Training and resources
Contact your neighborhood specialist to learn more or request help.
Funding programs
NCR staff provide support for resident-based planning through neighborhood organizations though funding programs, including:
- The Community Participation Program
- The Neighborhood Revitalization Program
- The Community Innovation Fund (concluded)
Training and support
- Forms, policies, best practice guides, and training manuals.
- Review of bylaws and other governing documents.
- Customized board training - Includes overview of Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP), Community Participation Program (CPP), neighborhood priority setting, neighborhood financial updates on City funds, how to re-allocate City funds, policies and procedures, risk management, duties of care, loyalty and concern and other resources for neighborhood boards.
- Learning labs - Offers training on how to effectively engage cultural communities, financial management, community development, community organizing, running effective meetings, engaging renters, neighborhoods 101, benefits of being on a neighborhood board, appointed boards and commissions.
Community Connections Conference
- Community Connections Conference - Annual event that brings together the community, neighborhoods, community organizations and City departments to network, learn and tackle important issues facing Minneapolis. This includes workshops, exhibits and other learning opportunities.
Community engagement assistance
NCR's accessibility and community engagement staff can assist neighborhood organizations with the following:
- Building and supporting relationships with underrepresented populations
- Developing community dialogues between neighborhood organizations, community organizations and cultural and underrepresented communities and their leadership
- Identifying barriers to participation for underrepresented communities and creating a welcoming environment
- Providing education and cultural context support for neighborhood organizations
- Assisting cultural communities and organizations along with other underrepresented populations understand and navigate neighborhood processes
- Recommending strategies for reaching and engaging cultural and underrepresented communities that meet your neighborhood needs
- Americans with Disabilities Act - Provides information to neighborhoods, community organizations and City departments on how to provide equal access to programs, services and activities for people with disabilities.
Audits, financial reviews and audit readiness dashboards
- NCR contracts with external CPA firms to provide financial audits, financial reviews, financial readiness assessments, assist with required state and federal filings and other audit procedures of neighborhood organizations.
- CPAs provide Audit Readiness consultations, to help neighborhood organization boards better understand strengths and weaknesses.
- CPAs also assist neighborhood organization with required annual filings, such as federal 990 returns and the Annual Report for the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Legal and risk management services
- NCR arranges a group Directors and Officers insurance policy that covers most neighborhood organization board and staff.
- NCR staff and legal counsel can review bylaws, employment law, nonprofit law, NRP law, new programs, projects or initiatives and other neighborhood organization policies as needed.
- Risk Management - Arrange for director and officers insurance for most neighborhood boards and tracks general liability insurance policies for neighborhood organizations.
Problem solving
- Responding to complaints and grievances.
- Managing conflicts of interest.
- Guidance on procedural questions (e.g. Robert’s Rules of Order, etc.)
- Budgeting issues and financial oversight
- Forming and maintaining partnerships
- Responding to crisis situations (e.g. 2011 tornado)
- Conflict Resolution - Provides information to boards and committees such as: codes of conduct, pointers for participation, IAP2 principles for meetings, how to run effective meetings, Roberts Rules of Order, understanding cultural norms and working with diverse participants in the community.
Attend neighborhood meetings as requested
- NCR staff regularly meet with neighborhood organizations to provide guidance and information, to answer questions or provide guidance on issues such as;
- Neighborhood funding programs
- City programs and other resources
- Outreach to residents and other stakeholders
- Responding to City/develop/other jurisdiction requests
Information and data
NCR staff support 70 neighborhood organizations and more than 700 volunteer board members across Minneapolis, providing in-depth information on neighborhood organizations online.
- NCR staff track funding and implementation of neighborhood plans on our online database, PlanNet.
- View basic PlanNet reports.
- For access to customized reports, request a PlanNet username and password from Jack Whitehurst at [email protected].
- Find neighborhood organization contact information, annual reports, financial reports, and other data.
- Neighborhood board diversity
Other Resources
You can find these other great resources for your neighborhood organization online:
- Updates for neighborhood organizations and our neighborhood programs
- Links to neighborhood organizations and contacts, neighborhood plans, funding reports, and other information
- Neighborhood profiles with maps, population data and graphs
- Planning, Zoning and Development Review
- City of Minneapolis Planning Sectors and Planners
- Zoning handouts and bulletins
- MN compass demographic data and reports for all neighborhood in Minneapolis and St Paul
- Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Best Practices
- Charities Review Council Accountability Standards
Last updated Jul 10, 2020
