SmallTowns,BIGIMPACT ThesmallercommunitiesaroundcentralMinnesotaarehometobigbusiness–foravarietyofreasons.

By Emily Bertram

Central Minnesota is home to towns of all sizes and dynamics. Each community presents its own unique opportunities, amenities and culture. From the rolling hills of Avon to the busy crossroads of Clearwater, and the sprawling farm fields of Foley to the lake country of Cold Spring, there are diverse, interesting towns all across the region.

Whether a business chooses to operate in a large city or a small town, there are pros and cons of both. Bigger cities provide a larger customer base, greater visibility, a diverse talent pool, access to infrastructure, growth potential, and more, according to business consultant Larry Alton in an article on AllBusiness. com. Those are all important things to consider when choosing where to locate your business. When it comes to operating in a smaller town, Alton also outlines a number of unique benefits that these communities offer.

Affordability

Conducting business in a smaller town is generally more affordable than in a larger city. According to data gathered by SCORE. org in 2021, 56% of rural small businesses were profitable, while 53% of urban small businesses were profitable.

Alton explains that smaller towns can have lower costs of living, lower rent and real estate costs, lower taxes, lower regulatory costs, and reduced transportation costs. Plus, like their larger counterparts, smaller communities often have special incentives for starting or operating a business through the city’s economic development efforts.

The City of St. Joseph is always looking for available incentives through partners like Minnesota Department of Economic Development, the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, and others, according to Nate Keller, community development director. The city currently has several opportunities in place.

“For grants, we offer a matching business facade grant for up to $2,000 per property and a demolition grant for up to $3,500 per property,” Keller said. “We also offer a revolving loan fund, which can be used for gap financing. Traditional incentives like TIF and tax abatement are also available.”

Similar work is being done to entice new business to Sartell. City Administrator Anna Gruber highlighted the different departments that offer business assistance in the city. “Sartell has both an Economic Development

Authority and Convention and Visitors Bureau that have funds and mechanisms to incentivize business within the community,” Gruber said. “Whether this is in the form of permit fee waivers, tax increment financing, land subsidies, revolving loan funds, or grants – the city is inventive and committed to assisting businesses achieve their goals within Sartell.”

Access

Many companies agree that having quick and easy access to major