Swift County RDA News

Swift County’s Kennedy Research July Launch MN Recipient

Friday, September 11, 2020

Swift County’s Kennedy Research was awarded a Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Launch Minnesota Innovation Grant in July. Kennedy Research LLC, a rural Minnesota ag startup, is working to develop a low cost and carbon free generator of liquid nitrogen, a crop fertilizer for farmers. The grant will provide the company with the $35,000 needed to continue the research and development of this vital and efficient liquid nitrogen fertilizer generator. The tech startup was formed by Pete Kennedy and is located in Murdock, MN. Kennedy hopes to license and commercialize catalytic Non-Thermal Plasma (cNTP), a patented University of Minnesot...

RDA Executive Director Steps Down

Friday, August 28, 2020

The Executive Director of the Swift County RDA has stepped down. Jennifer Frost, who has led the community and economic development agency for the past 13 years, said she is leaving to take an opportunity with Minnesota’s Office of Broadband within the Department of Employment and Economic Development. Prior to working with the RDA, Frost indicated she worked in the telecom industry in an August 21st letter to County Administrator Kelsey Baker, and the RDA Board of Directors. “I’m excited to revisit my past telecom experience, combine it with my development work, and explore this new path in my career journey.” The resignatio...

In Focus: Sale-Leasebacks Help Companies Leverage Capital

Thursday, August 06, 2020

As the U.S. economy begins to dig itself out of a deep hole caused by the COVID-19 crisis, many businesses now face the stark reality of a substantially reduced pool of working capital along with credit lines that will likely not thaw out anytime soon. Yet despite those challenges, retailers, logistics firms, and other industrial real estate users are now finding new opportunities in the sale-leaseback arena that are enabling companies to quickly unlock capital and increase cash flow. Read full article.

Proactive Management of Incentives Deals

Thursday, August 06, 2020

If you or your clients have incentives contracts, now is the time to examine your incentive agreements to understand the potential risks if your company is unable to perform key obligations. The first step in any crisis is to determine exactly what the problem is. Review your incentive agreements to confirm with specificity your obligations. Second, closely review the language of your agreements to determine if any of your obligations can be delayed due to a “force majeure” provision, a “market conditions” provision, or a similar provision. Third, as soon as the crisis begins to abate, and perhaps sooner in certai...

A Heightened Focus on Reshoring

Tuesday, August 04, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the risks inherent in the global supply chain, particularly the worldwide reliance on China for medical supplies. The supply chain turbulence experienced during the pandemic undoubtedly will impact future business decisions, extending beyond medicine to other industries, including electronics, aerospace, automobiles, defense, consumer products, and technology. Incentivizing Reshoring Manufacturing companies accelerated moving production to low-cost manufacturing countries (known as offshoring) in the early 1990s. In the rush to globalize, key manufacturing sectors were abandoned in the United States. But now that the vulnerabilities of doing so have been exposed, there is talk of “de-globalization,” or reshoring. Read full article.

Hyperscale or Hyper Scale-Back?

Tuesday, August 04, 2020

What’s still moving forward and what’s not in the pandemic era? You’d think data center growth would be stronger than ever, if only to support the stay-at-home shopping and Zoom calls alone. Facebook in late June committed to invest $800 million in a new data center campus in DeKalb, Illinois. The 907,000-sq.-ft. (84,260-sq.-m.) facility, Facebook’s 12th U.S. data center, will be supported by 100% renewable energy, and will support 100 operations jobs and 1,200 construction jobs at peak construction. Read full article.

Swift County Creates Business Relief Grant Program

Sunday, August 02, 2020

Swift County Commissioners allocate $250,000 for creation of Business & Non-profit Relief Grant Program. The grants will be administered through the Swift County Rural Development Authority (RDA) who currently administers the application process for the county’s Business Revolving Loan Fund (Swift County RLF). Executive Director, Jennifer Frost is developing an application process and will work with RDA Board members: commissioner appointed community members from across the county; to provide a recommendation for awards to the commissioners. The maximum grant awards will be capped at $5,000 per business/non-profit. “In order to serve as many applicants as possible we decided we should cap th...

Coursera as a Training Resource for Employers

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has announced a new partnership with Coursera, to provide Minnesotans FREE career-based, online learning resources. Coursera offers 3,800 courses and training modules from over 200 top businesses and universities, including more than 60 courses from the University of Minnesota. These learning opportunities are aimed at both preparing people for in-demand jobs and upskilling employees at businesses. Read full article

Consider This Before Hiring a Business Coach

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Congratulations on your decision to go into business for yourself! Now that you've taken the risk, there are a few things you want to pay attention to. For many entrepreneurs, the concept of being your own boss is simple, but how to do that not so much. It's natural to want to seek help and for some entrepreneur that comes in the form of a business coach. The internet has no shortage of misconceptions about what makes up running a successful business. The dreams of ‘set it and forget it’ seem to ignore some brick and mortar world's tried-and-true business practices. Before yo...

How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur During the Pandemic

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Other than operating a business directly in a warzone, these are some of the most challenging times to be an entrepreneur. The pandemic has brought a range of obstacles to the frontline of the entrepreneurial spirit and is pushing all of the boundaries of business owners. Coronavirus (Covid-19), protests, destructive riots causing damage to stores, floods, and many other events that have occurred in a short block of time sending shockwaves globally. Read full article.

Meet America's Best Employers For Women 2020

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Companies have made considerable progress in their quest for gender parity over the years, enacting strong hiring and retention practices that directly benefit female employees and offering family-friendly policies that place women at the center of these efforts. Despite this forward momentum, advancing gender equity isn’t hardwired into every company. In fact, some businesses have far surpassed their competitors in creating an inclusive workplace for women. Read full article.

Ready for an Uplevel? Here Are 4 Steps You Should Take to Finish the Year Strong

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

It has not been an easy year, and yet the very best entrepreneurs continue to rise to the challenge in their businesses and personal lives. As important as New Years Resolutions are, setting new goals year-round is how the growth really happens. Now that the year is just over halfway through, it’s a reflection point; where did you want to end up this year? And all things considered (since we've all faced the most unseen of circumstances), how are you measuring up to that initial resolution? For many of us, these resolutions may have entirely pivoted. Priorities have shifted. Businesses have gone under, and others have been created...

Rethinking Business And Revenue During The Pandemic

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

The year 2020 has undoubtedly been one of the most difficult in recent memory. As the world navigates the coronavirus pandemic, businesses are struggling to find their way in an uncertain environment. In fact, a June survey of 330 U.S. finance leaders by PwC found that many senior managers feel challenged by the need to creatively manage their businesses during the pandemic. The survey discovered that about half (47%) of finance leaders expect their company’s revenues to decline more than 10% in 2020. We can even see this in large, seemingly recession-proof companies. According to CNBC, Google will see a drop of more tha...

