• The New Era Rural Technology Competitive Grants Program is for community colleges and advanced technical centers located in rural areas that are interested in aiding rural communities in technology development, applied research and training in renewable energy. Grants awarded range from $10,000 to $300,000. Applications are due April 14, 2010.
• The Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative helps organic producers become more effiicient. Grants may be awarded up to $3 million. Applications are due Feb. 16, 2010.
• The Office of Energy Security offers several incentives for individuals, businesses and nonprofits interested in making energy-saving modifications at home and at the workplace.

Here are some fast facts about the EITC. 

• Tax clinics in Douglas and Grant counties.
• Tax clinics in Moorhead.
• Tax clinics in Otter Tail and Wilkin counties.
• Tax clinic in Detroit Lakes.

• More information about tax credits and free tax preparation for qualified individuals in Minnesota.

What are the issues that are affecting our county’s growth and prosperity? Where do we stand in comparison to the rest of the state? Is there anything we can do to tackle the concerns that hold us back from becoming a thriving, progressive region?

These are questions you may have heard in your community—maybe you’ve asked them yourself. Now the answers to these and many other questions are just a click away at Minnesota Compass (www.mncompass.org).

This new Web site builds on the success of Twin Cities Compass, a similar project for the seven-county metro region. It provides unbiased, credible information, tracks trends and measures progress on issues that affect our quality of life, in such topics as economy, health, housing and a dozen others. Minnesota Compass points to additional resources and strategies for action. It includes information for cities, counties, regions, such as west central Minnesota, and the state as a whole. Check out your county data.

Minnesota Compass lays out the major trends of the state, including civic engagement, early childhood, education, housing, workforce development and more.

Led by Wilder Research, Minnesota Compass is funded by nine foundations: The Blandin Foundation, Bush Foundation, Initiative Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, Northland Foundation, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation and West Central Initiative. Funding for development of the database was provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation.

"A dashboard of indicators that is consistent for all regions of the state is something we’ve wanted for a long time," said Nancy Straw, president of West Central Initiative. "Minnesota Compass brings together the data, the research and ideas at work to help counties and communities make informed, far-reaching decisions for the future prosperity of their residents."

Are you looking for a way to spruce up your community, neighborhood or park? West Central Initiative (WCI) may have a solution, thanks to Valspar’s Minnesota Beautiful program. Through a continued collaborative effort with the Valspar Corporation, paint and coatings will be available in 2010 to communities and public organizations located in the west central Minnesota counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin to complete a rehabilitation or restoration project.

Paint and other products, including stain and sealant, will be awarded for interior or exterior restoration or beautification projects that best meet the eligibility criteria. Selection will be based on the visual impact of the project, public benefit to the community, local volunteer participation and support, intended use of the building and benefit to the needy.

Projects that qualify include, but are not limited to, historic buildings, senior citizen or handicapped facilities, community centers, public buildings and murals. Projects that are ineligible for the Minnesota Beautiful program include denominational churches, schools, city maintenance or privately owned facilities. Projects outside of WCI’s nine-county service area do not qualify.

Applications are due March 5, 2010 and approved projects will be announced on or after March 29, 2010. The application may be downloaded at http://www.wcif.org/?Minnesota_Beautiful.

For more information on the Minnesota Beautiful program, please call Greg Wagner at 1-800-735-2239 or email him at greg@wcif.org.

2801 21st Avenue South, Suite 210, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Phone: 612.278.7180 Fax: 612.278.7181
www.nonprofitsassistancefund.org

Nonprofit staff: No matter your title, you are looking for ways you can make a stronger difference in your organization. 

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofit's Nonprofit Leadership Institute is created specifically for people who are dedicated to the mission and values of the nonprofit sector. The Institute will provide you the space to step back from the day to day to grapple with the leadership challenges that you face in your organization. You will expand your networks with other committed nonprofit leaders from across Minnesota and will build long lasting relationships that will strengthen your network and help you build power in the work that you do.

Free Nonprofit Leadership Institute Information Webinar
Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT
Register online now
Log in and select "RSVP for Free Events, Briefings and Convenings"

Applications for the 2010 Nonprofit Leadership Instituteare due February 12. There are special scholarship opportunities for nonprofit leaders from west central, southwest and northeast Minnesota.  Learn more and download an application at http://www.mncn.org/leadershipinstitute.

