partners we are chipping away at it,” said Northland Foundation President, Tony Sertich. “Has it made a difference? Yes, and bigger changes and solutions are needed.”

Six Strategies on Tap

There are a half dozen big buckets where efforts have focused, in concert with many partners, providers, and community members working to solve this challenge.

Expansion and Retention: Aiming financing and funding to rural providers to start, grow, and sustain.

Technical Assistance: Assembling a no-cost network of mentors and business advisors.

Professional Development: Reducing barriers to accessing training and pursuing quality rating.

Workforce Strategies: Supporting providers to implement practices to attract and keep staff.

Community-led Planning: Facilitating a process in rural communities to find site-specific, actionable solutions.

Systems Change: Advocating for public policy change and increased private sector investment.

Expansion and Retention

Since 2017, we’ve helped launch or grow 46 child care programs, creating 1,765 new slots, thanks to $1.2 million in state funding through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Although it is a modest amount of funding over an 8-year period, it helped child care businesses access nearly $18 million more in other investments to support their projects. Northland has also served in this role for county government, directing $750,000 in ARPA funds toward 23 child care programs.

Funding for expansion continues. Within the last year, $400,000 provided through DEED has boosted 16 child care start-up, retention, and expansion projects in the region so far. Another $240,000 recently awarded will provide funding to help up to 10 more projects.

Technical Assistance

Besides funding, providers have asked for help with business planning, financing, and regulatory concerns. They are looking for thought partners who understand their unique challenges. Inquiries flow in from individuals looking to open or strengthen their child care business, and we connect them to tailored support including one-on-one help from experienced child care navigators.

The Northland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has provided 400+ hours in no-cost business consulting services to 46 providers over the past three years alone. Child care ranks as the 4th most common industry type served by our SBDC—highlighting both the critical need and our responsiveness.

Professional Development

Knowledgeable, developmentally and culturally appropriate care is vital to quality. Annually, the Northland Foundation hosts or supports 20 to 30 free or low-cost trainings for over 750 caregivers, lowering the cost barriers to professional growth. Through our Parent Aware Pathways program, we provide resources and incentives—like sign-on bonuses and curriculum tools—to support providers on their quality rating journey.

Our annual appreciation and training event, launched in 2008, continues to celebrate and elevate the child care workforce. This past spring in partnership with Child Care Aware, more than 200 providers gathered at the DECC in Duluth for DEVELOP-approved training sessions, lunch, and the chance to network with fellow providers from across the region.

Workforce Strategies

Solving the crisis means finding ways to bring more trained and caring people into the field with compensation and benefits that keep them there. Strategies include the Jump Into Child Care program which provides free training to help individuals explore and launch careers in child care, especially in the Duluth area. And, with funding from area partners, a Workforce Solutions pilot project distributed grants to 62 licensed programs to implement staff recruitment and retention efforts including bonuses, wellness activities, and professional development.

“Northland and so many others have been at this work for a long time. But, we—the collective we—can’t rest, because the underlying issues that led to this crisis persist.” —Tony Sertich, President, Northland Foundation

Community-Led Planning

We’re supporting planning cohorts led by our partner, Northspan, in places like Silver Bay, East Range, Hibbing-Chisholm, and now Cloquet. Northspan facilitates an organizing process that guides a local contingent to explore different child care ideas and create actionable plans based on the needs, assets, and gaps of that particular site. When a diverse group community members is involved, actively engaged, and guided by expert facilitators, promising ideas emerge.

Systems Change is Key

Real change requires systemic thinking. Northland brings experience and knowledge, minus any direct self-interest, to the policy-making table. We amplify voices from our region working toward shifting the systems, pilot innovative ideas that demonstrate workable models, and serve as a connecting point for partners and providers. This work takes many different forms, such as:

Increasing the number of Parent Aware-rated programs in the region.
Strengthening relationships and information exchange among entities working to support child care, including County/Tribal Licensors, the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, First Children’s Finance, Child Care Aware, etc.
Piloting projects like Family Navigators and Family, Friend and Neighbor Child Care supports and the Rural Pathways Getting Grant Ready for nonprofit child care programs.
Helping licensed providers give input through focus groups and survey responses as the Department of Human Services drafts improvements to licensing standards.
Offering no- and low-cost cultural learning opportunities for those working with young children and families.
Sharing data and stories at statewide meetings and, when invited, testifying at the state legislature.

Providers including Shawntel Gruba are doing their own advocacy work, too, pushing for change. She says:

“I speak out in northern Minnesota and in St. Paul because we want the people elected to serve our communities to understand the realities we face, be inspired by our stories, and use their legislative power to support this critical industry. These are our children. What better investment is there?”

The Northland Foundation will continue to work from different angles, think outside the box, and be a collaborator in the movement to stabilize child care.

“Without child care, our economy falls apart,” Tony Sertich concludes. “It’s really that simple. The time to prioritize broad support is now.”

To connect with us on supports and opportunities for child care, please contact Vice President of Development and Programs, Zane Bail.

