Northeast RSDP

Our Northeast region spans a large, geographically diverse area that spans the North Shore, Iron Range and beyond. The Northeast RSDP serves Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine and St. Louis counties and the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Bands of Lake Superior Chippewa and Grand Portage Bands of Lake Superior Chippewa sovereign Native nations.

We support projects in the areas of agriculture and food systems, resilient communities, clean energy and natural resources across the region. All projects we support are connected to University of Minnesota resources.

North East Agrocycle Tours (NEAT)

Biking from Farmers Market to Farms. Purchase some local food, share meals, learn about farmers and farming, stay overnight in a tent. Work until you sweat! Feel the earth and community around you. Using the well-used Mesabi Trail, this project created a tour of farmers markets and farms along the route with descriptions and contacts for individuals and groups to explore by bike, to take part of the local food scene, and engage in a place-based cultural experience.

• Mesabi Trail website
• List of all farms and markets

Community partners

Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association, Local Farmers, Farmers Markets, Mesabi Trail^TM

Focus area

Resilient Communities, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems

Ojibwe prophecy foretells a crossroads

At this point, humans can choose to turn away from a path of environmental degradation and toward one of stewardship of the earth and each other. If we choose the path of stewardship, the earth heals and all groups of people prosper together. With support from the Northeast RSDP, a group of Northeast Minnesotans hopes a Great Lakes Cultural Interpretive Center would help us choose the latter.

More stories

Learn more about projects supported by Northeast RSDP in our storymap.

Northeast RSDP invites rapid response requests

In response to community challenges and changes resulting from COVID-19, Northeast RSDP is inviting rapid response partnership opportunities. We invite Northeast Minnesota's ideas for small-scale community partnerships to address immediate community needs resulting from the ongoing pandemic.

RSDP board members will consider requests for funding up to $550, and/or opportunities to connect communities with University of Minnesota resources. For ideas in the Northeast region or for more details, please contact David Abazs at dwabazs@umn.edu or 218-940-2196.

Ideas will be reviewed by a subcommittee of Northeast RSDP board members, who are community members from the region. Due to limited funds and capacity we may not be able to fulfill all requests, but we will respond to all requests by phone or email.

New survey reveals challenges and opportunities facing rural grocers. 

Minnesota rural grocery stores are finding ways to adapt to a challenging year such as strengthening connections to the local food system. Learn key findings from  RSDP's latest statewide survey of rural grocers. 

Creating welcoming communities

How can community members across Greater Minnesota work collectively to ensure their towns are welcoming to all residents, regardless of their race, ethnicity, language or other characteristics? The new Creating a Welcoming Community toolkit shares ways to meaningfully and inclusively engage with immigrants, refugees and Black, Indigenous and people of color, so that all feel welcome. 

Cultivating a sustainable local food system across Northeast Minnesota

Northeast RSDP has cultivated a strong presence and relationships across the region’s diverse landscape to support models for sustainable food systems and agriculture that are rooted in community. 

Northeast RSDP board members

• Ryan Bergstrom, rbergstr@d.umn.edu - Duluth
• Robert Hietala, rhietala@d.umn.edu - Hibbing
• Alexandera Houchin, houch014@umn.edu - Cloquet
• Deade Johnson, deadebox@hotmail.com - Two Harbors
• Shannon Kesner, shannon.kesner@state.mn.us - Cloquet
• Jonna Korpi, jkorpi@d.umn.edu - Duluth
• Rumbidzai (Rumbi) Faith Masawi, faith.sawi@gmail.com - Duluth
• Nathan Nelson, nathan.nelson0823@gmail.com - Hinckley
• Yusef Orest, yorest@arrowhead.coop - Lutsen
• Dani Pieratos, dani.pieratos@aeoa.org - Tower
• Allison Rian, allisonjrian@gmail.com - Aitkin
• Jolen Simon, jolen.simon@co.koochiching.mn.us - International Falls
• Shannon Walz,  mailto:smgilles80@gmail.com -Finland

Greetings from the Northeast RSDP! Have a project idea? Learn more about what we look for in a partnership and how to share your idea. We would love to hear from you!