Legislators Talk Education, Transportation and Construction

On Friday, more than 300 of Minnesota’s nonprofit and philanthropic leaders met to hear what Legislative leaders predict for the 2015 session.

Many topics were touched upon, but most conversation centered on what the projected $1 billion budget surplus might mean for state residents and on construction at the Capitol.

Senate Focusing on Education and Workforce Development

Sen. Katie Sieben, assistant majority leader, talked about bills introduced in the Senate last week and mentioned six important ones, with four of those addressing education and workforce development, including:

• Statewide pre-K for four-year olds
• Free tuition at two-year colleges
• An apprentice-like training program to prepare workers for open positions currently going unfilled
• Tuition reimbursement for health care professionals who agree to practice in rural Minnesota

Sieben also believes transportation and reform of the state’s Child Protection system will be addressed in 2015.

Governor Directing Attention to Long-term Investment

Jaime Tincher, Governor Dayton’s chief of staff, said, “Governor Dayton isn’t thinking about how to spend the state surplus, but rather, how to invest it.” She says he’s focused on education and transportation.

The Governor also plans to propose a bonding bill this session, as he believes Minnesota has underinvested in important institutions and infrastructure. “We’re working with you and trying to make our state better for decades to come,” she said.

House Leader Stresses Voting and Civic Engagement

Rep. Paul Thiessen, minority leader, brought up the success of the last Legislative session and said he and his caucus will continue to work to make things better for families across Minnesota.

He expressed dismay at the lack of civic engagement across the country and encouraged people to vote and run for office, saying, “We need candidates from all walks of life and all communities.”

He wants to make it easy for all citizens to vote and said he supports statewide early voting and felony re-enfranchisement. He said there is support in his caucus on these issues also.

Theissen stressed the need for all of us to “connect the dots between voting and civic engagement and the problems we are all working to solve.”

Capitol Construction

Construction at the Capitol, with the resulting lack of meeting space and many other inconveniences, came up multiple times during the morning. Rep. Denny McNamara advised constituents to meet with representatives in their home districts until the construction is complete.

Others recommended consulting the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits At the Capitol tab and the Capitol Restoration Project website for current office locations, parking details and weekly construction updates.

– Susan Stehling, MCF communications associate

Photo: Minnesota State Capitol

PFund Foundation Wins Responsive Philanthropy Award

The results of the 2014 Minnesota Nonprofit Awards are in, and the recipient of the award for Responsive Philanthropy goes to PFund Foundation.

MAP for Nonprofits and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits chose to honor PFund for its QReach initiative:

In 2011, PFund convened grantees and partners across the Midwest to learn more about the needs of the communities they aim to serve. As a result of those conversations, PFund created QReach, a community network building and regional assessment project in partnership with LGBT organizations and leaders, donors, funders and allies. It is designed to address the needs identified by LGBT communities in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, and at the same time increase the resources to those LGBT communities by both building up PFund and philanthropic giving to LGBT communities in Minnesota. Through its QReach initiative, PFund is providing an important and needed framework through programming, convenings, media tools and capturing learnings; helping to build a stronger GLBTA community that has a stronger presence to help those that have further to come.

Other 2014 Minnesota Nonprofit Award winners are:

• 5% Campaign: Nonprofit Mission Award in Advocacy
• CLIMB Theatre: Nonprofit Mission Award in Anti-Racism Initiative
• Conflict Resolution Center: Nonprofit Mission Award in Innovation
• CommonBond Communities: Nonprofit Excellence Award
• YouthCARE: Nonprofit Excellence Award

Learn more about the winners by watching the video below, and see them honored in person at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits annual conference in November. Congratulations to all six!

Make Your Nominations for the 2014 Minnesota Nonprofit Awards

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and MAP for Nonprofits invite you to submit a nomination or application for a Mission or Excellence Award, to be presented at MCN’s annual conference in October.

The Nonprofit Mission Awards showcase the work of Minnesota’s outstanding nonprofits in the categories of:

• Innovation
• Anti-Racism Initiative
• Advocacy
• Responsive Philanthropy

Past winners of the Responsive Philanthropy award have included MCF members such as Elmer L. and Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation, Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and Headwaters Foundation for Justice.

Nominations are due May 30 and can be made through MCN’s website.

MAP for Nonprofits seeks nominations for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards, one for an organization with less than $1.5 million in annual operating expenses, and one for an organization with $1.5 million or more in expenses. These awards are based upon how closely organizations align with the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence.

Nominations for these awards are due May 29; see how to apply on MAP for Nonprofits’ website.

