African Development Center

The Rural Community Economic Development Summit held in Marshall, MN on November 18 and 19, 2010 was co-hosted by the African Development Center and IFTIIN, Inc. a Marshall-based local partner. The event was uniquely historic, as it was the first time the new African-American community organized to discuss community economic development work in Greater Minnesota.

The summit showcased ADC’s network of local (grassroots) and mainstream partners since it began servicing the new American communities in the Greater MN cities of St. Cloud, Willmar, Owatonna, Rochester, Mankato, Marshall, and Faribault in 2007.

Many newly-arrived African immigrants in Greater MN work in companies such as Jennie-O, Schwan’s, Turkey Valley, and Electrolux. A huge number have started small businesses, operating social service oriented nonprofit organizations, buying their first homes, and enrolling their children in local universities and colleges. The African community in Greater Minnesots is intentional about long-term residency and citizenship, and is keen on integrating with rural neighborhoods. The summit highlighted this development and would further anticipate conversations around increasing local capacities and sustaining economic development.

The Summit epitomized the successful start of a desirable conversation that would examine projects, strategies, tools, and institutions as well as assist in providing business ownership, corridor and commercial development, financial empowerment, and homeownership opportunities to new American populations that have been underserved and underrepresented in rural Minnesota communities.

Panelists and speakers at the Summit explored ideas on best practices in rural community development, discussed opportunities for growth, and explored the changing demographics of target rural communities and how this impacts development at the local and state levels. The Summit also explored the capacity building strategies at the local and state levels for rural house and business development to support innovative community economic development activities in rural areas.

As the end of this decade draws near and economists are projecting slow revenue growth and budget cuts for community economic development, this summit could not have been held at a better time than this. The ADC plans to stay committed to services it provides in Greater MN, and is poised to enlist strategic partners that are already organizing and providing similar services.

At the core of the Summit was the theme of how ADC and its local (grassroots) as well as mainstream partners can continue to provide services with fewer resources. The summit also sought to identify key economic development practitioners in Greater Minnesota and how the New African-American community can access available services and resources in the region. THE SUMMIT also identified existing challenges and the possibility of creating a consortium that would provide opportunities to overcome those challenges.

Bremer Bank, the Minneapolis Foundation, Blandin Foundation, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, Iowa sponsored of the summit. Participating organizations included the Greater Minnesota offices of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Minnesota Home Ownership Center, Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, and the St. Cloud Area Somali Salvation Organization (SASSO). There was representation from different stakeholders. They included grassroots local African community organizations, lenders, mainstream organization and philanthropists.

The role of the ADC is not only to partner and provide services, but to stay engaged through ongoing community forums and listening sessions. The needs of the community are evermore changing and evolving and meeting the increasing demands of such communities require passionate conversations and collaboration among organizers, service providers, lawmakers and public officials, the lending community, and funders. This was the first summit held in rural Minnesota and is a good reason to look to the future with hope.