CEDA

Celebrate 40 Years of Impact

Time is running out to register for the CEDA Annual Meeting.
This year mark’s a major milestone – 40 years of helping small communities do BIG things – and we want you there to celebrate with us!

Event Details:

Whether you have partnered with CEDA for decades or recently connected with our team, this event is a unique opportunity to learn about community growth, network with economic development and regional leaders, and look ahead to the future of economic development in our region.

Expect a great program, great conversation, and a memorable day at the beautiful Sugar Lake Lodge.

Don’t Wait – Register Today!
Space is limited.

Register Here

Thank you for being an essential part of CEDA’s 40-year story.
We look forward to celebrating with you in Cohasset!

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Collaboration between several entities helped the Greenway Joint Recreation Association (GJRA) complete a major entrance doors upgrade at Hodgins-Berardo Recreation Center in Coleraine, located in Itasca County. Built in 1962, the recreation center is a historic community asset serving residents and visitors from across the region. Installed in the 1980s, the entrance doors had become difficult to use, poorly insulated, and inaccessible to some users.

GJRA Facilities Director Ken Gernander led the project. CEDA Region 5 team member Lisa Randall supported his efforts by assisting with grant applications, budget coordination and grant reports for the $46,145 project. The improvements were fully grant funded with support from the Blandin Foundation, the Business Energy Retrofit program funded by Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation (IRRR) and administered by Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, and an IRRR Culture & Tourism Grant.

The new ADA-accessible entrance provides safer, more independent access for people using mobility devices, older adults, and families with young children. Improved insulation and sealing will also reduce heat loss, energy use, and maintenance costs during northern Minnesota winters. While Hodgins-Berardo Recreation Center is well known for hockey and figure skating.

GJRA’s impact extends far beyond ice sports. The association coordinates youth recreation throughout ISD 316, supporting football, baseball, and fast-pitch softball at nearby Jen Guyer Fields, along with camps, practices, tournaments, and other community activities. The facility also includes a community fitness center and rentable meeting space, making it a year-round resource for residents. GJRA works closely with and supports organizations including the Emerald Ice Skating Club, Greenway Amateur Hockey Association, Mount Itasca, Sertich Hockey Camps, and Camp Hiawatha. These partnerships provide recreational and developmental opportunities for young people throughout the Greenway area. As one of Minnesota’s few remaining recreation taxing districts, GJRA serves 11 government entities throughout the Greenway School District.

The completed entrance reflects GJRA’s leadership, Ken Gernander’s work, CEDA’s grant assistance, and the commitment of regional funding partners to preserving an important community facility.

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In 1986 Minnesotans communicated via landlines and fax machines, the internet was years away, and Top Gun was the most popular movie in theaters. In the age of shoulder pads and leg warmers, CEDA was founded as a small grant-writing organization dedicated to helping rural communities access funding opportunities.

Forty years later, while much has changed, that mission remains the same.

To date, CEDA has helped communities across the Midwest secure more than $100 million in funding to support infrastructure, housing, economic development, recreation, public safety, and countless other community projects.

As CEDA celebrates its 40th anniversary, we’re returning to our roots with a Grant Retainer Program. A flexible service giving communities access to CEDA’s grant writing expertise without the cost of an additional full-time staff member.

The goal isn’t simply to write more grants—it’s to ensure the community is ready when the right funding opportunity becomes available.

The City of Cannon Falls is one of the newest communities to add this service, and has worked with the grants department using a flexible hourly mode. Rather than pursuing grants only when the opportunity arises, the Grant Retainer Program allows the City and the CEDA team a proactive approach to funding. Together, we develop a grant work plan that identifies priority projects, maps out anticipated funding opportunities, and helps budgets for the costs associated with pursuing those grants.

When a funding opportunity opens, especially one with a short application window, the groundwork has already been laid. This significantly reduces the time needed to develop and approve a grant proposal, allowing the community to respond quickly with a more competitive application. In just a short time, the City of Cannon Falls has been able to apply for new equipment for the fire department and EMS services, housing projects, and downtown revitalization projects while prioritizing key projects for the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.

Communities that partner with CEDA gain more than a grant writer, they gain the support of a team backed by the collective experience of more than 55 community and economic development professionals serving rural communities across Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. From identifying funding opportunities to writing competitive applications and administering awarded grants, CEDA provides the expertise and capacity needed to help communities move projects forward.

Interested in learning more? Contact grants@cedausa.com to discuss your community’s priorities and reserve time on our 2027 calendar.

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