Article By: Cris Gastner
In the early Eighties, the Southeastern MN Development Corporation (now CEDA) was formed as a grant writing company assisting small rural communities with applying for and administering Small Cities Development Block grants. Over its existence, CEDA has successfully authored over $42 million in grant funding for its communities.
Over the last several years, the grant writing efforts for the organization have been led by CEDA’s Director of Grants, Michelle Vrieze. With Michelle’s work, CEDA has remained extremely successful with the Small Cities Development Block Grant program. With the large amount of time and work required by this program along with the development of many new programs, CEDA has decided to expand its grant writing department.
In July, CEDA welcomed Megan DeRouchey to the team as the Assistant Director of Grants. Megan joins the team after relocating from South Dakota where she worked for the South Dakota Wheat Growers Association. She has a passion for rural communities and is excited to find new ways to help them thrive.
“We are very excited to get Megan started in this new role, her passion for rural America has her eager to help them in any way she and we can.” says CEDA President Ron Zeigler “We think expanding our grants department will allow us to continue the consistency and success that we have with the Small Cities program and carry it forward into many other new programs as well for our communities.”