DEED Announces Names of Businesses That Received Small Business Emergency Loans

Friday, July 24, 2020

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced that 1,020 small businesses throughout Minnesota received a Small Business Emergency Loan, which is different than the more recently announced Small Business Relief Grants. More than $27 million in loans were made from $30 million in special revenue funds allocated to the emergency loan program. The remaining $2.8 million was distributed to lenders to assist with loan administration and technical assistance expenses. DEED worked with lenders throughout Minnesota to implement the emergency loan program, which opened for applications in late March. Loans were issued to qualified businesses beginnin...

Study: Your dollar goes further in rural Minnesota, if you can find a place to live

Friday, July 24, 2020

Nowhere in Minnesota can a person afford the cost of living on the state minimum wage of $9.86 an hour. In fact, most regions require well over $15 an hour to afford to live. However, rural Minnesotans can often afford a similar or higher quality of life than their metro area counterparts, despite overall lower wages, according to a new study from the Center for Rural Policy and Development. Read full article.

Jobs in Demand: Retail Salespersons

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

As the largest and most common job in the state, Retail Salespeople are seemingly always in demand. Nearly 85,000 people are employed as Retail Salespeople, working on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic to help customers find and purchase the products they need. Though many retail workers were laid off temporarily in March and April, many have come back to work as retailers have re-opened. There are many job duties, skills and knowledge that make a good Retail Salesperson, including preparing merchandise for purchase or rental, maintaining knowledge of products and sales, and operating cash registers to complete financial transactions. Retail sales is incredibl...

What we’re hearing about the Workforce Optimization Cycle

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

We are getting great feedback on the Workforce Optimization Cycle (WOC) resources Workforce Strategy Consultants developed to help Minnesota businesses plan for and meet their workforce needs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The six stages in the cycle help employers walk through assessing their business, projecting labor demand, identifying workforce gaps, developing workforce strategies, communicating about and implementing strategies and monitoring, evaluating and adapting strategies to meet changing needs. Read full article.

10 Ways To Change Your Traditional Office As You Head Back To Work

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Many states are beginning to reopen after an intensive COVID-19 lockdown, which means people are heading back to traditional offices (if they’re not in one of the “rollback states” reverting to previous conditions). However, just because reopening is taking place doesn’t mean the pandemic is over. Many of your employees and clients will have concerns about coronavirus transmission; they may have anxieties about their health and safety. If you want to make people feel healthier, safer, and more secure, it’s your responsibility to open your office with new rules and restrictions in place. Read full article.

Jobs in Demand: Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, including Fast Food

Monday, July 20, 2020

Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers were among the first workers affected by the emergence of COVID-19 and subsequent executive orders that closed the businesses that employ these workers. As many restaurants and bars have re-opened, these workers are in high demand on the front lines doing specific tasks such as taking customer orders, relaying that to the cooks, and cleaning and organizing eating, service and kitchen areas. Read full article.

Same Game, New Strategy: Selling The Twins To A New Generation

Sunday, July 19, 2020

For Major League Baseball teams like the Twins with modest local television contracts, season-ticket sales remain a significant and vital source of revenue. The Twins had projected a season-ticket base of about 13,000 for 2020, up roughly 1,000 from 2019 but still far short of the club record of 25,000 in 2011, the second year at Target Field. In the halcyon days before Covid-19, the Twins were nonetheless dealing with a fundamental shift in their business model that will be no less real post-pandemic; season-ticket sales may be the canary in the coal mine. Games take longer. Attention spans are shorter...

Jobs in Demand: First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

Friday, July 17, 2020

With the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, most food and drinking establishments – more specifically restaurants and bars – had to close their dining rooms due to restrictions imposed by statewide executive orders. However, many of these establishments were able to continue with take-out and/or curbside pick-up, maintaining the need for food service workers, and people to supervise them. The state of Minnesota is home to approximately 17,270 people working as First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers. Read full article.

More Than 27,400 Businesses Applied for Small Business Relief Grant Program

Friday, July 17, 2020

St. Paul, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced that it has completed the lottery drawing for the winners of the Small Business Relief Grant Program. The program will award $10,000 grants to small businesses that have suffered financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and was passed with bipartisan support in the Minnesota Legislature during the 2020 1st Special Session and signed into law by Governor Tim Walz. Read full article.

Will COVID-19 Kill Globalization? What You Need to Know

Friday, July 17, 2020

Recent trade battles with China, Mexico, Canada, and Europe have reduced trade flows. Now, with the outbreak of COVID-19 severely impacting international commerce, many argue that globalization will soon be dead. Globalization is not dying. Rather, it’s evolving, and existing trends are accelerating. American companies and workers would be wise to prepare for what’s ahead. Read full article.

Car Makers Turn on a Dime to Manufacture Healthcare Solutions

Thursday, July 16, 2020

When the going gets tough, North American automotive companies don’t roll as many new vehicles off the line. They do, however, roll up their sleeves. Here we look at just a few of the pivots companies have made to address urgent COVID-19 needs and impacts. Their model behavior and speed demonstrate why North American manufacturing ingenuity continues to attract substantial investments for new vehicle models to come. Read full article.

Connecting Minnesotans who need work with jobs in demand

Thursday, July 16, 2020

The federal $600 a week payment for people receiving unemployment benefits is slated to end at the end of July, unless Congress takes action. While regular unemployment benefits will continue for eligible people, the loss of the emergency benefit will have a significant impact on many Minnesota families. Over the last several months, the additional $600 a week has helped Minnesotans who lost work or had their hours significantly reduced pay for housing, food, and other necessities for their families during these difficult times. When the temporary payment ends, many people will struggle to make ends meet. Read full article.

Frontline Care, Pioneering Innovation

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Rock Health — the first venture fund dedicated to digital health — is a fitting prism for viewing the current and future world of digital health technologies, and how they’re navigating their own paths through the multinational life sciences and medical device ecosystem. As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, they navigated a path to immediate action — and job creation. Read full article.

COVID-19 and Site Selection in the Near and Long Term

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Companies and communities are attempting to navigate through the current crisis, but as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, how will corporate location strategy be affected in the near and long term? Recessionary Forces The level of damage to the economy will depend on the spread of the virus, the healthcare response to the virus, and the effectiveness of the government stimulus and aid programs. This was clearly exemplified in the analysis and research completed by McKinsey & Company in “Safeguarding our lives and our livelihoods: The imperative of our time.” The accompanying graphic contains the group’s projection of the recovery and what w...

