Northwest Blog

The White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP) was awarded a $20,000 grant by the Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) to study the market and potential building needs for a fish-based fertilizer product. The fertilizer would use fish waste produced at the Red Lake Fisheries facility in Redby. Each year about 200,000 to 300,000 pounds of organic waste is created from the fisheries. Nitrogen and other nutrients from the decaying fish are, in fact, traditional fertilizers used by native peoples. The grant will help determine how this fish waste can be processed, assess the nutrient makeup of the product, what type of facility is needed and what type of market exists for the product. “The hope is to get a plant fertilizer product ready for market in the next year or so,” said Winona LaDuke, project coordinator. “We have been hauling fish waste from Red Lake for our own use as we plant different varieties of heritage corn. With this funding, we can now test this...

The Girl Scouts are partnering with Bemidji State University to hold a 3 day “college sampler” for area girls in grades 4 through 12.   It is open to all girls from northern and central Minnesota. Along with valuable information and exciting activities, it will be a great opportunity for girls to simply get a feel for what it is like to be part of a campus community.   We are including girls at a relatively young age, because we feel it is important for them to be able to imagine themselves at a college or university. The College  Sampler runs July 30th to August 1st at Bemidji State University’s  beautiful campus on the lake. College Challenge: International student cultural exchange, robotics  workshop and service learning project. College Fun: Campfire with s’mores, movie night, recycled art project,  scavenger hunt, get to know college students and go swimming. Adult supervision is provided to girls attending without an adult. ...

The city of Warren is actively seeking change in their community. Members of city council are hoping to update a comprehensive plan which includes zoning ordinances and growth planning. The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) is eager to see the outcome from the grant dollars awarded. “This funding will help Warren develop their top priorities for the future,” said Nate Dorr, program officer for grants. “Warren has wonderful potential now to define its destiny, and build off the great work they are already doing. We are excited to be a part of their future. Projects like this keep our small towns vibrant.” The grant is part of NMF’s Growth Management Program. Community forums will be held to involve residents in the planning process. The hope is to revitalize the downtown area and residential spaces. The city parks will also be included in the planning process. The city of Warren will engage the public for input. The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is a public, charitabl...

Dave West served NMF for 23 years CHANGES IN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT Change is underway at the Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) as Senior Program Officer of Business Finance, Dave West will retire June 30. West began working for NMF, then the Northwest Initiative Fund, in 1990. His experience in banking helped ease the way toward developing a strong business development program. As the senior officer for the Business Finance Program, West had an integral part in building a loan portfolio that began with three loans and today is at $20 million. “We’ve helped people achieve their dream of owning a business,” said West. “My work has been very rewarding – knowing that I was a little piece of the puzzle that helped create nearly 2,500 jobs in northwest Minnesota.” Agricultural related projects were the most fun to work on throughout the years according to West because agricultural processing is a benefit to business and labor. He also enjoyed the nuts and bolts projec...

               The Bemidji Area Parks and Trails Fund, a component fund of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, recently began fundraising for a special project to help develop the Nymore Dog Park. And fundraising efforts are “fetching” the attention of dog lovers everywhere! “Bark for the Park” is an online dog photo contest to raise money for the future dog park located off of Miles Avenue in Bemidji. The two acre fenced in area with a double gated entry will be equipped with water, benches and pet waste bag dispensers. There are two weeks left to vote for your favorite pooch and you can download your dog’s picture at www.360photocontest.com/184 . Be sure to tell your family and friends to vote on your dog’s picture. The top 13 dogs will be featured in a 2014 dog calendar. The calendars can be pre-ordered at the annual 5K-9 walk/run on August 24. Calendars will also be sold at area businesses this fall. Donate...

The Fourth of July fireworks in Park Rapids have become an essential attraction for the holiday celebration. The fireworks are not free nor are tax dollars used to buy them—private donations alone fund the show. The Park Rapids Rotary is asking the public to help support their efforts this year and donate! Online donations can be made quickly and securely at www.nwmf.org ! Click on the Donate Now button and select the Park Rapids Fireworks Fund from the alphabetical list, or go to the Special Projects area on the home page. You can make an online gift in any amount you choose, or set up a pledge to pay automatically--you control the start and end dates. Credit cards or e-checks are accepted. Or you may mail a check payable to NMF- Fireworks Fund, address: Northwest Minnesota Foundation, 201 3rd St NW, Bemidji, MN 56601.  Contact Lisa Peterson with questions lisap@nwmf.org.

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) and its Business Development Program continue to create jobs and business opportunities in the Northwest region with the recent approval of a loan to the Marvelous Fish House and Market owned by Marvin D. Hanson. The Marvelous Fish House and Market will become the first casual-dining fish restaurant in Bemidji. Its “Menu with a Splash” will specialize in the sale of walleye and the "Red Lake walleye sandwich." This will be no ordinary casual dining facility and market, as all products, including native fish and wild rice will come from the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. “The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is very excited to be one of the first lenders on this deal,” said program officer for business development, Diane Morey. “We welcome having an American Indian business loan in the entrepreneur development program because it helps us to better represent the business population in our region.” The Marvelous Fish Market will feat...