Blandin Foundation Accepts Grant from Bush Foundation

Leadership Programs Supported

The Blandin Foundation accepted a $425,832 grant from the Bush Foundation to extend the work of the Blandin Community Leadership Program. The grant will enable BCLP to offer four additional community cohorts, training 100 individual leaders, in 2009.

“The impressive history of the Blandin Community Leadership Program makes it a natural partner for the Bush Foundation when it comes to leadership development and engaging communities in solving problems,” said Peter C.
Hutchinson, president of the Bush Foundation.  “We have great expectations for the impact the combined work of the two foundations will have on people and communities in Minnesota.”

Leadership development has been an important part of the Bush Foundation’s activities since 1965, when it established the Bush Leadership Fellows Program for individuals.  In those 44 years, more than 1,300 Bush Leadership Fellows have had tremendous impact on their communities and their fields of work.

The Bush Foundation’s investment in leadership development for communities through BCLP puts a new strategy to work with regard to its goal to develop courageous leaders and engage entire communities in solving problems (one of three goals that make up the Foundation’s Goals for a Decade).  Successful achievement of that goal means that by 2018, 75 percent of people in all demographic groups in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota say their community is effective at solving problems and improving quality of life.

3M executive Archibald Bush and his wife Edyth established the Bush Foundation in 1953. The Foundation strives to be a catalyst to shape vibrant communities in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota by investing in courageous and effective leadership that significantly strengthens and improves the well being of people in these three states.  Learn more about the Foundation and Goals for a Decade at www.bushfoundation.org.

Source: Bush Foundation