Community-Led Investments Building a Stronger Minnesota
Community-driven organizations creating new pathways to economic opportunities and long-term prosperity across Minnesota.
By Chris M. Garner, Communications Specialist
The community is our compass. And across the state, people closest to the opportunities and challenges facing their communities are leading, innovating and shaping solutions that build lasting prosperity.
As a community foundation, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation's role is to listen, invest and work alongside them to help bring those solutions to life.
Whether it's attracting new investments in downtown Saint Paul, expanding affordable housing, or creating new opportunities to experience the beauty of the Mississippi River, Minnesota nonprofits are ensuring their communities have the tools and resources they need to thrive.
Here are four examples of that work in action.
Downtown Alliance
The Downtown Alliance is a nonprofit organization representing businesses, nonprofits, government entities, residents and entrepreneurs in downtown Saint Paul. This summer, representatives, including elected officials, came together to announce over $1 billion being invested in the city's downtown efforts through public and private initiatives. Investors include: the City of Saint Paul, Ramsey County Revitalization, the Saint Paul Port Authority and the Downtown Improvement Fund.
This year, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation committed $15 million in partnership with the Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation to support downtown’s revitalization.
Local Initiatives Support Corporation Twin Cities
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation Twin Cities, also known as LISC Twin Cities, provides strategy, education and capital to community development partners in Saint Paul and Minneapolis. This includes their affordable housing expansion model, the LISC Housing Opportunity Fund, in partnership with LISC Duluth and Rural LISC. The Opportunity Fund provides affordable capital to preserve and expand housing options throughout the state, including new construction, acquisition and rehab of existing housing or the conversion of non-residential structures into affordable housing similarly to the Foundation’s Our Home State Grant Program.
Rondo Community Land Trust
Since 1993, Rondo Community Land Trust (Rondo CLT) has been committed to providing affordable housing and preserving affordability of commercial space in Saint Paul and surrounding areas. Over the last few years, under the leadership of executive director Mikeya Griffin, the organization has brought vitality back to Selby Avenue by rehabilitating and acquiring properties.
With support from the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation and our fundholders, Rondo CLT was also able to purchase six duplexes on Selby Avenue, housing 15 families as well as its headquarters. This year, Rondo CLT expanded its work further by acquiring the old Sears site across the street from the Minnesota State Capitol.
Great River Passage Conservancy
The Great River Passage Conservancy is all about reconnecting Minnesotans to the Mississippi River. Since 2018, it has helped make experiencing the 17 miles of the Mississippi River that touches Saint Paul more accessible. This year, the Great River Passage Conservancy officially merged with the Saint Paul Parks Conservancy in an effort to expand its impact. The merger will operate under a unified board of directors. Jodi Massey, former interim executive director of the Great River Passage Conservancy, now serves as director of the Great River Passage Initiative.
Over the years, the Foundation has supported this initiative through both our Management Improvement Fund and our General Operating grant program.
To learn more about how the Foundation partners with community and economic development organizations and initiatives, visit our Impact in Action: Community & Economic Development page.
About the Author
As communications specialist, Chris Garner supports the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation’s work by showcasing it to the community through words, photo, video and other media. Chris has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Alabama State University and a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University.
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