25 Years of Youth In Philanthropy

Learning, Leadership, and Giving Back

Youth In Philanthropy marks a quarter century of empowering young people to support positive action in their communities

Youth In Philanthropy is driven by young people supporting projects planned and led by other children and youth. Students on the board are encouraged to be curious, offer opinions, and learn the dynamics of board service among peers from across the region.

As the world moved into a new millennium, the year 2000 brought excitement and a little anxiety (remember Y2K?). The Northland Foundation began the new century with a fresh start, too, as we introduced a pilot youth development program. The idea was to introduce kids from rural northeast Minnesota to community giving and allow them to develop their potential to serve and lead.

Fast forward 25 years … the Youth In Philanthropy Program is still connecting young people with the responsibilities and rewards of volunteerism and grant-making.

Impact ripples across the region

Over that time, 110 youth board members and 21 volunteer adult mentors have awarded funding to 620 projects spread across all seven counties as well as the border community of Superior, Wisconsin. Their work adds up to major investments—more than half a million—making a difference in rural schools and communities, one grant of $1,000 or less at a time. Board members have hailed from more than 30 northeast Minnesota sites.

“It is pretty mind-blowing to think about where Youth In Philanthropy started and what a powerful force for good it has been for, and because of, kids in our region and the adults who support them,” said Tony Sertich, President of the Northland Foundation.

The magic formula: by youth, for youth

Each year, a group of 12 to 15 middle and high school students are invited to serve on the board. Many have not been in leadership roles before. That’s intentional. The program is designed to open doors for more young people to recognize and strengthen their abilities and grow in confidence.

“We are proud of what young people from our region accomplish year after year and optimistic about the future of Youth In Philanthropy.” — Jan Amys, Senior Program Officer

Students are the grant-makers and the grant recipients. Whether awarding or applying, young people discover firsthand how small groups of people working together can accomplish big things.

A youth-powered board of middle and high school students reviews grant requests prepared by children and youth and votes on funding.

Adult representatives amplify the youths’ voices, encouraging them to be curious, consider different perspectives, think critically, and reach their own conclusions.

Young grant applicants learn about project planning and budgets, how to seek funding, volunteers, and in-kind donations, cooperation, and seeing things through, from idea to completion.

Communities learn that kids are genuinely excited to help others, and the community benefits not just today but long-term as engaged young people become invested adults.

The program year includes a September orientation and team-building session, board meetings in October, January, and April to award funding, and a spring celebration event.

A reunion and celebration

Clockwise from top: past-to-present youth and mentors at
the 25th celebration; looking back on the 2001 board, a
current mentor and two youth members including
the incoming chair.

This year, the annual springtime board banquet was followed up with a special event to commemorate 25 years of programming.

An anniversary gathering in Duluth joined Youth In Philanthropy participants and supporters from throughout its history.

The dinner and program held on May 22 in Duluth welcomed original youth board members right up through the incoming 2025-2026 youth chair, past and present adult mentors and Northland trustees, as well as staff, including Lynn Haglin, former Vice President/KIDS PLUS Director who created Youth In Philanthropy 25 years ago.

“It is so much fun to learn where life has taken the young people who have served on the board. Many of them are grown now with children of their own,” said Senior Program Officer, Jan Amys, who has been with Youth In Philanthropy since 2007 and leads the program today.

Generations of support

In a typical year, the board awards in the neighborhood of $25,000. Grants from YIP have helped launch peer mentoring programs, school health fairs, environmental learning, and much more—in small towns where good ideas aren’t scarce, but funding often is.

Past program support came from Minnesota Power as well as individual donors. In recent years, the program is supported through the generosity of the Scott and Holly Martin Family Foundation and members of the Northland Foundation’s Emeritus Trustee Group.

Noted Amys, “The kids on the board know their grant budget is the result of donations from former Northland Foundation board members. It creates a really cool component of experienced philanthropists helping instill the spirit of giving in upcoming generations,” she said.

Marking a milestone

Watch and listen as past and present Youth In Philanthropy
board members share their experiences with the program.

Take a look and listen! A new, four-minute video highlights a quarter century of grantmaking by and for young people in our rural region. Special thanks to former youth board members Rizal Agaton Howes (2020-2025), Luke Wohlwend (2006-2009), and Angie Johnson (2000-2003) and to Northland Foundation Trustee and adult mentor, Jamie Adams, for sharing their experiences.

Youth In Philanthropy ignites young people’s potential, strengthens rural places, and builds a more generous future for our region. We are celebrating 25 years, and we’re just getting started.

Learn More or Apply

Are you a young person or youth-serving organization with a great project idea? Through Youth In Philanthropy, young people ages 8 to 18 have an opportunity to develop and implement projects that will benefit their schools, organizations, and communities. Grants up to $1,000 are awarded 3x per year for school or community projects led by children and youth, with the support of an adult advisor. Community and school groups and youth-serving nonprofits may apply. Projects must take place in northeast Minnesota or Superior, Wisconsin. The next deadline to submit a grant is October 1, 2025.

