Supporting Non-Profits: Got Any Good Ideas?

Times are tough. And according to Non-profit leaders, times are really tough for them. Non-profit executive directors are in a never ending quest for funding and are finding local government partnerships to be changing or ending all together.

In addition to contracting with non-profits for services, Beltrami County has a grant program funded by timber sales and distributed through a competitive application process. The County Board makes the final decisions. Unfortunately, the City of Bemidji doesn't have a pot of discretionary dollars to grant out to worthy causes. But that doesn't stop organizations from asking for donations in a variety of forms. In addition to donations for operations or matching funds, there are requests to forgive building fees, special assessments, and miscellaneous other permits and fees.

The City Council has currently imposed a moratorium on donations, but everyone knows that non-profits are essential to making our community livable. So how can the City support non-profits without handing out cash?

I was looking for an answer to that question when I attended the Non-profit Survival Summit recently (3/20) in Bemidji. The participants discussed the survival of non-profits in times of declining resources and increasing need. We identified challenges and opportunities facing organizations and the potential for working together to strengthen one another.

Consultant Jeanne Edevold Larson leads the planning session.

I didn't find any answers at the summit, but I hope to continue the conversation as the group continues to meet.

By the Numbers
67 - Number of non-profit organizations that gathered for the Non-profit Survival Summit in Bemidji
100s - Number of organizations listed on the Community Resource Connections that utilize volunteers
$12 billion - Value of wages paid to employees in the non-profit sector in MN according to this report (PDF)
$19.51 - Estimated dollar value of volunteer time in 2007 according to the Independent Sector
4 - Number of houses that Northwoods Habitat for Humanity built in 2008

Maybe it's time for a study of the non-profit sector in Bemidji to identify the economic impact that non-profits have. I believe we might be surprised at the number of employees working for non-profits and the value of the grants and contracts generated by non-profits for Bemidji. A study could be the basis for creating a policy to guide the City when requests for support are received. What do you think? Can the City of Bemidji find ways to support non-profits in our community that don't involve cash?

(City of Bemidji) Can’t You Do Anything Right?

No one likes to be told that they are doing a bad job. And we know that praise works better than put downs as a motivator. Unfortunately, negative remarks seem to tumble out easily, while the positive get stuck. And once the negativity begins, it’s easy to “pile on” with a laundry list of every complaint we have.

A perennial target of complaints is government and locally, the City of Bemidji seems to attract more than its share of impassioned condemnation from critics and gloomy prognosticators in the letters to the editor and in local coffee shops. The Pioneer has discontinued their online comments, but the newly minted Bemidji eDemocracy site provides an online platform for sounding off. Here’s a sampling of recent comments about the City with clarification on some points.

Snow removal: “Why doesn’t the City clear the sidewalks?” There have been a lot of complaints about snow on sidewalks this winter, including a misconception that the City used to clear ALL the sidewalks in town. There was a time when we cleared some of the sidewalks on major routes, but we discontinued that many years ago because of the cost. There is also a misconception that the City brooms all the sidewalks downtown. That is also incorrect. We clear the sidewalks in front of City properties, e.g. the Library, City Hall. Several businesses downtown hire a company to have their sidewalks cleared after every snowfall. My observation is that after many large snow events this year, the street department did a GREAT job of clearing the snow away with a very small crew.

Street Lights: “Why should I pay for streetlights? I don’t even WANT a streetlight on my block.” The reality is that the majority of citizens of Bemidji want streetlights in our community because it makes the community safer. A streetlight fee has been suggested as one solution to the challenge of losing Local Government Aid without raising taxes. According to the City Finance Director, without the fee, revenues will come from a tax increase of 5.2% or from layoffs in our largest departments—fire and police. The reason a fee was recommended rather than a tax increase, is that all properties would be assessed, including tax exempt properties (university, schools, county, churches, etc.). The second reading of the streetlight fee ordinance (and public hearing) was held on March 16. The Council will hold the third reading and vote on the measure at the April 6 City Council meeting.

Event Center: “Why is the City building an event center?” Minds are pretty much made up on this one. People either love this project or hate it, so I don’t think I’ll take space here to explain it. Suffice it to say that site work will start this week and construction will continue through 2010. Many local people will be employed on the construction of this project.

South Shore: “What will happen to the wetlands? Has the City even looked at the environmental impact?” The Joint Planning Board ordered an Alternative Urban Areawide Review of the entire south shore area (about 140 acres) in 2008. An AUAR is a comprehensive environmental review comparable to an Environmental Impact Statement. The difference is that it covers more than just a single development project like the event center and instead proposes three levels of development for the entire site. The AUAR process (including the public comment period and hearings) was completed last fall and the final document has been accepted by all required regulatory agencies. A copy of the final AUAR can be viewed at the Joint Planning office at City Hall.

