Kelly Wilkens

by Kelly Wilkens

Minnesota Housing’s Board of Directors approved an award of $2,686,500 in Publicly Owned Housing Program (POHP) funding to the Jackson Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). This funding will be used to replace windows, siding, and roofs on 24 housing units across 21 buildings in Jackson, Minnesota.

The Jackson HRA had previously applied for POHP funding and was unsuccessful. For their second attempt, the HRA looked to CEDA’s Grants Department to help. “CEDA made it so easy for me. I felt very supported and in the loop the whole time. It was incredible working with them,” said Linda Loewen, Executive Director of the Jackson HRA.

The homes receiving the improvements were built in the early 1970s and many of them still have all of the original windows, roofs, and siding. Now over 50 years old, these elements are in dire need of replacement. Not only will the improvements make these homes safer, they will improve the energy efficiency of each home, lowering utility costs.

“To be able to do what needs to be done for sustainability and low-income housing, the longevity will be there,” Loewen shared. “To be able to add that for our community, for 24 families to feel safe and secure in their homes, I am beyond ecstatic.”

Work is expected to start in the spring as soon as the weather allows and be completed in fall 2026.

“We enjoy working on these types of grants,” said Allison Wagner, CEDA’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. “Housing is a big need everywhere, especially in rural communities. Being able to get funding for projects like this, to sustain the housing already in a community, is amazing. It will have a lasting impact for Jackson.”

If your community would like to learn more about how the CEDA Grants Department can assist projects in your community, contact Hillary Tweed at hillary.tweed@cedausa.com

by CEDA staff

Now that the excitement of our Annual Meeting and Team Training events has settled, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude to the sponsors who made it all possible. Their support was instrumental in bringing our event to life and creating a memorable experience for everyone involved. Without their generosity, this event simply would not have reached the level of success it did. Special thanks to our event’s Catalyst Sponsor, Minnesota Energy Resources!

Beyond the event itself, these sponsorships represent a shared commitment to advancing rural communities. We’d like to thank them for their generosity, enthusiasm, and trust. We are truly grateful to have such amazing support for the work that we do!

Compeer Financial
AcenTek
Minnesota Energy Resources
Great River Energy
Mississippi Welder’s Supply Company
504 Corporation
ITC Midwest
Bolton & Menk
TLS Companies
Think Bank
Dairyland Power Cooperative
People’s Energy Cooperative
Studio EA

By CEDA staff

Throughout the past few years, CEDA team member Courtney Bergey Swanson has been working with the owners of the Spring Grove Cinema on a transition plan. Running a one-screen movie theater in a small town is tough–so the community had to get creative with new uses for the space in order to attract a buyer. The Spring Grove Cinema was accepted into the inaugural Activate Rural cohort through the Department of Public Transformation, and received $25,000 in grant funding to support new programming, including live music, gaming on the big screen, and the creation of a new student union on the second floor of the building, in partnership with the local school. CEDA assembled a local stakeholder committee to implement these new ideas while they searched for a solution to keep the movie theater open long term.

Throughout the Activate Rural cohort period, one of the stakeholders became so passionate about the Cinema that he decided to take an entrepreneurial leap and purchase the building. Courtney and the Spring Grove EDA supported the new owner in writing a business plan that incorporated learnings from the experimental programming, and ultimately issued a $25,000 loan to support the purchase of the theater from its former owner. The marquee still glows on Main Street!

 

To learn more or catch a show, visit www.sgmovietheater.com/.

To learn more about the Activate Rural program, visit www.publictransformation.org/activate-rural.

By James Hanke and Chris Hardie

The only thing predictable about change is that we can predict it will happen. We can either fight it and be frustrated, or embrace it and be motivated. It’s the latter in play that led to a new partnership between 7 Rivers Alliance and CEDA that has the potential for enormous and beneficial change for western Wisconsin, northeast Iowa, and southeast Minnesota.

