Cultivating local leaders by building skills and connections
The Growing Local Emerging Leaders program is a partnership between Extension and Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF). First piloted in the City of Northfield and then implemented regionally with SWIF, the program has expanded to meet the needs of communities across western Minnesota. Participants build personal confidence, enhance leadership skills and strengthen regional connections. They also explore how they can serve as changemakers within their communities by serving on boards and committees, or in other meaningful ways.
Michael Peters, a resident of Lincoln County, participated in last year’s Growing Local Emerging Leaders program. Peters (pictured, middle) took part in a drum circle, which invites people to drum together to encourage connections and communication through rhythm. The drum circle was led by Purpose Artisans, a cross-cultural group oriented to generate awareness around social justice through the arts.
Highlights
- In June 2025, Minnesota Master Naturalist volunteer Connie Karstens led participants on a walkabout of the Hole-in-the-Mountain Prairie Preserve near Lake Benton, where participants learned about the herbal qualities associated with local plants such as prairie rose and purple coneflower.
- The 4-H Tyler Day Camp focused on STEM in 2025, including engineering and robotics, and many presenters and hands-on activities to spark ideas for future study and careers.
- Thanks to 4-H, young people in Lincoln County were offered Cozy Cabin Project Kits, filled with hands-on activities perfect for chilly days. Each kit included creative projects and supplies with a cozy cabin theme, great for independent learning, exploring new skills, and staying engaged during the winter season. Free kits were available to all youth.
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: The Eidem family (2026)
- Benjamin Winchester and Aiden Opatz produced a Transfer of Wealth Opportunity report for Lincoln County, which provides an estimate of the assets that will transfer between generations within the next 10-50 years. They found that capturing just 5% of the county’s 10-year transfer of wealth potential would create over $2.7 million in new endowments. Over 20 years, this endowment could support grantmaking of over $3.25 million.
- Extension provides financial capability education for participants in the judicial district’s treatment courts, including adult and juvenile drug courts, and courts for mental health, veterans, family dependency and DWI/DUI.
Lincoln County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Lincoln County partners with Extension to deliver practical education and research you can use at home, at work and in your community. More about Extension in our county.
About the Minnesota 87 project
Spend time in any Minnesota county, and you will almost certainly encounter University of Minnesota Extension. Our faculty and staff, volunteers, participants, alumni and partners are woven into the fabric of rural, urban and suburban Minnesota life. This project showcases Extension in action through photos, stories and a sampling of the many ways Extension has touched the lives of people in every county.