Recycling: “Why doesn’t the City have a recycling program?” Recycling is a county function. They do not provide curbside recycling, but through their contract with Waste Management (formerly Magnuson Trucking and Leasing), they provide recycling drop-off at several locations in Bemidji and at the transfer station.

Joint Planning: “Why does the City want to annex more area?” The City did not act alone to create the Joint Planning agreement. It was negotiated among three units of government: City, Northern Township and Bemidji Township. The agreement identifies three annexation tiers that the City may annex in 2010, 2015, and 2020. The City may choose to annex some areas and not others or none at all. The distribution of tax revenues from areas that are annexed is prorated and the City would not receive 100% of the taxes generated in newly annexed areas for six years. However 100% of the cost of public safety and public works, e.g. street maintenance, would be assumed by the City immediately upon annexation.

Parks: “Why is the City investing all that money in parks? They’ll never be able to take care of them.” We will collect $9.8 million from sales tax to upgrade our city parkland and trails. We currently oversee more than 200 acres of parkland and several miles of trails. The community will ultimately decide how we should maintain our parks by their support (or the lack of support) for funding the parks and trails budget.

Lily Tomlin liked to quip, “Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain.”

Maybe she was right. It’s really easy to complain. If you’re not careful, you end up complaining your whole life. Concentrating on the good things makes you feel better. Maybe it’s time to talk about what Bemidji does right.

Weekly Bits from the City Newsletter

DEED Grant Application
The City submitted an application to DEED for the Redevelopment Grant program at the end of January and they are currently being reviewed. the City provided additional information on our project this week. The City’s application seeks funding for streets and utilities to serve the commercial development portion of the South Shore redevelopment area. We have requested $936,500 in our application. The State expects to announce awards for this grant round in mid-March.

Economic Development Administration (EDA) Grant Application
The HRDC completed an application to the Economic Development Assistance Program on behalf of the City for Bemidji South Shore Infrastructure. Our consultant WSN was instrumental in providing project information for the application, as well as the City Engineer, Manager. We scrambled to complete information for the application March 6 in order to assure preliminary review and comment by March 16. If we receive a favorable review, HRDC will submit a full application. We have requested $1 million in our application.

Improving Our Residential Areas
Several City departments: Community Development, Building, Engineering, Legal and Police; and the Joint Planning staff met last week to discuss the perceived decline in the quality and appearance of some residential areas in our community. Everyone shared their answer to the questions, “What do we see in our community that is contributing to neighborhood decline or improvement?” and “What regulatory authority do we have to address decline and how can we reward improvement?” We plan to identify current problems, inventory existing ordinances and brainstorm strategies to improve the quality of our neighborhoods.

Parking in front yards.

RDG Plan Downtown Plan
Four DDA members and I have been “combing through” the final draft of the Central City Plan for errors and omissions. We expect to complete the review in the next two weeks and provide feedback to RDG before final printing and distribution of the document. From the document:

Minnesota Avenue looking north.

Minnesota Ave with bike lanes striped on each side and curb extensions for easier pedestrian crossing.

Carnegie Reuse Study
The Reuse Committee has received the final draft copy of the Carnegie Library Reuse Study following changes requested by the Minnesota Historical Society (MNS). The committee will make comments before the final document is printed and submitted to the City and MHS. Committee comments are due to our consultant, WSN, by March 19.

Rako Street Update
Demolition and cleanup of the City-owned former MN DOT yard on Rako Street that was started last fall will continue this spring. The fence is under contract to be removed and will be completed as soon as the ground thaws. One building that is to be demolished remains and the contractor has until June 1st to remove it. The City will reclaim the bituminous on the site and stockpile it for future use. Any miscellaneous structures left on the site will be removed by City staff this summer, with completion expected by July 1st.

The City has indicated they will sell the site to the Headwaters Housing Development Corporation for a low to moderate single family housing development. HHDC has received a letter from Minnesota Housing indicating that their request for acquisition funding has been awarded. They have not yet received any loan documents for execution by their board, but they do expect to receive that soon and will likely be prepared to discuss the purchase of the Rako Street property in the next 2 to 3 months. They anticipate development to begin next year if the project proceeds.

Heritage Preservation Commission
The HPC met on Monday, March 9 for their regular meeting. The Commission is exploring ways to be more effective and discussed the potential of working with the Joint Planning Board.

Census 2010
Kay Murphy, Brett Case and I met Wednesday (March 11) with Cynthia Madigan, US Census Bureau Partnership Specialist for our region. She shared information about the upcoming Census, the importance of having a complete count and how the City can assist in promoting awareness of the Census count. Funding for City projects can be dependent on our population, so having a complete count is essential. Another important reason for having a comprehensive count is to maintain Minnesota’s eight Congressional Districts. Locally, the Census Bureau will be hiring about 50 people for a Bemidji Census office.

