Q3 2017 Child Care

IQ

3RD QUARTER 2017

ECONOMY

A Winning Formula— Does everyone need a 4-year degree?

Pg. 12

COMMUNITY

Taking Flight— Introducing kids to aviation careers.

Pg. 16

PHILANTHROPY

Master Work— Memorial honors those who served their country. Pg. 46

WHO CARES ABOUT CHILD CARE? Communities across Central Minnesota are creating solutions to the region’s acute shortage.

Pg. 20

Here with you when minutes matter.

Primary Stroke Center Nearly one-third of all people in Minnesota who suffer a stroke seek initial care at a community hospital like Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd. And healthcare providers at our hometown hospital have proven they are ready to care for stroke sufferers during their most

Stroke?

Don’t Wait

ACt F.A.S.t.

critical hours of need.

Call 9-1-1 At the FirSt Sign oF Stroke!

The Minnesota Department of Health recently designated

Stroke is an Emergency

Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center as a Primary Stroke Center based on our preparedness to evaluate, stabilize and provide emergency treatment to patients who have serious stroke symptoms.

EssentiaHealth.org

F a S t

Facial Drooping arm Weakness Slurred Speech time to call 9-1-1

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IQ

Initiative Foundation Quarterly 3RD QUARTER 2017

Contents FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

20

6

Who Cares About Child Care?

32

38

Great Guidance

10

Mentors help shape our region’s future leaders.

A Reason to Smile

Central Minnesota boosts the diversity of its dental professionals.

Gifts that Keep on Giving

Regional Highlights

Get the latest economic and community development highlights from the 14-county area.

Communities get creative to address the region’s acute daycare shortage.

28

Initiatives:

Business:

New Lives. New Jobs.

Businesses want to grow. Immigrants hold the key to success.

12

Economy:

A Winning Formula

Rethinking the need for a 4-year degree.

16

How the region benefits from the generosity of its residents.

Community:

A Riveting Experience

Flight Expo introduces Central Minnesota kids to careers in aviation.

46

Philanthropy:

Master Work

A permanent memorial honors the men and women who served their country.

50

Homemade:

Glenn Metalcraft

Inside the business of heavy-gauge metal spinning.

52

Where is IQ?

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Dear Friends, I remember the look of anguish on my wife Maggie’s face as we closed the door of the infant room and stepped into the hallway. Dropping off our daughter Willa at child care for the first time was not easy. Could we trust these strangers to take care of our precious child? We had done plenty of research to select just the right center, and the staff were as professional and friendly as one could hope. Still, Maggie and I found it hard to stay focused at work that day, worrying about how Willa was doing without us.

Looking back, I realize how lucky we really were. As you’ll read in the pages that follow, young parents in many Minnesota communities do not have the luxury of choice when it comes to child care. In many places—including right here in Central Minnesota—an acute shortage of child care slots already amounts to a quiet crisis. The implications are serious for kids and families, and for the many employers in our region struggling to find workers. After all, a parent who can’t find a safe and affordable place to care for their child is not available to serve as a productive member of the workforce.

At the Initiative Foundation we’re working with great partners to address our workforce challenges in a variety of sectors. Stories in this edition highlight successful efforts to grow and diversify the dental profession, to leverage the allure of flight to cultivate young aviation mechanics and technicians, and to fill Willa Varilek, prepared to succeed. a broad range of manufacturing skills gaps through high-value training at our community and technical colleges.

Happily for Maggie and me, the strangers at the child care center eventually became friends. And as Willa now heads eagerly into third grade, I remain grateful to those friends for preparing her to succeed. I’m also grateful for our many partners here in Central Minnesota who are working hard to ensure that more parents and kids have access to affordable child care and all its related social, emotional and economic benefits.

VOLUME 25, 3RD QUARTER 2017

Initiative Foundation President | Matt Varilek VP, External Relations | Carrie Tripp Marketing & Communications Manager | Bob McClintick Editorial Managing Editor | Elizabeth Foy Larsen Writer | Lisa Meyers McClintick Writer | Gene Rebeck Writer | John Reinan Writer | Laura Billings Coleman Writer | Andy Steiner Writer | Maria Surma Manka Art Art Director | Teresa Lund Photographer | John Linn Photographer | Paul Middlestaedt Advertising Advertising Director | Brian Lehman Advertising Manager | Lois Head Advertiser Services | Julie Engelmeyer Subscriptions Email info@ifound.org to subscribe or to make subscription inquiries.

Enjoy the magazine.

Matt Varilek PRESIDENT

405 First Street SE Little Falls, MN 56345 (320) 632-9255 | ifound.org

IQ Magazine unlocks the power of Minnesota leaders to understand and take action on regional issues.

RANGEDELIVERS.COM Printed at Range, a Deluxe Company with Soy-Based Ink on Recycled Paper

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A NEW FIRE TRUCK FOR STAPLES After two years of dreaming and research, the Staples firefighters got the truck they needed. The custombuilt pumper includes enhanced safety and efficiency features, setting the department up to more effectively carry out its mission of serving the central-Minnesota community. The city of Staples purchased the truck on behalf of the fire department through an NJPA cooperative contract and saved $10,000.

Learn what NJPA can do for you at NJPAcoop.org.

NJPAcoop.org Shared Services • Professional Development • Cooperative Purchasing • Risk Management • Government Services

Initiatives

WADENA TODD

CROW WING

MORRISON

MILLE LACS

PINE

BENTON STEARNS

SHERBURNE

ISANTI

CHISAGO

Regional Investment Highlights

CASS

KANABEC

IQ

WRIGHT

WESTERN MORRISON COUNTY | VISTA to Rev Up Engagement, Recruitment Efforts Oasis Central Minnesota, a Little Falls-based nonprofit providing income-eligible food and housing support, has selected Sara Mayo as its 2017 AmeriCorps VISTA service member. Mayo, a communications graduate from the College at Brockport in Brockport, New York, will develop a recruitment and management program to help Oasis engage reliable local volunteers to support the services it offers.

TODD COUNTY | Culture, Agriculture Coalesce at Salsa Fest Local, sustainable agriculture was on display Sept. 16 during the Sustainable Farming Association Central Chapter’s first-ever Minnesota Salsa Fest in Long Prairie. Attendees at the Initiative Foundation-sponsored event enjoyed vendors, demonstrations, live music, food and a completely salsa-fying salsa contest! Visit sfa-mn.org/salsafest to learn more.

WADENA COUNTY | Taking a Data-driven Approach to Economic Development

TODD: Event focuses on sound agricultural practices while ensuring a healthy future for Central Minnesota family farms.

The Wadena Economic Development Authority is using data-backed insights to guide its growth strategies.

With grant support from the Initiative Foundation, Wadena economic development leaders are partnering with Buxton, a Texas-based analytics firm, to understand the city’s current retail mix and to identify and attract new businesses that can fill service needs and add to the community’s quality of life.

NORTHERN CASS COUNTY | Band Awarded $60,000 in National SunShot Energy Competition The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe has been awarded $60,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its SunShot initiative. The Band will use the funds to develop a solar microgrid that can distribute energy to small housing clusters. The Initiative Foundation is providing technical assistance for this 18-month initiative, the culmination of which is the potential of a $5 million prize.

CROW WING COUNTY | Contest Seeks Downtown Brainerd Entrepreneurs Dreamers can become doers by winning $50,000-plus in the Destination Downtown Business Challenge, a contest for the best entrepreneurial vision to locate a business in downtown Brainerd. Judging for the Initiative Foundation-supported event occurs in October with the winner announced in November.

MILLE LACS COUNTY | Give Me Five Program Provides Youth Friendship, Mentorship

CROW WING COUNTY: Challenge seeks next great idea to add to the more than 50 core downtown businesses.

6 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

A Milaca School District mentorship program is pairing trained adult mentors with vulnerable students in grades 5 through 8 to develop leadership, social and organizational skills. The Give Me Five program incorporates fun outings and community service projects to aid in leadership and provide validation, friendship and guidance. This project is supported by the Milaca Community Foundation, an Initiative Foundation Partner Fund.

“ My goal is to use my influence as a volunteer leader to shine a brighter light on the potential in each of us to do more.”

– J oe Nayquonabe Jr., new Initiative Foundation Board of Trustees member and chief executive officer for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures

SOUTHERN BENTON COUNTY | New Facility Lifts Gymnastics, Activity Center to New Heights Kids and families in the greater St. Cloud area will have access to quality recreational activities for years to come at North Crest Kids Activity Center. With assistance from an Initiative Foundation gap loan, North Crest owners have purchased the building at their location and are committed to providing an encouraging environment where kids can develop their athletic skills and character.

SHERBURNE COUNTY | The Art of Negotiation: Initiators Fellow Gains New Skills Annie Deckert, owner of Elk River-based Decklan Group and one of four Initiative Foundation Initiators Fellows, has a new set of skills to serve regional economic development. With support from a Foundation grant, Deckert attended “Strategies for Effective Negotiations,” an executive education offering from the University of St. Thomas. Watch a video to learn more: https://youtu.be/bKSoITPLrn0

STEARNS COUNTY | Fund Powers Sauk Centre-area Community-Building Efforts The Black Oak Getty Community Foundation, a new Initiative Foundation Partner Fund, has been established to serve the Greater Sauk Centre area. Supported by Sempra Energy, the fund will be used to improve the quality of life in Ashley, Getty, Raymond, Sauk Centre townships and their surrounding areas (collectively known as the Black Oak Getty Wind Farm service area).

WRIGHT COUNTY | Workforce Program Ignites the Entrepreneurial Spirit

STEARNS: Thirty-nine Black Oak Getty wind turbines generate enough energy to power about 32,000 Minnesota homes.

With a workforce shortage affecting much of Greater Minnesota, the Initiative Foundation looks to support projects that support a healthy labor pool. One such project, Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO), a program of the Wright County Economic Development Partnership, introduces high school students to entrepreneurial possibilities by exploring careers and developing youth-led business plans.

EASTERN CHISAGO COUNTY | Chisago Lakes Area Improvements Keep Rolling The Chisago Lakes Area is rolling along with improvements following its April Top 8 finish in the America’s Best Communities (ABC) contest. In addition to creating an Initiative Foundation-hosted Partner Fund to support joint efforts, the five participating communities have added signage along the Chisago Lakes Water Trail, and they’ve dedicated a new Memorial Park trailhead in Lindstrom with sightseeing information and hydration and bike repair stations.

