Northland Foundation, with State of Minnesota funding, awards grants for child care expansion

The Northland Foundation has awarded $185,000 in grants to six child care businesses in northeastern Minnesota during the last two quarters of 2025. Funding for these grants 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 foundation previously awarded another $400,000 in similar DEED-funded child care grants in 2024 and early 2025, for a total of $585,000 over the past two calendar years:

• 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 committed funding to expand access to child care, in rural northeastern Minnesota. Over that time, seven DEED economic development grants totaling $1.43 million have allowed the Northland Foundation to provide 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. The 64 projects have added or helped retain 2,100 child care slots. Projects receiving grants were able to leverage nearly $18 million more from other sources, amounting to $16 in funding for every $1 from DEED.

According to a June 2025 First Children’s Finance report, there are 4,500 more young children in households with all adults are working compared to child care openings. That the shortfall is slightly less than it was three years ago is attributable in part to this long-term investment, and the myriad of people and partners who are working on the child care crisis from every angle.

“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.