Active Living
The Active Living steering committee met to review the draft Community Inventory and Assessment completed by HRDC staff members Matthew Dyrdahl and Millisa Smith. The assessment is part of an overall planning project that will lead to strategies for improving the active living opportunities in our community.

Calling all Non-Profits
A Non-Profit Survival Summit workshop is scheduled for Friday, March 20, 8:30-4:00 at the First Lutheran Church. The day-long workshop will investigate opportunities for partnerships among local non-profits. More information is available from United Way, 218-444-8929.



There are a lot of things happening in Bemidji.

Long Distance Relationship

Out of sight, out of mind might not be how you would characterize your long distance relationship, but when talking about our Legislators, it could be an appropriate adage. But staying in touch with what is happening at the State Capitol is actually pretty easy.


Sometimes they even come to us. Members of the House and Senate finance committees were in Bemidji recently to take comment from the public on how to fix the hole in the budget.

I have to admit to being kind of a political junkie who likes to keep up with what's happening in St. Paul, so I have a bunch of ways to stay connected.

Lakeland PTV Channel 9 has several shows that feature regular updates.

Wednesday after the news (10:30), Mary Lahammer presents "At the Capitol." Her website also has additional nightly updates.

Thursday at 8:00 is "Your Legislators" with host Supreme Court Justice G. Barry Anderson. He takes caller's questions from all over the state and poses them to four legislators--two Representatives, and two Senators representing both sides of the aisle.

On Friday it's "Almanac" at 7:00pm, of course.

Finally, on Sunday at 10:00am is "Capitol Report" a weekly public affairs program produced by Senate Media Service. (Competing in the same time slot is "At Issue" on KSTP (ABC).)

I also get a lot of information from newspapers and radio--KAXE and MPR, but the web tops my list of sources for information.


One of the best sources of information is the legislative websites of the Senate and House. You can track bills or follow your favorite legislator by viewing the bills they have authored. The Legislative Television feed gives you live access to committee hearings and floor sessions.

Senator Mary Olson and Senator Tom Bakk

Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Rep. John Persell

If you want a regular update of what's happening at the Capitol, you can sign up for daily and weekly newsletters delivered to your in box or view them online.

Of course there are a lot of blogs that keep track of what happens at the Capitol too. Most of them are partisan, but there are a few that purport to be independent, like Minnesota Independent: News.Politics.Media.

Our Legislators might be out of sight, but with today's communication tools, they don't have to be out of mind. How do you stay connected to what is happening in St. Paul?

Standing on the Corner, Watching All the Girls Go By

There are a lot of odd characters hanging out on Bemidji’s downtown corners. They arrive in June and stay for about a year, braving the elements and posing for tourists. The most famous is Patton on the corner of Third and Minnesota, but he is not necessarily the most popular sculpture.



The Sculpture Walk is just one way that the downtown arts scene brings people into downtown and gives them a reason to get out of their cars. Murals downtown and all the businesses that display local artwork make downtown special and add economic benefit too.

Last year I was researching information for a grant application and came across Making the Case for Culture. This site provides a wealth of information about the positive contributions of a vibrant cultural sector in a community. One section, Culture as an Economic Engine, outlines nine ways that culture-based businesses and organizations provide economic benefit to a community. Their research confirms what we already knew: a vibrant arts and culture sector are an essential part of a successful community.


In Minnesota, the arts generate more than $1 billion in economic activity per year. We support arts and culture through the State Arts Board. This state agency was created by the state legislature to advance the interests of the fine arts. They provide funding for several arts initiatives like artists in residence at schools and grants to local artists. The Board functions in part through Regional Arts Councils, including the local Region II Arts Council and oversees the percent for art program that secures artwork for publicly funded buildings. (The Bemidji Regional Event Center will have a percent for art component.)

Locally, the County provides support to the Beltrami County Historical Society, which is located in the Beltrami County History Center. Recently their support has been reduced, perhaps in part because of the County’s support of the Blackduck History and Arts Center.


The City of Bemidji provides public space for the Sculpture Walk and the Veteran’s Memorial sculptures. The City also owns the Depot, home of the History Museum and the City owns the Carnegie Library building, which houses the Bemidji Community Arts Center. Both buildings have historic or cultural importance; the History Center is the last depot built by railroad tycoon, James J. Hill and the Carnegie Library is on the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings are provided rent-free with the tenants responsible for utilities and maintenance.