For more information, contact:

Bao Vang
Leadership Program Coordinator
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
2314 University Ave W Ste 20
St. Paul, MN 55114
651-757-3087 (direct)
651-642-1517 (fax)
bao@mncn.org
www.mncn.org

• F-E-S spells "success" for area families
• Joining forces to help families with young children with disabilities
• Investments rebound!
• Start the New Year by reviewing your estate plans

See PDF of entire newsletter.

"I've got some good news and some bad news…." We've all heard this hundreds of times, and lately we've had our fair share of the "bad news" part. This last year was particularly difficult as workers lost jobs, local government aid to cities and counties was cut, endowments and profits shrank, and nonprofits were sent scurrying to find funds to make ends meet.

West Central Initiative hasn't been immune to the economic downturn, as you can see from our financial statement in our 2009 annual report. If there's a silver lining, it's that our careful investing has helped us lose less than the national average for foundations.

When West Central Initiative was formed, its board of directors decided to take a long view of helping west central Minnesota out of the farming crisis of the ‘80s. The board decided not to use funds as Band-Aids, but to figure out how to help the region prosper for perpetuity. That meant helping new and struggling businesses grow, creating good-paying jobs and working with area nonprofits to make sure families had the resources to not only survive but thrive. Fast forward 23 years. The current board has made it clear that West Central Initiative is staying the course: Place funds where they do the most good for the long run—like investing in new businesses and workforce development, make sure our young children have a strong safety net in which to grow, and help communities gather the resources they need to become vibrant, healthy places in which to live and work.

Being proactive at a time when all around us the nation is being reactive is not always a popular stance, but it's a sensible one. WCI's work is designed to leverage other resources and to bring about lasting change for the long term health of the region. That is a process you can not start, stop and then start again. It takes focused, consistent, prolonged effort.

West Central Initiative is working to keep its goals clear, its giving steady and its priorities straight. In the long run, that's good news for west central Minnesota.

What is GiveMN?

GiveMN.org is the smart way for you to discover, support and engage with the charities that are right for you. The online giving platform allows you to find and support organizations that match your philanthropic goals and easily keep track of your donations all in a single online location.

• Give local. Find your perfect Minnesotan match, such as West Central Initiative.
• Give fast. Make online donations quickly and easily via credit card to any U.S. nonprofit.
• Give smart. Record all online contributions and store receipts. 

As you consider your charitable end-of-year giving this season, please consider giving on Give to the Max Day (Nov. 17). Max your contribution by making an online donation on Nov. 17. Go to GiveMN.org and click on West Central Initiative or the Minnesota nonprofit of your choice.

West Central Initiative is partnering with the Minnesota Chapter of the American Planning Association (MnAPA) to make west central Minnesota planning commissions an outstanding offer this holiday season: a FREE one-year membership in MnAPA for all members of your city or county planning commission.

Planning commission memberships are usually $150 per commission. MnAPA is offering a reduced rate of $50 for those commissions that sign-up by the end of the year. WCI is working with MnAPA to pay the $50 membership fee for those commissions in our region that are interested in becoming members, resulting in membership at no cost to your city or county.

This is a one-time, limited time offer. With this offer, you can sign-up one (1) commission from your community – whether it’s your planning commission, zoning board, city council or county board. All members of your commission – as well as one city/county staff person – will receive full member benefits in MnAPA, including a copy of the monthly newsletter, access to members-only areas on the MnAPA web site, discounted registration fees at MnAPA events and access to the collective knowledge of hundreds of citizen and professional planners from across Minnesota.

This offer applies only to cities and counties located within WCI’s nine-county service area, consisting of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin Counties.

To take advantage of this free membership, please fill out and submit this MnAPA membership form to MnAPA by December 31, 2009; address information is on the form. You can also email the requested information to mnapa@buffleheadweb.net.

Please contact Wayne Hurley at WCI with any questions, at 800-735-2239 or

It’s almost impossible to overstate the importance of manufacturing to Minnesota’s economic well-being. With nearly one in seven jobs tied to the industry, manufacturing is the backbone of our economy and a source of tremendous stability and prosperity in communities and regions throughout the state.

