Community Wealth Building Grants

Increased Affordable Housing Units: Creation, preservation, or rehabilitation of a significant number of affordable housing units for low- and moderate-income residents, particularly in communities facing housing shortages in Itasca County.

Improved Housing Stability for Disadvantaged Populations: Reduction in housing instability and homelessness through initiatives that provide direct support services such as rental assistance, legal aid, and tenant education for marginalized groups (e.g., low-income, Indigenous, and people of color communities). Increases in the number of homeowners from historically underserved populations and from lower-income households as a core household wealth-building strategy.

Green and Sustainable Housing Development: Development of energy-efficient, climate-resilient housing projects that reduce long-term living costs for lower-income families and address environmental justice concerns.

System Capacity Building: Expand local expertise, organizational capacity, and access to capital to accelerate and sustain long-term capacity for strategic development of affordable housing in rural communities.

Local Business Growth and Job Creation: Support for community-based businesses, particularly those owned by people of color, Indigenous individuals, and women, leading to new living-wage job creation and economic opportunities for marginalized groups.

Strengthened Community Land Ownership: Increased access to community land trusts and co-operative business models, giving local communities, especially people of color and Indigenous populations, greater control over their land and economic resources.

Increased Economic Diversification: Enhanced economic resilience through the development of new industries or revitalization of key sectors in rural areas, such as sustainable food systems, clean energy, or creative industries, benefiting rural communities.

Whole-community Development: Support Indigenous approaches to wealth—rooted in relational, cultural, and environmental well-being— that build not only financial capital but also value the health of relationships, the stewardship of natural resources, and the preservation of language, cultural knowledge, and traditions to build community.

Improved Workforce Participation: Increased participation of underrepresented groups (especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), rural women, immigrants, and low-income residents) in the workforce through tailored job training programs, apprenticeships, and support for re-entry populations.

Industry-Specific Workforce Development: Development of workforce pipelines in high-demand sectors like healthcare, housing construction, renewable energy, and technology, with pathways that are specifically inclusive of rural residents with greater barriers to success.

Leadership Development for Underrepresented Groups: Increased representation of BIPOC, women, and rural populations in leadership roles in both the public and private sectors through mentorship programs, leadership training, and capacity-building initiatives.

K-12 and Higher Education Partnerships: Enhanced collaborations between local schools, community colleges, and businesses to create career pathways for youth, particularly in underserved communities, including mentorship programs, internships, and dual-credit opportunities. Emphasis on collaborative regional approaches versus support for individual programs or organizations. Pathways should lead to living-wage work.

Increased Access to Small Business Financing: Strengthening the rural economic development ecosystem to support small businesses and entrepreneurs from marginalized communities in Itasca County and across rural Minnesota, particularly those owned by BIPOC, women, and low-income individuals.

Community Investment Funds: Creation of community investment funds that pool resources from residents and local organizations to fund community development projects and businesses that directly benefit local residents, with a focus on rooting economic activity and wealth building in Minnesota’s rural communities.

Financial Empowerment and Capital Access Education: Increased financial empowerment programs aimed at BIPOC and low-income communities to improve financial management, investment strategies, knowledge of household wealth-building pathways, and access to credit for both businesses and households.

Partnerships for Equitable Economic Investment: Formation of strategic partnerships between local governments, financial institutions, and community organizations to increase investment in rural communities, prioritizing equitable access to capital for underserved populations.

Reduction of Racial and Economic Disparities: Demonstrable reductions in economic disparities across racial, class, and geographic lines, with a focus on lifting up communities of color, Indigenous populations, immigrant communities, and rural low-income residents in Itasca County and across rural Minnesota.

Strengthened Social Cohesion and Community Leadership: Increased capacity of local community leaders, to advocate for and drive economic development and policy change that addresses racial, economic, and geographic disparities and emphasizes community benefit and inclusive prosperity.

Improved Public Health and Economic Well-Being: Measurable improvement in health outcomes (mental, physical, economic) through the combined impact of affordable housing, access to quality jobs, financial stability, and reduced systemic barriers.

Sustainable Rural Development: Enhance rural resilience by integrating climate adaptation, sustainable practices, and long-term economic sustainability into all community wealth-building efforts in rural, underserved areas.

Community-focused Procurement and Purchasing Practices: Grow resilient local and regional rural economies by prioritizing procurement for local businesses and producers, supporting conditions for increased economic activity, living-wage job growth, and inclusive, locally-created wealth.