Proactive Management of Incentives Deals

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Successfully Returning to the Workplace Post-COVID

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

With the easing of restrictions surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak, organizations are starting to bring employees back into the workplace. A successful re-entry program will ensure the safety of company personnel and the public, obviate charges of discrimination and invasion of privacy, and avoid actions that inadvertently violate federal, state, and local employment laws. Employers should set a positive tone to motivate their personnel in a difficult environment. Read full article.

First Person: Handling Plant Shutdowns and Re-Openings During the Pandemic

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

AD: The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused some manufacturing plants to temporarily suspend — wholly or in part — their operations because of employees suffering illness. What — and who — is involved in coordinating the suspension of operations? Vetter: To my knowledge, I don’t believe that we have seen this type of activity happening within our food and consumer products clients’ operations. In fact, what we are experiencing is a ramp up in production on their existing lines. Lines that had some, or even significant amounts of idle time in their production schedule prior to COVID-19, have now been replaced with increase...

Stick the Landing: How to Help Optimize Workplace Reentry

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

We are at a pivotal point in time, surrounded by growing uncertainty. Yet we know one thing for certain: The way we work will change following this pandemic. That includes everything from the ways we interact with one another, to the tasks we take on, and the physical environment we work in. Organizations carefully planning their safe return to the workplace will find key allies in corporate real estate experts who specialize in office location, planning, layout, and design. The workplace structure will need to be reimagined as employees cautiously return to the office and employers prioritize their safety and well-being...

Jobs in Demand: Nursing Assistants

Monday, July 13, 2020

With demand for long-term care surging amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Nursing Assistants are the most in-demand job in Minnesota right now. Typically working under the direction of nursing staff, Nursing Assistants provide immediate patient care such as feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, and moving patients, as well as basic healthcare procedures such as taking blood pressure and temperature. Nursing Assistants (NAs) are most likely to work in nursing and residential care facilities, assisted living facilities and retirement communities, home health care services, and in smaller numbers, at hospitals. Read full article.

Greater Minnesota solar projects highlight utility plans for speeding up the green economy

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

When Minnesota’s largest utilities released plans for putting people to work during a sagging economy while also speeding up the state’s transition to green energy, solar energy topped two of the companies’ lists. The June proposals by Xcel Energy and Minnesota Power, which include solar projects at four sites in Greater Minnesota, came at the urging of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, which had asked the big utilities it regulates to move up the completion dates of energy projects that were in the works. Read full article.

Swift County may soon have another tool to encourage the expansion of affordable workforce housing options in Swift County.

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Swift County may soon have another tool to encourage the expansion of affordable workforce housing options in Swift County. HRA and RDA Executive Directors are proposing an ordinance to the Swift County Board that will establish a county-wide housing trust fund; a permanent and continuously renewable source of funding to help meet the housing needs of moderate, low income and very low income households. The trust fund is expected to provide loans and grants to individual property owners, homeowners, for-profit and nonprofit housing developers and governmental units. “It’s something we hear all the time – when people are considering a jo...

With small grants, Pink Cloud Foundation helps recipients take the next step in recovery

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

As she got close to completing a 90-day inpatient addiction-treatment program, Brenda Meizo thought she should be feeling jubilant. Sober for the longest stretch in years, she was about to step out into the world, to go back to her real life. But instead of feeling excited, she was scared. Though she’d successfully made it through treatment, Meizo knew she needed more time to make her newfound make sobriety stick. At her treatment center, she’d learned about sober-living programs, temporary housing where people fresh out of addiction treatment could live beside others committed to a sober lifestyle. For many people, ...

DEED grant would put $10K in the pockets of small business

Saturday, June 27, 2020

The application period opened up for $30 million in available grant funding for small businesses in Greater Minnesota. The Minnesota Small Business Relief Grants Program is made available through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and breaks down to a $10,000 grant for those businesses that are chosen through a lottery draw. The grants are another effort to get much needed funds into the hands of struggling small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read full article.

9 Ways to Lead Your Team Into an Unknowable Future

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

The workplace is changed. As parts of the world begin to loosen coronavirus-related restrictions, organizations are emerging from COVID-induced hibernation. These transitions back to work are gradual. Uncertainty will remain for months as threats of renewed waves of coronavirus persist. We are anticipating a new normal — but what we need is a new now. The radical change of these times demands empathic leadership to keep teams engaged, cohesive and forward-focused. Leaders must demonstrate a spirit of purpose and optimism to reinforce the idea that an uncertain future has the potential to be a better future. Here are nine steps for leading your team into an unknowabl...

A Top TED Speaker on the Most Important Leadership Skill Right Now

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Shortly after George Floyd’s death, I contributed an article to Entrepreneur that told the story of what happened when I responded individually to 170 emails from members of my list. I had asked them how I could best show up for them during this tumultuous time. Based on how many of these folks took this opportunity not to ask for certain content, but to simply share their thoughts, I came to understand that what they most wanted was to feel heard. In the article, this led me to emphasize that the most important thing a leader can do right now is show up with curiosity. Read full article.

How Businesses Can Leverage the Power of TikTok

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

If you want your own business to grow and prosper as the world reopens and a new sense of normalcy settles in, getting to know TikTok is a good first step. The video-sharing platform has emerged from relative obscurity to become one of the leading social media companies in the world, and one of the most business friendly for entrepreneurs who know how to make it work. TikTok is particularly custom-made for personal-brand building, and many entrepreneurs are using it in just that way. By way of example, in a scant three and a half months, one top TikTok chef has amassed an army of more tha...

Small Business Relief Grant Program taking applications

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

More help is on the way for businesses that have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the business shutdowns and slowdowns it has caused in the form of $10,000 grants. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced that the Minnesota Small Business Relief Grants Program would begin accepting applications as of Tuesday, June 23. The application process will close at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 2 to fulfill the 10-day period required by the law. Read full article.

6 Phrases You Won’t Hear Successful People Say

Monday, June 22, 2020

Your thoughts and the things you say to yourself and others are more powerful than you know. These phrases define how you think, how you act and how others perceive you. What you might think is a flippant, non-committal remark could frame your entire day and career without you even realizing. Here are six phrases that will undermine your success, that you won’t catch successful people using. Read full article.

Nearly $19 Million Awarded for Development Projects in Small Cities

Monday, June 22, 2020

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) grants totaling nearly $19 million for infrastructure and rehabilitation projects in 32 Minnesota cities. SCDP grants are part of the Community Development Block Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The SCDP grants pay for rehabilitating housing and commercial buildings and updating public infrastructure in small cities and counties. Read full article.

