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Health department proposes Sawyer Foundation grant to study a family resource center in Beltrami County
Summary
Beltrami County Health & Human Services recommended applying for a Sawyer Family Foundation 'explore and assess' grant to evaluate the viability of a family resource center; county staff would act as fiscal host during the study phase and the grant would cover assessment costs, with no county dollars required aside from staff time.
Anne Lin Seth, director of Health and Human Services, asked the Board to consider submitting a letter of interest to the Sawyer Family Foundation to enter an "explore and assess" phase for a Family Resource Center (FRC) in Beltrami County.
Seth described FRCs as community hubs that coordinate parenting education, child development activities, referrals, drop‑in services and peer support. She said national research shows a strong return on investment for many FRCs and that the Sawyer Foundation now allows existing community organizations to seek designation rather than forcing creation of a new agency.
"There is no cost to the county," Seth said when commissioners asked about financial exposure; she clarified that the county's commitment during explore/assess would be staff time and serving as the fiscal host for grant funds, with any implementation and sustainability planning to follow the assessment phase.
Next steps described by HHS: submit a letter of interest to the Sawyer Family Foundation, open a county grant application, run an RFP to hire a contracted lead entity to conduct the explore/assess process, and engage community partners and neighboring counties where appropriate.
Board questions focused on regional collaboration and potential long‑term sustainability; Seth recommended a regional approach with neighboring counties (Clearwater, Itasca and others) to share resources and implement recommendations if the assessment supports an FRC model.
