A matched savings program for individuals striving to create a savings account. The program requires: - Earned income must be used towards purchasing their first home, starting a business, or pursuing post-secondary education - Participants must agree to be involved in budget counseling and setting financial goals - Participants save up money in an individual savings account, and the program deposits $3 for every $1 the individual deposits in the account

Offers direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to develop or improve essential public services and facilities in communities across rural America. Public bodies, non-profit organizations, and federally recognized American Indian Tribes can use the funds to construct, expand, or improve facilities that provide health care, education, public safety, and public services. Projects include: - Adult and childcare centers - Assisted living facilities - Fire and rescue stations - Health care clinics and hospitals - Public buildings and other community-based initiatives - Rehabilitation centers - Schools and libraries - Village and town halls

Provides aspiring small business owners with the tools, resources, and guidance needed to succeed. Services include: - Business Technical Assistance: Comprehensive support in business planning, operations, and scaling - Culturally Relevant Entrepreneurship Training: Tailored programs that address unique challenges and opportunities for diverse communities - Micro Lending: Provides access to small loans designed to kickstart and grow businesses - Workshops and Resources: Interactive sessions and materials to enhance business acumen and connect entrepreneurs to vital resources

NOTE: Not accepting applications at this time. Check website for updated information. Provides loans, loan guarantees, and grants that enable rural property owners to develop and rehabilitate properties for low-income, elderly, individuals living with a disability, families, and domestic laborers. Works directly with farm labor housing loan properties to subsidize rents for low-income tenants who cannot afford to pay their full rent. Additional services include: - Subsidized loans for construction or rehabilitation of rental housing complexes in rural communities to serve very-low and low-income households - Directory of Rural Development-financed complexes with location and contact information for prospective residents - Rent subsidy vouchers to protect eligible tenants who may face hardship if they cannot find affordable housing (available at most complexes) - Uses a variety of tools to revitalize and preserve the physical and financial health of properties currently in the USDA's rural rental portfolio

Mayor and City Council Member Contact Information Administration: - City Administrator/Clerk: works as planning and zoning administrator and administers city elections - City Bookkeeper handles the city's monthly water and sewer billings Economic Development Authority: - Primary focus includes promotion and attraction of new and expanding business and industry throughout the region - Seeks to utilize economic tools and incentives to spur development and enhance business climate. Offers a Revolving Loan Fund, Tax Increment Financing, Minnesota's JOBZ tax incentive program, and assistance in obtaining state, federal and business financial loans or grants. Streets/Parks: - Responsible for maintenance of city roadways and alleys and snow removal - Lions Park - West Park - Boat landing and city swimming beach Water: - Responsible for water treatment plant operation, sewer treatment plant operation, and also maintenance, testing and record keeping

- Books and audiovisual lending library - Internet and Wi-Fi available - Printing and faxing - Programming including Family story time

- Administers federal Older Americans Act funding, awarding grants to community service providers who serve older adults and caregivers - Consults on a wide range of topics from demographic changes and needs of older people to programs and services for a variety of organizations, individuals, and businesses - Leverages resources and grant or contract funds for local providers - Provides demographic and service-need analysis to inform policymakers, the public, and the media - Works with local partners to plan and develop home and community-based services for older people so they can stay in their homes and communities

- Adult services, including consumer information - Children's services and programs, including story hour - Computer classes - Homebound service delivers audiobooks, books, magazines, movies, and other library materials to individuals who cannot get out of their homes - Information and entertainment through book loan, eBooks, newspapers, audiobooks, eMagazines, magazines, and videos - Interlibrary loan is used to request titles not owned by Anoka County Library - Library hold lockers for use outside of non-business hours at Johnsville, Mississippi, Northtown, and Saint Francis branches. - Microfilm readers and copy machines - Meeting space at Centennial, Crooked Lake, Johnsville, Mississippi, Northtown and Rum River branches - Public Internet access computers at each library available on a first come first serve basis. - Printers and copy machines available at each library - Reference center with access to government documents at Northtown - Wireless internet access is available at all libraries

