Developed by Rural Pathways and funded by the Northland Foundation, the 2024 Getting Funding Ready Pilot enhanced the financial resilience of five nonprofit child care centers in Northeastern Minnesota by addressing operational and funding challenges through tailored capacity-building and strategic guidance.

The Mapleton Economic Development Authority (EDA) received a $175,120 DEED grant, written by Rural Pathways, to fund the Child Care House—an innovative prefabricated facility addressing the local child care shortage while supporting community growth and workforce development.

Rural Pathways specializes in creating customized funding road maps designed to diversify organizations’ funding sources and ensure long-term financial stability.

Read Staci Gilpin’s op-ed in the Duluth News Tribune where she explains that expanding child care in Greater Minnesota is essential for economic growth.

Rural Pathways co-founder Charity Anderson brings expertise in ethnographic research, social policy, and writing, adding a powerful dimension to our mission.

Rural Pathways co-founder Staci Gilpin is dedicated to uplifting rural communities through sustainable development and strategic support.