Finding creative solutions to problems in rural Minnesota for 40 years

In the 1980s rural Minnesota was struggling with the farm crisis and the McKnight Foundation launched an experiment — the Minnesota Initiative Foundations. These six independent regional foundations across greater Minnesota were created to listen to their communities and invest in local economic development. Over four decades, they’ve distributed hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and loans to help address housing and child care, support entrepreneurs, train up new leaders and create a sense of belonging. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the heads of two of the regional foundations about creative solutions to challenges facing rural Minnesota. Guests: Benya Kraus became the president and CEO in 2025 of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, which invests for economic growth in 20 counties and one Native community in south central and southeastern Minnesota. She previously worked in advancement at Resource Rural, a national philanthropy that raised public and private funds to invest in rural and tribal communities. Brian Voerding was named president of the Initiative Foundation in 2023 after serving two years as its vice president for inclusive entrepreneurship, which is based in Little Falls, Minn. and invests in 14 counties and two Native nations in central Minnesota. He was previously editor of the Winona Daily News and executive director of Engage Winona, a nonprofit that engages and trains people to solve local problems in Winona.