Imagine. Inspire.
Connect.

We are so grateful to live in such a giving community, and we accept many types of support. Donations, in-kind sponsorships, volunteering, and more.

Become a Wave Maker: We’re looking for 412 people to pledge All funds raised through our Wave Maker program go directly toward projects in our community. As a bonus, your financial support will be matched dollar to dollar so we can do more to make Detroit Lakes the coolest town in Minnesota!

Foundational Sponsorship: We have a small but mighty team who work very hard to Do Cool Stuff! This sponsorship funds our general operating budget and allows all the other funds we raise (i.e. Wave Maker support or project specific sponsorship) to go directly toward projects in our community.

Volunteers + In-Kind Contributions + Connections + Unique Skills: When you're an organization that brings in things like Giant Trolls, there’s no limit to the volunteers, unusual requests, or connections you might need ☺︎ Know an amazing artist? Have a service you think may come in handy? Build surfboards and moonlight as a puzzle maker? We want to know!

We typically put requests out on our Facebook and Instagram pages and in our Newsletter, though we love to have a list of people and ideas in our back pocket. If you’re interested, please fill out our volunteer form and indicate how you’d like to help.

Angel Investing: We’d love to build an Angel Investment Group to help grow local businesses. This group could potentially be part of a regional network, so you’d see additional opportunities should one spark your interest. If you’re interested in being an Angel Investor, please reach out by email.

You’re wondering who Oz is behind the curtain? Check out our team and our donors . We’d love to add your name to one of those pages!

Yes, absolutely! Project 412 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our Federal Tax ID is 88-3176887. We do mail tax receipts with each donation, but if yours wasn’t delivered or lost, please email us [email protected] and we’ll get a new one off to you!

We’re a very small team and our focus as we begin is on Detroit Lakes, but our name says it all — we are the 412 Lakes Area (a 25-mile radius from the center of Detroit Lakes).

We know what benefits one part of 412 benefits all of our region. This means that as we grow, we do hope to have projects for all of 412, but for these first few years, we are hyper-focused on Detroit Lakes.

No, but our Ecosystem Builder can help you look to see if there are grants that may be a good fit for your business, though sometimes those are limited.

One day, we would love to start an Angel Investor group to help fund start-ups in the area, but we’re not there yet.

Great! Please read through our guidelines and complete an application here.

Years prior to 2022 – The nugget of an idea to “Do Cool Stuff” was bantered about, and then finally, “Let’s do it!”

Summer 2022 – What can we call this thing we want to do? Jon Melgaard, Amy Stearns, and Mark Fritz tossed around a variety of names and then suddenly “Project 412” just felt right as a nod to the 412 lakes within 25 miles of Detroit Lakes, the rich history of Detroit Lakes, and all the cool projects we were dreaming of doing!

September 2022 – Project 412 was formed as a nonprofit. Amy Stearns became the Executive Director. With brainstorming from Mark Knutson, marketing/website creation by Jon Melgaard, logo/branding by Izzy Waite, and countless conversations with so many people in Detroit Lakes, Project 412 launched!

Fall 2022 – Project 412 hosted three “Start Up Series” events. Coordinated and hosted by Jon Melgaard to focus on local entrepreneurs. Our first three highlighted businesses/individuals were Mi Cartagena Coffee Shop and Jonah Hauser Honey; Skye Fingalson and Design2Sell/Allure; Amy Erickson and Bluebird Books.

October 2022 – A Blandin Foundation grant was awarded to Project 412 in partnership with the Historic Holmes Theatre for “Create DL”, an initiative to add murals, utility boxes, art surprises, and color to our community!

December 2022 – Artist Zach Schumack was introduced to Project 412, and we hired Zach and his Leonic Collective artist group to bring Cave People to DL! These “ice creatures” were placed in the City Park and near the Pavilion and really got people talking about art and Project 412 (not to mention the calls to the police wondering about the ”bodies” in the park!). See them HERE!

February 2023 – Zach and the Leonic Collective with help from local artist Hans Gilsdorf created Mashaal the Mammoth at Detroit Mountain. See Mashaal HERE!

Winter/Spring 2023 – Many conversations with people to learn how best to create Create DL and fulfill the Blandin grant opportunity. Much learning from Greg Wright of SparkTowns and other resources around the nation as well as consultation with the Arts & Culture Commission of Detroit Lakes. The DL Public Utilities identified possible power boxes for art.

Project 412 put out a “Wall Call” for walls that needed murals—over 100 wall ideas were submitted! Then, an “Artist Call” was extended for both murals and utility box wraps, with over 80 submissions!

March 2023 – Michelle Maier joined the Project 412 team as VP of Operations. Basically, Michelle keeps us together!

Summer 2023 – After jurying the submitted artwork, five murals, seven power utility boxes, and 10 art surprises were added throughout DL! See them HERE! During this time, Project 412 also contracted with artist Thomas Dambo to build trolls in DL in 2024. Thomas visited DL and selected six sites for the trolls.

January 2024 – Sarah Hofmann joins Project 412 as the Ecosystem Builder to help us fulfill our focus of connecting and elevating entrepreneurs and lifestyle businesses.

Project 412 is presenting an entrepreneurship series called, "Deep Dive DL" the 3rd Thursday of each month starting in April of 2024. Coffee at 8 am | Speaker at 8:15 am. Follow our Facebook page for details!