Educational Program - Programs provided by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs to help with business skills, connections, and potential growth, including workshops and training. For current programs, click here Loans and Advising - Loans with no-cost advising. Loans offered: - City of Cook Economic Recovery Fund: Loan for local business in the city of Cook who are recovering from the summer 2024 flood - Gap Financing: Loan covers the "gap" between various sources of funding and the total cost of the project. Used for commercial real estate projects, such as mortgage or major renovation and has more flexibility than traditional lenders - Healthy Food Fund: Specialized loan for local food retailers and producers that helps with replacing dated equipment, investing in technology, expanding business, purchasing inventory, hiring staff, updating building, purchasing new or existing store, and more - SBA Microloan: Start up loan for working capital, inventory, or equipment purchase - Working Capital Loan: Loan provides access to cash for various projects and investments such as marketing campaigns, purchased inventory, upgrade equipment, or expand business operation.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region offers fundraising activities such as Bowl For Kids' Sake, Catered for Kids' Sake, Golf for Kids Sake, Taste of Winona, and other special events.

Mayor and Council members and city Staff - Member contact information Departments and services - Building permits: City codes and building permits - Economic Development Authority: Supports existing businesses and encourage the establishment of new businesses - Election: Voter information - Emergency alerts and snow notifications - Parks and Recreation: City parks and shelters, and community garden - Lost Animal (only loose dogs) - Municipal wastewater treatment, water and sewer ??

A matched savings program for individuals striving to create a savings account. The program requires: - Earned income must be used towards purchasing their first home, starting a business, or pursuing post-secondary education - Participants must agree to be involved in budget counseling and setting financial goals - Participants save up money in an individual savings account, and the program deposits $3 for every $1 the individual deposits in the account

Community education programs and classes: - Archery - Ballroom, Hawaiian, Tahitian and square dancing instruction - Basketball, softball, volleyball and football - Business consulting services - Computer classes - Cooking classes - CPR/First Aid - Day camps with drawing instruction, sculpture instruction, skateboarding, ice hockey, acting instruction and chess - Field trips - Fishing - Foreign language instruction - Golf - Gym games - Knitting instruction - Mature driver training - Painting classes - Parenting classes - Parenting skills development - Personal finance instruction - Photography instruction - Sewing instruction - Sign language instruction - Swimming lessons, aquatic exercise and lifeguard training - T'ai Chi Ch-uan, swimming, exercise classes/groups and aerobics - Woodworking instruction - Writing instruction - Youth Development/Youth Service: Programs involving high school youth in service learning opportunities in the community. Portion of funding is used to provide integration support to youth with disabilities into existing community education programs.

- Mayor and Council Members - Economic Development Authority (TEDA): Promotes local businesses and local business expansion, recruit new business, collaborate with prospective businesses - Elections: Provides information for election, voting, and registration - Municipal Airport - Planning and Zoning Commissions: Conducts hearings and advises the city council on land-use matters, including zoning and development plans - Public safety (Fire and Ambulance): Provides emergency rescue and fire services and fire inspections - Public Works: Maintains, repairs, and updates the public utilities, facilities, equipment, and infrastructure; 7:30 am - 4 pm Monday - Friday; (218)410-9736 - Recreations: Local and State parks; horse, ski, snowmobile, and walking trails

Provides secure document destruction services, certified by the National Association for Information Destruction (AAA certified).

Mayor and City Council Member Contact Information Building Department: - Darin Haslip, building official - Building inspection information - Construction permit information City Attorney: (320)365-4868 City Clerk Department: - Election information - Local government information including mayor and city council members - Meeting room policy information Community Center: - 130 Main Street South, Hector, MN, (320)848-2710 - Rental available Emergency Management: - Chief of police, [email protected], (320)848-2500 Engineering Department: - City Engineer, Moore Engineering, (701)499-5821 - Map information - Street construction/repair information - Water quality assurance information Planning Department: - Community development - Meets 7 am, 3rd Thursday, at Hector Community Center Public Works Division: - Water/Sewer, (320)848-2122, [email protected] - Parks Supervisor: [email protected] - Parks, trails, playgrounds, ball fields and ice rinks information - Sewer maintenance information - Snow removal information - Street cleaning and street construction/repair information - Water Plant: (320)848-2480, Cell: (320)522-1966 Swimming Pool: (320)848-2533 For any other city information, call city hall.

Program participants enter into a five-year contract. Money saved by the housing office when earned income increases is put into a savings account for the family that they will receive upon completion of the contract. Participants who complete the program may use their savings accounts for a variety of opportunities including purchasing a home, returning to school, or buying a vehicle.

