News

See short TV/print coverage of two GreenStep gatherings:

• Rochester: https://www.kimt.com/content/news/Minnesota-GreenStep-Cities-program-celebrates-10-years-566825221.html
• Duluth: https://www.fox21online.com/2020/01/08/mpca-celebrates-ten-years-of-greenstep-cities-program/
• Duluth: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/government-and-politics/4854307-Duluth-shares-its-sustainability-story-through-GreenStep-Cities-program

For those who could not make it to a January gathering, we'd love for you to record a short video statement on how the GreenStep program has helped you move forward and meet your goals: go to https://flipgrid.com/greenstep  Our goal is to edit statements into a short video to be shown at the June League of MN Cities conference in St. Paul.

And download and share the 1-page infographic 10 Years of GreenStep Impacts & Accomplishments.
     
 

Date/Time: June 16th, 1pm CT

Register: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wI7rsDeYSd2rp2JdJRzGlQ 

How can community leaders continue to engage stakeholders and other members of the public in important local decisions when staying safe means staying home? The MSU National Charrette Institute and the Form-Based Codes Institute at Smart Growth America are partnering to deliver a series of webinars to provide local leaders, developers and advocates with tools and examples for staying in touch, sharing ideas, and getting interactive feedback to keep critical decisions moving forward. Many of these techniques, while essential in this time of separation, have the potential to engage new, hard-to-reach segments of the community, and will be useful, even beyond this current crisis.

One of the greatest challenges in any community engagement effort is ensuring that all stakeholder groups have a voice. Virtual tools can exclude or discourage stakeholders who do not have the resources or knowledge to participate. But they can also provide access for individuals who often have been excluded or chose not to participate. In this FREE June 16 webinar, a panel of experts will explore how virtual platforms and tools can, along with other methods, bring the voices and perspectives of all groups affected into the decision-making process.

Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Accommodations for persons with disabilities may be requested by contacting the event contact two weeks prior to the start of the event. Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.

The UMN is looking to connect with community partners like your organization to engage students in the response to COVID-19 over the summer via internships, research and volunteering (please note that all opportunities must be able to be done virtually). You don’t need to have funding for the positions (although paid internships are fantastic!). Opportunities include:

• General opportunities for working with students: The University's Center for Community Engaged Learning is coordinating volunteer opportunities and will offer a structured class experience for students who would be matched with your site. Please complete this Google form. See below for more details.
• Work with Humphrey School of Public Affairs students: Humphrey School students have skills in policy analysis, qualitative and quantitative research, program evaluation, survey and focus group design and implementation, community development, community engagement, urban planning and design, housing, land use, transportation planning, human rights, environmental planning, GIS, and more. If you have projects or opportunities and could use the expertise of Humphrey students, please please complete this form. If you have questions, please contact Jan Guyer-Wood at jguyerwo@umn.edu.
• Work with Carlson Graduate business students: The Carlson Graduate Business Career Center is striving to provide students (MBAs, Human Resources Students, analytics students)  with critical mission driven work this summer and early fall. If you are interested in working with a graduate business student for project work this summer please submit this quick form and someone from the career center will be in touch within two business days. 

General questions: Jessica Jurceck jurce003@umn.edu 

June 3rd; 12:00 - 1:30 pm (CT)

Register: https://web.cvent.com/event/6c2e7079-30df-4df3-8ab8-7f8e8c23a42e/summary 

Please join The Pew Charitable Trusts for a discussion with government officials and mitigation experts on how disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure can help protect economies and communities from additional hardships posed by the risk of extreme weather. Research shows investments in mitigation and resilient infrastructure provide widespread benefits that include reduced damages, job creation, and faster economic recovery following disasters. However, the federal government has historically devoted exponentially more funding toward reactive disaster recovery than proactive disaster preparedness. Natural disasters will not stop for a pandemic or any other external force. With another hurricane season officially beginning in June some communities and states will face increased risk for disruptions to livelihoods and businesses, and billions of dollars in damages. Our panelists will discuss the economic benefits of mitigation projects, the need for additional federal resources to support community and state disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure efforts, and policies Congress could adopt to better protect Americans from the next storm.

MPCA has $400,000 in funding available for projects that will build lasting capacity to support recycling markets in Minnesota. The goal is to increase recycling feedstock value, increase end market capacity, divert recyclable materials from disposal, and create jobs in Minnesota.

See the request for proposals (RFP) for full details on eligibility: who may apply, grant match amounts, and other information that will help applicants submit a proposal.

• Application deadline: May 29, 2020
• Total funds: Approximately $400,000
• Awards: Maximum $250,000; minimum $50,000
• Match requirement: 25% (applicants must provide at least 25% match of the grant award)

https://www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/grant-recycling-markets 

June 8, 2020; Noon - 1pm

Register: https://gswebinar4telemedicine.eventbrite.com

Telehealth and telemedicine have been rapidly expanding as a result of COVID-19, but they offer broad benefits beyond the current pandemic, from improving healthcare access to reducing vehicle trips. 

