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Polk County Family Resource Centers report growing activity; federal and state funding landscape evolving
Summary
County presentation said Polk County has expanded Family Resource Center sites to five, reported client and referral metrics, and described federal and state funding developments; Senate office expressed interest in touring a site.
Polk County staff provided an update on the county’s Family Resource Center network, describing new sites, service metrics and outreach, and recent developments in federal and state funding for the model.
Victoria (presenter for Polk County Family Resource Center) told the board the county now operates multiple Family Resource Center sites, including a second Crookston site at Washington School and a fifth site in the town of Boston that opened April 16, 2025. Since openings in 2023 the county’s Family Resource Centers have recorded thousands of client contacts and several hundred community referrals, the presenter said.
The presenter said Polk County is part of the Minnesota Family Resource Center network, which has grown: by February 2025 more than 41 counties were exploring or implementing family resource centers nationwide or in Minnesota. At the state level, Victoria noted that DCYF made grants in 2024 (13 grantees) and that Polk County did not receive DCYF funding but did obtain support from the Sawyer Foundation; she said Wilder Foundation will assume the Minnesota Family Resource Center network role as Sawyer sunsets.
Local program details provided to the board included: 4,778 individuals engaged from program start through February 2024, more than 500 referrals to community partners in that period, and homeless-prevention services provided to over 70 families at risk. Site-level programming includes monthly play-and-learn events, a youth workshop collaboration with Cove Youth Center and ALOOMA, and community partner referrals for housing and other supports.
Victoria described national advocacy activity: in May she attended the National Family Support Network convening in Washington, D.C., where county representatives met with multiple Minnesota members of Congress. She said Senator Smith’s office expressed interest in touring the East Grand Forks Family Resource Center site and that staff will coordinate a date.
Board members asked for copies of the presenter’s handout and the public-service announcement video; the presenter said materials will be shared. No formal board action was taken; commissioners thanked staff for the update.
Ending: The presenter said the program aims to expand parent leadership and community engagement, and to continue tracking engagement and referral metrics as sites mature.