In 2008, manufacturing produced $33.6 billion in revenue, making up the single largest share (17 percent) of Minnesota’s gross domestic product, and accounting for 16.8 percent of all wages paid statewide. And those employed in manufacturing earn about 15.5 percent more money than the average worker employed in other private-sector occupations.

For additional information, please contact WCMCA at 1-800-492-4805

An extension to the Heartland Trail from Park Rapids to Moorhead could bring $1 million a year in economic impact to communities like Detroit Lakes, Frazee, Audubon, and Lake Park — through good old-fashioned pedal-power.

A similar trail has been worth $1-$5 million annually to a rural town of 1,800 elsewhere in Minnesota, he said.

Come learn more about MCN’s Nonprofit Leadership Institute at informational sessions that will be held around the state and via the Web. At this session, you will learn about the application process, time commitment, and curriculum; and the session will help you decide if this is the program for you. Hear from past and current participants about their experience in the Institute and how it has furthered their leadership journey. All informational sessions and webinars are FREE but you must RSVP.

There are three full scholarships available for nonprofit leaders from west central Minnesota** for tuition and you are also eligible for travel reimbursement. The application deadline for the 2010 Nonprofit Leadership is February 12, 2010. (Nonprofits must be located in: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin)

For more information, please go to MCN’s website at: http://www.mncn.org/NonprofitLeadershipInstitute or please contact Bao Vang, leadership program coordinator at bao@mncn.org or at 651-757-3087

The Early Childhood Advisory Council is pleased to announce its Web-based forum is ready for use.

The Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) was formed in fall of 2008 through Governor Tim Pawlenty's Executive Order. The Council's goal is that by 2020, all Minnesota children are school-ready as they enter kindergarten. The Council will provide recommendations to the Governor and Minnesota Legislature toward this outcome. The Council has 13 state and federal charges that have been grouped into related themes and are being addressed by four committees: Accountability, Access and Finance, Professional Development and Early Learning Standards.

The new interactive Web-based forum/bulletin board provides an opportunity for public comment on strategies suggested by ECAC committees that will support children in their readiness to enter kindergarten. The Council is interested in hearing ideas and strategies that have worked in various communities throughout Minnesota. The public comments and suggestions will be taken into consideration as the committees develop their recommendations to present to the Council.

Please take the time to visit the new Early Childhood Advisory Council forum and add your ideas.

http://education.state.mn.us/MDEPubForum/MDEPubForum/listthreads?forum=1

Read entire article.

What does it take to make Minnesota's 36-county Ag Innovation Triangle a state and national leader in renewable energy? Make sure you have a talented, well-trained workforce today and for the future.

• Ottertail Ag Ethanol/MN State Community & Technical College-Moorhead, and other partners, to provide alternative and renewable energy based, hands on educational programs to students in grades 8-12.
• Residential building contractors/Otter Tail-Wadena Community Action Council (New York Mills), and other partners, to train weatherization auditors/contractors to do solar site analyses/solar air heating installations.

The Baby Boomer generation is starting to retire and recent research shows that nonprofit organizations aren't prepared to offer volunteer opportunities that spark these new retirees' interests and enthusiasm.

That's why West Central Initiative (WCI), Bremer and the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA) have joined forces to offer an intensive, full-day workshop on the skills and techniques to effectively engage Boomers as volunteers. The workshop takes place Tuesday, Sept. 29 from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at West Central Initiative, 1000 Western Ave., Fergus Falls.

"With existing infrastructure and capacity, organizations are simply not geared for properly serving the upcoming wave of Boomer volunteers," indicates Reinventing Aging: Baby Boomers and Civic Engagement, a report from Harvard School of Public Health-MetLife Foundation Initiative on Retirement and Civic Engagement. "The disparity between these dynamic younger older adults and the inadequate landscape of volunteer opportunities will only grow as the Boomers age; without serious action, organizations may not be able to capitalize on the potential of this critical resource."

Participants of the Fergus Falls workshop will leave with an action plan to make their organization "Boomer ready."

