NCR-staffed boards and commissions
Futuro Latino Empowerment Commission
This commission has not yet begun operating. The Futuro commission will advise City leaders about Latino community affairs. Futuro Latino Empowerment Commission page.
Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Aging
This committee is responsible for bringing senior citizen concerns to the attention of the Mayor and City Council. Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Aging page.
Minneapolis Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities (MACOPD)
The MACOPD is a citizen based education and advocacy group formed to expand opportunities for all children and adults with disabilities throughout Minneapolis, without regard to disability or other protected class status. Minneapolis Advisory Committee On People With Disabilities page.
NRP Policy Board
The key work of the Policy Board is to review and approve the NRP plans and to also to review the Community Participation Plan submissions from neighborhood organizations. Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) Policy Board page.
Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission (NCEC)
The NCEC held its last meeting in June 2020. The NCEC worked with the Neighborhood and Community Relations department to provided overall direction on the City’s community engagement efforts. Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission page (Final meeting June 23, 2020).
We Count Census 2020 Complete Count Committee
This committee advised the City on 2020 census outreach and engagement until the conclusion of the census in October 2020. Complete Count Committe page.
Strategies to increase participation
Approximately 600 residents currently volunteer on over fifty advisory boards and commissions, representing a key component of City decision-making. NCR's goal is to ensure that residents have good information about service opportunities, receive a quality orientation once selected to serve and equitably represent all segments of Minneapolis's population.
NCR supports these goals by staffing commissions on community engagement, accessibility and aging, supporting a biannual diversity survey, recruiting volunteers from underrepresented groups and funding organizations that support community engagement and leadership development.
The City works with Nexus Community Partners, a 501c3 non-profit organization to further connect people of color to opportunities on City boards and commissions. Nexus Community Partners developed a program called The Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute of the Twin Cities (BCLI). The BCLI is a 7-month program that identifies, trains, and supports placement of communities of color and other underrepresented communities in publicly appointed boards and commissions in support of an equity agenda. NCR works closely with Nexus Community Partners to ensure that graduates of the BCLI are aware of the opportunities on Minneapolis’ boards and commissions. Visit the Nexus Community Partners website to learn more about the BCLI program.
One Minneapolis Fund: A small grant program that provides direct grants to community and culturally-based organizations in the city that support engagement and leadership development.
City Academy: A five week course that teaches residents about the operations and functions of city government.
Streamlined appointment process: The City has aligned the appointments to its boards and commissions to occur twice a year (spring and fall cycles). This allows clarity and transparency for community members as to when and which appointments are available.
Orientation, staff training and other internal supports: Training for boards and commissions support staff (including equity training), an orientation to new members and a manual for volunteers are some of the additional supports now being offered to appointed volunteers.
Measuring success
NCR has defined success in recruitment as meeting or exceeding 80% of citywide demographic benchmarks of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, renter status, race/ethnicity, income and education. You can see detailed measures of these benchmarks and progress in our interactive dashboard on equitable engagement.