The Festival is organized and run by community volunteers. The focus of their efforts is to celebrate as a community and raise funds for the following non-profit organizations.

         

The following three non-profit organizations benefit equally from the proceeds of the Dragon Boat Festival:

The traditional crafts of the northern hemisphere, combined with the stories and rich cultural history of its indigenous people, define the flavor of the North House Folk School and its educational mission. Envisioned in 1997 the school has rapidly become a highly visible regional resource, building community and fostering life-long learning through the teaching of traditional northern crafts. Courses ranging from timber framing to traditional beading, boat building to basket weaving are offered throughout the year. In a typical year, over 13,000 participants from across North America engage North House's courses, special events and programs.

As a young nonprofit, North House depends on the generosity of individuals and businesses. The North Shore Dragon Boat Festival is a unique opportunity for North House to celebrate our educational mission and the tremendously valuable work of our partner nonprofits. Funds raised by the Dragon Boat Festival will be utilized to expand our base of instructors, host community-focused special events (such as the Arctic Film Festival & Wooden Boat Show), and develop new program resources.

The North Shore Health Care Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization playing a vital role in support of Cook County's medical and emergency services by providing grants to qualified health care providers. The Foundation benefits health care for all who live, work and visit in Cook County. Funds raised during this event will help to achieve the foundation's mission.

In 2008, the North Shore Health Care Foundation funded 22 grants in Cook County, examples include:

• The Senior Center has provided emergency call systems for many years. These are special one button call units. The State of Minnesota cut off funding for the program, so we were asked for $2643 to buy 15 units.
• We have partnered with Cook County Higher Education many times to help provide local classes for RN, Lab Tech and Massage Therapy students. The graduates of the Massage Therapy course wanted to be qualified to provide massage therapy to emergency personnel through a FEMA approved training program . We granted $2037 to fund about 25% of the cost of training and equipment. The next time there is a situation like the Ham Lake Fire where personnel are called out for long and stressful duty, our massage crew will be ready!
• Hospice is happening! A program developer was hired in October through a grant from the foundation and negotiations are in process to establish a state licensed program in Cook County.

The total of all grants awarded since 1995 is $312,579.

WTIP Community Radio

WTIP North Shore Community Radio is the only local radio station serving Minnesota's north shore. Here, visitors and residents spread out over 1500 square miles of woods and waters come together through WTIP, an independent non-profit organization that provides an arena for information-gathering, discussion, and expression. A small, dedicated staff and an energetic and talented group of volunteers provide an eclectic mix of music programming, updates on local and regional news, and information on local weather, stories and events.

Since its inception in 1998, the need and demand for WTIP's services have grown tremendously. Through strong community support, involvement and feedback, WTIP has continually increased its programming, outreach and response to community needs. The support WTIP receives, including proceeds from the North Shore Dragonboat Festival, go a long way in helping the local radio station fulfill its mission to keep its listeners informed and entertained, and to promote the general well-being of the area.