Unfortunately, the pinch of our economic downturn will hit arts organizations hard. Even with free rent, the high cost of utilities makes it difficult for the BCAC and the Historical Society to make ends meet. And the State Arts Board may not survive our current (and future) budget deficit. The Governor’s proposed budget slices them by 50% in 2009 and ultimately would have them transition from a public entity to a private non-profit by 2011. Funding from the Legacy Amendment will help, but it isn’t clear how it will be distributed.

One thing is sure; public and private support make strong and successful art and culture organizations possible. Supporting arts and culture is everyone’s job. So if you haven’t joined the Historical Society or visited the History Center or the Arts Center recently, this would be a good week to do it. The Arts Center gallery and gift Shop 426 are open Tuesday through Friday 12-5pm and Saturday 12-4pm. The History Museum is open M-Saturday 10-4. And of course, the Sculpture Walk is available 24 hours a day. Get out and support our local art and culture.

There's No Free Lunch

There might not be free lunch, but there are a lot of free lunchtime seminars--if you can find them. One of the benefits of living in a regional center for education, health care, recreation, and government is that we have a lot of subject matter experts (SMEs). If you pay attention, you can find a SME giving a free lecture or seminar every week. Here are some noontime events that are coming up in Bemidji.

3/4/09 Young Professionals Network at the Hampton, info here.
3/4/09 Master Gardener on Landscaping at the Library
3/11/09 Information on Local Labor Outlook
Every Tuesday at 12:00 Bemidji Area Toastmasters meets. Their meetings offer short speeches about a surprising assortment of topics.

The 10 am time slot is also popular. The Academy of Life Long Learning has a series of lectures every Tuesday for about 8 weeks spring and fall. Next week's offering: Cultural Differences Between France and USA

There are many free learning opportunities that help make Bemidji a quality community. The trick is to find out about them. We don't have a community calendar that lists them all, but a couple try. I usually look at the Chamber calendar, which allows people to "opt in" and post their event or The Pioneer community calendar, but it only shows two to three days at a time, when I want to see the entire month.

The Northern Community Internet, Bemidji page has a calendar that could be the central clearing house for local events. As with the Chamber and Pioneer calendars, users post their own events or provide a link to an existing calendar. If your organization or business has a calendar, how about sharing it? You will be helping your group and your community.

Gurneys, Johnnys, Jungs

"Gardening, forever. Housework, whenever." That's the motto that hung in my Mom's house. She was a dedicated gardener whose artistic side made her gardens unique. The deluge of seed catalogs (Gurneys, Johnnys, Jungs) in my mailbox and this story and video about a front yard garden in last week's Star Tribune make me want to get out the graph paper and start laying out a new garden, just like Mom did every winter.

Bemidji has a lot of gardeners and the Front Yard Garden of the Week program sponsored by the Master Gardeners helps showcase their dedication and hard work. Each week all summer long, the Master Gardeners choose a yard to honor with a sign and a story in the local paper.



The Front Yard Garden program is a just one way that volunteers help beautify our community. The Master Gardeners are also one of the sponsors of Bemidji in Bloom, our version of America in Bloom for improving communities by improving civic pride and community involvement. They also sponsor a summer garden tour every other year. Its an opportunity to visit 8-10 outstanding gardens and visit with the homeowner/gardeners. The tour never disappoints and I always pick up a lot of great gardening tips. I took a lot of pictures during the 2008 tour.









The parks department takes care of the trees, parks and public spaces in Bemidji. They also get help from Park Partners. Park Partners is a program that encourages groups and individuals to adopt a park. The Bemidji Garden Club has adopted the garden outside of the Library (thank goodness!). They have spent countless hours weeding and thinning the daylilies that grace the building's foundation.

The Downtown Development Authority takes on the job of cleaning, planting, and maintaining the planters downtown. To jump-start the project, the DDA sponsors a spring cleanup event for all the business owners and their staffs. This year's cleanup night is scheduled on May 5th.





Bemidji State University does a fantastic job of creating colorful flower gardens. They are also a Park Partner for Ralph Gracie Memorial Park across from Deputy Hall.





The City appreciates the many individuals and organizations that help to make Bemidji colorful every season, but especially in the summer. If you know of any organizations that help beautify our community, please post them in the comments.

I hope you enjoyed these scenes of summer. Anxious to get going on your garden too? Get a a gardening fix at the upcoming one-day gardening workshop sponsored by the Beltrami County Master Gardeners. "Green Looks Good on You" will be March 28, 8:30-3:30. Brochure and registration online --limited to the first 175 people. Happy gardening.

What a Babe

In case you missed it, "Saving Babe" a documentary chronicling the history and renovation of the iconic Blue Ox on Bemidji's waterfront, will be rebroadcast on Lakeland Public Television on 3/8 at 11:30 pm, 3/10 at 8:30 pm, and 3/14 at 2:30 pm.