ISANTI COUNTY | Community Backs Braham Area Education Foundation A vision is taking shape for the Braham Area Education Foundation, powered by a communitywide survey in which residents expressed interest in offering more trade-skill opportunities, filling extracurricular gaps and supporting kindergarten readiness. The 12-member advisory board will launch the Initiative Foundation-hosted Partner Fund this fall after shaping grant priorities and developing marketing materials.

KANABEC COUNTY | Highway Safety Program Receives Funding Boost The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Towards Zero Deaths (TZD) program is getting a financial bump to improve on-the-road safety thanks to the John & Bonnie Schlagel Endowment, an Isanti County-based Partner Fund of the Initiative Foundation. The statewide traffic safety program weaves together education, enforcement, engineering and emergency medical services to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths on Minnesota roads.

CHISAGO: Community volunteer Dionne Kabat shares her enthusiasm for the Chisago Lakes Area’s ABC effort during an interview with Cory Hepola of KARE-11 TV.

PINE COUNTY | Grant Helps Spark Pine Tech Mobile Welding Training Lab A grant from the Initiative Foundation-hosted Greater Pine Area Endowment is supporting the purchase and operation of a Pine Technical and Community College mobile welding training lab. The effort also is supported by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, which forecasts that welding jobs are expected to grow by more than 13 percent by 2020.

3RD QUARTER 2017

7

Minnesota Emerging Entrepreneur Loan Program New loan program supporting growth of businesses owned and operated by minorities, low-income persons, women, vets and/or persons with disabilities.

Contact Sandy to learn more!

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Family Fund

Sandy Voigt Regional Business Specialist

svoigt@regionfive.org 218-894-3233 x2

The mission of the North Central Economic Development Association is to provide industry expertise for community development and lending programs offered or created.

www.regionfive.org

8 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMITMENT TO GIVING For thirteen years, the Anderson Brothers Family Foundation has supported organizations in our community that focus on families and children in need, environmental protection, and economic development. In partnership with the Initiative Foundation, our foundation provides summer camping experiences for children with autism, skin diseases, heart disease, down syndrome, and families affected by AIDS at Camp Knutson in Crosslake. We care, because we live here, too.

AndersonBrothers.com

PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS: QUINLIVAN & HUGHES

Myths on Wills & Probate Busted You’ve worked hard, acquired assets that matter to you and you want to leave a legacy when you die. It’s common for individuals to create a will when they start having children to ensure their wishes are granted, but those wills are not enough to protect against what can be a costly probate process. Today’s baby boomers are seeing the effects of that personally as they experience it upon the death of their parents.

“It can be a heartbreaking, confusing and stressful process,” said Jolene Klocker Schley, a trust and estates attorney at Quinlivan & Hughes.

“At Quinlivan, we come alongside individuals and couples to help them understand their assets and transfer them easily without probate. It saves time and money, and more importantly, gives everyone peace of mind.”

MYTH: A will protects me from probate.

FACT: A will states your wishes for your

assets upon your death, names a personal representative, and names guardians of your minor children. However, having a will does not of itself mean your estate will pass free of probate. There are additional steps to take that vary depending on your circumstances.

- Melinda Sanders

Probate takes time and can easily cost between $4,000 and $5,000. Individuals and couples can ensure their wishes are being met and there is not undue burden placed on their loved ones upon their death with thoughtful planning. “Wills and estate planning is not a one-size-fits all process,” said Kevin Spellacy, a trust and estate attorney at Quinlivan & Hughes. “It’s deeply personal and there are a variety of tools and techniques that individuals can employ to get the results they desire.”

The team of Trust & Estate attorneys at Quinlivan & Hughes share common myths they hear on wills and probate and debunk them with the facts:

MYTH: Someone will step forward to take care of my assets when I die.

FACT: Many family members are reluctant to step forward and

take on the responsibility of handling the probate on behalf of the family. It takes time. It can be stressful to ensure the orderly collection and allocation of assets, even when there is trust between the heirs. Naming a personal representative removes the unnecessary stress on the family of having to select who should act upon your death.

- Brad Hanson

MYTH: Assets of any kind can lead to probate.

FACT: Not every asset is subject to

probate. In Minnesota, it is limited to only the assets in the deceased person’s name and no successor is legally named. In Minnesota, probate is required when there is real estate in the deceased’s name, and/ or at least $75,000 in other assets in the deceased’s name. It is a good idea to have your assets reviewed with an attorney to determine if probate will be necessary.

- John Wenker

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business

New Lives. New Jobs.

Businesses want to grow. Immigrants hold the key to success.

By Gene Rebeck | Illustration by Chris McAllister

To expand, many businesses in Central Minnesota will need to attract people from the region’s fastest-growing demographic: immigrants.

“If you want to replace the Baby Boomers and continue to grow, you are going to have to diversify your workforce,” said Tammy Biery, executive director of Career Solutions, formerly the Stearns-Benton Employment & Training Council, which works with the Minnesota WorkForce Center office in St. Cloud to provide services to job seekers and employers. “It’s an opportunity for growth, culturally as well as organizationally.”

According to a January 2017 report from the University of Minnesota’s Office of Economic Development, the state’s native-born workforce has been shrinking. The report notes that historically, Minnesota also has attracted many workers from other states. But in the past 15 years, those numbers have declined. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s foreign-born population has been booming. Indeed, the report noted that “Minnesota’s success at attracting immigrants to the state and more effectively incorporating these immigrants into its workforce will play an important role in determining the strength of its economy in the future.”

10 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

Central Minnesota is experiencing these demographics changes.

That means businesses will need to hire immigrant newcomers, particularly—but by no means solely—for entry-level jobs. “The state demographer has been telling us for nearly two decades that this day was coming,” said Don Hickman, vice president for community and workforce development at the Initiative Foundation. “We are now seeing far more native Minnesotans leaving the workforce—due to retirement or relocation to other states—than those who are entering it. Between now and 2040 it is anticipated that there will remain a shortfall of nearly 100,000 workers statewide unless we are able to encourage in-migration from other states and immigration from other countries. Whether you are seeking employees for jobs that native Minnesotans are less prone to seek or need workers with specific technical or academic skill sets, it is in the self interest of every business to support a diverse workforce.”

The long-range benefits can be tremendous. A 2016 report from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce showed that 38.9 percent of Fortune 500 companies in Minnesota were started by immigrants or their children, creating more than 264,000 jobs. What’s more, the report says that having a diverse workforce signals an openness to opportunities available in a world economy.

There are businesses in the region that are already pursuing this strategy, including CentraCare Health and poultry products company Pilgrim’s Pride/GNP. Their experiences can serve as road maps for other companies.

Breaking Down Barriers

When it comes to hiring immigrants, it’s crucial for businesses to be aware of the hurdles new Americans face when they try to enter the workforce. “The barriers start before people even get the job,” Biery said, who notes that job applications aren’t always available in languages other than English. “Are there things in the application process that screen out people?”

Another potential barrier: does the application require computer skills to fill out—when the job itself doesn’t require them? Elizabeth Valencia-Borgert, community outreach director at St. Cloud State University’s Center for Continuing Studies, whose job includes working with immigrant communities, notes that an increasing number of job applications are online. “The potential worker may or may not have the understanding or the skills to submit an application” via computer, she noted. A lack of access can hinder a business’s ability to attract employees from immigrant communities.

Several organizations in the region are working to help employers and potential employees to bridge cultural gaps. One example is the Immigrant Employment Connection Group (IECG), which was established in early 2015 to focus on Central Minnesota’s SomaliAmerican population. Its leadership committee membership includes Biery as well as representatives of area employers and nonprofits (including the Initiative Foundation).

One of the lessons Biery has learned from working with employers through IECG is that “many times when there’s an issue or a question, employers think they need to have the answer,” she said. “But there are so many different examples I can give where the employer sat down with the employee and they searched for a solution together and they really came out with a win-win.”

Case in point: St. Cloud’s Metro Bus system’s dress code requires its drivers to wear trousers. One applicant, an immigrant, was a strong candidate. Then she revealed that her religious traditions preclude trousers. Metro Bus and the applicant “worked together and found pants that were very ‘flowy’ so that they looked almost like a dress,” Biery said.

It was a satisfactory solution for both employer and employee.

Diversity hiring is hiring based on merit with special care taken to ensure procedures are free from biases related to a candidate’s age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and other personal characteristics that are unrelated to their job performance.

TO INCREASE YOUR DIVERSITY HIRING, TAKE THE FOLLOWING

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Common Grounding

While many employers are eager to understand the needs of immigrant workers, potential employees also must learn more about employer expectations. Part of Valencia-Borgert’s work involves collaborating with entities such as Career Solutions to help Latino newcomers understand those expectations. For instance, many need to be taught to show up to work at the appointed starting time. This might seem obvious to most employers, but as Valencia-Borgert noted, a sense of time “is so relative in every culture.”

And “diversity” also extends into the immigrant communities themselves. It’s easy for employers to see the Latino community as a homogeneous group, regardless of country of origin and education level. But, Valencia-Borgert noted, Latino immigrants come from a variety of different countries, each with distinct cultural attributes.

What’s more, immigrants to Central Minnesota have a range of educational backgrounds and capabilities.

“We can’t treat everyone the same,” Valencia-Borgert said.

Intercultural communication “sounds very simple,” she added. “But it’s so complicated when you apply it, because we’re dealing with human beings.”

Ultimately, the kind of cross-cultural communication that both employers and immigrant workers need to engage in to succeed includes listening, not just talking. That’s one of the approaches that Debra Leigh takes in the seminars and workshops she leads. A St. Cloud State University professor who is the lead organizer of the university’s Community Anti-Racism Education Initiative (CARE), Leigh also works with High Impact Training, a consultancy that offers seminars for organizations seeking to understand and overcome racism.

Leigh’s work addresses cross-cultural issues. For businesses, these often challenging conversations can help attract workers and new customers. Leigh suggests that businesses wishing to attract a diverse workforce ask themselves: “How would we be different than we are now? How would that position us in the marketplace?”

