West Central Initiative Awards $700,000 in Grants to 46 Regional Organizations

FERGUS FALLS, MINN— West Central Initiative awarded $700,000 in grants to 46 organizations working across west central Minnesota to address sustainability, equity, rural social isolation, and rural democracy.

“The quality and breadth of the important work being done by these grant recipients in our region is inspiring,” said Director of Development Rebecca Lynn Petersen. “This year, we’ve more than doubled the number of grant dollars distributed during our spring grant round, with the goal of significantly enhancing the positive impact for all who call west central Minnesota home. By partnering through funding, we aim to further the missions of these vital organizations and drive meaningful change in our communities.”

West Central Initiative Grant Recipients

• A Place to Belong for mental health support in rural Minnesota.
• Alexandria Technical & Community College Foundation for the Pathway to Policing Project to increase the number of historically underrepresented licensed police officers.
• Art of the Lakes Association for Cabin Fever Reliever events designed to engage area residents and strengthen community bonds to combat mid-winter social isolation.
• Bagosendaan to promote learning and emotional growth for at-risk youth using talking circles, counselors, guest speakers, and horseback riding.
• Bam’idizowigamig Creator’s Place for Living the Dream: Bam’idizowigamig Creator’s Place, Pine Point, which provides employment and on-the-job training for Native American adults
• . Baraza La Afrika for the Congolese Community Garden Moorhead to bring Congolese families together to grow food from their homeland.
• City of Browns Valley for outdoor library furniture to allow patrons to access the internet after library hours.
• Conexiones to strengthen efforts in connecting and empowering the immigrant community.
• Cultural Diversity Resources for the Financial Empowerment program that provides financial education to New Americans and the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) population to achieve financial literacy.
• Detroit Lakes Community and Cultural Center for the Engage Older Adults Outdoor Recreation Program that provides social, fitness, recreation, cultural, and community-building activities for older adults.
• Douglas County Car Care Program, Inc. to provide access to reliable transportation or vehicle repair services for low-income individuals and families.
• Ecumen Bethel Manor and Winona Shores to create outdoor connection spaces in Alexandria through Lakeshore Restoration and Nature Trail Development.
• Ethnic Self-Help Alliance for Refugee Assistance to eliminate barriers and enhance equitable outcomes for New Americans.
• Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church for The Bridge Center to provide spaces for community building and entrepreneurship for young, old, newly arrived, and lifelong residents of Pelican Rapids.
• Fergus Falls Public Library for Neighbors Together: Connecting Families with Community Resources & Each Other to help create community connections, foster community engagement, and reduce feelings of isolation for new parents.
• First Congregational United Church of Christ Moorhead for Urban Multicultural Food & Ecology Changemakers to build the capacity of underserved Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) urban gardeners, farmers, and youth to access land, equipment, and side-by-side technical assistance needed to feed their families, gain marketable skills, and build culturally valued food enterprises.
• Frazee Community Development Corporation for improving the well-being of Indigenous people in the Wannigan Regional Park and the surrounding community.
• Grant County for Changemakers in the Community to host monthly activities to strengthen community bonds and combat social isolation while promoting mental-health initiatives in rural communities with a focus on sustainability, equity, and democracy.
• Harvest Hope Farm for Farm Camp on Wheels to teach elementary age children in Moorhead about sustainable food resources and environmental stewardship while connecting with nature.
• Hope Blooms for Flower Empower to enhance well-being and social connectedness by bringing people together through wellness workshops.
• Inclusive Moorhead to empower culturally diverse community members by offering them a voice in leadership and fostering stronger connections and a sense of belonging in their neighborhoods.
• Kondial Kel International for empowering women toward actions of mental-health advocacy. Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership, Inc. for the Youth Advisory Board to provide ideas, feedback, and solutions to prevent and end homelessness.
• Lakes Area Yes Network for the Lakes Area Yes Network Summer Programming to meet the needs of the children and youth on the White Earth Reservation and in under-resourced neighborhoods in rural northwestern Minnesota.
