---

EAST GULL LAKE - Kathy Gaalswyk, Initiative Foundation director, and William Palmer, Cass County Economic Development Corporation board chair, updated Cass County commissioners Tuesday on how their agencies have helped economic development here.

The Initiative Foundation focuses on improving the economy, the community and philanthropy, Gaalswyk said.

The foundation helps businesses find gap financing lenders and grants, helps with technical assistance, helps economic development organization and encourages regional initiatives, she said.

The foundation recently began an initiators fellowship program. Under that, the foundation provides mentors to help young entrepreneurs during a two-year fellowship to launch a business using the young person's good ideas for a new product or service.

A new addition to the foundation's community building program is the emerging leaders program.

Gaalswyk said persons age 18 to 35 may participate. Again, mentors are used in this program to help these young people get involved in their communities.

Some of the community programs the foundation has helped in Cass County include the Leech Lake/Cass Lake Boys and Girls Club, Cass and Crow Wing County Storm Assistance, Cass County EDC, Longville Economic Development, Pillager Family Center Green Space, Pine River Revitalization and VISTA placement in Cass County, she said.

There is an average of $4.59 returned for every $1 invested through the foundation's programs to support philanthropy in the county, according to Gaalswyk.

Since the Initiative Foundation formed in 1986, Gaalswyk said the foundation has processed $2.1 million through 357 grants, $1.8 million in 46 business loans, $13.5 million in private leverage and secured 364 jobs in Cass County, Gaalswyk said.

Cass has contributed $17,500 annually in recent years to support Initiative Foundation programming.

Palmer informed the commissioners the Cass County EDC nine-member board's main focus this fall is to carefully select a new EDC director. In the meantime, the EDC office manager has been doing an excellent job of carrying forward projects already underway, he said.

That nonprofit corporation helps businesses write their plans and secure financing. It also provides market research, workforce data and helps businesses with site selection, he said.

The EDC has participated in over 68 projects representing 724 jobs since 2004. Cass County, city and township support has been essential to the EDC carrying out its services, Palmer said.

Of the businesses EDC helped in the last 11 years, he said 42 percent provided services, 24 percent were manufacturers, 13 percent were retail businesses, 8 percent each were in health care or resorts/hotels and 3 percent were other types of businesses.

Businesses EDC helped this year include Family Dollar, Northern Peace, Ridgeline, Hillcrest Assisted Living, Thrivent, Keep Out Pest Control and Alpha Café.

EDC will focus on increasing collaboration and partnerships with other economic development organizations that support Cass County, Palmer said.

The county contributed $42,500 annually in recent years to EDC.

Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.[[In-content Ad]]

---