By positioning themselves for a more diverse Minnesota, companies are setting themselves up for their future success.

STEP 1: Conduct a diversity hiring audit on your current hiring process STEP 2: Pick one metric to improve for your diversity hiring STEP 3: Increase your diversity hiring in your candidate sourcing STEP 4: Increase your diversity hiring in your candidate screening STEP 5: Increase your diversity hiring in your candidate shortlisting STEP 6: Evaluate your diversity hiring metrics Source: https://ideal.com/diversity-hiring/

3RD QUARTER 2017

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economy

JOE MULFORD: “There are opportunities for regional business growth that are being limited by our ability to get a workforce ready.”

A Winning Formula Rethinking the need for everyone to have a 4-year college degree.

By Gene Rebeck | Photography by John Linn

Though the details may differ, Tom Haglin echoes the frustration of many Central Minnesota employers.

“If we had 12 or 15 applicants who had not only the soft skills, but also knowledge or some exposure to the technical side, we could use all 12 or 15,” he said.

The problem is, those skills aren’t easy to find.

Haglin co-owns two Baxter-based manufacturing companies.

One is LINDAR Corp., a precision manufacturer of paint tray liners, food containers and other plastic products. The other, Avantech, makes tooling for rotational molding, a technique for fabricating plastic parts.

Together, the businesses employ 210 people. Just about all of Haglin’s equipment is computerized, and he said it’s difficult to find technically experienced machine operators.

Manufacturers, healthcare providers and other businesses throughout Central Minnesota are clamoring for skilled talent. But here’s something worth noting: A great many of those positions don’t require a four-year college degree. Most require some postsecondary education, but in those cases, a certificate or a two-year associate’s degree is usually sufficient.

Studies by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Conference Board

and Pathways to Prosperity, a project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, show that for every 10 jobs, the U.S. economy needs seven new workers with technical college training, two with four-year degrees and just one grad with an advanced degree. It’s called the 7-2-1 formula, and it goes against the widely embraced notion that nearly everyone needs a four-year degree to succeed. The studies suggest that the 7-2-1 formula also applies to workforce needs in Central Minnesota.

In Demand

Hara Charlier, president of Central Lakes College in Brainerd, defines talent as “the right people with the right skills to fill a job opening.”

Thanks to close connections with regional employers, the state’s community colleges know the type of talent that’s in demand. Welders and people who can handle advanced machining “are really tight right now,” said Joe Mulford, president of Pine Technical and Community College in Pine City. Health care—including RNs, LPNs and medical assistants— has been “consistently tight.”

The worker shortage isn’t restricted to Central Minnesota. “Over the next 15 years, the state of Minnesota will have to hire for 1.3 million jobs,” Charlier noted. “Some of that is related to growth, some is related to turnover.” Because of the types of jobs that are expected to be created CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

12 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

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economy, continued from page 12

in the next decade and a half, “we know that three out of four of those jobs will require some college,” she said. But in many cases, those positions require certificates, one-year diplomas or associate degrees—not a four-year diploma.

All this suggests that a two-year degree “has never been more versatile,” Mulford said. And community colleges are designing their certification and associate degree programs to be more flexible as employer needs and technology evolve and employee ambitions change.

“Many of the courses at a two-year institution are aligned to a bachelor’s degree—in order for students to move into management, for instance,” Mulford said. At Central Lakes College and St. Cloud Technical & Community College, many of the certificates and twoyear degrees are “stackable”—meaning that their credits can carry over into higher degrees, if needed.

3.8%

2.3%

2.8% %

3.8

The Next Generation

.3% 2.8% 2

%

5.5

.5% Mulford has been sharing the 7-2-1 concept and 5what it signifies to high school students, among others. His message: “You don’t have

to go to a university to be successful.”

Charlier noted that many employers in the region also are spreading the word to bridge what she called “the interest gap” in technical fields. Area employers meet students to talk about their businesses and the types of skills they need—and the career opportunities they offer. In Brainerd, the Initiative Foundationsupported Bridges Career Academies and the Bridges Workplace Connection help expose high school and postsecondary students to businesses and careers, including manufacturing.

Throughout the region, the Initiative Foundation and its hosted Partner Funds are awarding grants to provide funding for robotics clubs and other STEM-related classroom and extracurricular activities that school district budgets alone cannot afford to support.

Such efforts will be needed to attract students to manufacturing and other sectors in the region with good prospects and pay— opportunities that can allow them to stay close to home. As Mulford noted, “There are opportunities for regional business growth that are being limited by our ability to get a workforce ready.”

13%

13%

2024

WHAT MANUFACTURERS NEED 72 .6

72. and ensure graduates have Aligning educational offerings can help businesses fill high-demand openings 6% ample opportunities for success. %

Educational Requirements for Jobs in Central Minnesota

5

13%

13.2%

13%

2014

6%

8%

72 .8

%

o Education Requirement N 2014: 2.3% 2024: 2.3%

72.

72.

3.7

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Source: DEED, Employment Projections and Educational Requirements.

% 3.7

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% 5.4

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72 .6

raduate Degree G 2014: 2.6% 2024: 2.8%

2024 %

ssociate’s Degree A 2014: 3.7% 2024: 3.8%

2.3%

%

%

13.2%

.3% 2.8% 2

5.5

% 5.5

%

3.8%

2.8%

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5.4

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% 3.7

achelor’s Degree B 2014: 13.2% 2024: 13.0% ocational Training V 2014: 5.4% 2024: 5.5%

2.6% %

3.7

igh School Diploma or Less H 2014: 72.8% 2024: 72.6%

5

WHAT IS “7-2-1”?

72.

8%

72 .8

14 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

2014 %

13.2%

.2% To learn more about the 7-2-1 concept and what it means for13employment and education, check out this video: vimeo.com/67277269

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NUTS-’N’-BOLTS: Flight Expo teens tear down engines, fabricate parts and build airplanes.

A Riveting Experience Flight Expo introduces Central Minnesota kids to careers in aviation.

By John Reinan | Photography courtesy of Flight Expo

It’s a long way from a rural workshop outside Princeton, Minn., to the skies above America.

But it’s a journey that some Central Minnesota youth may make someday, thanks to a program called Flight Expo.

Flight Expo provides a hands-on introduction to the aviation field. Teenagers tear down engines, fabricate parts and build airplanes under the supervision of the Sandbergs, a family that’s spent a lifetime in aviation.

“We really wanted to get kids involved in the hands-on aspect, get into the nuts and bolts,” said Sharon Sandberg, who founded and directs the program with her husband, Duane Kruse, and their nephew, John Bjornstad. “If we don’t get the kids early, they are already hooked on another activity. Our society is losing these skills because we don’t have them in our schools or in activities outside of school.”

There’s a pressing need for the technical and mechanical skills that Flight Expo introduces to the next generation. The aviation business is facing a critical shortage of mechanics and technicians as the Baby Boomers enter their retirement years. In fact, a record number of aircraft maintenance technicians will be eligible to

retire over the next decade. In the United States, the median age of aviation mechanics is 51 years old, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s nine years older than the median age of the overall U.S. workforce.

Generating Revenue

Unfortunately, funding for nonprofits like Flight Expo can be difficult to obtain. That’s why the Initiative Foundation’s Financial Resiliency through Social Enterprise (FRSE) program aims to give nonprofits the tools and training to generate income for their valuable work.

Since FSRE began, dozens of Central Minnesota nonprofits have graduated from the yearlong program, which offers a crash course in business planning, market research, finance and law, said Chris Fastner, senior program manager for organizational development at the Initiative Foundation.

“We are in our sixth cohort of training and have graduated 35 nonprofits,” Fastner said. “Now we actually are running FRSE 2.0—a next-step program that provides higher-level training to past graduates.

We currently have 10 organizations participating at that level.”

In the program, local nonprofits receive training from experts CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

16 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

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community, continued from page 16

“ We want to invest in nonprofits that are providing work skills training and workforce development—programs that are helping people in poverty get out and stay out of poverty.” in finance, marketing, law and other disciplines essential to running a successful business. And that’s the point: Running a successful nonprofit requires many of the same skills as running a successful business. The Initiative Foundation’s FRSE program actually takes that a step further by teaching nonprofits how to create a business that will generate revenue to support their mission-driven work.

Labor of Love

Sandberg and Kruse already run a screen-printing and embroidery business that targets the aviation industry. They make shirts, hats, bags and a variety of commemorative items for military and civilian aviation enthusiasts.

Now they’re exploring the possibility of combining their business with Flight Expo, so the business can help support Flight Expo’s work to engage the next generation and expose them to potential careers in aviation. “The Initiative Foundation has been very helpful with advice, plugging me into other organizations for legal and operational knowledge,” Sandberg said. “They have really gone out of their way to help us and point us in the right direction.”

It’s a labor of love for the family. Sharon’s dad, John R. Sandberg, was a legend in Minnesota aviation. After service as an Air Force mechanic, he started a precision machine shop to serve the aviation community, later building and racing high-powered planes.

He custom-built a P-51 Mustang fighter that he named Tsunami with the goal of setting a world speed record for piston-engine planes. On a routine flight in 1991, John R. Sandberg was killed when Tsunami crashed.

Sharon thinks of her dad whenever she sees the joy of a kid’s first exposure to flying.

“Seeing the smiles on their faces, knowing that when I’m gone someone else is carrying the torch—that passion for aviation—that’s a great satisfaction,” she said.

So far, 28 students have graduated from Flight Expo. One is currently in college studying to become an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic; another is training as a welder. Even those students who may not go on to aviation careers are thrilled by the experience of working with real planes—especially since the course ends with a flight in a small plane and maybe even a chance to take the controls.

“I’ve definitely become more interested in flying” since taking part in Flight Expo, said 15-year-old Owen Nitz of Zimmerman, who finished his first session in spring 2017. A career in aviation “is definitely something I would consider.” Owen’s summer plans include taking apart his dad’s vintage Ford Torino.

Chase Robideau, a 15-year old from Princeton, learned riveting and metal fabrication. He also made and installed wing brackets for Tsunami, which Bjornstad is rebuilding. Chase said he enjoyed “pretty much everything” about the course and hopes one day to work at Cirrus Aircraft, the small-plane manufacturer based in Duluth.