APPLY – Grant eligibility, timelines, and application
EXPLORE – Recently awarded grants and project ideas
NEWS – Sign up for Youth In Philanthropy emails

Shore up your funding strategies

January and February sessions free to Northeastern Minnesota nonprofits

It’s tough out there. Securing funds to support nonprofit operations and programming is challenging these days, but we’ve got you! A series of six stand-alone, interactive webinars is being offered FREE of charge to nonprofit organizations in our region, held on consecutive Thursdays from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. starting January 15 through February 19, 2026.

Whether you’re brand new to nonprofit development or have years of experience wading through those shifting sands, a fantastic line-up of national and regional presenters will help you find firmer ground. Each webinar will include approximately 50 minutes of presentation followed by Q&A.

Nonprofits serving northeastern Minnesota may sign up to attend any or all sessions at https://northlandfdn.org/events. Sponsored by the Northland Foundation to build nonprofit capacity in northeastern Minnesota.

DETAILS/ALL EVENTS

January 15, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM: Everything We Know About Fundraising is (Mostly) Wrong with Steve MacLaughlin, Senior VP, GOBEL

Take away a deeper understanding about:

How the right metrics make all the difference in measuring performance.
The real size of the nonprofit sector and sources of fundraising revenue.
How to evolve thinking around the traditional donor pyramid.
Register for January 15

Steve MacLaughlin is the Senior Vice President of Product at GOBEL and bestselling author of Data Driven Nonprofits. He has more than 20 years of experience collaborating with nonprofits, government institutions, and technology companies to drive innovation and maximize mission impact. Steve has been featured as a fundraising and nonprofit expert in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and on National Public Radio. He is particularly known for identifying the Nonprofit Data Paradox, which is the observation that the more data nonprofits accumulate, the less valuable it becomes if culture, systems, and leadership fail to leverage it effectively. He is also a nonprofit leadership facilitator with Georgetown University’s New Strategies program.

January 22, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM: Future-proof Your Nonprofit with Sponsorship, Cause Marketing & Audience-Centric Fundraising with Joe Waters, Founder of Selfish Giving

Learn how to win more partners and raise more money by rethinking three essential areas with practical tactics.

Grow a loyal, fired-up audience that makes fundraising with businesses—as well as foundations and individuals—easier, more effective, and far more lucrative.
Lead with business value so companies see you as a revenue driver—not another donation request.
Build fast, friction-less campaigns that tap into where the real money lives with companies.
Register for January 22

Joe Waters has been working at the intersection of business, philanthropy, and marketing for thirty years. He writes one of the web’s leading fundraising blogs, Selfish Giving, and is the author of a popular bi-monthly newsletter for nonprofits on building win-win corporate partnerships. Joe is the author of two books on corporate partnerships: Fundraising with Businesses: 40 New (and Improved!) Strategies for Nonprofits and Cause Marketing for Dummies. He is an instructor in the New Strategies Program at Georgetown University, which helps nonprofits develop revenue-generation strategies and has written for Huffington Post, Forbes, Mediapost, Fast Company, CMO.com, Nonprofit Quarterly, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Healthcare Philanthropy Journal and others.

January 29, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM: Earned Revenue 101 with Tanya Smith-Evans, Consulting Director, New Strategies Program

This session will combine instruction, dialogue, and hands-on application to help participants explore the potential of earned revenue within their organizations.  After establishing a shared understanding of core concepts, participants will walk through a step-by-step process to clarify their organizational goals and assess whether launching or expanding earned revenue aligns with their mission, capacity, and the market. The session will also include time for a guided practice activity, allowing participants to apply key concepts directly to their own organizations.  Come away with:

A stronger grasp of earned revenue and how to identify and assess viable opportunities.
Clarity on the potential risks, benefits, and considerations associated with earned revenue.
An initial framework to continue evaluating and advancing earned revenue within your organization.
Register for January 29

Tanya Smith-Evans is the Consulting Director of the New Strategies Program at Georgetown University. Tanya has been with the program since 2014 when she started teaching, facilitating, and sharing her 20+ year career experience as a social impact strategist and expert in social enterprise and earned-revenue generation with program attendees. She spent 17 years with Community Wealth Partners working with nonprofit clients and boards to build capacity and drive strategic decision making in industries such as employment, education, housing, human services, and community development. She collaborated with nationwide funding entities to implement executive-level leadership initiatives across groups of grantees and guided numerous nonprofit organizations through sustainable income strategy planning and implementation. Tanya also served as an executive coach to an array of nonprofit and philanthropic leaders, focusing on both personal and organizational leadership challenges.

February 5, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM: Incorporating Foundation and Corporate Support Into Your Revenue Strategy with Bernard Boudreaux, Founder, Be Beneficent Consulting

You will take away:

How to be findable and fundable for Foundation support.
What is a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), why YOU should care, and how to best be in a position for your nonprofit to receive DAF grants.
How to best approach a business/corporation for support.
When is the most lucrative time to approach corporations and foundations.
Register for February 5

Bernard Boudreaux is the Co-Director of Georgetown University’s New Strategies Program, as well as the founder and principal of Be Beneficent Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that assists individuals, nonprofits and businesses in addressing social issues within their local communities through action that achieves measurable results. Prior to joining Georgetown University, Bernard was with Target Corporation for over 30 years, where he held various leadership positions in Corporate Responsibility (CR) as well as in their Merchandising/Buying division. He has served on the boards of numerous nonprofits and currently serves as an advisor for the Association of Corporate Contributions Professionals (ACCP) and BoardSource. Known for his candid “tell it like it is” approach, he is a frequent presenter at conferences on the importance of public/private partnerships, and how businesses and nonprofits can work together to improve local communities.

