Two Harbors Area Community Fund awards $93,000 for local projects

The newest grant round from the Two Harbors Area Community Fund sent $93,000 into projects that residents may notice quickly, from senior outreach in Silver Bay to school athletics, legal aid, food access and teen programs across the Two Harbors area.

The fund, which Boreal Waters says was its first affiliate fund, has been supporting the area since 1998 through a permanent endowment model. That structure keeps the principal invested and spends only earnings, a setup that matters in a place where local needs do not pause when other funding sources tighten. Boreal Waters says the decisions are guided by volunteer advisory committees made up of community members who live and work close to the projects they are weighing.

Among the awards, Brimson Strong Community Support & Recovery received $10,000, while North Shore Area Partners also received $10,000 for a program aimed at reaching isolated seniors in Silver Bay. Lake Superior Public Schools got $6,850 for THHS pool starting blocks, a concrete upgrade that will show up in school athletics rather than on a balance sheet. Maji ya Chai Land Sanctuary received $5,000 for an accessible health station, and Minnesota Public Radio received $5,000 for a Class Notes residency.

Other grants point to the day-to-day services that shape community life in Lake County. Head of the Lakes United Way received $4,000 for babysitter training, a small but practical investment in childcare capacity. Let’s Plant Trees was awarded $3,000 for native tree seedlings. Justice North received $2,500 for civil legal services in Two Harbors, and Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank received $2,500 for equitable and dignified food access. Paddle It Forward also received $2,500 for an outdoor leadership series for teens.

Boreal Waters said the Two Harbors Area Community Fund has been affecting lives in the area since 1998, and the latest round extends that reach with a mix of public-facing projects and social services. The foundation, formerly the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, announced its rebrand on May 21, 2025, reflecting a service area that now spans 12 counties, two states and seven tribal nations. In its 2024 impact report, Boreal Waters said regional affiliate partners granted $259,929 back into their communities, and the Two Harbors fund’s spring 2025 cycle totaled $75,250, making this latest $93,000 round a larger single-cycle commitment.

For Two Harbors and nearby communities, the money is not abstract philanthropy. It is a local decision-making tool, steering resources toward the school pool, senior outreach, legal help, food access and youth development projects that residents can see and feel.