That’s exactly the outcome the Initiative Foundation hopes for, Fastner said.

“There are thousands of nonprofits in Central Minnesota, and while we value the work of all of them, we especially want to invest in those that support job skills training and workforce development,” Fastner said. “We want to help raise up people. We want to help them gain the skills needed for better jobs.”

And maybe help out a teen who has her eyes on the sky.

COMMUNITY CONNECTORS

These Central Minnesota nonprofits have benefited from the Initiative Foundation’s Financial Resiliency through Social Enterprise program.

• L akes Center for Youth and Families in Forest Lake created Tried and True Small Engines ysblakesarea.org • Heartland Girls’ Ranch of Benson founded Hoofprints of Hope heartlandgirlsranch.org • Helping Hands Outreach of Holdingford created an adult day center holdingfordhelpinghands.org

18 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

•P aws & Claws Rescue & Resort saves animals, educates youth and completes families pawsandclawsanimalshelter.org •R ural Renewable Energy Alliance works to affect energy poverty rreal.org

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Communities across Central Minnesota are creating solutions to the region’s daycare shortage.

By Laura Billings Coleman | Photorgraphy by John Linn

Brainerd child care provider Audriana Wallin has an inside tip for working couples in her community who are interested in starting a family or expanding the one they already have: “Get your name on the waiting list as soon as possible.”

One of the staff members at Annie’s Childcare & Learning Center, Wallin spends her days rocking babies in the infant room while attempting to soothe anxious families who call to find out if they’re making any progress on the center’s 18-month waiting list for infant care. “We get calls all the time from people who aren’t even 20 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

pregnant yet, but they’re thinking about it, and they want to get on the list now because they’ve heard how hard it is to get a spot,” said Wallin, who adds that the list is likely to grow now that another child care center in the area closed its doors in May. A licensed social worker and single mom, Wallin works at Annie’s a few days a week for an hourly rate that’s lower than she could make elsewhere, in part, so that her two kids, ages 6 and 2, have access to the high-quality early childhood education she values. That’s why she knows what a hardship it is for parents who are pursuing new jobs in the region, or ready to return to the workforce after staying home with a young child, when they encounter a six- to eight-month wait for a spot to open in the toddler or preschool rooms. “Having a child care shortage puts a lot of people’s plans on hold,” she said. “You just don’t have many options, and sometimes parents have to make do with situations they don’t want for their kids, just to go back to getting a paycheck.”

High demand for child care is hardly confined to Brainerd: Minnesota is now confronting one of the worst child care shortages

ROUGH RIDE: 3.8 million Minnesotans are living in a community with fewer than one child care center spot for every three kids who need it.

3RD QUARTER 2017

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anywhere in the nation, with more than four children under age 5 for every available child care center slot. Though the state has long had one of the country’s highest rates of workforce participation among parents with young children, a recent study from the Center for American Progress found that more than 3.8 million Minnesotans are living in a community with fewer than one child care center spot for every three kids who need it—a condition defined as a “child care desert.”

While that trend is troubling, it doesn’t even factor in the precipitous decline in the total number of licensed in-home family child care (FCC) operators—the child care option most rural parents depend on—which has dropped by more than 25 percent in the last decade. While nearly 5,000 new child care center slots in Greater Minnesota have helped to answer the need, the disappearance of more than 20,000 family child care positions has created a net loss of more than 15,000 child care openings in the state’s rural communities. Here in the 14-county region served by the Initiative Foundation, more than 300 FCCs closed their doors between 2011 and 2016.

“This is one of those issues that’s been building up under the radar for a long time because child care is a such personal family issue,” said Marnie Werner, research director of the Center for Rural Policy and Development in Mankato, which reported these findings last fall in a white paper on the state’s rural child care shortage. A variety of factors lie behind the so-called “quiet crisis,” from a wave of Baby Boomer retirements to a steady workforce shortage in the region that’s opened up more lucrative career options for women—still the primary providers of early childhood education. While observers say there’s been a decades-long decrease in child care providers, more

recent regulations that set limits on the numbers and age ranges of children allowed in family settings, increasing the required annual training hours for licensed providers, may have been an additional hardship for rural providers, limiting their profits while increasing their licensing demands.

“When you have a surplus of workers to choose from, and a potential hire can’t figure out child care, it used to seem like the family’s problem to solve,” said Werner. “But we don’t have that luxury anymore, and employers are finding that if the workers they want can’t find child care, they don’t have the workforce they need to grow. That’s why this issue is exploding right now. Families are not just suffering in silence.”

Don Hickman, vice president for workforce and community development at the Initiative Foundation, confirms that while quality early childhood education has long been a focus for the Foundation, the quantity of child care slots in Central Minnesota has taken on new urgency. “I don’t know employers in any sector in the region who aren’t desperate for skilled workers right now, so when you have barriers like limited access to affordable child care, it hits everybody,” he said. “This will limit our economic health if we don’t figure out a way to solve it together.”

economic challenges Creating a healthier child care economy is a challenge Joann Ostrowski, owner of Annie’s Childcare & Learning Center, has been pondering for years. “Of course, you don’t get into this field because of the bottom line,” said Ostrowski, who built a child care center on her CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

For a family earning the region’s median annual income of $32,000, the $297 it costs each week to provide care for an infant and a preschooler could easily consume half of a household income unless they receive help from the state subsidized Child Care Assistance Program.

22 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

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Caring About Child Care CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

JOANN OSTROWSKI: “It’s one of the most important jobs you could have, cuddling babies and making kids feel safe at a time in life when their brains are developing the most.”

mployers in all sectors across the region are desperate for skilled workers right now, so when you have barriers like limited access to affordable child care, it hits everybody. family property a decade ago, when she noticed how few options there were for her grandchildren. Though she was later able to expand to a second location at Central Lakes College through a partnership that protects a certain number of slots for current students, that doesn’t mean business is booming.

“I make a living, but I haven’t been able to raise my rates in years,” said Ostrowski. “The cost of living is going up all the time, and it costs me more every year just to keep the doors open. But you can’t pass those costs on to the parents because they can’t afford it. They’re strapped as it is.”

For a family earning the region’s median annual income of $32,000, the $297 it costs each week to provide care for an infant and a preschooler could easily consume half of a household income without help from the state-subsidized Child Care Assistance Program. Even parents with higher wages find that the high cost of child care can make a second family income seem like a wasted exercise. “I have moms who work for the health insurance, and the vacation, and that’s it—child care costs take up all the rest,” said Ostrowski.

That’s why providing a 50 percent discount on child care has become an important perk for many of Ostrowski’s employees. But she knows that the $10.50 she can afford to pay hourly isn’t enough to retain her best workers when the cost of living requires $17 an hour to make ends meet. “I’d like to pay more but it’s not even possible,” she said, noting that in spite of the long waiting list, providing infant care barely breaks even for her business.

She’s not surprised to learn that one recent media report found that after expenses, many child care providers in the state are earning just pennies per hour, or operating at a loss. “It’s one of the most important jobs you could have, cuddling babies and making kids feel safe at a time in life when their brains are developing the most,” she said. “But it doesn’t always feel like that.”

“The irony is that early childhood educators are professionals, yet in many cases they’re earning barely above the poverty line,” said Tammy Filippi, early childhood program manager at the Initiative Foundation. For more than a generation, research has shown that early childhood education provides one of the best rates of return CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

24 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

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Caring About Child Care CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

for any community investment, returning more than $13 for every $1 spent. “But when you see that the cost of care is not even in reach for those who need it, or that child care providers can’t make a living providing a critical service to the community, the numbers just don’t make sense.”

respected professionals But that may begin to change, said Rae Jean Hansen, vice president of early childhood at Southwest Initiative Foundation, who said the crisis has clearly caught the attention of civic leaders, legislators, local business communities and large philanthropic organizations eager to find solutions. “Almost every day we get a call from a mayor asking what can we do to solve this thing?” she said, noting that some rural communities are developing small grants for providers to offset start-up costs, waiving licensing fees, or looking at loan forgiveness programs to help child care providers create sustainable businesses in their communities.

A member of the Start Early Funders Coalition, Parent Aware Advisory Committee and the Minnesota PreK to Grade 3 Coalition, Hansen also serves on a new state initiative launched by the National Academy of Science aimed at addressing future workforce needs by transforming how we educate children from birth through age 8. One of the first items on the state’s to-do list is to increase licensed child care capacity by 37 percent and to make child care a more attractive and fairly compensated profession for educators with bachelor’s degrees

or higher. To see how it could be done, Hansen joined a delegation of Minnesota child care professionals, researchers and policymakers on a trip to Sweden last year, where progressive maternity and family leave policies have fostered a culture where child care providers are respected professionals. While waiting lists for infant care are unheard of in that country, there is a long line of well-educated young people eager to join the profession.

“One of the first things we must do is teach providers to really value their own work and understand, first and foremost, you’re not ‘just watching kids,’ you’re helping to raise future leaders in your community,” said Gertrude Matemba-Mutasa, director of impact investing in Minnesota for First Children’s Finance (FCF), a Minneapolis-based business development enterprise that provides low-cost loans, technical training and business development assistance to help child care providers for low- and moderate-income families.

Rural communities have become the primary focus of FCF’s work, which now includes a Rural Child Care Innovation Program that allows communities to apply for competitive grants to earn technical and business planning assistance from FCF to create a more sustainable market for child care providers. One big challenge many potential caregivers confront is whether opening a family child care enterprise is the start of a real career path—or a dead end when a provider’s kids are old enough to go to school.

“Let’s say you’re a 32-year-old stay-at-home mom, and you know there’s a need in your neighborhood,” said Matemba-Mutasa.

“The question women have is if I create this business, in five or six CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

or more than a generation, research has shown that early childhood education provides one of the best rates of return for any community investment, returning more than $13 for every $1 spent.

26 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

17_SCSU_IQ_TDMakeDiff2.indd 1

2/1/17 10:59 AM

GOVERNING AND GROWING COMPANIES FROM MINNESOTA Granite Equity Partners is a mission-driven private investment and holding company. Our family of companies are owned, headquartered, and have their roots in Minnesota. Our work springs from Minnesota.