Best of luck to those being nominated!

 

Legislative Forecast Sunny with Mix of Clouds

At last Friday’s 2014 Session Line-Up, the forecast was mostly sunny, although our elected officials spotted a few clouds on the horizon.

The forecast I’m referring to is, of course, the state budget forecast. On Friday morning officials released the latest budget numbers, projecting a $1.23 billion surplus. And going into the next biennium, the budget is expected to be in the black by $2.6 billion.

The breaking news kept most of the legislative leaders away from the 2014 Session Line-Up, hosted annually by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and the Minnesota Council on Foundations, but their stand-ins shared party perspectives and answered questions from the independent sector crowd.

Sertich Outlines Governor’s Goals
Commissioner Tony Sertich, head of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB), represented Governor Dayton (who was recovering at home following hip surgery). The administration’s goals for this 12-week legislative session include:

• Tax relief. This includes changes to conform with federal tax provisions (such as the working family credit, marriage penalty, etc.) and repealing business-to-business taxes
• Raising the minimum wage. The Governor seeks $9.50 by 2015, and a bill is already in conference.
• Bonding bill. Commissioner Sertich cited a need for about $1 billion in bonds to fund infrastructure needs, so construction workers can start getting “paychecks instead of unemployment checks.”
• Legislative housekeeping. The administration wants the legislature to repeal outdated laws and adopt plain language statutes.

Commissioner Sertich confirmed also that replenishing the state’s rainy day fund (another weather reference!) will be part of discussions about how to use the just-announced budget surplus.

DFL Senators Call for Building Up Reserves
Senator Kari Dziedzic stated that the bonding bill is first priority for the DFL caucus this legislative session, enabling the state to take advantage of low interest rates, put people back to work, and take care of infrastructure needs at the University of Minnesota (part of her Senate District 60) and around the MnSCU system.

In response to a question, Senator Dziedzic confirmed that money for housing needs across the state will be part of the bonding bill, too. And Senate Democrats are on the same page with the Governor regarding tax changes and some increase in the minimum wage (although not, perhaps, to $9.50).

She also called for building up reserves so that Minnesota can avoid the budget roller coaster of recent years.

Senator Questions Local Bonding Requests
When Senator Roger Chamberlain (District 38) spoke on behalf of the Senate Republicans, he referenced the bonding bill, the repeal of business-to-business taxes, and boosting the minimum wage.

He noted support of The 5% Campaign, which advocates for a 5 percent rate increase for home and community-based services in 2014 primarily to boost wages of direct support professionals and caregivers.

(MCN representatives reminded attendees that raising the minimum wage is part of a package of initiatives its Minnesota Budget Project is advocating for this year — including tax changes and increases in government contracts.)

When asked about Republican bonding priorities, Senator Chamberlain emphasized that bonding should exclusively fund infrastructure projects that have regional and statewide impact – not local items such as “$7 million to ‘fix the spoon’ in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.”

Representative Loon Strikes Bipartisan Tone
Speaking for the minority in the House, Representative Jenifer Loon (District 48B) reported that legislators are acting quickly in the short session, noting Tuesday’s bi-partisan passage of the $20 million emergency heating assistance bill, as well as the Tax Committee passing out a federal tax conformity bill that will be in the Ways and Means Committee today.

When speaking about the proposed minimum wage increase, she offered a more nuanced view. While helping low-income wage earners is a priority, some nonprofits (and businesses) will be hurt by increased wages and increased competition for low-paying positions, such as those in the demanding health care field.

Representative Loon also noted that various nonprofits are part of the bonding requests, specifically citing Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul, the shelter where she and her fellow legislators recently volunteered. (To build bipartisan camaraderie, she and DFL Representative John Ward are organizing once-a-month, Tuesday-evening volunteer opportunities for legislators. Contact her if you have a suitable volunteer event!)

Carlson’s Forecast Not as Rosy
Rounding out the morning, DFL Representative Lyndon Carlson (District 45A) provided a little more perspective on the forecasted surplus.

He reminded the audience that, ever since the Moe/Pawlenty budget deal some years back, the cost of inflation has not been counted in budget forecasts. “That’s probably $1 billion off the top right there,” he cautioned.

Carlson also mentioned another possible use for whatever budget surplus is actually available – supplementing the very tight bonding bill with cash. (For more, see the Star Tribune’s editorial on this topic.)

No Predictions Are Certain
A super-majority is required to pass the bonding bill, so it will be interesting to see how the majority DFLers attract the minority Republican votes to accomplish their goals during this whirlwind legislative session.