February 12, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM: Legacy Giving for Nonprofits with Jessica Peterson, Development Director, Boreal Waters Community Foundation

This session will help you to:

Learn practical strategies to include legacy giving in your donor communications, appeals, and stewardship, turning planned giving into a regular part of your development efforts.
Understand and debunk misconceptions about endowments—such as the idea that they’re only for large organizations or that funds can’t be accessed—so your nonprofit can confidently explore long-term giving options.
Explore different charitable giving vehicles, from bequests and donor-advised funds to gifts of stock or life insurance, and learn how they can provide lasting impact for your organization.
Register for February 12

Jessica Peterson joined Boreal Waters Community Foundation in 2023 and brings more than fifteen years of nonprofit leadership experience. At Boreal Waters, she leads development efforts that strengthen donor engagement, grow charitable resources, and expand the Foundation’s long-term impact across the region, with a special focus on legacy giving and endowment growth. Previously, she served as Development Director at the Depot Foundation in Duluth and held multiple leadership roles in the nonprofit arts sector, including founding and guiding a Twin Cities theater company for more than a decade. A versatile writer and experienced fundraising professional, Jessica is passionate about connecting generous individuals and nonprofits with opportunities to build meaningful, lasting impact in the communities they love.

February 19, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM: Approaches to Federal Funding in 2026 with Brent Merchant, Principal and Co-founder, Merchant McIntyre Associates

This session will cover:

Building and articulating political support for federal funding applications.
The current realities of federal funding.
Principles and approaches to forecasting federal funding.
Federal funding program and application design.
Register for February 19

Named as a Top Lobbyist (nonprofit category) by the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics, Brent Merchant has helped secure nearly $100 million in federal support for nonprofit institutions and organizations. Prior to co-creating Merchant McIntyre Associates, Brent secured grant funding for nonprofit clients in the Washington office of Russ Reid, then the largest marketing and communications agency in the world serving exclusively nonprofits. Beginning in 2009, he established the federal government presence for LPB Energy Management, advising the company on policy and legislative matters and overseeing the development and execution of government contracts and partnerships. From 2001 to 2008, Brent served as senior staff at the Department of Energy, where he was named Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Energy. Brent also served as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of Energy, focusing on policy, project management, and operational issues throughout the Department and its National Laboratory complex.

Pilot program to build nonprofits’ core strength

Introducing a menu of nonprofit supports

Nonprofits carry big responsibilities—often with limited resources. But even the most dedicated organizations need support to keep going—and growing.

That’s where the Northland Foundation is stepping in, along with others like the Boreal Waters Community Foundation’s Nonprofits Unite.

In March we rolled out Nonprofit Support Resources. This new pilot initiative aims to help regional 501(c)(3) nonprofits build internal capacity and stay resilient for the long haul. It offers four avenues for organizations to engage: leadership coaching and peer learning facilitated by Brico Works and financial resiliency, individualized consulting, and in-person trainings delivered by Propel Nonprofits.

“Nonprofit organizations in our rural region deal with problems similar to for-profit businesses but with their own unique twists,” said Michelle Ufford, Vice President of Grantmaking, who is coordinating the pilot program. “Nonprofits are important to our regional economy. We all will be stronger—staff, board, communities, and those receiving services—when these essential service providers are better resourced and supported.”

This opportunity is fully funded, with all offerings provided at no cost. Participation does require a time commitment, so applicants are encouraged to review details carefully before applying. Check eligibility, time frames, and requirements before applying, and please reach out to us with any questions!

LEARN MORE AND APPLY

Virtual Leadership Coaching & Peer Learning Cohorts

Apply by April 10 for Cohort 1.

Offered in partnership with Brico Works, this 10-month leadership development experience will support emerging or mid-level nonprofit staff to grow their leadership confidence, cultivate a regional network of peers, and develop sustainable leadership habits. A virtual cohort model allows emerging leaders to participate without traveling.

Brico will facilitate two Virtual Change Cohorts of eight people each to engage together in 2-hour virtual sessions held once a month for 10 months.

Staff working for direct-service, 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organizations within our service area.
COHORT 1 April 2026 – January 2027: Apply by April 10 or nominate someone you know.
COHORT 2 October 2026 – June 2027: Fill out an Interest Form now to stay in the loop.

Click here for a program flyer, or visit our website or Brico’s website for more details.

Individualized Consulting

Apply today! Application period will remain open until capacity is full.

Starting in spring 2026, Propel Nonprofits will provide confidential consulting/technical assistance, up to 20 hours each, for a limited number of 501(c)(3) organizations within our region.