8 Signs You Have Validated Your Startup App Idea

Saturday, June 20, 2020

If you have been gearing up to launch your startup app for quite some time, chances are you have given a lot of thoughts to the viability, validation, and potential of your idea, especially when it means the difference between success and failure. Quantifying and qualifying your validation milestones will help you create a roadmap and benchmark by which you can evaluate your path while reducing your uncertainty, hesitation and doubt. Here are 8 of the most common signs indicating whether you have validated your startup app idea. Read full article.

A Guide To Investor Pitch Decks For Startup Fundraising

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Startups frequently prepare a “pitch deck” to present their company to prospective angel or venture capital investors. The pitch deck typically consists of 15-20 slides in a PowerPoint presentation and is intended to showcase the company’s products, technology, and team to the investors. Raising capital from investors is difficult and time consuming. Therefore, it’s crucial that a startup creates a great investor pitch deck by articulating a compelling and interesting story. Read full article.

DEED announces partnership with Coursera to provide free online learning content to Minnesotans

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

ST. PAUL, Minn . – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced today a new partnership with Coursera, the leading online learning platform that offers courses from 200 top universities and businesses around the world, including more than 60 courses from the University of Minnesota. This partnership is made possible by the Coursera Workforce Recovery Initiative . DEED will work directly with Coursera to create accounts for Minnesotans and provide immediate access to online courses. Learners in Minnesota who choose to sign up for Coursera will need to complete their registration before September 30, 2020. Thanks to additional support from th...

Forbes Under 30 Leaders Find Innovative Solution Addressing Systemic Issue Of Access To Capital For Small Businesses

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a catastrophic toll on America’s small businesses. Those with small cash reserves are owed nearly $1 trillion by suppliers, and according to a recent survey by Goldman Sachs, 85% of small business owners say their personal finances have been hurt due to the crisis, while 64% say their cash reserves will last less than three months. When the government rolled out the first round of Paycheck Protection Program funding on April 3, the $349 billion in emergency relief ran out in less than two weeks, and the program was widely criticized, as much of the money went to the best-connecte...

Launch Minnesota Awards More Than $250,000 to 10 Startups

Friday, June 12, 2020

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced $255,390 in Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants to 10 technology startups. In this fourth round of grant funding, twelve grants were awarded: seven for business operations, three for housing and child care expenses and two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards. Read full article.

Can energy companies help Minnesota’s economy recover from the COVID pandemic?

Monday, June 08, 2020

In early May, Joseph Sullivan, a commissioner on the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, challenged the state’s major energy companies to speed up the completion of projects that could put people to work in a COVID-19-ravaged economy. Sullivan floated the idea in a memo to commissioners ahead of their May 7 meeting, noting that it could have the added benefit of helping the environment by getting green projects like wind and solar farms on the energy grid. Read full article.

A Disciplined Road Map for Industrial Site Selection

Tuesday, June 02, 2020

It’s almost always good news when an industrial manufacturer needs to find a new plant site. It means business is growing, new markets are emerging, and financials are healthy. However, this is the point of time in the business cycle when decisions about next steps need to be made carefully. Unfortunately, this is when many businesses get tripped up. Plant owners and managers may agree on the need for new production lines, more distribution capacity, new automation processes, and more staff. But this is also when additional rigor is most urgently needed to analyze the best-case business scenarios for that nex...

Finding Talent in a Time of Economic Change

Tuesday, June 02, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has caused more economic disruption than the U.S. has seen since the Great Depression. No one can say for sure what the landscape will look like as the economy recovers, but it’s clear that a lot of puzzle pieces won’t snap back into the same places as before. In a post-pandemic reality, business operations may look dramatically different. Many people will be forced to transition from one job or career to another. Put another way, there will be an incredible need for workforce development as millions of idled workers return to the workforce. The country’s many workforce program...

Innovation in America Reaches New Heights

Tuesday, June 02, 2020

The concept of an “innovation center” is certainly not new. However, without much fanfare, over time, some operations have reinvented the traditional center model, changing how and where they operate, leaning upon new partners and resources, and switching out the types of clients or markets served. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, these centers now have additional herculean challenges sprung upon them in a world facing unprecedented levels of economic and social upheaval. How can innovation be supported in this “new normal” era so organizations cannot just survive, but thrive? Read full article.

Preparations for the “New Normal”

Tuesday, June 02, 2020

Until an effective treatment is proven or a vaccination is widely distributed, we’ll continue to have more questions than answers regarding a succinct definition or timing of the “new normal.” However, what we do know now is that the COVID-19 crisis has exposed the over-reliance on just-in-time global supply chains. Moving forward, the more successful companies will modify these chains to increase reliability, utilize localization, and create redundancy. Strategies such as rapid satellite facility deployment and workforce balancing will be key to maintaining competitiveness. Read full article.

Risk Management, Enhanced Communication Needed in Post-Pandemic Environment

Tuesday, June 02, 2020

COVID-19 has significantly altered the landscape for businesses globally that will reverberate well beyond and into the future. Manufacturing and supply chain decisions for corporations have had to make adaptations due to the massive disruption from this pandemic. Understanding and implementing the new norms will be quintessential to success in this environment. Cost-driven decisions have stranded and left companies vulnerable due to a lack of redundancy in manufacturing. Going forward, adapting a strategy that has supply chain alternatives and enhanced protocol for these facilities will be paramount for implementation. Creating a safe environment that allows employees access to counseling, as wel...

The Nature of Incentives Compliance in the Age of the Coronavirus

Tuesday, June 02, 2020

Economic development compliance is historically a long process, one that is typically managed over a multi-year time frame. Companies have negotiated incentives to help offset costs associated with growth and expansion and count on the economic benefits as part of their strategic growth plan — specifically, their plan for building the future of their business and their teams. What no one counted on was a global pandemic bringing life as we know it to a standstill. The dramatic slowdown of the economy has caused business leaders to take a close look at all aspects of their business, which should absolutely includ...

2020 Best to Invest

Friday, May 29, 2020

This annual report is usually a celebratory recognition of some of the world’s best performing economies, especially those most successful at attracting investment and creating jobs. And we’ll still do that. But it’s impossible to highlight last year’s successes as populations and economies in every corner of the world are ravaged by an unprecedented crisis. The world we celebrate on these pages no longer exists, what comes next hotly debated by talking heads on tv screens. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) has declined for the last four years. It’s collapsed this year. It will be years, perhaps decades, before global FD...

Minnesota resorts reinvent hospitality to deal with COVID-19

Thursday, May 28, 2020

NISSWA, MINN. – There will be no throw pillows on the beds at Grand View Lodge resort this summer. No magazines on the coffee tables. No daily visits from housekeeping staff. Before a new guest arrives, a team will sanitize every room with an electrostatic sprayer, lightly dousing toilets, sinks and even upholstered chairs and curtains with a disinfectant. It’s part of Grand View’s new effort to lure and assure travelers that they will be safe staying there amid a global pandemic. Read full article.

