Sourcewell’s Innovation Funding to Award $500,000 in 2019

The 2019 Innovation Funding application process is open now through May 8, 2019. This year will mark the sixth-consecutive year that city and county entities within Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties (Region 5) have the opportunity to partner with Sourcewell and make special projects and initiatives come to life.

Sourcewell Manager of City and County Services, Anna Gruber, said the Innovation Funding program was initially created in 2014 to help public agencies in Region 5 fund initiatives aimed at producing collaboration and improving the region. The program promotes outside-the-box teamwork on projects that might not otherwise come to fruition.

This is an annual funding opportunity, with $420,235 awarded in 2016, $450,000 awarded in 2017, and another $500,000 awarded in 2018. This year, Sourcewell is slated to award an additional $500,000.

This unique funding opportunity includes an ‘Innovation Funding Review’ day when representatives from Region Five entities attend a day-long priority setting and application review to rank and select awarded projects. Gruber emphasized that Sourcewell does not select projects. Voting is done by Region 5 cities, counties, and other government associations in attendance. Review Day for 2019 will take place on Wednesday, May 22 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Sourcewell’s campus in Staples.

For more information about Innovation Funding, including eligibility requirements and a link to the application, visit sourcewell.co/Funding2019 or email gov.solutions@sourcewell-mn.gov.