On behalf of the Community and Economic Development Associates Board of Directors and Team Members, we would like to thank all those that contributed to and attended CEDA’s annual and regional meetings. The confidence so many organizations have in the work that we do here at CEDA is greatly appreciated and their presence and participation made the events truly special.
This meeting was particularly meaningful as we celebrated a major milestone: 40 years of helping small communities do BIG things! For four decades, CEDA has been dedicated to empowering rural America and helping to strengthen local economies, supporting small businesses, securing needed grant funding, and driving community development initiatives that help rural communities grow and thrive.
Our event at Sugar Lake Lodge in Cohasset, MN was a huge success. Thanks to our donors’ financial support, attendees enjoyed a memorable and productive gathering. During the meeting, we were proud to highlight several key CEDA achievements from this year, including:
- Over $2.4 million awarded in grant funding so far this year
- 26 businesses started or recruited to the area, resulting in 61 jobs created and 34 retained
- 44 new childcare slots created in our communities
We deeply value our partnerships and look forward to continuing our collaboration into 2027 and beyond. Their support made this event possible and directly contributes to our ongoing mission to serve rural communities across our region.
Thank you once again for your commitment to the future of rural America. We look forward to continuing to work together. Here’s to 40 more years of making an impact together!
For years, the small northern Minnesota community of Remer was known as Eagle Country. Ask local residents about their hometown, and the eagle was a point of pride and a familiar part of the community’s identity. 
Through community conversations, however, residents began to see an opportunity. They didn’t have to choose; Remer could celebrate both. That shift in perspective sparked a community-wide effort to embrace the two identities and turn them into an experience that would give visitors another reason to stop, explore, and remember Remer.
The community’s momentum continued through a group participating in Strategic Doing with the Blandin Foundation. The group connected with an artist traveling across the country with a goal of painting 50 murals in 50 states. Following a strong application, Remer was selected as one of the communities to receive a mural.
Taking inspiration from other communities using public art to create unique visitor experiences, CEDA also sought bids from chainsaw carvers for six wood sculptures ranging from two to seven feet tall—three eagles and three Bigfoots. Today, the carvings can be found throughout town, encouraging visitors to explore beyond the highway.
If you have spent any time tracking a disc through the trees lately, you know the sport of disc golf is booming. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of CEDA’s Kurt Meister, local disc golfers in Zumbrota are about to see some great upgrades to their disc golf course. Zumbrota was awarded a $10,000 SMIF grant specifically dedicated to finishing and elevating the local disc golf course. The funds will go towards pouring concrete on the tee-off pads, new basket stickers, and directional navigation arrows to keep rounds fl owing smoothly. To cap it off , a welcome sign that will include a full course map will greet disc golfers arriving at the course, making the park more inviting and accessible to all ages.
The initiative is designed to ensure business owners do not have to leave town to find professional growth opportunities, instead the program meets business owners where they are. The initiative brought together four cornerstone organizations in Mantorville: the Mantorville Economic Development Authority (EDA), the Mantorville Chamber of Commerce, the Mantorville Restoration Association, and the Mantorville Art Guild. With the support of this grant, the initiative will roll out seven to eight hands-on workshops led by qualified business professionals and subject matter experts. Business owners will also have direct access to one-on-one consultations to tackle unique business challenges.