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GREAT

GUIDANCE

JOANNE KUDRNA

Director of Strategy Services at Granite Equity Partners

Mentors help shape our region’s DAVID MONROY

future

Attorney at Monroy Law Office

leaders.

TRACI TAPANI

Co-President of Wyoming Machine

THOMAS ANDERSON

CEO Integrated Retirement Initiatives

28 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

“We need to make a commitment and devote resources to new leaders.

They’re working to build communities and make them stronger.”

By Lisa Meyers McClintick | Photography by John Linn

Every day across Central Minnesota, someone brings out a cake. Colleagues laugh and share memories. Photos are snapped while handshakes and hugs mark the fact that another Baby Boomer is heading into retirement.

An estimated 10,000 Baby Boomers retire each day in the United States. In less than 20 years, according to the Minnesota State Demographic Center, more than half a million people in the state will be age 65 or older. At the same time, the population that’s working age will continue to drop. The region also is facing gaps in community leadership and service.

These are daunting challenges, but regional development experts, including the Initiative Foundation, believe that creating opportunities for future leaders to get practical advice and guidance from those who have been there and done that is part of the solution. “Mentorship is and continues to be key to building a future generation of leaders,” said Elk River attorney David Monroy, a member of the Initiative Foundation’s Board of Trustees and chair of the Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

As technology has revolutionized our workplaces, mentorships have evolved. When Thomas Anderson, chief executive officer of Integrated Retirement in Baxter, started his career, much of what he learned came from observing workplace leaders, getting job reviews and working side-by-side with colleagues.

Fast-forward a few decades, and a bustling workplace isn’t necessarily the norm.

“There’s more technology and independent working environments,”

Anderson said of today’s tech-savvy, 24/7 society.

That can create challenges and opportunities. Young entrepreneurs brimming with ideas and innovations can find a world of advice and research online while carving out their own business niche. But working solo can also leave them isolated from a face-to-face mentor—someone to whom they can float ideas, go to for resources and seek out for support.

As the demographic shift and its effects became apparent, the Initiative Foundation stepped up to help fill the gap and nurture future business and community leaders through its Emerging Leaders program and its Initiators Fellowship program, which began in 2016. It matches four motivated social entrepreneurs with financial backing, training and a mentor to take their ideas and skills to the next level.

“Having a mentor to support you, be your partner and keep you on track is worth its weight in gold,” said Andrea Davila, past deputy director for fellowship programs at Echoing Green, the program upon which the Initiators Fellowship is modeled. Davila now lives in Minnesota and serves as a consultant to develop and guide the Foundation’s program. “I think the fellowship program is critically important. It’s really an innovative way to promote leadership and grow leadership in the region.”

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WHAT ELSE MAKES FOR A GOOD MENTORING EXPERIENCE? READ ON.

1. CREATE A GOOD MATCH

Like any great partnership, it’s important to match up mentors and mentees who feel a connection. “I think it’s really critical that you get the right mentor for the person,” Anderson said.

That involves a spark of chemistry, a shared enthusiasm and a mentor whose career experience will be beneficial to the mentee.

They don’t need to be from the same culture or same line of business. Anderson, who is mentoring diabetes advocate and Baxter City Councilwoman Quinn Nystrom, one of the Foundation’s Initiators Fellows, said his mentee has a good handle on her business. He focuses on being a skilled listener and using his experience to offer Nystrom advice on everything from marketing and finances to working with employees as she builds her business.

“I find it challenging and fun to work with someone who has the energy and ideas Quinn has,” he said.

2. BUILD A RELATIONSHIP

Monroy counts coaches, parents, family members and professors among his mentors, and becoming a mentor himself has given him a chance to pass along the wisdom he’s gleaned over the years.

Having taught university courses in a classroom and online, he said students frequently prefer in-person classes for the better rapport and lasting relationships they can more easily build with teachers and fellow students.

The same goes for being a mentor.

Face-to-face connection is crucial, said Monroy, who is mentoring Annie Deckert, an economic development consultant and Initiators Fellow who helps new and growing manufacturers expand and find the right Central Minnesota home.

“There is something about that one-on-

one relationship that cannot be reproduced in our information age,” said Monroy.

He says it’s important to know what motivates a mentee beyond their work.

What are their passions? What are their strengths? How do they balance work with their personal life? What are their dreams?

How can all those elements come together cohesively, and how can a mentor help guide them in that direction?

Monroy and Deckert meet at least once a month, more if needed. Sometimes their meetings are casual and happen over breakfast or lunch, or they meet in one of their offices to discuss more confidential matters. “Mentors serve. They don’t lead,” Monroy said. “I come alongside or underneath to help lift them up.”

3. SET PRIORITIES

In some ways, the digital generation is more connected than any before, yet they can be equally disconnected: Many don’t like to make phone calls or may prefer an exchange of text messages rather than an in-person conversation.

The demand to keep up on social media, the changing landscape for marketing and countless online distractions can also mean it’s easier than ever for young business people to get off-task. Add in the responsibilities of raising young children, attending school activities and fulfilling other obligations, and launching a business or keeping the career momentum going can feel like swimming upstream.

“They’re pulled in so many directions,” Anderson said. A strong and engaged mentor can help them define and stick to their priorities. They also can help them address challenges by offering resources, helping to set goals and offering advice on everything from promoting their business to finding employees.

“Make sure they’re addressing the

challenges they need to face—not avoiding them,” Anderson said.

4. OFFER HONEST FEEDBACK

Being a mentor, much like a boss or supervisor, requires asking hard questions and giving sometimes uncomfortable feedback. But honest observations can illuminate a blind spot or an overlooked speed bump in a business plan. It can help transform a mentee’s weakness or challenge into a strength.

“Be honest. Offer constructive feedback, but don’t deliver it hurtfully,” said Traci Tapani, co-president of Wyoming Machine in Stacy and the mentor for Initiators Fellow Rod Greder, who is developing advanced neurofeedback eyewear to help easily distracted students stay focused.

“If all you do is encourage, you’re not mentoring,” added Joanne Kudrna, the director of strategy services at Granite Equity Partners in St. Cloud. Kudrna is mentoring Initiators Fellow Hudda Ibrahim, a faculty member at St. Cloud Technical and Community College who wants to help businesses better connect with new immigrants. Family, friends and others can be the full-on cheerleaders, but a wise mentor listens keenly and tailors their advice.

Mentors certainly do help mentees build confidence, Kudrna said, adding that the best mentors she had were the ones who nudged her to take risks. They encouraged her to trust her skill set as she reached for new goals.

5. ENJOY SUCCESSES

Seasoned community and business leaders say it’s worth it to carve out the time to be a mentor.

Monroy discovered learning always goes both ways. While he has the expertise, he said it’s refreshing and freeing to work CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

30 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

Meet Our Inaugural 2017

Here’s how you can join and make a difference:

COMMUNITY BUILDERS CIRCLE Members.

INVEST

Your Region. Your Initiative. Your Foundation.

BUSINESSES

• Falcon National Bank

• Sherburne State Bank & Sentry Bank

• American Heritage National Bank

• Farmers & Merchants State Bank

• SEH

• American National Bank of

Charitable Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation • First National Bank North • First State Bank of Wyoming • F randsen Bank & Trust, Baxter, Crosslake, Nisswa, Foley, Braham, Forest Lake & Pine City • Granite Equity Partners, LLC • Harvest Bank • LINDAR / Avantech • Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce • Long Prairie Packing Company • Marco Technologies, LLC • MidMinnesota Federal Credit Union • Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative • National Joint Powers Alliance • Neighborhood National Bank • NOR-SON, Inc. • Park Industries, Inc., Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation • Peoples Bank of Commerce • Pequot Tool & MFG., Inc. • Pine Country Bank • Plaza Park Bank

• State Bank of Cold Spring

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LEAD

• Stearns Electric Association • Stern Rubber Company • The Bank of Elk River • Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative • Wadena State Bank

Model the way for others to support Central Minnesota community-building initiatives throughout the region.

• Wells Fargo Bank • West Central Telephone Association • Widseth Smith Nolting and Assoc., Inc.

INDIVIDUALS • Rick & Helga Bauerly Family Fund of

Central Minnesota Community Foundation • Dick & Mimi Bitzan Family Fund of Central Minnesota CommunityFoundation • Kathy & Neal Gaalswyk • Pat & Carmel Gorham • Don Hickman & Sandra Kaplan • Jo & Larry Korf • Martin & Susan Paradeis • Rita and Everett Sobania • Tim & Carrie Tripp • Andrea Turner • Dr. Paul Van Gorp & Roberta Knutson • Maggie & Matt Varilek • Ludmila Voelker • Jeff & Laurie Wig

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ACKNOWLEDGE Gain special recognition in IQ Magazine, specialty publications, on our website and at Initiative Foundation events.

CONNECT Join us for an annual Community Builders Circle reception where Foundation President Matt Varilek will provide a progress report and listen to your insights.

CELEBRATE Experience the lifetime fulfillment of giving to causes that inspire you. When you give, you’re helping our communities thrive and grow—from our youngest to our most senior members.

(877) 632-9255 | ifound.org 405 First Street SE, Little Falls, MN 56345

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Minnesota • Arvig Communication Systems • Bank of the West • BankVista • Benefit Innovations • BlackRidge BANK • Brainerd Lakes General Fund of the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation • Bremer Bank, Brainerd • Bremer Bank, St. Cloud • Cambridge Medical Center on behalf of Allina Health System • Citizens State Bank of Waverly • CliftonLarsonAllen LLP • Clow Stamping Company • Connexus • Consolidated Telecommunications Company • Crow Wing Power • DeZURIK, Inc. • East Central Energy • Edelweiss Cabinetry • Eich Motor Company • Essentia HealthSt. Joseph’s Foundation

Contribute $1,000 or more per year to the Initiative Foundation’s programs or General Endowment—a forever fund that powers the Foundation’s grants, programs and services.

hi I n v e st i n E a rl y C

ldh

Give today at ifound.org/give To make a pledge, contact a member of our external relations team or call (877) 632-9255.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your Initiative Foundation contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Foundation owns and manages financial contributions for the benefit of Central Minnesota communities.

3RD QUARTER 2017

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A reason to

SMILE Central Minnesota boosts the diversity of its dental professionals.

