The Low~Down!

Get the low-down on recent developments happening in Chisago County

Business of the month:

Branch Manufacturing

Located in North Branch, you will find the Branch Manufacturing plant. Since opening its doors in 1952, Branch Manufacturing has been a generational community oriented business and currently, in their third generation of family ownership!

From ideas to the final product, Branch Manufacturing began as a tool and dye shop but now offers sheet metal services with lasers and press brakes. The goals at Branch Manufacturing is to continually provide the best results for its customers while also holding customer service as a valuable resource. They implement these values through an operating philosophy of using technological advanced machinery, better production methods and safety precautions for craftsmen, and daily truck service for a quick turnaround time. Branch Manufacturing often works with well-known companies such as Artic Cat and John Deere to produce parts you see everyday! Currently, Branch Manufacturing has 48 employees and they are seeking positions for press, wiring EDM and press brake operators.

Visit https://www.branchmfg.com/ to learn more!

Grant Writing 101 Event

In February, the Chisago County Collaborative Initiative and HRA-EDA partnered with the Initiative Foundation in hosting a grant writing workshop.

The presenter, Deene Graham was energetic, knowledgeable and inspirational. This was a intensive, hands-on training to give attendees tips and tricks on preparing, writing and submitting a fully complete grant package. Due to the high demand of this topic, this event was sold out and the Initiative Foundation is setting up more grant workshops. However, they are filling up fast so click the link below to register or to learn about other upcoming trainings.

Initiative Foundation

Please join us!

We are always so excited to talk about East Central Minnesota and we are giving you an opportunity to visit, enjoy lunch and hear about all the things that make our region great.

For all of you looking for CE credits, this course is pending approval for 3.0 hours

Help us welcome our newest employee!

In February, the Chisago County HRA-EDA welcomed a new member to its team. Leah is currently a Senior at North Branch Area High School. She is very active with school clubs such as National Honor Society and DECA. She is studying business and these clubs assist high school and college students explore areas of business as well as prepare them for future careers. Leah is the president of her high school DECA chapter and will be leading her team to state competition in March.

The HRA-EDA and Leah are incredibly excited for this opportunity and look forward to all we can accomplish together.

Have You Seen Our Flyers?

If you or anyone you know has thought about being a child care provider - you don't want to miss this opportunity!

City of North Branch

North Branch has excellent transportation routes with I35 and CR30 running North & South and State Highway 95 running East & West. There is a Rail ready 200+ acre business park and the north half of the city is in a Federally Designated Opportunity Zone.

North Branch is home to Anderson Windows, Zinpro and Branch Manufacturing. North Branch has a great, innovative, dedicated team to commercial/industrial deals that eliminate surprises and keep projects on track! The housing in the North Branch area is growing quickly, so come check us out!

To learn more about North Branch, visit the city's website. There is plenty to enjoy in this city just to the north of the metro area.

Coming Soon:

May 1st is our annual SBDC Open House. This is open to anyone interested in small business. Come to learn, and stay to sign up for one-on-one consulting services.

May 3rd is the SBDC legacy planning which will help those looking to retire or cease owning their own business on what to expect and how to being the process.

More to come on these two training opportunities.

Issue: March 14, 2024