Northfield secures $3 million in state funds for Community Resource Center improvements

By Colton Kemp, Northfield News

June 17, 2026

Both sides of the aisle came together recently to help Northfield secure $3 million in state funds for improvements to the Northfield Community Resource Center, a hub for essential services in the city and across Rice County.

Sen. Bill Lieske, a Republican, and Rep. Kristi Pursell, a Democrat-Farmer-Labor member, each played a part in advocating for and ultimately securing the state bonds for the project during a time when bipartisan cooperation can feel increasingly rare.

The NCRC houses multiple essential nonprofits and community organizations, including the Community Action Center, Rice County United Way, Healthy Community Initiative, the Northfield Community College Collaborative, Fifty North, Three Rivers Community Action, the Northfield Public Library Oasis and Rice County satellite offices.

The $3 million in state funding will support a range of improvements across the building, including mechanical upgrades to replace aging HVAC equipment throughout the facility, replacement of pool mechanical equipment, refurbished restrooms, safety and security upgrades such as card-access improvements, a safer point of entry and privacy fencing. The project also includes new flooring, ceiling tiles, a refreshed pool deck and a fresh coat of paint on the exterior.

A key component of the project is a new loading dock and food storage area for the Community Action Center food shelf.

Northfield Mayor Erica Zweifel said the NCRC is a regional asset that serves families across the greater Northfield area and neighboring communities, making state support appropriate.

Zweifel

“The motivation is simple,” Zweifel said. “Because the building provides a broad regional benefit, it is only fair to utilize state funding to support it, rather than placing the entire financial burden solely on Northfield property taxpayers.”

Pursell said she was motivated to advocate for the NCRC because of its role in the community.

“Northfield is a largely residential community, which puts the majority of the tax burden on working families,” Pursell said. “And as we’re in the middle of an affordability crisis, every single dollar counts. So when the state can take on some of the financial burden to support necessary infrastructure without asking our community to foot such a big bill alone, it’s a benevolent cycle.”

Pursell hosted a bonding committee tour last fall to show lawmakers the need for improvements at the NCRC.

“The proposed alterations will allow substantially more diversion of food ‘waste’ from landfills that will be able to feed people in need,” she said. “Plus, this funding will go towards improving the building’s maintenance systems by offsetting some cost burdens on these frontline community partners in the building.”

Lieske said the bonding tour was particularly convincing when the group got stuck behind pallets of food in the food shelf and had to wait to continue.

Lieske

“You could see firsthand that the building was struggling to keep up with what it was being asked to do,” he said.

Lieske noted that the current food shelf has no real loading dock, just a door. When a delivery truck arrives, it shuts down the operation because there is nowhere to stage everything. A proper loading dock with built-in storage would allow the food shelf to stay open five days a week and free up space currently used for food storage next to the daycare, potentially allowing the daycare to expand.

“One fix with a lot of ripple effects,” Lieske said.

While both legislators supported the NCRC project, Lieske expressed concerns about the size and scope of the overall bonding bill and the deal tying a temporary tab fee freeze to cuts for people with disabilities.

“That said, the NCRC has served this community for years and deserved support for their effort, and the city put in the work to make a persuasive case,” he said.

Pursell said the funding was a significant win for the district.

“Northfield hasn’t had a successful bonding proposal for several years, so it is very gratifying and exciting to deliver two projects for District 58A this term — this one and the Lonsdale water tower project,” she said.

The NCRC improvements are expected to begin later this year.