- Provides tourist and community information

Offers information and assistance to help clients achieve financial stability by providing the Family Assets for Independence in Minnesota (FAIM) program and financial training. Financial training curriculum is based on the Four Cornerstones of Financial Literacy curriculum. FAIM programs are matched savings project to help Minnesota low-wage earners to build assets through the purchase of a home, pursuit of higher education, or launching of a small business

- Accepts donations designated to specific community groups and foundations - Accepts grant applications - Allows the set-up of scholarship funds and accepts applications for financial assistance - Compiling lists of trusted disaster relief organizations for donation purposes - Managed a funding information network to provide funding resource information to applicants

Owns, manages, and provides services to low-cost rental apartments and supportive housing. Supportive housing is determined by Ramsey County and Hennepin County Coordinated Entry Programs. Visit here to see available low-cost rental properties: https://www.pplproperties.org/searchlisting?citystate=

- Materials: AV sets, books, business directories, compact discs, large print books, magazines, newspapers, eBooks, downloadable audio books, videos, books on CD and audio, and DVDs - Services: Online catalog, reference assistance, Internet access, electronic magazine access, inter-library loan services, preschool story times, summer reading program, homebound services, meeting rooms for public use (at some branches), and copy machines

?Help aid in financing code-compliant construction and remodeling projects on main streets downtown. The Downtown Building Rehab Program (DBR) will support and provide up to 1/3 of the project cost, or $50,000, in eligible expenses. Up to 10% of awarded grant funding may be utilized for professional services such as an architect or engineer.

Mayor ?City Council Members City Attorney - Provides legal services, advice, and representation to the City - (218)730-5490 Construction Services and Inspection (Building Department) - Code enforcement, sign permits, and zoning regulations - Commercial and residential building permits: Include plan review of new construction, remodeling, and renovations - Inspection for building, electrical, gas piping, mechanical HVAC, and plumbing - Issuing of permits for construction, decks, electrical, fences, moving building, plumbing, etc. - (218)730-5240 Domestic Partnership Registration - (218)730-5500 Election and Voter Services - Ballot information, election information, serving as an election judge, voter registration, and voting absentee/voting early Finance Department - Coordinates and plans of all city financial information including annual budget and tax levy - Processes accounts receivable, accounts payable, and utility billing License and Permits - Animal, business, charitable gambling, hospitality, liquor, special event permit, etc. Parks and Recreation - Offers recreation amenities and a diverse trail network including programs for all ages, building and park rentals, and Duluth Public Golf - Senior Programs includes lunch time meals and participate in fun activities such as exercise programs, bingo, card games or crafts. Each Senior Center has its own monthly programming schedule with Activity Clubs. Evergreen Senior Center, Morgan Park Community Recreation Center, and Portman Community Recreation Center. - (218)730-4300; [email protected] Planning and Development - Community Development: Provides funding to low and moderate income people to addressing basic needs, providing affordable housing, and increasing economic self-sufficiency - Loan and Incentive Programs: Offers rehabilitation loan and incentives programs for homeowners, rental property owners, and developers ????- Business Development: Promotes economic vitality, job retention and growth, industrial development and redevelopment of existing ??properties through public-private partnerships - Land Use Zoning: Provides permits Public Works - Includes maintenance of all public parks, properties, and facilities, sanitary sewer services, street repairs and street lights, snow removal, storm drainage system, and water treatment and distribution.? - Natural gas 24/7 emergency hotline (218)730-4100. For emergencies related to sewer, streets, or water, call (218)730-4000 - Jim Benning; Director of Public Works and Utilities; (218)730-5105; [email protected]?

A resource of information for businesses online. Available information includes: - Accounting principles - Business plans and business finance basics - Data for businesses, such as cost of living, wage statistics, current economic highlights, job vacancies, unemployment statistics, trends, and labor markets - Exporting and international trade training, market research, statistics, and questions about importing - Financing a business and financing programs to help companies and communities retain existing jobs and create new jobs - Finding workers, workforce assistance, jobs on CareerForce, hiring, incentives, and tax credits - Insurance, taxes, intellectual property, and management basics - Licensing and permits needed for specific businesses - Starting a business and organizing a business structure - Statewide partner organizations to provide consultation or advice to help businesses grow - Support for Cannabis businesses