"The workshop covers how to tap the driving motivation of Boomers to have impact, how to design volunteer positions that will appeal to their interest in taking charge of projects, how to work within their busy lives and develop new volunteer recruitment methods," said MAVA Project Manager Mary Quirk. "The upcoming Generations X and Y share the Boomers' motivation to have impact Getting ready for the Boomers will also prepare organizations for future generations of volunteers."

Cost for the full day workshop is $52 for MAVA members and $72 for general public. Scholarships are available. Register for the workshop at http://www.mavanetwork.org//boomers.

This interactive skill building workshop is the product of a full year of work by a MAVA Task Force compiling results of recent research and practical tips from Minnesota leaders of volunteers. The MAVA initiative on building capacity of organizations to engage Boomers is funded through support of the Otto Bremer Foundation, Central Minnesota Initiative Foundation, F.R. Bigelow Foundation, St. Paul Foundation and Morgan Family Foundation.

For more information, contact MAVA at 651-255-0469 or office@mavanetwork.org,or visit the Web site at http://www.mavanetwork.org/.

What if it was possible to match up local renewable energy sources with local energy demand and lessen the reliance on non-local, non-renewable energy?

For information about the project, contact Greg Wagner, economic development planner, at 800 735-2239, or greg@wcif.org.

• Develop collaboration instead of consolidation.
• Distance is key. Overcoming distance eats up time and resources.
• Use technology to its best advantage.
• Help the Minnesota Dept. of Education help rural districts.

Glahn has spent much of this year traveling around the state. He has seen more than just rows and rows of crops. He's seen potential.

"I have been seeing an energy that I didn't know was there,” he said. “There's a sense of service for a greater cause. And it's an energy that doesn't exist in urban settings."

I am offering Labor Market Information (LMI) Training for job counselors, career planner, researchers and others in early October for the Northwest Minnesota region. The workshop is free but seats are limited. Please consider this for you, your staff or your partners.

Each person can respond to me directly to register for one of the workshops. We will work in computer labs to directly apply concepts and access DEED data online. Employment, projections, wages and other data sources will be reviewed. The data is great for grant writing, career counseling, human resources and more.

http://www.fed.k12.mn.us/

** 14 seats available **

http://www.minnesota.edu/moorhead/

The West Central Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership (ATP) is seeking applications for the Transportation Enhancement program. About $600,000 in funding is available for Transportation Enhancements (TE) in 2014.

until noon. The workshop will be held at the offices of West Central Initiative, 1000 Western Avenue in Fergus Falls. The workshop will provide an overview of the TE program and the application process, and representatives will be available to answer project eligibility questions.

There are 12 eligible TE activities:

1. Provision of facilities for pedestrians and bicycles

2. Provision of safety and educational activities

3. Acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic sites

4. Scenic or historic highway programs

5. Landscaping and other scenic beautification

6. Historic preservation of a transportation related structure

7. Rehabilitation and operation of historic buildings, structures, or

facilities

8. Establishment of transportation museums

9. Preservation of abandoned railroad corridors

10. Control and removal of outdoor advertising

11. Archaeological planning and research

12. Mitigation of water pollution due to highway runoff

Go online today and vote for your favorite Minnesota Community Pride finalists today (we hope you agree our local finalists rock!).

The nation is aging.

In west central and central Minnesota, the population between 60 and 85-plus years of age will grow by 25 percent—or nearly 12,000 people—in just 10 years, from 2005 to 2015, said Nate Dorr, regional labor market analyst for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

"Even farther down the road, the numbers are more dramatic, showing a 64 percent increase, or just over 30,000 people, from 2005 to 2025," he continued.

From the aches and pains of stiffening joints to serious health complications, nurses need to be trained to handle all the needs of an aging population with skill and compassion.

The need isn’t just critical for these highly trained RNs, it’s urgent.

DEED’s studies also estimate that from 2004 to 2014 more that 3,000 health care jobs could be added in west central and central Minnesota alone, with a large portion of these focusing on care for the elderly.

Today, WCI is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a two-year Partners in Nursing’s Future (PIN) grant of $192,241 to help fund Building Faculty Capacity in Geriatric Nursing for Central Minnesota, a project aimed at helping regional schools of nursing have an intentional focus on geriatric nursing in their curriculum. Its ultimate goal is to increase the number of competent registered nurses providing nursing care to elderly persons in a variety of settings in 15 counties in Minnesota.

