July 21, 2021
 Virginia was one of 12 northeastern Minnesota communities that received a Taconite Area Community Relief grant from Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation. The city received a $200,000 grant and combined it with $115,000 from the city and $50,000 from Virginia Community Foundation to create a lending pool of $365,000. Virginia to date has provided over $166,400 in loans to 10 businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The loans combined impacted 21 full-time jobs, and many are in the retail and service industries. Additional loans with the remaining $198,600 have been committed to other businesses and will be expended in the coming weeks.
The 10 businesses received zero-interest forgivable loans with a five-year payback clause.
“Just prior to the onset of the COVID pandemic, the city of Virginia and Virginia Economic Development Authority launched phase one of a Downtown Redevelopment Program,” said City Administrator Britt See-Benes. “We were able to launch phase two with the COVID Community Relief grant from Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation.”
See Benes explained that many of the businesses located within Virginia’s Redevelopment District were temporarily closed last year due to statewide restrictions. This created a situation where much needed building repairs were deferred. The downtown redevelopment will help improve Virginia’s commercial tax base and encourage economic development in the downtown district.
Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation structured the Taconite Area Community Relief program so that Virginia had funding and flexibility to provide aid to local businesses as the city saw fit. The economic development agency is committed to helping local communities and their businesses persevere through the COVID-19 challenge.
Learn more about Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation COVID Relief programs.
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FLOE International will move its Hoyt Lakes operations to a larger facility within the northeastern Minnesota community. FLOE is headquartered in McGregor, Minnesota and has operated a division in Hoyt Lakes since 1994 where it manufactures its dock and boat lift systems, utility and recreational trailers, and FLOE CRAFT boats.
The growing company purchased the “Nott building” from the city of Hoyt Lakes and will move operations there over the next three to six months. FLOE’s existing location is 20,500 square feet, and the new building offers 7,200 additional square feet of manufacturing space. FLOE currently employs 21 people in Hoyt Lakes, and the expansion into the new facility will result in several more career opportunities.
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“We’ve had a very dedicated and productive team in our current Hoyt Lakes facility since 1994, and now we’ve simply outgrown it. When we got the opportunity to acquire this building, we knew it was the perfect match,” said Wayne Floe, FLOE founder and CEO. “The new building is larger, more modern, will provide a nicer environment for our work force and give us the needed room for continued growth.”
FLOE was founded in 1983 by Wayne Floe, a Minnesota native who has been manufacturing and selling boat lifts and dock systems since the age of 19. All of the company’s products are made in Minnesota and distributed across the United States. FLOE has had peak employment of over 200 people between its two manufacturing facilities.
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“Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation has enjoyed a long relationship with FLOE due to its Hoyt Lakes operation,” said Commissioner Mark Phillips. “The company and its leadership are extremely innovative and an integral part of the Iron Range economy.”
Watch the video, FLOE’s Vision.
Learn more about FLOE International.
“The city of Hoyt Lakes is excited to see FLOE’s expansion,” said Becky Lammi, city administrator. “We hope for their ongoing success and will continue to partner closely with all business owners within our community.”
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If you are interested in a career opportunity at FLOE, call Sue at 218-426-1129.
Businesses interested in expanding or relocating to northeastern Minnesota can email Janelle Greschner or call her at 218-735-3029.
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 Voyageurs Conservancy used a Culture & Tourism grant to purchase equipment and supplies to support the second phase of a wolf research project in and around Voyageurs National Park. Minnesota’s only national park spreads across more than 218,000 acres in northeastern Minnesota.
The Voyageurs Wolf Project (VWP) is a University of Minnesota program. Along with wildlife research, VWP produces digital content that engages and educates the public about wolves, wildlife and the northwoods of Minnesota. The agency’s grant will enable VWP to produce more content and share it with a broader audience. VWP’s social media following currently totals over 167,000 people, and the content reaches over 196,500 people daily. Phase II involves the purchase of 35 additional trail cameras to supplement the existing 125. The cameras capture high-quality footage of wolves, wildlife and scenery, and in some instances captures behaviors that have never been observed or filmed before.
Watch a video produced by VWP: One year on a beaver dam in northern Minnesota.
Watch wolves crossing a beaver dam in northern Minnesota.
“Our goal is to increase online impact and connectivity with people in order to drive interest and tourism to Voyageurs National Park and northeastern Minnesota,” said Tom Gable, research biologist at University of Minnesota. “We will produce high quality content that connects people to the wild qualities that make our region the national treasure that it is.”
Voyageurs National Park attracts thousands of visitors each year who explore the park by land, water or ice to enjoy year-round outdoor adventure. The park’s 55-mile northern boundary is the international border between the United States and Canada. The park has been home to the Cree, Monsoni, Assiniboine and Ojibwe tribes. It also includes an important segment of the “transcontinental highway” traversed by French-Canadian voyageurs during the late 1700s and early 1800s. Visitors can view and navigate through exposed rock ridges, cliffs, wetlands, forests, streams and lakes.
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Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation invests resources to foster vibrant growth and economic prosperity in northeastern Minnesota. Two grants will accept applications Aug. 2-31.
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Downtown Streetscapes - Assists with incentivizing investment in downtown areas and business corridors through projects that promote safe and attractive environments for residents, shoppers, workers and visitors.
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Drilling Incentive Grant (DIG) - Stimulates exploration for new metallic minerals and/or new deposits of minerals.
Eligible applicants in our service area are encouraged to apply for one or more grants.
Learn more about application dates and view grant guidelines.
Access the grant application portal (FLUXX).
Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation funds its grants through taxes paid by Minnesota’s mining industry.
Pictured: The city of Ely used a Downtown Streetscapes grant to develop a pocket park on a vacant main street lot previously occupied by Pamida. The project entailed upgrading lighting, seating, landscaping, ADA sidewalks, a small stage for music events, a playground climbing feature and public WiFi.
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The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) will launch its new Main Street Economic Revitalization Program on Aug. 3. This $80 million statewide economic redevelopment program will award grants to partner organizations to establish programs within specific communities that will, in turn, fund economic development and redevelopment projects.
These projects will address the greatest needs that have arisen in our communities since March 15, 2020 and spur economic revitalization across Minnesota. This program was approved by the Minnesota State Legislature and signed by Gov. Tim Walz on June 29, 2021.
Proposals will be accepted from eligible partner organizations, which include foundations engaged in economic development; community development financial institutions; and nonprofit organizations engaged in housing and commercial development. Request for proposals (RFPs) will open at 3 p.m. on Aug. 3 and be due by 4 p.m. Aug. 31.
Partner organizations selected for grants will then provide grants and loans to businesses, nonprofit organizations and developers – funds which can be used for the demolition, repair, renovation and construction of eligible projects.
A total of $80 million is available in grants to partner organizations. No more than $40 million is available in the first round. Dates for the second round have not yet been identified but will be before March 1, 2022.
Find out more
DEED recently held two information sessions to provide more information about this program. You can watch them:
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CareerForce Veterans Employment Services and the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs invite all veterans, active military members and their spouses to a Veterans Virtual Career Fair on Thursday, July 29 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Work for an employer that recognizes and appreciates your experience and the value you bring to their team! Employers participating in the Veterans Virtual Career Fair are encouraged to offer veterans full-time jobs with benefits and family-sustaining wages.
View the list of more than 200 participating employers.
Resumes are not required to participate in this event but are encouraged. Only PDF versions may be uploaded. Visit CareerForce for resume assistance.
Register for the career fair.
For questions about the career fair, email Shannon Sprouse.
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