Completed Projects
Dozens of communities around the state have partnered on projects through ESMC through two rounds of awards. Projects shown in the table below have been completed. Final deliverables are posted when available. To view current projects, visit the In-progress Projects page.
Article: Empowering Small Minnesota Communities Round 1 Awards (September 2024).
Article: Empowering Small Minnesota Communities Round 2 Awards (July 2025).
- Central region
- Metro/Multi-region
- Northeast region
- Northwest region
- Southeast region
- Southwest region
The Central region covers Becker, Benton, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Kannabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, and Wadena counties. It also includes the tribal nations of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and the White Earth Nation.
Community | ESMC Pathway/Round | Project Description | Deliverables and Related Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Lake | Tactical Action/ Round 1 | Early stage community visioning and design solutions for housing and connected community needs. | Final Report |
| The Bridge Center | Tactical Action/ Round 1 | Community and youth center development. Commercial kitchen for entrepreneurship and local businesses. | Final Report |
East Central Regional Development Commission | Tactical Action/Round 1 | Transportation needs and current services in Mille Lacs and Kanabec Counties and the 5-County East Central Region | Article: Collaboration explores strategies for transit gaps in east central Minnesota |
| Milaca | Tactical Action/ Round 1 | Leveraging greenspace, industry park and downtown planning to coordinate on environmental and economic benefits | Final Report |
| City of Vergas | Tactical Action/ Round 1 | Energy benchmarking for municipal buildings and energy and resilience hub planning for community. | Final Report |
Winnebago | Tactical Action/Round 1 | Southeast Minnesota community needs assessment. Regional survey about small community assets and infrastructure needs. |
The Metro region covers Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright counties. It also includes the tribal nation of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux (Dakota) Community.
Community | ESMC Pathway/Round | Project Description | Deliverables and Related Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Center City | Tactical Action/ Round 1 | Swedish Immigrant Trail trailhead design and connections to downtown, stormwater management, coordination and alignment with future Highway 8 reconstruction. | Final Report |
Lindstrom | Tactical Action/Round 1 | Beach Park strategic planning, design, stormwater, and connections to town. |
The Northeast region covers Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, and St. Louis counties. It also includes the tribal nations of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and the Grand Portage Band and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
Community | ESMC Pathway/Round | Project Description | Deliverables and Related Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badger | Community Futures/Round 1 | Broad focus on identifying community assets, and connecting to regional resources to support community needs related to housing and economic development | |
| Crystal Bay Township/Finland | Community Futures/ Round 1 | Developing community strategies to support expanding housing access; Strengthening capacity for sustainable community focus on housing; Building regional partnerships to support community housing strategies including a community land trust ownership model. | |
| Knife River | Community Futures/Round 1 | Leveraging unique position along Lake Superior's North Shore with a community strategy that builds and strengthens partnerships to support community needs, with a focus on public/community space and natural assets | Final Report |
| Northland/Lake Vermilion | Tactical Action/ Round 1 | Exploration of the economic benefits and feasibility of a solar commons project | Article: Kathryn Milun lets the sun shine for community wealth building Article: Minnesota’s first solar commons to benefit local communities |
The Northwest region covers Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Noman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, and Wilkin counties. It also includes the tribal nations of the Red Lake Nation and the White Earth Nation.
Community | ESMC Pathway/Round | Project Description | Deliverables and Related Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahnomen | Tactical Action/ Round 1 | Broadband feasibility | Final Report |
City of Two Harbors | Tactical Action/ Round 1 | Waterfront redevelopment planning | Final Report Video: |
The Southeast region covers Blue Earth, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Le Sueur, Mower, Nicollet, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, and Winona counties. It also includes the tribal nation of the Prairie Island Indian Community.
Community | ESMC Pathway/Round | Project Description | Deliverables and Related Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
Bridgewater Township | Tactical Action/Round 1 | Sustainable landfill site management strategies | |
| Driftless | Tactical Action/Pilot | Hiker Experience, Landscape Position, and Design Standards for Driftless Area Hiking Trail | Article: The new Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail takes its first steps |
Lake Crystal | Tactical Action/Round 2 | Lake Crystal local energy action plan | Final Report |
The Southwest region covers Big Stone, Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Douglas, Grant, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Watonwan, and Yellow Medicine counties. It also includes the tribal nations of Upper Sioux Community Pezihutazizi Oyate and Cansa’yapi/Lower Sioux Indian Community.
Community | ESMC Pathway/Round | Project Description | Deliverables and Related Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Henderson | Community Futures/ Round 2 | Early stage asset mapping and community strategy. Tied to coordinating on highway and other planning efforts. | Final Report |
| City of Madelia | Tactical Action/ Round 2 | Park redevelopment and flood management (Watona Park) | Final Report |
Morton | Tactical Action/Round 1 | Building community resourcefulness through engagement in Morton, Minnesota | |
| Redwood Falls | Tactical Action/ Round 2 | Pedestrian infrastructure, walking routes, trails, and wayfinding | Final Report |
Region 9 Development Commission | Tactical Action/Round 1 | Building a more sustainable model for rural EMS in Region 9: a report informed by a scan of the literature, community listening sessions, and key informant interviews. | Article: New Ulm leaders share lessons from Aachen, Germany exchange on EMS and public safety Article: Researchers Tackle Non-Emergency Medical Transportation |