WCI, Central Minnesota Academic Health Education Center (AHEC) and the University of Minnesota School of Nursing’s Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (MnHCGNE) worked together to submit the proposal to Partners in Nursing’s Future (PIN), which is a unique national initiative led by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Northwest Health Foundation that works to address the long-term shortage of available nurses across the country.

The PIN initiative directors are hoping that local and regional foundations create a domino effect – where innovative ideas are tested locally and shared nationally with an exponential effect on the workforce shortage.

The primary strategy of the Building Faculty Capacity project is to help regional schools of nursing have an intentional focus on geriatric nursing in their curriculum.

"We’re planning a ‘grow your own’ approach to nursing workforce development by increasing the number of faculty in west central and central Minnesota with expertise in teaching geriatric nursing," said Dr. Christine Mueller, associate professor and chair of the University of Minnesota’s Adult and Gerontological Health Cooperative. Mueller is developing the curriculum for the project.

"A key factor in exciting nursing students about a career working with the elderly is ensuring they have diverse and exemplary geriatric-focused clinical experiences," she said. "Through the grant, we’ll be able to offer workshops to faculty from the schools of nursing in the region, and to representatives from health care organizations, who will help co-create these great clinical experiences for students."

"What’s exciting about this project is that it puts attention on geriatrics, and that’s never been a big focus in nursing programs," said Chere Rikimoto, administrator/CEO of Traverse Care Center in Wheaton, Minn.

"Nurses and nursing programs have often thought the only place you can use your complete skill set is in a hospital. That’s just not the case. RNs in a care center, home health or assisted living setting are doing assessments on a daily basis because there’s no doctor on duty. They are involved in complete care," she said.

Rikimoto pointed out that geriatric nursing skills are needed in nearly every health care setting, from clinics to hospital medical-surgical units.

for any entrepreneur and her straight-forward philosophy for building a multi-million dollar business.

• How to write a business plan
• Loan package checklist
• Revenue and expense worksheet
• Important contacts
• Financing sources

Download the guide today, and feel free to call Dale with any questions at 800-735-2239.

• Communication: Play with spoken and written words

Talk to your child often and show her the many ways she can use language. Engage your child in storytelling experiences. As she listens to the words and participates in telling stories, she will learn the important conversational skills. Sing songs, recite rhymes and do finger plays together to help your child to hear the intonation and rhythm patterns of language. Introduce your child to new and interesting words, to help her build vocabulary.

Show your child how writing can help him to express his ideas. When your child draws pictures, ask him to tell you a story about them and write down his words. This allows him to see the relationship between spoken words and text. Include paper and writing tools among his toys and dramatic play props.

• Socializing: Play to support your child's interactions

Play and interact with your child every day. Parents are a child's first playmate, so it is important to make time together for games and make-believe. When you play with your child, you will see things from her point of view and have the chance to follow her lead. She will also learn from example and have your support as she learns about rules, other people's feelings and solving problems.

Encourage your child to engage is dramatic play experiences. As children interact in an imaginary situation, they talk, assign roles, create and follow rules, use symbolic thinking and learn to cooperate.

• Being Independent: Play to build confidence and self-control

Help your child to develop strategies for controlling his emotions, behaviors and thoughts. Talk about the way people in storybooks and pictures are feeling, and talk about what might cause those feelings. This will teach your child the words for different emotions and help your child to describe his own feelings and those of other people. Being able to calm himself on his own will help your child be more excited about being and playing with others.

Provide opportunities for your child to practice self-help skills. Including clothing in your child's dramatic play props enables her to dress independently and to become more able to manipulate buttons, zippers, buckles and laces. She will feel pride in her ability to do things herself and develop the confidence to try new challenges in kindergarten.

Have you seen NBC's summer replacement series, "The Philanthropist"? The show is an action adventure about a powerful businessman's efforts to put meaning into his life by applying his fortune to the problems of struggling communities in developing countries.

The main character travels around the world as "the world's first vigilante philanthropist," righting wrongs by flexing his real, monetary and power-broking muscles.