Propel will work closely with a small team from each organization. Focus areas might include strategic retreat facilitation or work plans for an existing strategic plan, board training & development, financial analysis & planning, infrastructure and capacity planning support, etc. Find the full menu of Propel’s available services.

Open to current/past Northland Foundation grantees providing direct services.
Depending on the type of project, work may span a period of several months.

Please review program details on our website before applying

Organizations cannot participate in both the Individualized Consulting and the Financial Resiliency Cohort. All work is confidential, and participation will not affect eligibility for Northland Foundation grant programs.

Nonprofit Financial Resiliency Cohort

Applications due by end of day April 6.

In partnership with Propel Nonprofits, a Nonprofit Financial Resiliency Cohort will combine training and consulting for up to 10 past or current nonprofit grantees within our region. Selected organizations must commit to including their executive director, head of financials, and a board member in this work.

Open to current/past Northland Foundation grantees providing direct services.
Best suited to those with annual budgets of $150,000 – $3 million and multiple programs or revenue streams.
Three-hour online learning sessions held April 21, May 19, and June 23, plus access to 10 hours of individual consulting and support to implement action steps.

Please review program details on our website before applying. Apply through April 6.

In-person Finance and Board Governance Training Sessions

July 28 in Duluth and September 23 on the Iron Range.

Propel Nonprofits will lead half-day, in-person training sessions, free of charge! Newer, less experienced nonprofit staff or board members will come away with a better understanding of the basics of finance and board governance.

Register for a half-day morning session (Fundamentals of Nonprofit Finance), a half-day afternoon session (Fundamentals of Nonprofit Board Governance), or both (full day). Registration is first-come first-served and limited to 40 people per session.

REGISTER FOR DULUTH sessions: July 29, 2026 – exact location to be announced
REGISTER FOR IRON RANGE sessions: September 23, 2026 – exact location to be announced

Visit our website for session details.

Thriving Rural Communities

Updated report and more community sessions ahead

What does it really take for communities across northeastern Minnesota to thrive?

That question is at the heart of the Thrive Rural Framework—a new, research-informed effort bringing people together across the region to tackle complex, long-standing hurdles to future growth and prosperity. (Read our Fall Notes article introducing the framework.) So far, the answer is: many people, organizations, and communities working more closely together than ever before.

Supported by the Northland Foundation in partnership with the Northspan Group, a year of research, an in-depth and newly updated report, and input-gathering community meetings in every county reinforced two conclusions. (1) Challenges are persistent but not insurmountable, and (2) collaboration and sustained action are the way forward.

“Northland doesn’t have all the answers or resources, no single organization does. But, all of us together are smarter than any one of us alone.” —Tony Sertich

Seven Action Areas

The updated report (get it here) is robust. It’s intended to be a catalyst, sparking fresh energy and creative thinking that will jump start real change. If our October-December road tour—eight outreach sessions across seven counties—are any indication, people are excited to get started.

The final assessment report zeroes in on seven areas for action, backed by the research and honed by community input.

All seven issues are important. They are also complex, and it would be short-sighted to dive into all seven at once.

Housing and Leadership Development are where we’ll start, while also doing more background work before launching into Local Information Sharing Systems.

1. Simplified, Supercharged Housing

2. Invest In the Next Generation of Leadership

3. Rebuilding Local Information Sharing Systems

4. Building a Sense of Belonging

5. Intentional Dialogue on the Region’s Most Divisive Topic

6. Creation of a Rural-Tribal Economic and Community Development Alliance

7. Rebuilding Regional Research and Planning System

None of these are simple issues, and no one policy, program, or investment will resolve them. But, we are all-in. Northland Foundation is committed to putting the gears in motion and supporting progress along the way.

“We’ve seen regional efforts succeed before, and we can do it again. Not by reliving the past, but by learning from it and committing to act differently for ourselves, those we care about, and those who come after us,” Sertich added.

Forward Motion

This spring and summer, follow-up listening sessions will be held in all seven counties. Sessions will kick off by re-familiarizing everyone on the framework then dig into housing and the next generation of leadership. The agenda will explore what’s missing in your community, who is already working in that space, and who is not part of the conversation but should be. We look forward to rich discussions that will continue the momentum.

Local public broadcasting is helping spread the word across our region, too. PBS North is producing a special featuring Northspan’s Karl Scheuettler and Tony Sertich to more widely share the assessment’s finding, the framework behind it, and build greater regional buy-in. Stay tuned for air dates and streaming link!

Upcoming Community Sessions and Links

We hope to connect with local and regional elected/appointed leaders, economic development and financing professionals, housing organizations, business and community leaders and anyone curious and eager to get involved.

REGISTER to attend a session. Can’t make it? Take the Community Action Planning Survey.
Access the updated report.
Watch a recorded presentation about the Thrive Rural Framework, the research and data, and initial conclusions.
Find more information and all links on Northspan’s website.

A new approach to a thriving rural region

Join us for a community engagement session

The Northland Foundation’s mission is to support Northeast Minnesota people and communities working toward a future where everyone feels they belong and can thrive.

