The document summarizes the Healthy "Green" Communities Partnership program between the Initiative Foundation and communities in Central Minnesota. The Initiative Foundation provides grants, loans, and assistance to strengthen economic opportunities and protect natural resources in the region. The Partnership program aims to develop a locally shared green vision and mobilize assets to implement plans through an 18-month initial process involving community meetings, training, and task forces. The community receives an initial $10,000 grant and priority consideration for future grants to support establishing sustainable practices across buildings, transportation, land use, environmental management and economic development.

1. Welcome!
Healthy “Green” Communities
Partnership
Pine River
February 10, 2009

2. Desired Outcomes
1. Learn about the Initiative Foundation
2. Understand the elements of the Healthy
“Green” Communities Partnership
program as planned for Pine River, MN.

3. Initiative Foundation
“Unlocking the potential of the people of
Central Minnesota
to build and sustain healthy communities”
Quick History & Key Facts
• Founded in 1986 by The McKnight Foundation
• Serve 14 counties and 161 communities in Central MN

4. The Region:
▪ 709,000 Population
(2007)
▪ 41% Growth since
1990
▪ 14 Counties
▪ 161 Cities

5. Initiative Foundation:
What We Do … The Basics
• Make grants to nonprofit organizations.
• Make loans to businesses to secure quality jobs.
• Help communities, environmental associations
and nonprofit organizations plan for the future.
• Early Childhood & Youth as Resources

6. Foundation Goals for 2007-2012:
▪ Strengthen Economic Opportunity
▪ Protect/Enhance Key Places and Natural
Resources
▪ Empower Children, Youth and Families
▪ Build Organizational Effectiveness
▪ Diversify Fund Development and
Philanthropy

7. Challenges for the entire region:
•Aging infrastructure
•Workplace succession – many aging
professionals soon planning to retire
•“Day migration” as skilled workers commute
to higher paying jobs out of region
•Incorporating more diverse work force
•Workforce has lower level of “educational
attainment” than rest of state

8. Opportunities for entire region:
•Boom in health care fields
•Investment in infrastructure likely to
re-employ construction fields
•Clean “Green” energy opportunities (wind,
solar, conservation, bio-mass, etc.)
•Potential for expanding “non-employer
businesses”
•Strong industrial base capable of expansion

9. HCP “Green” Goal: To develop the capacity of
citizens to create a locally shared “Green”
vision/plan; to mobilize local/regional assets to
implement that plan.
18 month initial program

$10,000 initial grant

Local team of 10-20 leads community

process
Develop community “Green” vision/plan

Task forces lead “Green” implementation

Follow- up matching grants for up to 4

years after planning process.

10. Funders
McKnight Foundation
Bush Foundation

11. Community Building Cycle
Vision
Evaluation Plan
Action

12. HEALTHY “GREEN” COMMUNITIES PARTNERSHIP TIMELINE
18 Months
4 Months 6 Months
1 Month
HCP HCP
Kickoff Community
HCP Annual
Community Session 3 Session 4
Event Training Community
“Green” Strategic Managing Action
In Sessions Meeting
Goal
Resources
Visioning Planning in
Community 1&2 Selection *
& Community
Meeting
* *
Change *
*
Trend Report,
Progress
Assets, Report,
Trends and Principles Year One Task Forces
Challenges
Share Community
of Community Goals
Organization,
&
Community Plan Update
Development Selected Managing Change, Training, &
Goals
Assessment Principles for Success Resource Implementation
Identified
Data Data overview Identification Begins
Around Year One
Goals
Team Building and
Visioning
* These events are held in your local
Communications,
community.
Group Techniques,
Conflict Management
Technical assistance, specialized workshops, preference on grants related to community identified goals and resource referral
ongoing.

13. A Partnership
The Initiative Foundation will provide ...
• Training
• Assessment of local community health (annually)
• Technical assistance (in partnership with others)
• $10,000 grant for the process
• Information on other resources
• Annual Trends Update Workshop
• Priority consideration on grants and loans
• House community funds, assist with public
relations
• Follow-up grants and workshops

14. A Partnership
Communities will ...
• Actively participate (keep numbers up)
• Involve community in design of “Green”
community development plan and projects
• Integrate plan into local government plans
• Complete assignments and grant reports
• Help with media and public relations
• Share ideas, success and failures with others
• Hold annual community meeting
• Have fun!!

15. HCP Principles
•Leadership Development •Integration
•Inclusiveness
•Intergenerational
•Sustainable Development
•Interconnection
•Asset Development
•Power of Common Vision

16. “Leadership,
Not Geography,
Controls
Community
Future.”
Cal Clark

17. Recreation
Natura
on
cati
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l
um
re
Edu
Resou
an
ltu
Se
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rv
nt i
rces
He ic
&
de
alth es
yI
ts
it
Ar
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mh
om ers
C ad
Labor Fo
Le ty
rc e iversi
nD
latio
Integrated Popu
Media Community
Comme
rc
Development ial
ng ure
Housi cult
gri Pub
s/A
y
ines li c Sa
og
us fety
l
ry/B
no
u st
Lo
So c i
ch
Ind
c
Faith Community
e
e
al
Us
/T
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al O
e
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ov
ur
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atio
er
t
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nm
str
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en
a
fr
t
izati
nsp
In
Tra
o
n

18. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Economic
Vitality
Civic
Participation
Environmental Human
Quality Well-Being

19. Interconnection
Communities
are not islands
unto themselves

20. Unlocking the Potential of Communities
through...
Asset-Based Community Development
• Inside - Out Approach
• Relationship Driven
• Focus on Assets
• Citizen Centered

21. Principle of Shared Vision:
MANY VISIONS IMPOSED VISION SHARED VISION
G
O
A
L
Plan without
Community
Groups move community
planning
in various involvement
directions Groups acting
Lots of energy
in concert
No plan or expended resisting
coordination Plans become
No forward
reality
movement

22. What’s The point?
The point of public participation
is that by adding the value-
rich perspectives of citizens to
the information-rich
perspectives of experts, we can
create wiser public policy.
--Adapted from Daniel Yankelovich,
The Magic of Dialogue

23. The Ninth Principle
Plan for the future, not for
the past!

24. “Green” Communities
A voluntary program for all Minnesota
cities to identify, support and recognize
implementation of a set of sustainable
development best practices focusing on
energy conservation that lead cities
beyond compliance and encourage a
culture of innovation.

25. “Green” Focus Areas
Buildings and Facilities
1.
Municipal, residential, commercial and industrial.

Transportation
2.
Bike and pedestrian routes, safe routes to schools,

public transit.
Land Use Planning
3.
Sustainable design and management, parks,

open spaces.

26. “Green” Focus Areas (cont)
4. Environmental Management
Wastewater, recycling, renewable energy use, local

foods and agriculture, public outreach, education and
healthy community programs.
5. Economic Development
Green jobs, workforce development and access to

capital.

27. A Practical Approach
Simple
1.
Proven
2.
Effective
3.
Promote Innovation
4.
Save $$$
5.

29. Potential “Green” Benefits
1. Improve quality of life and create desirable places to
live and work.
2. Reduce operating costs and save money – for your
home, your business and your community.
3. Provide a simple pathway for going green

30. How can citizens be involved?
HGCP Leadership Team, 10 – 20
1.
“Green” Community Visioning , 100 – 200
2.
“Green” Community Task Forces , 20 – 45
3.
Local matching financial support for project implementation
4.
Be positive and open minded! Ask your local leaders questions
5.
if you have them.

31. Questions?

32. Thank you!