While you may not be able to jump on your private jet at a moment's notice, fly off to a third-world country, and, in an hour or less, solve all their problems with your charm, powerful connections and checkbook – you CAN make a significant impact on your community and your region.

The word "philanthropist" is often connected with individuals like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett. The truth is, you don't have to be a billionaire or even a millionaire to help your community and the organizations that have been important to you and your family. It's probably easier to do than you think.

Community foundations are nonprofit, tax-exempt, philanthropic organizations that offer individuals the opportunity to carry out their charitable interests for the benefit of a defined geographic area, like a community, a region or a state. For example, West Central Initiative (WCI) was created to serve the nine west central Minnesota counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin.

Through community foundations like WCI, ordinary people are leaving extraordinary legacies to their communities.

Take for instance the real life story of Floyd and Harriet Miller. Floyd served as a priest at St. James Episcopal Church in Fergus Falls. He and his wife of 46 years were devoted to each other, their church, their member organizations and their friends. Through a bequest from his estate, Floyd created the Floyd and Harriet Miller Endowment Fund, which is managed by WCI. Earnings from this fund benefit Fergus Falls' nonprofit organizations and St. James Church. Because the principal of the fund will remain intact and only the earnings are used to benefit the community, the Millers' generosity will be felt for years to come.

Another example of a local philanthropist is Inga Johnson. She operated a small neighborhood store in Fergus Falls. Through her estate, she created the Inga Johnson Fund through WCI. More than 10 years after her death, earnings from the fund continue to make a substantial impact on the schools, youth organizations and nonprofits in the community.

Could an endowed fund at a community foundation work for you and your charitable interests? Talk to your financial advisor about the possibilities, or contact WCI's experienced donor services staff, Kim Embretson (kim@wcif.org) or Tom McSparron (tom@wcif.org), at 800-735-2239, or visit our Web site at www.wcif.org.

Maybe a bomb-bursting, heart-pounding TV series won't be made about your life, but, with some thoughtful planning, advice from legal and financial professionals and community foundation staff, plus a desire to give back to the region and organizations that have been important to you in your lifetime, you too, can become a philanthropist.

1. To report back from an event or conference.
2. To involve staff and take advantage of their knowledge.
3. To involve volunteers and document their work.
4. To provide resources and information to constituents.
5. To provide resources and information from constituents.
6. To give constituents a place to voice their opinion.
7. To give constituents support.
8. To create the media coverage constituents want.
9. To give constituents the power and tools to create change.
10. To reach potential donors.
    
    
    

• Will/Living trust
• Durable power of attorney
• Health care proxy and living will

See a handy chart about the three essential documents everyone should have, where to keep them and when to update them.

• How to assess your organization
• Techniques for scenario budgeting
• Contigency planning
• Time for Q & A and discussion

Cost is $20 for registrations on or before June 15, and $25 after June 15. A continental breakfast is included. For more information or to register, call the United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties at 320-763-4850, or go online at www.uwdp.org.

The competition, begins June 2 and will lift up and publicly recognize the energy and ingenuity of Minnesota’s communities in both overall community and economic development achievement, and innovations in specific disciplines, such as education, broadband deployment and application, health care, entrepreneurship support, arts and culture, and public finance and more.

The Minnesota Renewable Energy Marketplace – Alliance for Talent Development (MNREM) is requesting proposals that address talent development, entrepreneurship, innovation or business growth in renewable or alternative energy.

Any business or organization based in one of the 36 MNREM counties is eligible to apply for funds. Partnerships and inter-regional collaborations that extend beyond the 36 MNREM counties are also eligible.

Grants will be awarded that develop innovative, collaborative initiatives to cultivate and grow the region’s talent pool, and to build and promote entrepreneurship and innovation to support the renewable energy industry.

The purpose of the funding is to test ideas, start projects or expand current projects that result in significant regional change. Projects should have the potential to expand, be replicated or result in other projects with longer lasting effects.

Three informational meetings on the RFP will be held in our region June 3 and 4. Check out WCI's online calendar to learn more. To view the entire meeting schedule, download a copy of the RFP and supporting documentation or for more information, visit www.mnrem.org.