To learn more about how this might be important in your community, join the Minnesota GreenStep program and members of the Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center (gpTRAC) for a one-hour webinar at noon on Monday, June 8. The webinar will introduce telehealth and telemedicine, Minnesota’s regulatory framework, trends, barriers, and opportunities.

As cities grapple with the impact of COVID-19 on their local communities, cities may wonder how to address race equity. The state and other cities have created helpful resources that may benefit your community.

The League will continue to compile race equity resources, so check here for updates.

Get answers to frequently asked questions regarding COVID-19 and race equity

• Are there racial disparities related to COVID-19?
• Are there racial disparities in Minnesota related to COVID-19?
• How can cities include race equity in their response to COVID-19?
• If city residents are looking for multilingual COVID-19 resources, where can the city find them?
• We hear there may be acts of racial bias or discrimination happening related to COVID-19, but they are not getting reported to our police department. What can the city do to address this issue?
• What kind of statement could a city make related to race equity and COVID-19?
• What are Minnesota cities doing to address race equity during this health pandemic?
• What other local government efforts should cities be aware of related to equity and COVID-19?

Request for Proposals 

The University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (RCP) is now accepting proposals for partnerships for the academic year beginning fall 2021. RCP currently has two open requests for proposals:

• Standard RCP Partnership
• Comprehensive Plan Implementation Partnership  

Partners benefit from applied research and technical assistance on one or more locally identified projects that advance community resilience to economic, social, environmental, or technological changes, provided by students and faculty at the University of Minnesota from a variety of departments and disciplines. The selection process is competitive, and successful applicants must support the effort through dedicated staff time and a local financial contribution.

RCP staff are available to help with development of your proposal at any stage—from introducing the RCP program and model to your staff, elected officials, and other stakeholders to helping brainstorm ideas for projects. Contact rcp@umn.edu to get started!

Standard RCP Partnership 

Intended for Minnesota local government agencies interested in collaborating on one to twenty (1–20) projects. Projects should demonstrably advance community resilience to economic, social, environmental, or technological changes, and may include projects related to the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligibility: Cities, counties, tribal public entities, special districts (e.g. watershed, transit, park, school), and regional government agencies or collaboratives located anywhere in the state of Minnesota are eligible. 

Deadline: Proposals are accepted three times per year: June 15, October 1, and February 1. 
 

Learn more or download proposal guidelines for
complete application information

 
Comprehensive Plan Implementation Partnership 

This special call for proposals, issued in partnership with the Metropolitan Council, is intended for Twin Cities metro area communities seeking to collaborate on one to two (1–2) projects that build community resilience and implement elements of a locally adopted 2040 comprehensive plan. 

Eligibility: Townships, cities, and counties located in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan and within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Council are eligible.

Deadline: Proposals must be received by June 15, 2020 at 11:59 PM. Communities selected for participation will be notified by the end of June 2020. 
 

Learn more or download proposal guidelines for
complete application information

Curb wastewater nutrient challenges: Upstream nutrient source reduction assistance

Is your community facing challenges with Nitrogen or Phosphorous loading in wastewater? Is your business facing pressure from the treatment facility to get a handle on wastewater releases? The Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) has demonstrated that source reduction assistance can improve a wastewater facility’s ability to meet effluent targets while enhancing business operations through expanded capacity, improved quality and reduced cost. In January 2020 MnTAP has launched a project geared towards working with facilities upstream of wastewater treatment plants to help them better-manage wastewater effluent.

Through this project, MnTAP staff and interns can help identify strategies for upstream nutrient reduction, which can:

• Decrease load to local wastewater treatment ponds and plants

• Reduce the burden on our local bodies of water and wildlife

• Minimize pressure and costs for businesses that discharge wastewater

If your community, wastewater treatment plant and/or business could benefit from no-cost assistance with wastewater nutrient management, contact Matt Domski – mdomski@umn.edu 612-624-5119 or Daniel Chang – dwchang@umn.edu 612-624-0808. 

Upstream Nutrient Reduction: MnTAP has launched a project geared towards working with facilities upstream of wastewater treatment plants to help them better-manage wastewater effluent.

Through this project, at no-cost, MnTAP staff and interns can help identify strategies for upstream nutrient reduction, which can:

• Decrease load to local wastewater treatment ponds and plants
• Reduce the burden on our local bodies of water and wildlife
• Minimize pressure and costs for businesses that discharge wastewater

The Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) is an outreach program at the University of Minnesota that helps Minnesota organizations develop and implement industry-tailored solutions that prevent pollution at the source, maximize efficient use of resources, and reduce energy use and costs to improve public health and the environment.