What does it mean to belong and thrive? All of us probably have different definitions based on our values, lived experiences, and ability to dream about the future. What we may all agree on, though, is that we are not yet in a place where everyone in Northeast Minnesota feels like they do belong and can thrive.

We have found a tool that allows us, as a region, to take stock, target action, and gauge progress so that tomorrow is hopefully better than today for everyone. It’s called the Thrive Rural Framework, developed by the Aspen Institute’s Community Strategies Group. We partnered with Northspan to dig deep into regional data using this framework as a guide. The resulting research highlights eight areas of initiative—challenges which also offer opportunities for real change.

We’re traveling the region to share these findings and gather reactions and support.

Attend an information and engagement session (listed below) to learn more, ask questions, and voice your ideas as we work on building a common understanding and a starting point to move Northeast Minnesota toward a better, more prosperous future.

Attend a session if you can. If you can’t, find the report and an online feedback form here.

Engagement Sessions

Please REGISTER HERE. Everyone is welcome.

Monday, October 27

CLOQUET
10:00-11:30 AM
Cloquet Public Library, 320 14th Street

DULUTH
1:30-3:00 PM
Alworth Building Suite 300, 302 W. Superior Street

Wednesday, October 29

TWO HARBORS
9:30-11:00 AM
Two Harbors Community Building, 417 South Avenue

GRAND MARAIS
2:00-3:30 PM
Cook County Higher Education, 300 W. 3rd Street

Wednesday, November 19

MOUNTAIN IRON
10:00-11:30 AM
Mountain Iron Community Center, 8586 Enterprise Drive

INTERNATIONAL FALLS
2:30-4:00 PM
Cobblestone Hotel and Suites, 1 Memorial Drive

Thursday, December 4

GRAND RAPIDS
10:00-11:30 AM
Timberlake Lodge, 144 17th Street SE

AITKIN
2:00-3:30 PM
Aitkin County Boardroom, 231 1st Street NW

Child Care Aware is in the house!

CCA staff deliver professional, personalized assistance to child care providers

There’s a big, new addition to our team: Child Care Aware of Minnesota Northeast-Region 3 staff members are now under the Northland Foundation roof!

In recent months, we finalized an agreement with the State of Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families to bring Child Care Aware (CCA) into the fold. CCA fits well with our continued, and deepening, focus on child care (read “Celebrating wins, spelling out challenges for child care” in the Summer 2025 Notes).

Child Care Aware of Minnesota is a statewide early childhood leader that promotes high-quality, affordable, and accessible child care for Minnesota families. CCA supports providers with business training and development, assists families in finding and affording child care, and works on policy and system-level improvements.

From left: Katie Tima, Heather Hefter, Jessica Faast, Chris Salgy, Meralee Rosasco, and Jan Amys.

“Child Care Aware has been our close collaborator for many years in improving child care access and quality,” stated Northland Foundation’s Jan Amys, “so it’s exciting to be able to work with and learn from them every single day.”

Altogether, five Child Care Aware staff serve Minnesota Northeast Region 3, which covers the foundation’s same seven-county footprint. Three are CCA veterans while two are fresh hires. All bring a wealth of early care and education experience with them. Jan Amys, our Senior Program Officer, has added Child Care Aware Regional Director to her title and supervises the team.

Here’s a little more about our newest employees and what they do to support early care and education professionals across our region.

Parent Aware Quality & CLASS Coaches

Jessica Faast has been with Child Care Aware of Minnesota since 2019. She has a bachelor’s in Elementary Education and a minor in Early Childhood education. Prior to coaching, she taught children of all ages in child care centers for more than 12 years. She has also done administrative-level work as a site and assistant director. Jessica has taken the Director’s Credential, RBPD Credential, and is CLASS certified.

Meralee Rosasco has 6 years working in childcare and joined Child Care Aware as a Parent Aware and CLASS Coach in February 2025. Meralee is a Relationship Based Professional Development (RBPD) Specialist with a Parent Aware Quality Coach Endorsement and is CLASS certified. She graduated from the University of California, Davis with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and a minor in Education. She also completed a Certificate in Early Childhood Development.

Katie Tima has 20 years of experience in early childhood education, special education, and reading intervention. She has a B.A.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth and holds a K-6 teaching license. She is an RBPD Specialist with the Parent Aware Quality Coach Endorsement and is actively working on obtaining her Pre-K CLASS Coach Endorsement.

Coaches have structured priorities, with specific tasks and goals to promote professional development, training and licensing, offer grant funding guidance, and help providers with their Parent Aware quality rating. They are immersed in the policies and procedures and help ensure providers have their i’s dotted and t’s crossed, too. Coaches:

Strengthen program quality by supporting clients to use best practices for early childhood education and care.
Guide providers through the Parent Aware quality rating system and the Classroom Assessment Scoring System.
Work with Professional Development Advisors to help providers access training to meet their quality improvement goals.
Advise programs on spending their quality improvement grants.
Engage with local stakeholders to develop community partnerships that promote high-quality early care and education.