Willmar City Council to meet, discuss ways to help businesses with outdoor dining

Thursday, May 28, 2020

(Willmar MN-) Governor Tim Walz will allow outdoor dining at bars and restaurants across the state starting Monday, and the Willmar City Council will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow to help local businesses. The video teleconference meeting begins at noon, and on the agenda is consideration of an emergency ordinance for commercial ue of rights of way and public property. Read full article.

5 Ways HR Leaders Can Engage and Empower Hourly Workers

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

The turnover rate for hourly employees has always been, and continues to be, extremely high. Retail, for example, has a turnover rate of around 60 percent, and other sectors can be even higher than that. This is a real problem for businesses since replacing an employee costs on average $4,969, according to a 2015 survey. For any business, that is a large cost that could be avoided with better management. HR managers can mitigate this level of turnover by engaging with hourly employees, so they feel listened to and respected, and empowering them with specific work benefits that can lower this churn rate. Let’s dive into five ways that HR leader...

9 Strategies To Build An Employee-First Culture

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Organizations should recognize that if you take care of culture, then the customer experience and profits will take care of themselves. Putting your people at the center of your thinking and decision-making will never steer you in the wrong direction. Culture is experienced in every employee’s actions, 365 days of the year. It is not about the organizational perks, being perfect or being tied to a rigid set of rules. Culture is when employees feel empowered to work autonomously and make decisions driven by core values. Read full article.

Improving Productivity for Remote and Distributed Work Forces

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

At a time when more people are working from home but business deliverables and deadlines remain the same, managers are seeking tangible ways to make remote work function just as well as the usual methods for employees they support. Below are four tangible steps that managers can take to combat communication or productivity issues that can occur for teams who aren’t used to working remotely. Read full article.

Memorial Day 2020

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Flags honoring America’s war veterans were spread throughout area cemeteries as people honored loved ones in their own quiet ways. There were no Memorial Day services or parades this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read full article.

Music in the Parks going virtual through June; ‘Glensheen’ postponed

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Friday morning’s announcement that the Minnesota State Fair won’t happen this year – not unexpected, but it still hurt – was followed later that day by another downer. Minneapolis Music in the Parks, our summertime Memorial-Day-through-Labor-Day series of concerts at five city parks, has canceled all live events in May and June. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will decide on June 1 what to do about July, and on July 1 about August and September. Read full article.

A brief history of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

The Mesabi Iron Range wasn’t the first iron range to be mined in Minnesota, but it has arguably been the most prolific. Since the 1890s, the Mesabi has produced iron ore that boosted the national economy, contributed to the Allied victory in World War II, and cultivated a multiethnic regional culture in northeast Minnesota. The Mesabi Iron Range’s history as a mining district begins well before ore was unearthed. More than two billion years ago, an era of mountain building known as the Algoman orogeny occurred. High mountains were built in northern Minnesota and, later, a large shallow sea covered muc...

A brief history of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Amazon Said To Be In Talks To Buy Self-Driving Startup Zoox

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Amazo may be preparing to make a big move into the self-driving vehicle world as the logistics giant is said to be in “advanced” talks to acquire Zoox, a stealthy developer of robotaxi technology, according to the Wall Street Journal. Along with Amazon, other interested parties are considering offers for the Silicon Valley startup, a person familiar with the matter tells Forbes. The purchase terms would value Zoox below its estimated market value of $3.2 billion, a level attained after its last funding round, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter. There’s no final agreement yet, and the timing of when a dea...

What’s Good For The Planet Can Also Be Good For Business

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

By making sustainable packaging for e-commerce and the industrial supply chain, Ranpak is doing well by doing good. Ranpak is a leading global provider of environmentally friendly protective packaging solutions, and its systems play an increasingly important role in an ever more complex and interconnected economy. Ranpak serves a broad array of industries, including e-commerce, food and beverage, healthcare, automotive, machinery and consumer goods. Read full article.

It's Time To Close The Digital Divide

Friday, May 22, 2020

With so many school districts around the country working feverishly to implement distance learning programs, there is no better time to talk about the digital divide and a student’s right to education. While the term "digital divide" can be used to describe many instances in which marginalized kids and those that require assistive technologies do not have access to the technologies that they need to stay competitive with their more affluent peers around the world, what I want to address in this article are the millions of K-12 students across the United States who don’t have internet access at home. Read ful...

Minnesota isn’t going to run out of meat

Friday, May 22, 2020

If you’ve been to a grocery store in recent weeks, you may have noticed the meat section looking a little picked over. Then again, maybe not: while some stores have imposed limits on how much meat customers can buy, or have run out of some products, others haven’t seen much change in supply. There’s no shortage of animals. But as COVID-19 has closed down or slowed down meat processing plants, the meat supply chain has been strained, making it more difficult to get animals processed and get the meat to the right places at the right time. Read full article.

MnDOT looking at ways to help bars and restaurants re-open with outdoor seating

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Governor Tim Walz is getting pushback after announcing that restaurants and bars may re-open June 1st with outdoor seating only. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove says the administration is working to assist businesses that don’t have that option… “City’s obviously run their own zoning restrictions, so it is a municipal issue, but MnDOT is looking into areas the state runs in roads and freeways and byways and parking lots and things and they’ll be releasing some guidance and thoughts about how MnDOT can help get this right too.” Read full article.

Reopening Minnesota: What’s Allowed & What’s Not Under The New Stay Safe Order?

Thursday, May 21, 2020

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — As Minnesota begins to slowly reopen and transition out of its Stay At Home order into the Stay Safe order it can be difficult to decipher what’s allowed and what’s not. So let’s break it down. As of May 18, the state’s Stay At Home order expired and was replaced by the Stay Safe Minnesota order, turning the dial to allow the following changes: Non-critical businesses, like retail stores and main street businesses, can reopen if they have a social distancing plan and operate at 50% capacity. Read full article.

What to know about Minnesota’s latest guidelines for reopening bars, restaurants and salons

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Gov. Tim Walz said that beginning June 1 bars and restaurants can serve customers outdoors, while barbers and salons can operate indoors at partial capacity — if patrons wear masks. The announcement was the governor’s latest step to relax restrictions on public life meant to slow the spread of COVID-19, which health officials say has killed 777 Minnesotans since mid-March amid the lockdown on businesses and travel. Read full article.

Exclusive interview, Minnesota's Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development talks candidly about tough decisions

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Minnesota Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the toughest day on the job, in recent months, was the day Gov. Tim Walz issued the first 'stay at home' order. "You know, Mike Tyson once said, 'everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth'," said Grove. "And, so we had to drastically change our plans to make sure the program could meet Minnesota's needs." Read full article.