By Elizabeth Foy Larsen | Photography by John Linn

Last year, when she was a senior at Pine River-Backus High School, Taina Williams was on a field trip to research college options when she learned about the Dental Assistant Diploma program at Central Lakes College (CLC) in Brainerd. The one-year course prepares students to be dental assistants, a career that involves anything from taking and developing X-rays to teaching patients about oral hygiene to assisting dentists during treatment procedures. It’s fast-paced work that requires empathy and a good-natured temperament, which Williams has in abundance.

In fact, the idea of being part of a team and doing a variety of tasks appealed to Williams, who was born in Haiti and adopted by a family in Pequot Lakes when she was a teenager. “I’m a people person and I like staying active and not being in one spot,” she said. So last fall, she enrolled in the program and is happy to report that “I’ve loved it from the first day.”

That enthusiasm has been buoyed by the fact that Williams received a scholarship to help with tuition and the state licensure and national certification examination fees. Sponsored by the Initiative Foundation through a $200,000 grant from the Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation, the Diversity of the Dental Workforce in Central Minnesota project was created to increase the gender, racial and cultural diversity of a field that is overwhelmingly 32 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

TAINA WILLIAMS: “I love working alongside the dentists and hearing patient’s stories. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”

3RD QUARTER 2017

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“ As our communities get more diverse and welcome more New Americans, it’s crucial that we are able to provide this vital component of health care in a way that is welcoming to everyone.” white and English speaking. The program is for students at CLC, which hopes to boost the ranks of Latino and American Indian students to better serve those communities, and St. Cloud Technical & Community College (SCTCC), which aims to train more students of East African descent.

These students can become dental assistants, dental hygienists, and even dental therapists—mid-level licensed practitioners who provide many of the routine preventative and restorative procedures that dentists do, including fluoride treatments, tooth sealing, and filling cavities, but at a lower cost. Similar to a nurse practitioner, dental therapy is a growing field. Although it’s a common career in other parts of the world, Minnesota currently is one of only a handful of states to enact legislation to allow dental therapy.

The Dental Diversity program is part of a multipronged effort by the Foundation to improve dental health in children ages 0-5 across the region. “As our communities get more diverse and welcomes more New Americans, it’s crucial that we are able to provide this vital component of health care in a way that is welcoming to everyone,” said Don Hickman, vice president for community and workforce development at the Initiative Foundation. In addition to providing assistance for tuition, exams and supplies—which can cost thousands of dollars for students studying dental hygiene—the grant helps students cover the costs of common barriers to attending class, including gas and child care. Colleges can also use funds to develop programs that help retain students of color and to provide training to faculty to support inclusion of students from diverse communities.

34 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

ROOT CAUSE

For the past three years, the Initiative Foundation has focused on reducing the challenges to obtaining dental care for young children in the 14 Central Minnesota counties it serves. That’s no small task when you consider that 65 percent of the dentists in the state work in the seven-county metro area. That leaves only 35 percent for the remaining 80 Minnesota counties. “Access to dental care is more of a challenge in outstate Minnesota,” said Joseph Lally, the executive director of Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation. In some towns, the dentist-to-patient ratio is 5,000 to 1.

That challenge is compounded by the fact that no nonprofit dental clinics, which provide subsidized treatments, are based in Central Minnesota. Minnesota also has the lowest Medicaid dental benefits in the country, making it financially challenging for many dentists to treat patients who are receiving medical assistance. In fact, Just one-third of children and young adults who are eligible for Medical Assistance receive some kind of dental care, according to a report by the Department of Human Services (DHS). That’s compared to the 85 percent of children on Medical Assistance who see a physician each year.

“We have effectively bifurcated the head from the body,” said Sarah Wovcha, the executive director of Children’s Dental Services, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that provides dental care for children from income-eligible families across the state.

It’s a serious issue given how important oral health is to a person’s well-being.

According to the Mayo Clinic, people with poor oral hygiene can have higher rates of heart disease and diabetes and have pregnancies that result in premature births and lower birth weights. Children with tooth pain or cavities get less sleep, are less able to concentrate in school and have higher rates of absenteeism.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

In the greater St. Cloud area, the Somali community has faced especially stubborn challenges when it comes to getting quality dental care. “We aren’t yet prepared to address the cultural complexities, from cultural norms around touching to translation challenges to discrimination that can be barriers to people accessing care,” said Wovcha, who also notes that some immigrants are reluctant to seek dental care because they are afraid an immigration officer will show up at the office.

That’s one reason why, in addition to providing Central Minnesotans access to high pay careers, the grant to SCTCC aims to increase the number of Somali students in its dental programs.

A community education initiative teaches elders in the community about oral health care and hygiene and counsels CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

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A REASON TO SMILE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34

current students about the prerequisites they need to enter the dental assistant training program. This fall, five students of East African heritage will be starting in SCTCC’s program, according to Kelly Halverson, the dean of Natural Health and Sciences.

Halverson hopes that as word spreads, more people of diverse backgrounds will see the career opportunities in oral health.

“Oftentimes the students I’ve talked with who are in the Somali community are interested primarily in nursing,” said Halverson.

“They don’t realize we have eight other programs in health care, which include dental assistants and hygienists, both of which can provide a good living.”

That’s what Taina Williams is counting on. Currently doing an internship at Pine River Dental Arts in Pine River, she’s also studying for her licensure exams. Once she passes, she hopes to find a job close to her home in Pequot Lakes. She says her training and internship has confirmed that she was right to choose this career path. “I love working alongside the dentists and hearing patients’ stories,” she said. “It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”

Zero to THREE, Cavity FREE Improving pediatric oral health in Mille Lacs County Photography by Paul Middlestaedt

The halls at Onamia Elementary School, normally quiet during summer months, were busy this past June with families taking part in Operation Community Connect, a one-day fair that provides families with the services they need to succeed—from haircuts to pregnancy counseling to connecting with WIC and other agencies that provide assistance to families in Mille Lacs County. Outside the music room, a line was forming for families who were hoping to get dental care from a mobile unit that travels the region on behalf of Children’s Dental Services, the Initiative Foundation and the Mille Lacs County Cavity-Free-ByThree campaign. A grandmother from Isle had brought in her 2-year-old grandson for his first dentist visit. She had been hoping to get him in earlier when Operation Community Connect was in Mora, but couldn’t find transportation to travel 25 miles from home.

While the American Dental Association recommends that a child’s first visit to the dentist happen before a child’s first birthday, the reality, according to the Minnesota Department of Health, is that children under 6 years of age are two times less likely to have a preventive dental visit than children ages 6 to 17 years. “It’s tempting to think that when it comes to young children, it’s just their baby teeth and they will get a new start when those teeth fall out,” said Linda Holliday, an early childhood dental consultant with the Initiative Foundation. “But that’s just not true. If a young child’s teeth hurt, it’s hard to get the nutrition they need to grow and learn.”

development, the Initiative Foundation, together with the Otto Bremer Trust and Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation, have supported mobile clinics in Mille Lacs County that are operated

by Children’s Dental Services to help bridge that disparity. “It’s a cost-effective way to reduce barriers,” said Sarah Wovcha. “We take the clinic to places where families normally congregate, such as schools and community centers.”

It’s a model that is moving the needle to improve pediatric dental care in the county. “Our focus is birth-to-three, cavity-free,” said Sue Peltoma, a health educator for Mille Lacs County. “For a lot of families, this is their dental care.”

What’s more, rural third-graders are 1.3 times more likely to have cavities than their urban counterparts. Because early childhood dental health is so important for a child’s overall

ON THE MOVE: Children’s Dental Services operates mobile clinics throughout Central Minnesota, including this visit to Milaca.

36 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

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Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Education and Employer.

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Between now and 2030, an estimated $5.8 billion of hard-earned wealth will transfer from one generation to the next in Central Minnesota.

Giving even a fraction of that to local causes will help the region thrive.

By Andy Steiner | Photography by John Linn

When you live in the country, pitching in when your neighbor needs a hand is a regular part of life.

Just ask Jim Birchem. He and his wife Kathy grew up outside Little Falls, where helping others was expected and appreciated.

“If you grow up in a small town, this attitude is in your blood and your roots,” Birchem said. “If you grew up on a farm, you helped your neighbors when they needed it. That attitude gets carried over into your lifetime. It’s how you look at the world.”

That kind of giving attitude has been the lifeblood of Central Minnesota communities, supporting key initiatives and building healthy economies. Today, the opportunity to further strengthen the region through philanthropy has never been greater: Between 38 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

now and 2030, as the Baby Boom generation enters retirement and solidifies estate plans, an estimated $48 billion of hard-earned wealth will transfer from one generation to the next in Minnesota.

In Central Minnesota, experts say that the local wealth transfer could reach $5.8 billion. If only a fraction of that wealth were designated to support local causes, the impact on the community would be significant, said Trista Harris, president of the Minnesota Council on Foundations.

“Any time wealth is transferred, a portion of that can go back to strengthen society, especially the community in which the donor lived,” Harris said. “It is a great opportunity for an individual to say, ‘I want a piece of my legacy to stay in the community that I was so passionate about.’ It can be a great gift to a region that supported a donor throughout his or her lifetime, a way to give back and support a way of life that they cherish.”

One way Central Minnesota residents are directing their philanthropic goals is through community-based foundations like the Initiative Foundation. Community foundations focus their giving on specific regions or towns, with the goal of building and supporting a community in the way the donor specifies.

Donors can designate their funds within a community foundation, or they can provide an unrestricted gift to a general fund, according to Carrie Tripp, Initiative Foundation vice president for external relations. “Regional community foundations can help people find the best way to support causes that are important to them,” Tripp said. “If we want our hometowns to stay healthy—a good place to raise families, a good place to work and live—we need to retain wealth in the region. We can all make a difference.”

Central Minnesota is fortunate to have many residents who already have decided they want to give back to the communities that have supported them. We talked to three local couples who have philanthropic plans to support their hometowns now—and long into the future.

FISHING FOR VITALITY: Loren and Kathy Morey

The tiny town of Motley (population 651) has always been at the center of Loren Morey’s life. His father founded Morey’s Seafood Market there in 1937, and Loren joined the business in

1964, when he came home from Hamline University in St. Paul.

