The AACF was proud to facilitate a grant from its partner Knight Foundation Aberdeen Fund and make a grant of its own to the City of Aberdeen to support training a core group of city leaders and citizens through the FuturistU program. The Knight Fund awarded $50,000, and AACF awarded $5,000.
They will implement their training by facilitating community-wide discussions and charettes to create a shared vision for Aberdeen and Northern State University. The AACF supports its vision to bring the sparks of change and opportunity occurring throughout the city into a focused energy and momentum toward future growth.
Attending the training were Amber Schwab, City of Aberdeen Economic Development Manager and Public Information Officer; Ken Hubbart, City of Aberdeen, Director of Community Development; Spencer Sommers, CO-OP Architecture and Aberdeen Downtown Association; Erin Fouberg, City of Aberdeen City Council Member and Associate Provost of Northern State University; Robert Russell, Director of Library and Director of Cramer Center for Design and Innovation at Northern State University; and Bea Smith, Director of Northern Innovation and Startup Center and AACF board member.
Participating in the celebratory check Knight Fund grant presentation were (left to right): Aberdeen Mayor Travis Schaunaman, Aberdeen City Manager Robin Bobzien, Schwab, Hubbart, Smith, Fouberg, AACF Board Chair Heath Johnson, Sommers, and Russell.