Project files
Purpose
To make sustainability an accepted core value on the Iron Range by; growing Earth Fest
into the premiere sustainability event in northeastern Minnesota, promoting, encouraging
and provide educational opportunities pertaining to a wide variety of sustainability topics,
and by become a networking and information‐sharing hub for our region.
Partners
University of Minnesota partners
Northeast Minnesota Sustainable Development Partnership, Minnesota Institute for
Sustainable Agriculture, CERTs, and David Abasz from Round River Farms.
Community partners
. Iron Range Partnership for Sustainability (IRPS)
- Public – NE MN Sustainable Development Partnership/University of Minnesota, No St Louis Soil & Water Conservation District, Clean Energy Recourse Teams (CERTs), Virginia Sustainability Task Force
- Educational ‐ Mesabi Community and Hibbing Community Colleges, Mt Iron‐Buhl & Virginia Schools, , Eveleth‐Gilbert & Virginia & Mt Iron‐Buhl Community Education, Laurentian Environmental Center, Duluth Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP)
- Private – Minnesota Power, ArcelorMittal Minorca Mine, Iron Range Labor Assembly, Laurentian Energy Authority, Club Mesabi Inc, Natural Harvest Food Coop, Laurentian Environmental Center, Mesabi Family YMCA, Northern Lights Sports, Silicon Energy, Lake Country Power
- Media – KAXE Radio, Range 11 TV, Hometown Focus Newspaper, Mesabi Daily News, Hibbing Tribune, Grand Rapids Herald Review, Timberjay
- Plus ‐ almost 100 speakers, exhibitors and vendors representing a variety of diverse groups, including: MPCA, St Louis County, University of Minnesota, Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, Minnesota DNR, US Forest Service, local organizations like Habitat for Humanity, local businesses, area congregations, and local food producers...to mention just a few.
Activities
1. We hosted a very successful 3rd annual Iron Range Earth Fest on April 9, 2010.
2. As of August 17, 2011 the Iron Range Partnership for Sustainability is a 501c3 tax‐
exempt nonprofit corporation.
Outcomes
1. We were able to host a highly successful 3rd annual Iron Range Earth Fest.
2. We have been able to expand our sustainability network, bringing more organizations
and people into our grassroots sustainability movement. We have brought awareness
to the concept of sustainability being a balance between community, economy and the
environment, moving us one step closer to our goal to make sustainability an accepted
core value on the Iron Range.
3. Through the success of Earth Fest we have been able to form a 501ce tax‐exempt
nonprofit corporation called the Iron Range Partnership for Sustainability.
Funding
$ 5000
Leveraged resources
$41,061