Chris Hardie, the CEO of the 7 Rivers Alliance since September 2017, has joined the ranks of CEDA. He will continue in his existing role, but will have access to the resources and tools of CEDA. “We are extremely excited to have Chris join the CEDA team and to provide the 7 Rivers

Alliance enhanced services above and beyond the great work Chris has done for the organization for the last eight years,” said James Hanke, CEDA’s COO. “7 Rivers is an important part of the economic development ecosystem in the Coulee Region, and CEDA is absolutely thrilled to provide a win-win-win proposition for the 7 Rivers Alliance, CEDA and for Chris as well,” Hanke continued.

The 7 Rivers Alliance was formed in the early 2000s by a group of regional business and government leaders in the Tri-State area who believed that collaborative economic development was critical to the region’s future. The premise and mission of the Alliance is providing leadership and solutions to economic development and community development challenges. The Alliance will remain an independent entity, with its own board of directors, strategic plan and budget.

Hardie was the director of the Black River Area Chamber of Commerce from 2015-2017 and prior to that worked for more than three decades in regional newspapers, including serving as executive editor of the River Valley Newspaper Group. He also is a freelance columnist and recently published the book “Back Home: Country Tales Through the Seasons.” He and his wife Sherry own and operate Brambleberry Winery in West Salem, WI.

Hardie said he looks forward to becoming part of a professional organization that he has worked with and been familiar with for many years. “I have worked with CEDA staff members in Houston and Fillmore counties over the past few years and am excited about the opportunity to tap into the professional expertise of CEDA to better serve the 7 Rivers Alliance area,” Hardie said.

Having lived in Western Wisconsin for more than 55 years, Hardie said he has seen the difference in communities who are focused on being proactive with their community and economic development aspirations. “While I bring a nontraditional background into the world of economic development, I enjoy bringing people together with the goal of making their communities stronger and better places to live and work,” he said. “CEDA has done that for years and together we can make a difference.”

Hardie said the 7 Rivers Alliance has recently hosted a series of business roundtables in the region and key challenges that emerged include access to housing, a quality workforce and childcare. “I know that I can bring expertise from CEDA to help with these challenges,” he said.

Please help CEDA welcome both the 7 Rivers Regional Alliance and Chirs Hardie to the CEDA team! Chris can be reached at Chris@7riversalliance.org

by Kelly Wilkens

CHATFIELD, MN – Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) is pleased to announce the continuation of the Rural Capacity Program (RCP). A $627,000 grant for the program was included in the Minnesota Omnibus Bill signed into law by Governor Walz last weekend. The RCP, which was piloted by CEDA and funded by the Legislature in 2023, provides free technical assistance and economic development project grants to rural MN communities with a population under 3,000. Interested communities are encouraged to apply when applications are made available in fall 2025.

CEDA developed the Rural Capacity Program to provide economic development programs and financial resources to the smallest Minnesota cities. Up to 20 communities will be selected to participate in the program’s second round, each receiving up to 135 hours of technical services and project seed funding of up to $13,500.

“We are thrilled that the MN Legislature sees the value of the Rural Capacity Program and has committed to supporting another round,” said Ron Zeigler, CEDA President and CEO. “The initial impact of this program speaks for itself, and we appreciate the support of the bill’s sponsors, Senator Carla Nelson and Representative Kristi Pursell.”

The Rural Capacity Program is designed to support participating communities in implementing programs that may otherwise be challenging due to limited resources. The technical service component will equip communities with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the intricacies of community development projects, such as establishing revolving loan funds, commercial exterior improvement grant/loan programs, childcare incentives, and business retention and expansion efforts.

“Without CEDA and the Rural Capacity Program, we would not have a housing study, which has greatly contributed to the interest in new construction in Parkers Prairie,” said Beth Wussow, Parkers Prairie City Administrator. “The proposed housing developments, if they come to fruition, would have the impact of increasing the housing units in Parkers Prairie by 15 to 20 percent.”