Loren met city-girl Kathy in college and lured her to Motley.

The two, now both 80 years old, have lived happily in Loren’s hometown ever since, raising a family and working to build their beloved community.

Over the years, the company has employed a number of local workers. As the business expanded to include processing facilities, a smokehouse and retail stores in Brainerd and Motley, the Morey family’s commitment to the community has stayed strong even though their products are now sold across the United States.

Both Moreys have always wanted to strengthen Motley’s economic base by attracting other employers. “This is a good place to live,” said Loren. “I want other people to live here, too. My dream would be to attract more companies to town that would hire more people.”

And the Morey’s philanthropic interests don’t end there. “We also want to keep the community strong by supporting the church and helping local families,” Kathy adds.

In 2005, the couple decided to put their money where their dreams are, establishing the Loren and Kathy Morey Family Fund, a donor-advised sub-fund of the Staples-Motley Area Community Foundation. It benefits the Motley United Methodist Church; children, youth and families; environmental initiatives;

“ We want other people to live here, too. Our dream is to attract more companies to town that will hire more people.”

Loren & Kathy Morey

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Jim & Kathy Birchem “ We’ve got a specific plan of where we’re going to go, and who we’re going to help.

That feels good to us—and it helps us get on with the rest of our lives.” and promotes economic vitality in Cass, Crow Wing, Todd and Morrison counties.

While they know they could have made their gift posthumously, the Moreys explain that they wanted to start giving now, rather than wait to designate the foundation in their wills.

“Sure, you could store all of your money up and just sit around and watch it grow,” Loren said, “but why not give it away while you’re still alive so you can see some of the fruits of your labor?

That’s how we wanted to live our lives, so that’s what we’re doing.”

HELPING AT HOME: Jim and Kathy Birchem

High school sweethearts Jim and Kathy Birchem understand the power of small-town living. Growing up outside Little Falls, they watched as families supported one another through tough times, and they understood just how important that ethos was to their quality of life. As they built ElderCare Minnesota, their successful business of 17 Central Minnesota-based skilled-nursing and assisted-living facilities, the Birchems saw first-hand the important role that even one employer can play in a rural community.

Today, they are committed to keeping their business strong, and to supporting the rural communities that helped them build it. “In a small town, a nursing home or an assisted-living facility can be the largest employer,” said Jim. “Both Kathy and I want to

continue to develop and build these facilities in the region so that people can stay in their own community as they age.”

The Birchems also think it is important that others see a share of their company’s success. “A lot of people have helped me along the way, including local banks, foundations and individuals,” Jim said. “We want to pass on our good fortune to the rest of the community.”

Recently, the Birchems established a plan that designates a percentage of their estate to go to the Initiative Foundation. They’re glad to make their plans clear now, so that they could feel confident that their wishes would be carried out later.

“When we’re gone, 30 or 40 years from now, nobody’s going to care,” Jim said. “I figure, ‘Let’s do it now.’ With the blessing of our daughter, we’ve got a specific plan of where we’re going to go, and who we’re going to help. That feels good to us—and it helps us get on with the rest of our lives.”

NO GIFT TOO SMALL: Ardy and John Becklin

Ardy Becklin likes to dispel the myth that philanthropists need to be extremely wealthy. Her experience working with the Rum River Community Foundation, an Initiative Foundation Partner Fund that supports the communities surrounding her hometown of Milaca, taught her that even small donations, when grouped CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

40 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

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John & Ardy Becklin “We don’t give millions of dollars. We don’t have that kind of money. But we give what we can every year.” together, can have a big impact.

“You don’t need millions of dollars to do planned giving,” Becklin said. “I like endowments because they keep on giving. And many small donations can make an endowment worthwhile.”

The Rum River Community Foundation was born when Becklin and a group of other area residents took an Initiative Foundation-sponsored class on community philanthropy in 2011.

The endowed fund the group created focuses on “improving parks, encouraging volunteerism and boosting community involvement.”

She and her husband John, also a Milaca native, regularly give to the fund, and the Becklins have established a charitable gift annuity to support their hometown fund. Through a charitable gift annuity, the Becklins can form a contract to transfer cash or property in exchange for a partial tax deduction and a lifetime stream of annual income from the fund.

She might not be a Rockefeller, but Becklin is confident that she is making a difference. “John and I don’t give millions of dollars,” she said. “We don’t have that kind of money. But we give what we can every year.”

Thanks to dedicated supporters like the Becklins, the Rum River Community Foundation is growing. The small foundation awards

42 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

several thousand dollars worth of grants each year with income generated from its endowment interest earnings. So far, it has offered gifts to a range of local recipients, including a local arts group and to improve a park at a township hall. They’ve also given grants for fireworks in small towns and to Holiday Helping Hands, Special Olympics and community theaters and schools.

This locally focused micro-giving is satisfying, Becklin said.

“When you give to your community, you have a close-up view of what happens as a result of your gifts.”

When they were younger, the Becklins left Milaca for Minneapolis, spending more than 40 years living and working in the city. But a little over 20 years ago they decided to come home to retire.

Her work at the Rum River Community Foundation is part of what Becklin appreciates about living in a small town. “I loved living in the city,” she said, “but we lived in an apartment there, and we rarely knew our neighbors. I appreciate the neighborliness that comes with a small community, and I love that even with our smaller donations we can band together and really help improve life for everyone here.”

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with someone new and remember early career years when he focused first and foremost on the basics. Helping someone think about how to smartly develop their business or career also makes him think about how he approaches his business.

“Being a mentor helps me be a better manager,” Monroy said.

“It can renew your energy and thoughts.”

For Tapani, a member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, workplace mentoring has helped her shape motivated employees into skilled manufacturers, including several young women who have found success in an industry where they are the minority.

Tapani once hired a woman who was working at McDonald’s.

She thrived in manufacturing and continued to improve her education and skills until she was ultimately hired away by a bigger company. “It was life-changing for her,” Tapani said. “A lot of people need encouragement and support, someone to say, ‘You can do it!’

Mentoring is a worthwhile investment. It can make a difference in Central Minnesota.”

Kudrna agrees. “Each person you work with brings their own strengths—a way in which they approach the world,” she said, noting that she has learned about Somali-American culture and has gained new perspective as a result of her relationship with Ibrahim.

“I share her passion and excitement for what she’s trying to accomplish,” she said. “It’s important to businesses and the community.”

44 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

SCORE

As a nonprofit organization through the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE matches business people with thousands of volunteer mentors through 300 chapters across the country.

In 2016, the Initiative Foundation awarded $3,000 to SCORE’s Central Minnesota Chapter to develop marketing and social media training seminars for Central Minnesota small businesses. Visit centralminnesota.score.org to learn more.

PARTNER FUNDS

The Initiative Foundation hosts a number of Partner Funds that routinely support regional mentorship programs. The Central Minnesota Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) Fund, for example, provides Wadena-Deer Creek, Staples-Motley and Pillager high school juniors and seniors a jumpstart on how to become successful entrepreneurs by connecting them with area business leaders. In the Milaca area, the Rum River Community Foundation recently provided grant support for Give Me Five, a group mentoring program for fifth- to eighth-grade students. And in the Little Falls area, the Mark Wood Foundation has provided generous support for the school district’s mentorship program. Visit ifound.org/philanthropy/ community-philanthropy-1/ to learn more.

Future leaders, helpful mentors

The Initiative Foundation supports numerous programs to shape leaders and match them with mentors. They include:

NONPROFIT LEADERS CIRCLES

Elements of the program helped to shape the Foundation’s Paths to Civic Engagement workshop series and its redesigned Thriving Communities Initiative (TCI) program. Visit ifound.org/community/thriving to learn more.

Supported by the Otto Bremer Trust, the Initiative Foundation’s Leaders Circle® program aligns experienced and new nonprofit leaders for professionally facilitated monthly meetings. The circles provide a forum where challenges and opportunities can be openly discussed and advice can be shared. Visit ifound.org/community/nonprofit-programs to learn more.

CAREER ACADEMIES

Across the region, education and industry leaders are aligning to connect high school students with Central Minnesota career opportunities. One example is the Initiative Foundation-supported Career Exploration Day, an annual career fair operated by Brainerdbased Bridges Career Academies and Workplace Connection. In March, more than 200 regional businesses set up demonstrations, simulations and exhibits to showcase career opportunities for more than 2,500 students from two dozen school districts. Internships, apprenticeships and mentorships often result from relationships that are built. Visit bridgesconnection.org to learn more.

AmeriCorps VISTA

The Initiative Foundation provides mentorship by administering a 12-person AmeriCorps VISTA program throughout Central Minnesota.

VISTA service members are matched with regional nonprofits to work on projects that build the capacity of their host organizations. Working with senior nonprofit leaders gives VISTA members a unique year-long mentorship experience while building their professional networks.

Visit ifoundvista.org to learn more.

“ Mentoring is a worthwhile

EMERGING LEADERS

With support from the Bush Foundation, the Initiative Foundation in 2015 launched its Emerging Leaders program. Three dozen up-and-coming regional leaders participated in a year-long series of workshops ranging from ethical leadership to government finance.

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philanthropy

HIS SISTINE CHAPEL: Artist Charles Kapsner has been painting his memorial to American servicemen and women since 2009.

Master Work Central Minnesota veterans support a permanent memorial to the men and women who served their country.

By Laura Billings Coleman | Photography by John Linn

Reflecting on the sacrifices more than 361,000 Minnesota veterans have made for their country is a ritual many of us will mark on Veterans Day. But for Little Falls artist Charles Kapsner, looking closely at America’s servicemen and women has been a full-time occupation since 2009, when he accepted an unusual commission to create commemorative paintings for each of the armed forces at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls.

The son of a veteran and a student of history, Kapsner was quick to enlist for a once-in-a-lifetime assignment that’s allowed him into military archives at West Point and Annapolis, and into the confidence of local vets who’ve posed for him in his studio. With paintings that cover the history of the Army, Navy and Coast Guard now complete, he’s closing in on finishing the fourth installment of his magnum opus, applying the final brushstrokes to the Battle of Belleau Wood and other turning points in the history of the U.S Marine Corps. The painting is expected to be placed in the cemetery’s Committal Hall in early 2018.

