Nonprofits — from small food shelves and theaters to massive health care organizations — make up about 14% of Minnesota’s workforce, according to state data. They employ about 370,000 workers, down from a record 391,000 employees in 2019.

Many of those organizations fill gaps in government services, whether it’s mental health help or food assistance, and are part of building the civic fabric of the state, Aanestad said.

“There’s something bigger at stake,” she said. “It impacts all of us.”

Propel Nonprofits in Minneapolis, which helps nonprofits with finances and loans, has seen an uptick in requests for working capital loans to help sustain operating expenses, CEO Henry Jiménez said. It’s essential state government, foundations and donors step up their support of nonprofits, he added.

“Everybody says Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes — and also 10,000 or so nonprofits,” Jiménez added. “This is what makes Minnesota a beautiful place to live. We should continue to invest in the nonprofit sector.”

In St. Paul, Neighborhood House is serving a record number of people this year at its free food markets and other programs. Food costs and other expenses continue to rise while the number of donations and volunteers lag, CEO Janet Gracia said. The organization will stave off layoffs or program cuts by dipping into its reserves.

LAFAYETTE, Wis. — About 25 children and adults were injured Wednesday when a wagon carrying them overturned at a western Wisconsin apple orchard.

The children, parents and chaperones were on a field trip to the orchard in Lafayette when one of two wagons being pulled by a tractor turned sideways and rolled over, Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes told reporters. Hakes said the tractor was traveling at a low speed when the wagon rolled over while going downhill.

Three people suffered critical injuries, while injuries to five others were considered serious. Authorities didn’t say how many of the injured were children.

The elementary school-age children attend a school in Eau Claire. Lafayette is northeast of Eau Claire.

After about five minutes and several warnings that students participating in the protest would be suspended,, the protesters exited Northrop and Cunningham continued her speech. They later gathered outside on the mall afterwards to shout, “Cunningham, you will see, Palestine will be free.”

Cunningham recounted the story of Norman Borlaug, the U alumnus and agronomist whose research in wheat saved millions from starvation, and said she would prioritize keeping a college education affordable for students.

Cunningham actually took over presidential duties on July 1, replacing Interim President Jeff Ettinger. She oversees a budget of more than $4 billion to run the university’s five campuses, which enrolled more than 68,000 students and employed 27,000 people during the last academic year.

She was chosen for the job last winter over two other candidates: Laura Bloomberg, president of Cleveland State University and former dean of the U’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and James Holloway, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of New Mexico. She is the U’s second woman president, following Joan Gabel who held the office from 2019 to 2023.

Cunningham will be paid more than $1 million per year — about $975,000 in base pay and an additional $120,000 in retirement contributions. The compensation puts her in the top quarter of Big Ten university presidents.