The importance of the civic project to the McLeod for tomorrow mission is vast in nature. The benefits from our program are easy to see when you’ve been a part of the program however, for those who don’t know about McLeod for tomorrow, it can be hard to find tangible results. The idea behind creating a civic project, was to show the county physical results of the front of the program.
Previous Projects
The first year, be worked on the Brownton community Garden. This granted us an excellent opportunity to get back to a smaller community in McLeod County and create opportunities that were previously there. In Brownton, there was no fresh fruits and vegetables available at the time. The community garden allowed for fresh fruits and vegetables to be purchased in town, rather than having to go outside of town, at least during the warmer months.
In 2023, we spent our civic project time at Equul Access, a nonprofit offering equine services and therapies to people in need. Our focus was on the sensory trail, adding in new stations throughout the trail. We worked with Marsha, Executive Director and Founder of Equul Access, to purchase the supplies and plan out stations. Every year, MFT budgets some money to put toward the Civic project, should we have the need to help fund the project.
Looking Ahead
For the spring of 2024, we want to find something equally impactful to work on with this year’s cohort. The problem is, with such a vast county, the needs of more rural areas can be hard to discover unless you are from there.
This is where we need your help. McLeod for Tomorrow is offering a grant application process for our civic project. With a simple form, people can submit project ideas from their towns, places of business, or other places, and organizations that might need assistance.
Rules of the Project
The rules of the civic project are simple. The program has a scheduled half day planned for the civic project in the beginning of May, 2024. We will have 15-24 people approximately available to work. There are some funds available to help pay for the project. Additionally, time can be put toward fundraising for the project if a greater amount is required.
What we don’t have, is a project to work on. We need to find something that benefits people in McLeod County. A project that can utilize the teamwork of a group of leaders in the county. Something that allows us to make our mark in a way that will create positive change for a town in mcleod county.
Have a Project Idea?
Do you have ideas for us? If you’re a part of an organization or communities that could utilize the services, please fill out the application here.
We are searching for Civic project ideas. If you have an idea, but not enough information to fill out the form, please email Meg at [email protected]. We would love to hear your ideas, discuss possibilities, and see where it takes us. We want to give back to the community, and we truly need your help to get that going!