• League of Women Voters, Detroit Lakes for Celebrating Women Through the Ages: Shattering the Glass Ceiling in the Lakes Area to educate the public regarding the history of women’s rights over the century and lift up women leaders in the area who have been instrumental in achieving and extending the progress of these rights.
• Matthew House for Building a Community of Support to help provide residents with the support they need to help fulfill their goals of long-term sobriety, self-sufficiency, and happiness. Minnesota Flyers Gymnastics Inc. for FlyTime to provide free fitness sessions for local schools and groups with special needs individuals.
• Net Zero Nations for Sustainable Community on White Earth Reservation to dismantle structural poverty for Native Americans by weaving together cultural values, eco-friendly home ownership, community solar gardens, and local food production to create sustainable communities.
• New York Mills Community Senior Center to provide a space for elderly people to engage in activities and for resources for the homebound senior community.
• Organization 4 Full Participation for the Welcoming Communities Action Project to explore, discover, and understand how the presence or lack of safety in all its forms contributes to a sense of belonging for people with marginalized identities living in rural communities.
• Pelican Rapids High School to provide toiletries, clothing, school supplies, food, and other basic needs for students.
• Perham Health – Elevate for Elevate Connections to improve the long-term wellness of older adults by addressing their social determinants of health.
• PRAIRIE/New Roots Farm Incubator for building capacity for small farm incubation.
• Project Optimist to host four events to create an open dialogue about isolation, connection, and belonging in college.
• P’s & Q’s Etiquette for the BeRare BeYou social media channel to help young girls in our communities and around the world navigate their preteen and teen years and usher them into high school successfully.
• Renewing the Countryside for connecting communities with farmers and the local food shed.
• Resilient Indigenous Sisters Engaging Coalition for Growing Community: Cultivating Ojibwe Sovereignty to empower the next seven generations through Ojibwe food sovereignty and self-sustainable survival practices that honor the land and ancestors.
• Raising Up Stevens County Kinship Mentoring for the Morris Community Garden to create a vibrant and inclusive community garden suitable for all ages and abilities within Stevens County.
• Someplace Safe to conduct an assessment and create a strategic plan to identify areas of strength, weakness, and opportunity around cultural diversity, inclusiveness, and equity.
• South Sudanese Foundation for building a resilient New American community in Clay County by offering programming to close the equity gap experienced by New Americans and increase social connections within and among the New American community.
• Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota for the West Central Region 2024 Seed Schools to train participants to find, test, source, grow, harvest, clean, store, and market seeds.
• Toxic Taters Coalition for private well-owner water testing for nitrates in northern Minnesota.
• Vets R Us, Inc. for the Vietnam Veterans Getaway to promote healing, self-care, and supportive and healthy relationships for Vietnam Veterans.
• Welcome House (Barbara’s House) to provide a recovery home for women who desire freedom from substance use regardless of the ability to pay. West Central Minnesota Communities Action to provide a safe, secure, and neutral environment for children to visit with their parent(s) when a court order is in place or Child Protection Services are involved.
• Women Initiative Network of Liberia in Cass and Clay Counties to promote mental well-being, reduce stigma, and improve support systems for individuals struggling with mental health.

“This was a historic year for West Central Initiative,” said Grants Officer Amanda Quam. “We received more grant applicants than ever before. The passion, creativity, and determination these organizations have to meet community needs and create opportunities in our region is remarkable.”

These grants were made possible through the West Central Initiative endowment. If you’d like to make an impact and help regional and local initiatives, consider donating to the Start a Ripple Campaign at wcif.org/donate. Your generosity can help make ripples of good in the communities you love.

About West Central Initiative

West Central Initiative (WCI) is a regional community foundation and an economic development organization serving the nine west central Minnesota counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, and Wilkin and a portion of White Earth Nation. Through philanthropy and planning, WCI fuels insight and action for the benefit of our region and our world. Since 1986, WCI has provided more than $59 million in loans and approximately $78 million in grants to businesses and organizations. Learn more at wcif.org.