M State, KLN awarded workforce relief grant

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded nine workforce development grants totaling nearly $1.3 million under the Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership (MJSP) to assist businesses and educational institutions in training workers to keep high-quality jobs in the state. These grants were awarded in early March 2020, prior to impact from the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota. “The MJSP is a vital tool in helping Minnesotans train for high-skill, high-paying jobs, particularly as Minnesota’s economy will begin to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 over the coming months,” said Commissioner of DEED, Steve Grove. “Training workers to meet the need...

A “Now, Next, Later” Approach for Dealing with Pandemic Challenges

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

s the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the U.S. spread in March, leading to shelter-in-place orders in most states and a rapid slowdown of the national economy, businesses have started adopting Baker Tilly’s “now, next, later” framework in dealing with the pandemic challenges: “Now” is focused on the first 30 days; “next” is focused on the following 60 days; and “later” focusing on 90 days and beyond. The “now” response reflects the immediate reality for businesses – survival. An early March 2020 poll by the National Association of Manufacturers showed 35 percent of manufacturers are facing significant interruptions in supply chain operations, though onl...

Assembling the Right Site Selection Team

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Your company has just decided to invest in a new facility expansion, and you have been chosen to lead the effort. Perhaps you have specific knowledge about a certain manufacturing process or maybe you are the most trusted individual to the CEO. Whatever landed you the assignment is irrelevant; now you must understand the CEO and the entire company are putting their collective faith in you to succeed at finding the best location for the planned expansion. Everyone at your company has high hopes for the expansion as it is envisioned to take the company to the next level. While tha...

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

For Magdalah R. Silva, joining Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) was a game changer right from the start. As co-founder, CEO, and president of DMS International—an information and technology services company for the Federal government and the private sector—Magdalah attended the 2019 DWEN Summit in Singapore along with other global women entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders. It was there that she connected with Dell representatives and other women who understand the role data and technology play in driving global growth. Read full article.

How Is the Pandemic Affecting Location Decisions in the Food & Beverage Industry?

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

I've been fortunate to have some great conversations with economic developers over the past few weeks, with many questions on the pandemic's impact on site location decisions for the food and beverage Industry. While nothing is certain, I've read and attached links to some important insights which I would like to share with those who currently or plan to target this industry. Be very aware that: Disruption of reliable demand and labor shortages have resulted in huge supply chain inefficiencies, leaving too much food in the wrong places. New facility locations that process products that heavily rely on predictable supply chain will n...

The Future of Manufacturing Site Selection is Connected

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Top Site Selection Concerns for Heavy Manufacturing Companies When you think of heavy manufacturing, utilities and transportation logistics infrastructure is key for those operations. So, for example, you have operations with demands in the 400 megawatt or the 200 megawatts range. Some smaller heavy-industrial operations require 10 to 20 megawatts – which is already a big operation in terms of electricity demand. It’s not that you find a lot of locations that are ready with 400 megawatts waiting for that operation to come. It's important to find locations that can meet this type of electricity demand, and you can couple tha...

What you need to know about the expiration of Minnesota’s stay-at-home order

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Gov. Tim Walz said he will let his stay-at-home order expire on May 18 but extend many restrictions on public gatherings, including a ban on attending large in-person religious services and eating at restaurants. In a televised speech, Walz said Minnesota now has enough supplies of personal protective equipment, ventilators and intensive care hospital beds to handle the state’s predicted peak of COVID-19 cases this summer, but only if residents keep up much of their physical distancing efforts. The state has also expanded its testing capacity. Read full article.

DEED Awards $681,000 in Airport Infrastructure Grants

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded $681,000 in grants to Alexandria, the Duluth Airport Authority and Elbow Lake. “These grants will create jobs and expand economic development opportunities in the Greater Minnesota communities receiving these grants,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “This is an important investment as Minnesota’s economy begins to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 over the coming months.” Read full article.

DEED Awards $681,000 in Airport Infrastructure Grants

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

CareerForce helps connect Minnesotans who need work with senior care providers hiring now

Thursday, May 07, 2020

Minnesota's senior care providers are in critical need of workers to help care for some of our state's most vulnerable residents during the current COVID-19 pandemic. People looking for rewarding and essential work now and interested in making a real difference in the lives of others are encouraged to participate in a CareerForce Virtual Career Fair next Monday, May 11 from 10:30 to 11:30 am. Read full article.

DEED Grant Helps Minnesota Community Meet Child Care Needs during COVID-19 Crisis

Monday, May 04, 2020

New York Mills is facing a problem that many communities throughout the state face: lack of access to quality child care. Thanks to a successful public-private partnership between the City of New York Mills and the manufacturers of Lund and Crestliner boats, plus a $60,000 Child Care Economic Development Grant from DEED, more families in the community have access to the quality child care they need. Read full article.

DEED Awards Ten new Redevelopment Grants

Friday, May 01, 2020

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded nearly $3.8 million to redevelop 10 sites in eight different cities throughout Minnesota. Redevelopment projects made possible through the grants are expected to create 141 new jobs and retain 440 jobs while providing more than 400 new housing units. Read full article.

10 Site Selection and Economic Development Takeaways from the COVID-19 Crisis

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Over extended and overly risky supply chains are no longer tolerable. Coronavirus is providing new and forceful momentum for the reshoring of manufacturing investment back to the U.S. from China and elsewhere. Our nation’s medical devices and biopharma sector — now dangerously concentrated in China — must be the first in line to disinvest there and reinvest back here in the States. Currently, less than 30% of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) -producing facilities are in the U.S. - while the number of Chinese facilities has more than doubled since 2010. The recent bipartisan bill introduced by Senator Blackburn (R-Tennessee) an...

COVID-19 - Suffocating the global medical supply chain, while breathing life into its future.

Thursday, April 30, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the vulnerabilities of the United States’ reliance on imported medical supplies and equipment. Global manufacturers of these much-needed products have had capacities curtailed due to shutdowns, social distancing, and travel restrictions. At the same time more than 50 countries around the world have embargoed or restricted exports of items like personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators and other much-needed medical equipment and pharmaceutical products. COVID-19 is suffocating the global medical supplies and equipment supply chain. Supply disruption, increasing regulatory controls and a heightened demand have led to critical shortages of PPE and medical equipment in th...

Gov. Tim Walz to unveil what's next for Minnesota after stay-at-home order

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Gov. Tim Walz will announce the next phase of Minnesota’s COVID-19 response — likely dialing back some business closures and restrictions under the current stay-at-home order, which ends Monday, but leaving others in place amid an accelerating death toll. Speaking Wednesday in Worthington, where an outbreak among workers shut down the JBS pork plant, the governor said a wholesale ending of the order would be futile because many workers would refuse to return to workplaces with high infection risks. However, large and small employers alike should be able to reopen when they put effective social distancing precautions in place. Read full article.

