Northspan is a private nonprofit economic development consulting firm offering a full array of professional business and community development services: strategic planning facilitation, funding development with grant and loan application packaging, community development project financing and technology systems development. Northspan also develops strategic marketing plans for long-term business development and economic growth by partnering with regional and statewide business development organizations through its Northland Connection program.

NorthlandConnection.com is a dynamic economic development tool for expanding or locating businesses in Northeastern Minnesota and the Duluth/Superior Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The portal includes data on real estate, workforce, industries, infrastructure, incentives and quality of life.

UMD Center for Economic Development provides free help with business plans, strategic planning, Internet marketing research, small business loans, financial ratio analysis, profitability, new product development and more for clients in northeastern Minnesota.

The Northern Tier brings together economic development organizations, business, industry, and non-profit agencies to maximize the efficiency and range of services available to rural businesses and Knowledge Clusters. The Northern Tier provides the collaborative tools necessary to link business and industry with the knowledge resources they need to succeed. To make this possible, the economic development organizations of Rural Minnesota are working together to offer a comprehensive suite of services to ensure the success of rural businesses.

Headquartered in Eveleth, Iron Range Resources is a unique Minnesota state agency designed to help strengthen and diversify the economy of northeastern Minnesota. Specifically, the agency serves the interests of the Taconite Assistance Area, a geographical region encompassing approximately 13,000 square miles. Iron Range Resources offers programs in business recruitment and retention, economic development and diversification, community development, mining, technology and tourism.

As a founding investor in the Minnesota Community Capital Fund (MCCF), Minnesota Power can help businesses access up to $2,000,000 for start-up or expansion projects in Minnesota. It sponsors loan applications submitted by customers involved in energy-intensive or value-added operations, such as manufacturing, agricultural processing, information industries and other technologically innovative businesses.

We are a nonprofit organization helping people develop their business ideas for starting, stabilizing, or expanding small businesses. We offer individual consulting, classroom training and financing.