| | Quarterly Newsletter | Spring 2025 | | Seeking Agricultural Mental Health Specialist | | |
🚜 Request for Proposals: Mental Health Support for MN Farmers! 🌾💙
We are seeking proposals from qualified providers to offer mental health and outreach support for Minnesota farmers, their families, and agricultural communities. This opportunity includes counseling, farm transition support, mental health education, and collaboration with key agricultural organizations. 🌿👩🌾
Eligible providers must have clinical experience in rural mental health, and a deep understanding of farming stressors. 📢
🔗 Submit your proposal and help strengthen the mental well-being of our agricultural community!
www.regionfive.org/rfp
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Shape the future of Todd County
Exciting news! Todd County is updating its Comprehensive Plan. This plan will set priorities and outline strategies to enhance Todd County. Gathering feedback on your experiences and needs is an essential part of updating policies and recommendations. We want to hear your suggestions for improving services in your community.
Join us at the Community Visioning Session on April 15 at 6:00 PM at the Browerville Community Center!
| | Katie Baier, Community Bridgemakers Program Manager, and Charitie Herbst, Senior Director of Community Solutions at Sourcewell, participated in the Lincoln Institute and Claremont Lincoln University Fellowship Program. This hybrid program was designed for leaders driving transformational change in their communities and included immersive in-person training, online coursework, individual and group coaching, and peer networking. Through this experience, we deepened our skills in public sector leadership and community engagement—tools that directly support our mission to build vibrant, inclusive communities across Region 5. | | | Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grants Available | | |
This funding supports small cities in planning or implementing energy efficiency, renewable energy, or climate resiliency projects. Grants ranging from $2,000 to $20,000 are available with no local match required. Eligible projects include climate planning, energy audits, technical assistance, and energy-related studies for public buildings.
Cities are encouraged to apply by April 15.
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Apr 24: R5DC Commission Meeting | 6 pm at Sourcewell
May 22: R5DC Commission Meeting | 6 pm at Sourcewell
Jun 26: R5DC Commission Meeting | 6 pm at Sourcewell
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Join MN Department of Employment and Economic Development for a 1.5 day conference focused on brownfields and redevelopment
This conference will convene 100+ of Minnesota’s leading professionals from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors engaged in all facets of brownfield and redevelopment including economic development, local and state government, environmental science, finance, law, engineering, development, real estate, planning, and consulting.
Conference Details
• Dates: Thursday, April 24 - Friday, April 25, 2025
• Location: St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud, MN
• Registration Fee: $225 for both days
Select the button below to register, view the agenda, and book your hotel!
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The Sowing Room is excited to share that the second Cultivating Communities Summit is planned for September 21-23, 2025 in downtown Brainerd. This year's event has a variety of ways to participate, including presenters, workshops, community art projects, live music/dance, connection to community resources and MORE!
Registration begins July 1st, 2025.
Watch for details!
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In the meantime, here are some ways to get involved now!
Call For Proposals Link
Have an idea? something you want to present on? or something you wish was being presented on?
Call for Sponsorships Link
Summit sponsors help to make big impacts! over 200 attendees from across the state will be gathering. financial sponsorships and in-kind contributions help to make this the best it can be, though support of presenters, artists and musicians, food and beverage, transportation and scholarships for attendees needing financial support to get here.
Artist Request for Proposals
Creative thinkers, visual artists, musicians, and more help to bring so much life to the summit.
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Cass County
Bob Kangas, County Commissioner
Jerecho Worth, Municipalities
Reno Wells, Town Boards
Crow Wing County
Rosemary Franzen, County Commissioner
VACANT, Municipalities
Doug Kern, Town Boards
Tad Erickson, City of Brainerd
Morrison County
Greg Blaine, County Commissioner
Rollie Johnson, Municipalities
Chuck Parins, Town Boards
Todd County
Barb Becker, County Commissioner
Deb Nelson, Municipalities
Julie Polak, Town Boards
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Wadena County
Ron Noon, County Commissioner
David A. Anderson, Municipalities
VACANT, Town Boards
Public Interest
Hara Charlier, Higher Education
Rian Hofstad, Camp Ripley
Taran Skwira, Emerging Leader
Diane Jacobson, SWCD
Sally Fineday, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Amy Sjoblad, School Board Rep
Andrea Haverinen, School Board Rep
Christine Kirschbaum, Workforce Development
RDC board membership comprises elected officials from townships, cities, counties, school boards, and public interest groups per statute 462.388. Current as of April 1, 2025.
| | | | Read the latest news from our 501(c)3 lending organization, North Central Economic Development Association. | | |
Curious about what we do?
We’re a unique organization—bringing together community development, economic growth, and transportation initiatives all in one place.
Watch this video to learn more about how we make it all happen!
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