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Sherburne County backs Initiative Foundation to host regional economic development district application to federal EDA
Summary
The board approved a resolution supporting the Initiative Foundation as host for a multi-county economic development district application to the U.S. EDA, which would expand access to federal economic-development grant programs.
Sherburne County commissioners voted to support an application by the Initiative Foundation to form a regional economic development district (EDD) with Benton, Sherburne, Stearns and Wright counties and to submit that application to the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
Dan (county staff) described the benefit of forming an EDD: counties inside an EDD have access to additional federal economic-development funding streams. The Initiative Foundation offered to serve as the host organization for the application and contributed matching commitments (including local foundation matching during the first 12 months), staff said. The board was not asked to approve bylaws or commit county funding at this stage, only to support the application and to name the Initiative Foundation as host. Wright County had indicated it was not interested at this time; staff said the application can proceed with three of the four counties participating.
Commissioner (mover) made the motion to approve the resolution and Commissioner Hulse seconded; the board voted in favor.
Why it matters: forming an EDD could open federal funding sources for regional economic-development projects that Sherburne County cannot access alone. The resolution supports applying for an $80,000 EDA planning grant and contemplates matching support from local foundations in the first year.
Discussion vs. decision: board authorized staff to proceed with the application and to designate the Initiative Foundation as host; funding requests or bylaws would return to the board if the application is accepted.
Next steps: Initiative Foundation will submit the EDA application; staff and partner counties will return to the board if the grant is awarded and to consider governance and funding commitments.
