EXCERPT: “Local governments outside the Twin Cities metro area are hoping the Minnesota Legislature will act this year to increase local government aid and fund major public infrastructure projects. The Minnesota Legislature wrapped up the 2022 last session without passing any significant spending legislation, including the large infrastructure borrowing bill it traditionally advances in even years. ...

New population data confirms the migration pattern we thought was happening   By Kelly Asche, Senior Research Associate January 2023 Every year the Center for Rural Policy and Development publishes the “State of Rural Minnesota,” a report outlining the demographic and economic trends in Minnesota using the most recent data available. Typically, the report only ...

EXCERPT: “Leaders from the University of Minnesota Medical School and CentraCare discussed with the University’s Board of Regents today their intention to strengthen the organizations’ partnership to improve health for Greater Minnesota residents. Jakub Tolar, dean of the Medical School and vice president for clinical affairs, along with Ken Holmen, president and CEO of CentraCare Health, ...

Elected roles in local government have a unique and vital place in our democracy, where neighbors elect neighbors to help their communities thrive. Unfortunately, we’ve all heard stories of increasing polarization and toxic political climate showing up in local settings. What’s it really like to run for office and serve in local elected roles like ...

EXCERPT: “Although the number of hospitals and health care facilities continue to decline in rural America, more rural residents are able to access mental health services and are more open to talking about opioid addiction, a new poll funded by the American Farm Bureau Federation found. Morning Consult did the national poll in October 2022, ...

On this episode, Marnie Werner, VP of Research and Operations, interviews Julie Tesch (CEO and President of CRDP) and Kelly Asche (Senior Research Associate) about their experiences working with and in municipal governments and their attempts to find, apply, and administer grants. What are some of the challenges, and solutions that would help our small ...

By Kelly Asche, Senior Research Associate The Center for Rural Policy and Development is currently working on a research project exploring migration trends of Southwest Minnesota high school graduates. This report will be released in early 2023, but as we explore the data, we would like to showcase a few interesting nuggets. The severity of ...

EXCERPT: “Ashley Hanson wants you to know about an exhibit that celebrates rural Minnesota artists and stories. Hanson, executive director of the nonprofit Department of Public of Transformation in Granite Falls, recommends ‘Field Notes: 7 Truths about the Rural,’ which draws together the work of seven artists of various disciplines. They explore subjects that make ...

On this episode, Julie Tesch interviews Center for Rural Policy and Development Board member Martha Castanon. Martha is an Accredited Representative for the Immigrant Law Center in Moorhead, Minnesota. Julie and her discuss how her parents met in Comstock, Minnesota, the services that the Immigrant Law Center provides to immigrant and refugee populations as well ...

EXCERPT: “Child care center operator Nicole Flick sees no shortage of parents trying to secure spots for their children. ‘The spots are there,’ Flick said. ‘We just can’t fill them because we don’t have enough staff to meet the ratios required by the state.’ The ABC123 Child Enrichment Center in Dilworth, Minn., east of Moorhead, is ...