Archives: RMJ Articles

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By Susan Stehling & Wendy C. Wehr Minnesota Council on Foundations As who lives in our rural communities changes, so too are the way these communities support themselves. As tax dollars shrink, the philanthropy community is finding itself being asked to play a bigger role. Click here to read or download.

By Joyce Hoelting, Peter Caldwell & Mary Ann Hennen Many residents of rural Minnesota are looking around and asking who will fill leadership roles in their communities. University of Minnesota Extension researchers have found that there are many willing folks. They just need to be asked. Click here to read or download.

By Malissa Bahr & Valerie Shangreaux The Blandin Foundation The role of communities leaders and leadership is growing in importance in rural places. The Blandin Foundation’s longstanding leadership program relies on not just building leadership skills but also building the networks and relationships needed as communities face new challenges. Click here to read or download. ...

By Mary Quirk, Katie Bull, Elizabeth Ellis & Heather Thormodson Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration How is the transition from the Greatest Generation to the Baby Boom to Generation X affecting volunteering in Greater Minnesota? Some new research shows us. Click here to read and download.

By Joan Jarvis Ellison A region in transition? The city of Pelican Rapids in west central Minnesota is a microcosm of the changes the state is going through as a whole. One person who watched it all happen tells how the city rose to the challenge and embraced change. Click here to read or download.

By Ben Winchester The reams of data produced by the 2010 Census reveal who is living in rural Minnesota now and the trends that will be continuing into the future. Click here to read and download the article.

By Bob Franklin It seems there’s a larger and larger disconnect between the Twin Cities and rural Minnesota in terms of the economy, politics, and just plain lifestyle. Former Star Tribune writer Bob Franklin points out a few  reasons he’s found over the years why rural Minnesota shouldn’t be discounted. Click here to download.       Click here to download. ...

  Rural Minnesota Journal 2012 Acknowledgements Why Everyone Should Care Robert Franklin It seems there’s a larger and larger disconnect between the Twin Cities and  rural Minnesota in terms the economy, politics, and just plain lifestyle.  Former Star Tribune writer Bob Franklin points out a few reasons he’s found over  the years why rural Minnesota shouldn’t be discounted. Who Lives in Minnesota? The 2010 Census Shows Us How Our State is Changing Benjamin Winchester, University of Minnesota Extension, Center for Community Vitality, Morris The reams of data produced by the 2010 Census reveal just who is living in  rural Minnesota and the trends that will be continuing into the future. Rural Volunteers: A Vital Force on Fertile Ground Mary Quirk, K. Bull, E. Ellis & H. Thormodson, Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration How is the transition from the Greatest Generation to the Baby Boom to Generation X affecting volunteering in  Greater Minnesota? Some new research shows us. Where Will Baby Boomers Live in Their Later Years? LaRhae Knatterud, Minnesota Department of Human Services Aging Baby Boomers may be the greatest demographic shift Minnesota and the United States have ever seen.  They also have tastes in living choices that are quite different from their parents. Will Minnesota communities  be prepared? Rural Community Leadership: Three Cornerstones Malissa J. Bahr & Valerie Shangreaux, Blandin Foundation The role of communities leaders and leadership is growing in importance in rural places. The Blandin Foundation’s  longstanding leadership program relies on not just building leadership skills but also building the networks and  relationships needed as communities face new challenges. The Power of Invitation: The West Central Leadership Academy Joyce Hoelting, Peter Caldwell & Mary Ann Hennen, University of Minnesota Extension Many residents of rural Minnesota are looking around and asking who will fill leadership roles in their communities.  University of Minnesota Extension researchers have found that there are many willing folks. They just need to be asked. Minnesota Philanthropy: Improving Quality of Life for All State Residents Susan Stehling & Wendy C. Wehr, Minnesota Council on Foundations As who lives in our rural communities changes, so too are the way these communities support themselves. As tax dollars shrink,  the philanthropy community is finding itself being asked to play a bigger role. Understanding Skills Shortages and Regional Economies Kyle Uphoff, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development How are changing demographics affecting the economic heart of Greater Minnesota, its workforce? The Reshaping of Pelican Rapids: How One Small Town Met the Challenge of Transformation Joan Ellison ...