Ten Organizations Named Winners of Bush Prize for Community Innovation

(Saint Paul, MN - Dec. 2, 2014) - The Bush Foundation today awarded the 2014 Bush Prize for Community Innovation to ten organizations that have demonstrated a strong commitment to creative, innovative problem-solving.

The Bush Prize honors and supports organizations with a proven record of creating innovative solutions to address community challenges and opportunities. Winners are chosen for innovations that have been developed through inclusive, collaborative processes focused on making the most of community assets, and that are more effective, equitable or sustainable than existing approaches.

The 2014 Bush Prize winners are:

Minnesota

Breaking Free, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Rochester

Cannon River Watershed Partnership, Northfield

Lanesboro Arts, Lanesboro

Native American Community Development Institute, Minneapolis

North Dakota

Community of Care, Arthur

Domestic Violence Crisis Center, Minot

Legal Services of North Dakota, Bismarck

South Dakota

Destination Rapid City, Rapid City

Face It TOGETHER Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls

First Peoples Fund, Rapid City

"Each Bush Prize winner has a remarkable story of innovation to share, and collectively they are a testament to the power of inclusive, collaborative and resourceful problem-solving," said Bush Foundation President Jennifer Ford Reedy. "We are thrilled to promote these innovative organizations and to provide them with creative capital to tackle their next big idea."

Bush Prize winners receive a package that includes promotional support and materials, and an unrestricted grant equal to 25 percent of the organization's prior fiscal year budget, up to $500,000.

The Foundation received 164 applications for the 2014 Bush Prize. Panels of community members within each of the three states chose the winners from their respective state.

"Bush Prize winners are deeply invested in new ideas, new ways of approaching problems and new ways of involving the community," said Mandy Ellerton, Community Innovation Manager. "Their track records speak volumes, and we look forward to seeing what their continued creativity and leadership can mean for the future of their communities."

Learn more about the 2014 Bush Prize winners at BushFoundation.org.

About the Bush Foundation

The Bush Foundation invests in great ideas and the people who power them. The Foundation was established in 1953 by 3M executive Archibald Bush and his wife, Edyth, and today works in communities across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geographic area. More information is available at BushFoundation.org.

About the 2014 Bush Prize Winners

Breaking Free - St. Paul, Minneapolis & Rochester, MN

Led and driven by women who are survivors of prostitution and sexual exploitation, Breaking Free has helped more than 6,000 women and girls escape sex trafficking, breaking a cycle of poverty, addiction, rape, abuse and degradation that often passes from one generation to the next.

Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP) - Northfield, MN

CRWP has prevented 94 million gallons of untreated sewage from entering the state's rivers and streams over the past decade through its collaborative work that brings residents and wastewater professionals together in 21 southeast Minnesota communities.

Community of Care - Arthur, ND

Ensuring that rural, older residents can "age in place" is the work of Community of Care, whose model has proven to save money, reduce isolation, promote wellness and provide a promising solution for similar rural communities.

Destination Rapid City - Rapid City, SD

Through the creation of Main Street Square, Destination Rapid City has transformed downtown Rapid City from a collection of empty storefronts and porn shops to a beautiful, buzzing village green that has revitalized the business community and welcomed hundreds of visitors with family-oriented events and activities.

Domestic Violence Crisis Center (DVCC) - Minot, ND

To meet the escalating demand for its services brought on by increases in the population associated with the oil boom, DVCC has tripled the number of families it can serve through establishment of its multi-service New Beginnings Campus.

Face It TOGETHER Sioux Falls - Sioux Falls, SD

This revolutionary, highly collaborative, community-based strategy helps people with drug and alcohol addiction get well through a non-clinical, peer-to-peer addiction management support that is privately sustained by area employers.

First Peoples Fund - Rapid City, SD

First People's Fund empowers Native artists to be tradition bearers and leaders of social change in their communities through a combination of financial support, entrepreneurship opportunities and mentoring. The program helps revitalize cultures while providing artists with tools to emerge from poverty.

Lanesboro Arts- Lanesboro, MN

Developed through an extensive and inclusive community-wide planning process, Lanesboro Arts has played a major role in revitalizing a small town on the Root River in southeast Minnesota and has become a national model for arts-focused rural development.

Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND) - Bismarck, ND

LSND has increased legal service delivery for low-income, disadvantaged and elderly populations across North Dakota by transforming its chaotic intake process into a nationally recognized, streamlined system.

Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI) - Minneapolis, MN

The only entity of its kind in the country, NACDI employs an asset-building approach to reposition the American Indian community in Hennepin County as an engine of economic growth. Its work has spawned homeownership opportunities, youth entrepreneurship training, and creation of the American Indian Cultural Corridor along Franklin Avenue.