The following businesses and organizations are Ingenuity Frontier Sponsors:

Central Boiler

Team Industries

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Business & Community Division

Crookston Economic Development & Housing Authority

Border State Bank

Security State Bank, Warroad

Why You Should Consider Becoming an Ingenuity Frontier Sponsor

Ingenuity Frontier is an important collaborative effort of several Northwest Minnesota companies and organizations to attract and retain the best and brightest workers to share in the prosperity of our region. Many of the original goals have already been accomplished:

• Launch of 360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence
• Creation of two engineering degree programs by the 360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence
• A state-of-the-art R&D facility built on the BSU campus
• Implementation of Project Lead The Way (a pre-engineering curriculum) at several of our region’s middle and high schools
• Establishment of a regional brand – Ingenuity Frontier

Why is Branding Important?
Place branding is a long-term endeavor that requires years of consistent and persistent actions for the brand to take shape. The kinds of places that will benefit most from branding are:

• Places that face intense and increasing competition
• Places that face complex development tasks
• Places that face a slow and steady decline
• Places that have lived through a crisis and need to reinvent themselves

While a case could probably be made for each of these reasons, it is readily apparent that Northwest Minnesota is facing intense and increasing competition for workforce talent, and due to our aging workforce, the region is also looking at a steady decline in working-age employees. The importance of regional branding has never been greater.

Building the Ingenuity Frontier Brand
Over the course of the last two years an effort has been underway to brand Northwest Minnesota as a hub of manufacturing and engineering talent. The effort has been led and directed by several of the region’s major employers. The base of the campaign has been the Ingenuity Frontier website, a one-stop source of information on Northwest Minnesota jobs, education, healthcare, housing and more. Advertising activities direct individuals to the website, where they learn more about the opportunities that are available in the region.

Thanks to the many partners who have been part of Ingenuity Frontier since its inception, a strong foundation has already been established. What remains is the need for ongoing partners to carry the effort forward and to build upon what has already been accomplished. We have set a goal of $30,000 for 2009. All funds raised will be used for direct expenses of marketing activities.

We have established three levels of sponsorship and corresponding benefits for each:

1. Platinum: $5,000
   Logo displayed on every page of the website
   Link to sponsor website
   Listing on JOBS page, with ability to receive resumes electronically
2. Gold: $1,000
   Link to sponsor website
   Listing on JOBS page, with ability to receive resumes electronically
3. Silver: $250
   Listing on LINKS page with link to sponsor website

Please consider becoming an Ingenuity Frontier sponsor and making an investment in the future of your business and the place we call home. Click here for a downloadable response form. If you'd prefer to make an online contribution, click here. If you have any questions, feel free to call Michelle Landsverk, Project Coordinator, at 218-435-2834 or email michelle@michellelandsverk.com.