46 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

“I keep saying this is my own Sistine Chapel project,” said Kapsner, who applies the classical technique he learned as a student in Florence, Italy’s Università Internazionale Dell’Arte to each 8- by 10-foot canvas. “I just can’t paint any faster.”

While Kapsner has been the focus of considerable arts coverage over the last nine years, the behind-the-scenes effort to fund this $485,000 public art initiative may be its own master work, one that’s mobilized a volunteer force of more than 30 veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and other conflicts, as well as donations from individual donors from across the region. Those donations include memorials and individual donations of $1 (which added up to thousands) to major support from veterans organizations, local and regional businesses ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. “This project’s impact is far-reaching,” said Kristi Ackley, community philanthropy specialist at the Initiative Foundation and a 12-year Navy veteran.

“Initially envisioned by veterans, the monument unites art, history and community. And it speaks volumes about the donors who believe in the honor, commitment and sacrifice of the men and women of every branch of the U.S. military.”

“U.S. Navy” by Charles Kapsner

“U.S. Coast Guard” by Charles Kapsner

“U.S. Army” by Charles Kapsner

“ Committal Hall is the last place that these families spend time with the casket or the urn. It’s the last moment they’ll have, and when you’re grieving, those paintings have an impact.”

Now with $130,000 left to raise from the community, the Veterans Art Monument is already teaching the next generation about the character and culture of each branch of service—and what it takes to get big ideas done in small communities.

For Navy vet and clinical nurse Phil Ringstrom, who spent part of his career developing counseling programs for returning vets in several regional Veterans Administration health systems, bringing the Veterans Art Monument paintings to light has shown him a different side of the service experience. “Working for vets’ health I’ve often dealt with the harsh realities and the real challenges veterans face, but talking to people about this project has been a joy,” he said.

“I’ve seen how much Minnesotans care about their vets, and they’ve been so generous. It’s a lot of money we have left to raise, but I don’t see anything standing in our way.”

Character and Culture

The Veterans Art Monument was the brainchild of former state representative Gordon Gerling, who died last year at the age of 94. A one-time U.S. Army radio operator/gunner who served on a B-24 with the 404th 11th Air Force Bomber squad, Gerling first approached Kapsner about creating an allegorical fresco about the armed forces, the same medium Kapsner used to create a series of celebrated historic tableaux at Lindbergh Elementary School in Little Falls. But once the artist and a delegation of local vets took a closer look at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery Committal Hall, they saw that the five walls of the room would provide the perfect setting for large-scale oil paintings, one for each of the armed services.

“Of course, almost as soon as we launched fundraising in 2008, that’s when the economy went in the tank,” said Jack Peck,

president of the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery Memorial Association and a former Navy airman. Recognizing that the effort could be a years-long campaign was one important factor behind the group’s decision to start a Special Project Fund at the Initiative Foundation, a fundraising vehicle that allows community donors to make tax-deductible contributions toward the project, while gaining valuable technical support from Foundation staff. For instance, the Initiative Foundation paid for a fundraising brochure for the team to distribute through the community, and has provided ongoing strategic assistance on everything from attracting media coverage to securing private support from major funders like Minnesota Power, which made a $10,000 gift to the effort just before Memorial Day. “In almost any fundraising effort, supporters think, ‘If everyone in the community gave ten dollars we’d be finished,’ but that’s just not how community philanthropy works,” said Ackley. “There are so many great ideas competing for people’s time and resources that you really have to think about how your project can rise above some of the others, and get people’s attention.”

Navy vet and memorial volunteer Bill Osberg has taken that advice to heart on his trips to talk with potential donors, or visit with VFW members curious about the project. “One thing I think is important is that Committal Hall is the last place that these families spend time with the casket or the urn, it’s the last moment they’ll have, and when you’re grieving, those paintings have an impact,” he said. “You can’t help but notice them, and they mean a whole lot to those families.”

To learn more about the progress on the Veterans Art Monument, visit vetsart.org.

3RD QUARTER 2017

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Caring About Child Care CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

years, what’s next, what skills have I acquired?’’ One solution she envisions is partnerships with area community colleges that offer business and technical training to child care providers as a means for the community to pay back the critical service these small business owners provide.

That’s just one of many outside-the-box ideas that rural communities are experimenting with to solve their own child care challenges, said Jessica Beyer, business development specialist at First Children’s Finances. “We’re seeing a lot of new partnerships popping up over the last few years,” she said, especially “right sized” initiatives focused on using the resources the community already has, rather than starting up brand new child care centers that may not be sustainable long-term. For instance, a nursing home in Crookston now covers the overhead and food costs for an on-site child care facility that many of its own staff depend on. A construction company in Lynd enlisted a local family child care provider to create a model that meets the special needs of their construction season, with longer hours through the summer building months. In Big Stone County, nonprofits, churches and community organizations are coming together to see whether older, aging churches in the area could be repurposed to help young families find the child care they need.

In Central Minnesota, Lakes and Pines Head Start in Mora has received a license from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to open Head Start Centers in Mora and Chisago,

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where they provide up to eight hours a day—four days a week—of preschool for 3-5 year olds. They also are working with three licensed in-home family child care providers and two child care centers to support income-eligible Milaca and Pine City families by providing care for children ages 3-5 while their parents go to work or school.

“In rural areas, we can’t count on the same economic forces that allow child care centers to work,” said Werner. “You really need some kind of intervention to get child care providers off the ground, and I’m becoming more convinced that this is going to be solved on a local level with just plain old community innovation. The state must continue to regulate to make sure that children are safe, but not regulate so tightly that communities can’t find new solutions that work for them.”

That’s a trend that Joann Ostrowski at Annie’s Childcare would like to see more of in Brainerd, and she’s got some big ideas herself. In a community with so many health care and hospital employees, she’s often wondered whether it would be possible to launch a third-shift operation to meet her community’s need for child care, but hasn’t figured out a way to make the numbers work. “All I know is that keeping the lights on 24 hours a day would cost a lot more, but I do think there’s a need,” she said. “If I could get some help to figure that out, it just might work.”

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3RD QUARTER 2017

49

home made

Glenn Metalcraft Princeton, Minn.

By Maria Surma Manka

Lots of companies say they’re not afraid of failure, but few are willing to go so far as to let it happen. Glenn Metalcraft of Princeton has no such qualms, and despite some unsuccessful experiments along the way, its innovation and boldness have paid off handsomely.

With investments in cutting-edge robotic technology, development of proprietary methods, machinery modifications and lots of trial and error, Glenn Metalcraft is now a leader in the production of spun metal parts for the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) industry, which produces parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer.

Founded in 1947, Glenn Metalcraft is one of a few companies that specializes in heavy-gauge metal spinning for the OEM industry. For its customers—including some of the world’s largest agriculture and transportation OEMs—the products must be incredibly strong yet lightweight. As machinery in these industries continues to get larger, their round, rotating and spinning parts must be as wear-resistant and as lightweight as possible to avoid road or crop damage.

The fearlessness of this third-generation, familyowned company has fueled a stellar reputation and an expanding workforce. We talked with Glenn Metalcraft to get the spin on its success.

•P ractice makes perfect There are two reasons that Glenn Metalcraft can create parts no one else can, according to President Dan Patnode: “Our years of experience and the modifications we’ve made to our machinery. Our competitors couldn’t buy a machine off the shelf that does exactly what we’ve modified ours to do.”

•C omputer control It was one of the first companies in the United States to invest in computer numerical control (CNC) spin-forming technology that uses computers, rather than humans, to control machine tools for better accuracy.

•S taffing sensibility When hiring, the company prioritizes cultural fits just as much as job skills: “Our core values are a huge part of our company,” said Patnode.

•G rowing workforce Headcount has soared from 31 employees six years ago to 55 today, with plans to hire more for another building that was recently purchased. “Hiring can be a challenge,” said Patnode.

“But we’re getting more Twin Cities applicants.

A commute to Princeton is in the opposite direction of rush-hour traffic!”

50 Initiative Foundation Quarterly ifound.org

•S pinning steel Glenn Metalcraft works with steel ranging from the thinnest of gauges up to 1.5 inches thick and 120 inches in diameter. Products include hopper cones, brake discs, wheels centers and stump jumpers. “We can even spin abrasiveresistant steel, and I don’t know anyone else who can do that,” noted Patnode.

• I mpressive output In total, the company produces nearly 400 part numbers per year.

•E xpansion plan Glenn Metalcraft has expanded from its original building size of 10,000 square feet to its current footprint of 76,000 square feet.

A facility in Texas has also been added to speed up the distribution of its parts around the country.

•S afety first Glenn Metalcraft recently became MNSHARP certified, a rare and prestigious recognition from the Minnesota Health and Safety Awareness Program. It spotlights companies that develop safety and health programs that go beyond OSHA standards and result in immediate and long-term prevention of job-related injuries and illnesses.

• Cutting edge Once a piece of raw steel or plate arrives from the distribution center, an operator cuts the piece with laser, plasma or a water jet according to its requirements. The cuttings are stacked and a fork truck moves them to a staging area.

• Relative speed The speed and exact process of each piece varies widely. “We can form a part in nine seconds while others take 50 minutes,” said Patnode. “It really depends on the complexity of the part, its size and the material’s thickness.”

Comfort Cares With arch support and wood that absorbs moisture, wearers’ feet stay cool and dry.

Any Size While Sven does a strong online and storefront business, they also take custom orders. Rivers’ teams of seamstresses and die cutters can make custom shoes that fit near any foot shape or size. “I have the most incredible staff I could imagine,” she said.

3RD QUARTER 2017

51

where’s IQ?

THINK YOU KNOW? Send your best guess to IQ@ifound.org

by Oct. 15, 2017.

Three winners will be chosen, at random, to receive a $25 credit to apply toward their favorite Initiative Foundationhosted Partner Fund.

HINT: This 1959 Volkswagen Beetle was owned by an historic figure and now makes its home in Central Minnesota.

Can you guess where it’s located?

Congratulations to everyone who correctly recognized Ralphie the Red Triceratops, located west of Elk River on Highway 10. Carrie Fanum, Robert Hybben and Sarah Posterick were the lucky 2nd Quarter 2017 gift code winners.

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