Displaced Mine Employee Grant Programs

Location:

Minnesota

Case description (read more)

Mining was the primary source of employment in the greater Biwabik area of Minnesota. As a result, when the LTV Steel Company closed its taconite mine in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota, the loss of 1400 jobs had a tremendous impact on local communities and the economy. This is a story of how the City of Biwabik, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the US Forest Service (USFS) worked together to develop and implement a grant program assisting displaced miners with local, entrepreneurial business opportunities. More importantly, it is a narrative illustrating how proactive and responsive participation by local, state and federal agency staff in the grant application process made a tremendous difference in the lives of affected residents.

What is fostering progress? (read more)

• Internal initiative on the part of the US Forest Service: the flexibility of the program development and implementation made it easy to get resources to individuals in need.
• Local Administration: the City did not require that any of the grant money be used to cover the City’s administrative expenses
• Delivery of Funds to Grantees: the Forest Service provided the money upfront, which allowed he City to put the funds into a dedicated account and write checks directly to the participants.
• External Selection Process: establishing an external selection process took a lot of pressure off local administrative staff.

What lessons can be drawn? (read more)

• A small effort can have a big impact.
• Dedication and persistence of the city planner and Forest Service employees enabled the miners to understand and effectively respond to the opportunity.
• Partnerships form when connections are made
• Procedures should be understandable and straightforwar

Contact information at the Forest Service

This site was developed by the Ecosystem Management Initiative through a partnership with the US Forest Service and the US Department of Interior. Read more.