Child Care Start-up & Retention Navigators

Heather Hefter was a family child care provider for seven years in Two Harbors. What started as an opportunity to stay at home with her children during their formative years and financially contribute to her family morphed into a passion for little people and creating a safe place for parents to leave their children. She also went back to school to learn more about child development.

Chris Salgy has worked in the early childhood industry for 28 years. She graduated from the College of St. Scholastica with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Chris spent 20 years teaching children of all ages in the classroom and five years as a child care center director before becoming a Navigator/Wayfinder in 2022.

Navigators take it one day, one provider at a time. They work within the Child Care Wayfinder system, which is a free one-stop navigation network for child care programs to start up or expand. No two providers, communities, or programs are exactly alike so assistance must be tailored to each situation. Navigators help providers to:

Access local resources that help them achieve their quality goals, such as licensing and training.
Navigate the ins-and-outs of opening a child care center or a family child care.
Better manage the business side of child care e.g. writing contracts, setting policies, or seeking small business loans or grants.
Work with families to navigate the Early Learning Scholarships program, referrals to Help Me Grow MN, and resources from the Center for Inclusive Child Care.
Find the support they need, so they can quickly get back to what they do best – care for Minnesota’s children.

Connect with CCA

“Bottom line, we are all about customer service,” explained Jessica Faast. “No matter what a provider’s question or issue is, we work with them to get them to the next best step.”

Are you an early care and education provider or curious about becoming a child care provider in the seven-county region? Reach out to us to talk about your needs, goals, and what support we might be able to give!

TO LEARN MORE contact Child Care Navigator, Chris Salgy.
Chris@NorthlandFdn.org / 218.673.1987

Language Assistance Line

For Child Care Aware assistance in Hmong / Somali / Spanish, please call the numbers below.

Yog xav tau kev pab txhais lus Hmoob, thov hu rau 651-366-6792.
Si lagugu caawiyo Af Soomaali, fadlan wac 651-641-6673.
Para asistencia en español/hmong/somalí por favor llame 651-641-6660.

This initiative is made possible, or funded in part, with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Northland SBDC Consultants Win Prestigious Awards

High honors for Hagberg, Henagin and Walczak

Victoria Hagberg, Curt Walczak, and Christopher Henagin attended and were honored in Atlanta during the 45th Annual ASBDC Conference in September.

Owning a small business is often challenging, but it’s a lot less daunting when you have somewhere to turn to for expert guidance. The Northland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides that kind of foundational support for entrepreneurs in northeast Minnesota. This is a team of business consultants who put their hearts and souls into helping small businesses find success. In early September, three of them received high honors for their commitment to this work. The Northland SBDC is hosted by the Northland Foundation and is one of nine regionally based SBDC centers in Minnesota.

Victoria Hagberg, Regional Director, and Christopher Henagin, Business Consultant, were national 40-Under-40 Award recipients, and Curt Walczak, Associate Regional Director, was named the State Star for Minnesota. All three were celebrated in early September during the America’s SBDC Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Vicki, Curt, and Christopher are not only smart and hard-working, they also genuinely care about their clients – they believe in our region’s small businesses. It is terrific to see their efforts singled out among their peers nationwide.” — Tony Sertich, Northland Foundation President

One shining State Star

State Stars, chosen by their statewide SBDC networks, are among the best of the best — those who demonstrate exemplary performance, make significant contributions to their networks, and are deeply committed to the success of small businesses, based on their impact on clients, innovative approaches, team spirit, and willingness to go the extra mile. The Minnesota Star is selected from among the nine regionally based Minnesota SBDCs.

Curt Walczak

Curt has spent the past 23 years as a SBDC business consultant and trainer. In early 2023, he advanced to Associate Regional Director. Curt has developed a number of trainings covering topics vital to businesses and shared his knowledge generously with SBDC staff regionally, statewide, and nationally. He has assisted northeast Minnesota businesses of all different sizes, from one-person operations to larger, more established entities. Curt holds accounting and business management degrees along with certifications as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and Economic Development Finance Professional. He also has 19 years of private industry experience.

Said Andy Donahue, the Minnesota SBDC State Director, of Curt, “He has had a profound impact on hundreds of small businesses and been a trusted mentor to his colleagues. This prestigious award is a testament to Curt’s vast knowledge and his passion for helping entrepreneurs succeed.”

Two inspiring 40-Under-40 winners

The 2024 40-Under-40 Awards were presented to 40 outstanding individuals within the SBDC’s national network of small business consultants, selected by a panel of judges from the America’s SBDC Millennial Interest Group. Nominees may work with any of the nearly 1,000 SBDCs operating across the country. Only 40 individuals are ultimately recognized for their knowledge, innovation, and dedication.

“Vicki and Christopher represent the future of our industry, and we are excited to see the continued impact they will make as they lead us into the next generation of growth and success,” Donahue stated.

Vicki Hagberg

Vicki joined the Northland SBDC in 2020 as a business consultant and was promoted to Regional Director in January 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and has 14 years of experience in engineering and project management in addition to her work in community and economic development. Vicki is an Iron Ranger who is passionate about serving her community. She has been part of many local and regional boards related to economic development, workforce development, and more. Just recently, Vicki was appointed to a ASBDC committee that is developing core competencies and curriculum for SBDC advisors nationwide to be considered experts in using AI to assist small businesses.

