MBFC presented a grant to Minnesota Economic Development Foundation (MNEDF) in support of their upcoming “Upper Midwest Basic Economic Development Course”.
Tom Saehr (photo left), President & CEO of MBFC, met with Mark Lofthus (photo right), Board Member of MNEDF (and Economic Development Director of Dakota Electric Assoc.), to present the check.


MNEDF will be conducting the Upper Midwest Basic Economic Development Course at Great River Energy in Maple Grove, MN from July 15-19th, 2019. Lofthus said the course is considered a prerequisite for new and early-stage economic development staff to gain a core understanding of the profession.
Participants will study the core building blocks of economic development, including:

  • Business Retention & Expansion
  • Finance for Economic Development
  • Marketing & Business Attraction
  • Strategic Planning
  • Community & Neighborhood Revitalization
  • Ethics
  • Workforce Development

The coursework being offered is the first step toward credentials as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) by the International Economic Development Council.
Contact MBFC today for additional details about our grant or VetLoan Advantage program.