Don Hickman

Don Hickman is the Vice President for Community and Workforce Development for the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls. In this capacity he administers approximately $2M in grants annually, and supervises community leadership, workforce development, early childhood, diversity, equity and inclusion, and environmental programs. Hickman serves on the board of directors of The Funders Network (https://www.fundersnetwork.org/) and is also past chair of the Environmental Initiative (www.environmental-initiative.org), and past chair of the Brainerd Family YMCA. He is an administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory, and a certified neutral (for mediation). Don first partnered with the Initiative Foundation as a consultant in 1999 to develop the Healthy Lakes and Rivers Partnership program to help Lake Associations develop and implement science-based, citizen-lead surface water management plans. The HLRP program has now worked in 25 counties throughout Minnesota, assisting over 340 Lake Associations to harness the volunteer time, talents and treasure of citizen stewards to improve or restore water quality, wildlife and fisheries habitat, guide land use policies and practices, inspect wastewater treatment systems, prevent or manage Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), model best practices for agricultural production, and constructively engage in civic processes. He joined the Foundation as full time staff in 2001, and became a vice president in 2010. Hickman is a former adjunct instructor at the University of Minnesota - Duluth in the Masters of Political Advocacy and Leadership (MAPL) program.