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Resilient. Rural. Community.

Blandin Foundation is all about Minnesotans imagining, leading, and growing resourceful, inclusive communities.

Foundation News

Blandin Foundation grant helps Greenway community fund top $1 million

A $250,000 investment honors area leaders and expands local giving for generations to come.

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Blandin Foundation Receives Ubuntu Leadership Award

The Minnesota Council on Foundations selected Blandin Foundation as one of three organizational recipients of its 2026 Ubuntu Leadership Award.

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Blandin Foundation Invests $4.5 Million to Help Rural Communities Build the Future They Envision

Grants strengthen housing systems, community leadership, local capacity and welcoming places across rural Minnesota.

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Remembering Gene Radecki

It is with sadness that we share the news of the passing of Gene Radecki, who passed away July 1, 2026.

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Blandin Foundation Invests in Itasca-Area Community Connection Spaces, Workforce and Nonprofit Leadership Supports

$2.64 million in grants support 33 projects across the Itasca area, 20 of those in small communities, highlighting strong community-driven ideas and demand.

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Constructing New Spaces Leads to Improved Community Connection

Blandin Foundation has contributed to the expansion of North House, which has grown into a global resource for community and human connection.

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Lake Country Journal Spotlights Dragonfly Coffee

“Dragonfly Coffee is a truly a breath of fresh air for Central Square Mall and the community of Grand Rapids.”

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Leech Lake Financial Services helps build credit scores and builds houses to buy

Star Tribune’s Evan Ramstad writes about an innovative approach to add much needed housing for members of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and other local residents.

Read at Star Tribune

Keep the History, Boost the Accessibility

View of the front entrance to the library building, with blue sky above

A grant from Blandin Foundation helps make the Two Harbors Public Library available to all.

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Opportunities

We meet communities where they’re at.

Itasca Area

Your partner in building healthy rural communities in the place we call home.

Courage through Change

Where do you imagine your community tomorrow?

Google map of Blandin Foundation grantees, leadership program particpants, and broadband work across Minnesota

Spot Us

Blandin Foundation stands with communities as they design and claim their futures. That’s thousands of partnerships in hundreds of communities over more than 85 years.

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Latest News

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Blandin Foundation grant helps Greenway community fund top $1 million

October 22, 2026

A $250,000 investment honors area leaders and expands local giving for generations to come Key points  Blandin Foundation awarded $250,000 to grow the Greenway Area Community Fund, bringing its permanent endowment above $1 million and increasing its ability to support local projects.  The investment keeps charitable resources and decisions close to home; a separate $50,000…

GroundWork Blog

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More Than a Building: How The YES! House Is Creating Places of Possibility in Rural Minnesota

August 12, 2026

On any given day, the doors of The YES! House in downtown Granite Falls, Minnesota, are open. Someone might be grabbing a cup of coffee before work. A group of artists could be preparing for an evening workshop. Neighbors linger in conversation after a community meeting. Down the hall, volunteers are planning the next event,…

Blandin Foundation is located in the Grand Rapids area to which it has a perpetual and primary responsibility.

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