Christopher Henagin

Christopher came on board as a Business Consultant with the Northland SBDC in October 2022. He is a graduate of the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and The College of St. Scholastica and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. Christopher brings a wide range of professional experience to his SBDC work, as well, having a background that includes human resources, financial advising, and digital marketing. He is also a small business owner, himself! Christopher serves on several regional boards with a strong focused on community development and housing access in the region.

Congratulations to Curt, Vicki and Christopher with appreciation for their great work on behalf of northeast Minnesota people and communities!

More about the Northland SBDC

The Northland Small Business Development Center supports entrepreneurs and business owners within seven northeast Minnesota counties (Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis) and five Native nations (Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (District I), and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (District II).

A group of 18 consultants located around the region provides confidential consulting and business education to facilitate growth for small and mid-size companies and help launch new enterprises, all at no cost to clients. Find out more and sign up for no-charge business consulting.

Six child care projects receive $185,000 in grants

Northland Foundation, with State of Minnesota funding, has awarded $1.43 million in similar grants since 2017

Six child care businesses across our region received a total of $185,000 in grants during the last two quarters of 2025. Funding for these grants, which support start-up and expansion of child care programs, was provided by the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) thanks to legislation passed during the last biennium.

The most recent family and center-based child care grantees are:

Becky VanRiper – Mrs. V’s Daycare, Duluth: $5,000
Queen of Peace Preschool, Cloquet: $10,000
Apple Tree Learning Center, Eveleth: $70,000
Divine Konnections – Heather’s Happy Days Daycare, Duluth: $40,000
Hibbing Parents Nursery School and Daycare, Inc., Hibbing: $40,000
Parkside Play & Learn, Two Harbors $5,000

The Northland Foundation distributed another $400,000 in similar child care grants during 2024 and earlier in 2025, for a total of $585,000 in DEED-funded grants distributed over the past two calendar years in our region. Recipients were:

Melissa Grooms – Melissa’s Little Gems Family Childcare, Eveleth: $5,000
Emily Luksik – Northern Lights Nest, Grand Rapids: $5,000
Amber Dubey – Amber’s Daycare, International Falls: $5,000
Aaron Rudolph, McGregor: $5,000
Moose Lake Schools – ISD 097, Moose Lake: $25,000
Live and Learn with Lora, Cook: $20,000
Montessori School of Duluth, Duluth: $20,000
Erika Menzel, Cohasset: $5,000
Shania Lind, Duluth: $5,000

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa – Ganawendaawasowin Child Care Center, Cloquet: $75,000
Tamarack Learning Center Child Care, Tamarack: $50,000
Young Minds Learning Center, Duluth: $20,000
Lakeside Early Learning, Duluth: $20,000
Danielle Jarvala – Nurture Home Daycare, Hoyt Lakes: $5,000
Rainy River Rugrats, International Falls: $50,000
Roots and Wings Early Learning Center, Grand Rapids: $100,000

Since 2017 the Minnesota legislature has committed funding to increase access to child care in Minnesota. Over that time, Northland has received seven of these DEED economic development grants for a total of $1.43 million. This critical funding has allowed us to extend support to 64 child care start-up, expansion, and retention projects (41 centers and 23 family programs) reaching 24 distinct communities across the seven county-region. Those 64 projects have added or helped retain 2,100 child care slots in northeastern Minnesota. Recipients were able to leverage nearly $18 million more from other sources, amounting to $16 of funding for every $1 from DEED.

According to June 2025 data from the First Children’s Finance Rural Child Care Innovation Program, there is a shortage of 4,500 slots in northeastern Minnesota. That the shortfall is slightly less than three years ago is due, in part, to this long-term investment of public dollars and the myriad of people and partners working on the child care crisis from every angle (see our Summer Notes issue).

“Public support has made a marked difference,” said Northland Foundation President, Tony Sertich. “We know the gap between available child care slots versus demand would be far wider if not for this funding.”

“The Northland Foundation can’t fix all the issues facing providers and families, and our rural communities are continuing to face serious child care shortages especially with a declining number of family child care businesses,” stated Sertich, “but alongside other committed partners like IRRR and First Children’s Finance, and with the DEED funds, we have made inroads.”

“Minnesota communities, employers, and families rely on available, affordable care. We must continue to prioritize child care solutions,” Sertich concluded.

Our Impact Report

How do you measure a year? In data and with gratitude.

Highlights across program areas, partner and board recognition, and funding snapshot tell the story of a region with deep roots and connection

Scientists are learning that trees talk to each other. Larger, older trees nurture the younger and more vulnerable ones, sending out chemical signals through their root system. This interconnection sustains the life and health of the entire stand.

People and communities are the same—healthier when they look out for each other. Likewise, our work this year, as every year, rests on a whole ecosystem of partners working together, sharing resources, and helping each other along.

Roots run deep and wide in northeastern Minnesota. Even when hard winds blow, by staying connected we all stand strong.

Explore the report here.