Job Club Online Joins CareerForce Lineup of Virtual & Interactive Offerings

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Over 600 Minnesotans across the state – from Minneapolis and Winona to Hibbing and Twig – registered to take part in our first Job Club Online on Tuesday. Catherine Byers Breet – who has 22 years of experience as a career consultant, job hunt coach and recruiter – hosted the job club via webinar. Her topic this week was Video Interviewing: How to stand out and be the one they want. Read full article.

Leafline Labs medical cannabis center to open in Willmar Thursday

Thursday, April 30, 2020

(Willmar MN-) Willmar's new medical cannabis dispensary will be opening. Leafline Labs, LLC describes themselves as a leading provider, manufacturer, and distributor of medical cannabis in Minnesota, and say on Thursday they will be opening their Willmar Care Center, located in the former Payless Shoe Store on South 1st Street. The 3,500-square foot facility has been transformed to support the full operations of a LeafLine Labs Care Center, including three private consultation rooms. Brennan "Buck" McAplin is Chair of the Leafline Labs Board of Directors and says “With an established base of patients from the Willmar area and strong relationship...

Minnesota nonprofits, schools participate in first-ever Give At Home MN campaign

Thursday, April 30, 2020

The first week of May felt a lot like November as Minnesota nonprofits make a flurry of pitches for donations in a first-ever virtual fundraising campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting Friday, GiveMN — the nonprofit that in November puts on the largest annual giving day in the state, Give to the Max — is hosting a new eight-day campaign called Give At Home MN. Read full article.

Spending All Day At Your Desk? Four Exercises To Boost Productivity When Working From Home

Thursday, April 30, 2020

We knew sitting all day was not a healthy lifestyle choice, even before the coronavirus hit. Now, however, without commutes to get us walking, or the ability to stroll down office hallways to see a colleague or join a meeting, it’s even easier to spend all day in one chair, with little movement. “Spending all that time online can be grueling,” says Marie Di Virgilio, a core faculty member with Benedictine University’s Ph.D./D.B.A. program in Values-Driven Leadership, for senior executives. Read full article.

The Secret To Retail Success Post Coronavirus? Adopting A Consumer-Centric Approach

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Fashion retail was facing unprecedented upheaval long before any of us had even heard of coronavirus or could imagine a situation where all stores would be forced to close and the world would be in global lockdown. This pre-coronavirus need for change was being driven by shrinking margins and an increase in nimble new entrants to the market who were growing their market share at a rapid pace, striping away sales from large incumbent brands and retailers. For the majority of retail businesses, trying to evolve and keep pace in recent years has been a painful experience as it’s meant questionin...

American Retail Reopens—Sort Of: A State-By-State Guide To What’s Back

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

The stores of American retailing are starting to reopen—at least some of them, in some places and at some times. As the coronavirus pandemic stretches into its third month on Friday, states and businesses across the country are making fateful decisions on reopening. These acts are accompanied by copious rules and regulations on social distancing, health and safety measures, and reprogrammed shopping procedures—all of which are dependent on shoppers and store employees to both obey and embrace. Read full article.

Announcing new tools to help businesses promote safe work environments

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Health experts around the world will tell you that one of the most important aspects of workplace safety during a pandemic is careful and effective health screening of employees. That's why in Executive Order 20-40, the Governor requires all non-critical businesses coming back into workplace environments to engage in proper health screenings each day. Now, thanks to a unique collaboration between Target Corp, Minnesota IT Services, and the Minnesota Safety Council – Minnesota businesses have a digital tool that can make those screenings even more effective. Read full article.

Izzy's Ice Cream closes original shop in St. Paul after 20-year run

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

After two decades on the Twin Cities ice cream scene, one venerable shop is calling it quits. Izzy’s Ice Cream is permanently closing its first cafe, at 2034 Marshall Av. in St. Paul. “Like many of our colleagues in the food service business, we’re down to 10% of revenue right now,” said Izzy’s co-owner Jeff Sommers. “The lease was coming up, and we just made the decision that this was a time where we needed to pull ourselves together into a tighter operation and see if we can get through this and come out on the other side a better company.” Read full article.

DEED Awards more the $1.3 Million in MJSP Grants

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded nine workforce development grants totaling nearly $1.3 million under the Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership (MJSP) to assist businesses and educational institutions in training workers to keep high-quality jobs in the state. These grants were awarded in early March 2020, prior to impact from the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota. “The MJSP is a vital tool in helping Minnesotans train for high-skill, high-paying jobs, particularly as Minnesota’s economy will begin to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 over the coming months,” said Commissioner of DEED, Steve Grove. “Training workers to mee...

As many as 20,000 Minnesota businesses could reopen Monday, but will they?

Monday, April 27, 2020

If you’re looking to enjoy the spring weather with a newly assembled pair of Minnesota-made Riedell roller skates, you’ll need to wait a touch longer. Afforded an early-bird chance along with other select businesses to reopen Monday amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Riedell opted to continue to retrofit social-distancing strategies in its Red Wing plant and resume skate manufacturing as planned on May 4 — the final day of the state’s current stay-at-home order. Read full article.

FCC Commissioners Sharply Disagree on U.S. Broadband Report

Monday, April 27, 2020

A Federal Communications Commission report Friday indicated that the U.S. is making progress on closing the digital divide, but FCC commissioners don’t agree on how much progress has been made. The 2020 Broadband Deployment Report showed that very high-speed broadband service (250 Mbps/25 Mbps) can be accessed by roughly 85 percent of citizens — a number that has gone up by 47 percent since 2017. The report attributes this and other gains to the $80 billion invested in broadband infrastructure in 2018, a significant increase in fiber-to-the-home projects in 2019 and the advent of 5G technology. Read full article.

Eleven Companies Receive Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants

Friday, April 24, 2020

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced $247,000 in Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants to 11 of the state’s most promising, innovative and scalable technology startups. In this third round of Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants, 12 grants were awarded to 11 different companies: eight grants for business operations and four housing/childcare grants. With today‘s announcement, a total of over $1.2 million has been awarded to Minnesota startups through Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants, with an additional $1.2 million being matched by private sources. Read full article.

HEROES OF THE PANDEMIC

Friday, April 24, 2020

They’re doing what they’ve always done. Doing what they’ll continue to do when coronavirus testing is widespread and a vaccine is developed. When the rest of us return to a new normal, whatever that might look like, they’ll still be on the front lines caring for the sick and afraid, comforting the grieving, fighting for health care equity and championing the message that mental health care is health care. The terrifying risks to them and their families will eventually subside, but never their passion for and clarity about this work. We thank them now, and resolve to keep our eye...

