In the second quarter of 2026, the Northland Foundation awarded more than $1,150,600 through its Quarterly Grant program, making 44 grants to nonprofit organizations and community partners in northeastern Minnesota April through June. Two groups of grants this round are more unique from the foundation’s typical quarterly awards. Eleven grants totaling $100,000 were awarded to support food access in rural communities. The grants direct support primarily to food shelves serving towns with populations of 1,000 or fewer. “Food insecurity is just as acute in rural areas as in larger cities,” said Michelle Ufford, Vice President of Grantmaking, “but in small towns with small populations, resources can also be scarcer. Rural Median household incomes tend to be lower in general, and there are fewer local people to donate or volunteer.”