September 2018
MedTech Connect Launch Party at Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery
Join us for hors d'ouevres and drinks at the beautiful Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery to celebrate the completion of MedTech Connect and learn about recommendations to accelerate the robust medical manufacturing community in South Central Minnesota.

Guest presenters, including senior leadership from Boston Scientific, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation President & CEO and six-term U.S. Congressman Tim Penny, and City of Waseca Mayor Roy Srp, will share their perspectives on how to make the region more competitive.

After presentations, a Q&A session with exerts and report authors will begin with a social hour to follow.
Keeping Madelia Strong
Madelia’s story is one of resiliency. Through support from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, U.S. Economic Development Administration, and the Blandin Foundation, Madelia now has a Comprehensive Plan , Economic Resiliency Plan , and marketing communications plan which includes a new logo, website , and tourism video to highlight the community’s vibrancy. The community is now heading towards a future that will keep “Madelia Strong” for generations to come.
A Discussion with Statewide Equity Leaders
Region Nine was honored to be invited to serve on a panel to share highlights of its Rural Equity Learning Community project for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation Board of Directors. We are grateful to our project partners, Greater Mankato Diversity Council and University of Minnesota Center for Community Vitality for their partnership in leading this effort in rural communities in our region. A special thanks to Julio Zelaya from St. James Uniting Cultures for joining us in an amazing day of sharing and learning and to the BCBS Foundation for supporting our efforts to build welcoming and inclusive communities in south central Minnesota!
PFA Approves $28.45 Million for Greater Minnesota Projects
The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority approved $28.45 million in grants and loans for water and sanitary sewer projects in four cities in Greater Minnesota including Canby, Cloquet, Waseca and Waubun.

“Communities across Minnesota face serious water-quality challenges,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “This funding supports improvements that will give residents of Canby, Cloquet, Waseca, Waubun and neighboring Greater Minnesota communities access to the safe drinking water they deserve.”
MN Towards Zero Deaths Conference
This year's Minnesota Towards Zero Deaths conference will be held at the Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato, MN from October 23-24, 2018.

This conference provides a forum for sharing information on best practices in engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency medical/health services and for identifying new approaches to reducing the number of traffic fatalities and life-changing injuries on Minnesota roads.
Highlights include:
  • Plenary sessions: "How Leadership and Teamwork Can Drive Us to Zero: Insights from a Decorated Navy SEAL" and "Autism: Effective Emergency Response"
  • The following optional pre-conference trainings offered on Monday, October 22: Child Passenger Safety Tech Renewal Testing and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing(SFST)/DWI Update Training. Separate registration is required. Visit the conference web page for details.
  • Agency Leadership Comments and Awards Ceremony from noon to 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 23.
Capturing Savings from Public Building Energy Efficiency: Benchmarking through Financing –
Getting your Project Done
Clean Energy Resource Teams will be hosting a workshop highlighting ways city and county governments and school districts can make their buildings more energy efficient. This workshop will be held on November 1st at Minnesota State University, Mankato and provide free hands-on assistance to attendees.

This session is designed to get you up-to-speed on how to plan and implement an energy saving project. Included are the tools of: benchmarking, energy assessments, and financing resources.  Minnesota State Mankato University will share strategies they are using to cut their carbon footprint and become more sustainable, including building upgrades done through the Minnesota Guaranteed Energy Savings Plan program. The last half-hour of the session will provide you with one-on-one assistance from state and regional experts, along with refreshments, and a tour of some of the University’s energy efficiency and composting work.
$$ Grant Opportunities $$
Action Learning Seed Fund

Are you passionate about creating a healthy food system for everyone? Have you struggled in the past to access resources to support your work? Are you looking for funding that provides the flexibility needed to create real community change? Do you want to deepen connections across difference (race, geography, sector, etc)? Are you excited to share your knowledge and ideas with new people who also care about creating a healthier food system? If so, read on!


Deadline: November 1, 2018
Minnesota Department of Agriculture Offers Demonstration Grants

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) seeks applications for Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) Sustainable Agriculture and Demonstration Grants . The program funds projects that test ideas to make farming more profitable and resource efficient. A total of $250,000 is available for grants of up to $50,000 for two- to three-year research or demonstration projects on Minnesota farms. Results of funded projects are published in MDA’s Greenbook .

Deadline: December 12, 2018
Calendar of Events
October 1: Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting
October 3: Legislative and Communications Committee Meeting, featuring Marnie Werner presenting her research, "It's an Addiction Crisis" and Thad Skunkwiler on prevention strategies and action-oriented-next-steps.
October 10: Full Commission Meeting