A Framework for safely returning to work

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Governor Tim Walz reviewed a framework for evaluating when it is safe to reopen a variety of workplace, social, and educational environments in Minnesota. That framework takes into consideration a number of health, economic, and social factors – and applies them to a variety of settings that have varying levels of predictability and size considerations. As part of that framework, he issued Executive Order 20-40, which provides a limited first step in the process of safely returning to work, beginning only with workers at non-Critical Sector industrial, manufacturing and office based businesses that are non-customer facing. Read full article.

Small Business Survival Series: Bruce Katz

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Bruce Katz: I run a finance lab at Drexel University and work as a partner with Accelerator for America. I’ve been very focused on trying to codify these local relief funds that are emerging around the country. Grant Baskerville (Sorenson Impact Center): Bruce, if I can pick up on the excellent piece that you coauthored with Colin Higgins and Michael Saadine, you very effectively stratify the different levels of activity that happen city, state, and federal levels. We’d love your input on this. Read full article.

What will it look like when Minnesota’s economy begins to open?

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Mike Frattallone estimates his Ace Hardware stores were among the first Minnesota businesses to put a plastic screen between customers and cashiers, before Governor Tim Walz ordered non-critical businesses to close and Minnesotans to stay at home. Since then, those protection screens have gotten more elaborate. “We have a lot of hockey fans working in the stores, and they’ve taken to calling it the ‘penalty box’ because the plastic is almost on all sides now,” Frattallone said Wednesday. “I’ll tell you what, though, when you’re in there you feel pretty darn safe compared to just being out there.” Read full article.

US Senate approves $484bn funding for small businesses, hospitals

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Washington, DC - The United States Senate on Tuesday approved legislation worth $484bn to provide funding for a small business jobs programme, hospitals overrun by the coronavirus outbreak, and a national testing impetus to help tamp down the pandemic. The Senate bill, agreed to in advance by the White House, allocates $25bn for a testing strategy that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats insisted was key to reopening the US economy. The bill calls on the Trump administration to define a strategy to provide nationwide testing and report on that plan to Congress. Read full article.

How the Walz administration is developing its plans for restarting Minnesota’s economy

Friday, April 17, 2020

When Gov. Tim Walz extended his stay-home order until May 4, he asked state agencies to get some workers back on the job quickly while planning for how to reopen the economy on a wider scale once public health restrictions begin to ease. It’s no simple task. Which business can safely restart — and when — has been a puzzle facing state governments across the U.S. as they try to bolster an imploding economy without overwhelming hospitals or putting lives at risk from COVID-19. Read full article.

Employers are looking for workers in Minnesota

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Postings for jobs in Minnesota were up 50% last week over the previous week - so if you're looking for work, an employer may be looking for you! Here are the top occupations being hired for right now in Minnesota: Personal Care Aides Registered Nurses Nursing Assistants Cashiers/Retail Sales Workers Read full article.

The Nystrom Family Thrives in Kerhoven

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Swift County is made up of inspiring families that bring the community to life. Cliff and Kristy Nystrom are two young professionals who decided to make Swift County home. The couple chose Swift County because of the close knit, supportive community, opportunities to be active in the lives of other residents and the incredible local shopping and dining scene. Kristy and Cliff live in Kerkhoven, Minnesota with their children. Kristy grew up in the area. She was raised on a dairy farm that her father owned and was involved in 4-H, County Fairs and other local clubs and organizations. Kristy graduate...

No Experience Required: 9 Occupations Hiring Now

Thursday, April 09, 2020

Many businesses working to provide essential services like health care, food, supplies and transportation are hiring right now in Minnesota. Some positions may be temporary during the COVID-19 pandemic, but many are permanent and, particularly in the health care field, can serve as a stepping stone to higher-paying careers for those who get additional experience or training. In many cases, a person can find a job in one of these occupations without previous experience in the field. Many of the jobs listed below may be posted under multiple titles – some of which vary in their job descriptions, requirements, and wages...

Coronavirus Resources for Your Business

Monday, March 30, 2020

$10,000 Advance Now Available with SBA Disaster Loans DEED Announces Small Business Loan Guarantee Program Department of Labor Info Info from SBA Partners and Other Agencies Stay Updated $10,000 Advance Now Available with SBA Disaster Loans On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the CARES Act, which provided additional assistance for small business owners and non-profits, including the opportunity for an up to a $10,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance. This Advance may be available even if your EIDL application was declined or is still pending, and will be forgiven. Visit www.SBA.gov/Disaster to apply via a new streamlined application; one needs to be submitted even if you previously applied. Applying for th...

What is "essential" during Minnesota's Stay at Home Order?

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Governor Walz has issued Executive Order 20-20, directing Minnesotans to limit movements outside of their homes beyond essential needs from March 27 at 11:59 p.m. to April 10 at 5:00 p.m. We understand that you may have questions about how this will impact your business. The resources below are meant to help you determine eligibility for business exemptions. Please first utilize these resources. If your question is not yet answered, you may submit your inquiry to CriticalSectors@state.mn.us. There are three resources that provide guidance to help you determine if your business is in a critical industry: The Governor’s Executive Order The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security’...

COVID-19 Resources for Your Business

Monday, March 23, 2020

Federal and state government entities and nonprofits are working together to control the spread of the coronavirus and to support the businesses and individuals impacted by the virus and/or the protective measures being taken. We've rounded up the resources to help your business navigate these tumultuous times. To download, click here. COVID-19 RESOURCES Federal and state government entities and nonprofits are working together to control the spread of the coronavirus and to support the businesses and individuals impacted by the virus and/or the protective measures being taken. STATE COVID-19 RESOURCES Information for Workers Answers to common questions for workers. This includes new information regarding worker...

Swift County Is Enterprising by Nature

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Enterprising by nature is more than a tagline. It describes the essence of Swift County, the attitude of the people who call it home, and the drive behind the county’s innovative business climate. Here, young professionals, families, community leaders, business owners and cooperatives are working side by side to leverage Swift County’s assets and make the most out of life. This is an active community – the type of place where seizing the day means both creating and enjoy opportunities. And opportunities are everywhere. Swift County has a history of being enterprising A spirit of entrepreneurism that has been a cornerstone of Swif...

The Future of Manufacturing Site Selection is Connected

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

American Retail Reopens—Sort Of: A State-By-State Guide To What’s Back

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

American Retail Reopens—Sort Of: A State-By-State Guide To What’s Back

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Pandemic Builds Momentum for Broadband Infrastructure Upgrade

Thursday, April 23, 2020