The only sure-fire predictions we can make are that dramatic shifts in tactics and outcomes will occur in the next 10-plus weeks of the session. Just like the weather forecast in Minnesota, today’s snow squall may be tomorrow’s sunshine and blue skies.

-Wendy Wehr, MCF vice president of communications and information services

Photo cc cptii

Vote Now for the 2013 Nonprofit Mission Awards

The nominations are in for the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and MAP for Nonprofits 2013 Nonprofit Mission Awards finalists. These four awards honor nonprofits that make outstanding contributions to Minnesota’s high quality of life.

Finalists for Responsive Philanthropy award include MCF member Elmer L. & Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation, nominated for its work to counter bias against Minnesota’s Muslim community. Other finalists in this category are Healthier Minnesota Community Clinic Fund and The Ordean Foundation.

Finalists in the other categories include:

• Innovation: Children’s Dental Services, Mixed Blood Theatre Company, Rural Renewable Energy Alliance
• Advocacy: Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, Project 515, Youth Moving Forward
• Anti-Racism: Community Celebration of Place, Farmers’ Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG), Un-Fair Campaign

Voting is open through August 2. Learn more and pick your favorites at the Minnesota Nonprofit Awards website. The winners will be announced at MCN’s annual conference, October 24-25 in Duluth.

Congratulations to all the finalists!

Nominations Open for the 2013 Minnesota Nonprofit Awards

It’s that time of year to help honor the great work done by nonprofits in Minnesota! The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and MAP for Nonprofits are seeking nominations for the 2013 Minnesota Nonprofit Awards, to be presented at MCN’s annual conference in October.

The Nonprofit Excellence Awards honor Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) organizations that are at least five years old. They are based on how closely a nonprofit aligns with MCN’s Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence. Only self-nominations are accepted for these awards, with input from the board required as part of the nomination.

The Nonprofit Mission Awards recognize outstanding contributions in:

• Innovation
• Advocacy
• Anti-Racism Initiative and
• Responsive Philanthropy

A selection committee will narrow the nominees to three in each category. Then, MCN member organizations and their staff will vote on the winners from the field of finalists.

See the website for more details about the awards, then send in your nominations! They’re due May 30 at 4 p.m.

The State of Minnesota’s Native American Nonprofit Economy

Earlier this month, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and Native Americans in Philanthropy released their Native American Nonprofit Economy Report. I had the chance to attend a community forum about the report, where we heard from those who put it together along with responses from several Native nonprofit and tribal leaders.

Among the many insights they shared about the state of Native American nonprofits in Minnesota, here are a few that stuck out to me:

• Native-led nonprofits are an innovative group — 83 percent of them feel they’re better off now than they were five years ago and attribute that to a serious organizational focus on obtaining results.
• The majority of Native American nonprofits are located in the Twin Cities metro area. This is a boon for the many Native people living in this urban area, but it also means Native nonprofits in rural areas are overlooked. Nonprofit resources are also badly needed within reservation communities.
• Native nonprofits do not receive substantial funding from casino revenue. This is a common misconception, but the reality is that tribal funding of nonprofits is a distant fifth place as a source of revenue, behind government (federal, state and county) support, private foundation grants, earned revenue and private donations.

And some key recommendations for funders:

• Consider long-term funding support for programs, operations and public policy advocacy, instead of one-year grants that can leave nonprofits constantly unsure if they will be able to sustain any momentum from their efforts.
• Build close relationships in the Native community, and develop joint evaluation metrics using logic models based on community assets rather than deficits.
• Make it a point to support youth and leadership development.

You can download the full report from the Native Americans in Philanthropy website. I recommend giving it a read and learning more about this important part of Minnesota’s nonprofit community.

-Chris Oien, MCF web communications associate

Franken and Independent Sector Exchange Ideas

Senator Al Franken

Minnesota Senator Al Franken wants to hear from you.

“Help us help you” were his closing words at Tuesday’s “Coffee with Congress” event, hosted by the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) and Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN), with sponsorship support from Greater Twin Cities United Way and the United Ways of Minnesota.

During the hour-long dialogue, information flowed two ways between our elected official and representatives of the independent sector.  While Franken shared the latest on the pernicious budget and deficit battles, nonprofit leaders and philanthropists made the case for their personal causes.

Short-Term Budget Crisis
Senator Franken was none too optimistic about beating back the dreaded threat of sequestration at the end of February.

He predicted a 50/50 chance of adoption of a plan that would delay the budget crisis by raising revenue from closing tax loopholes, cutting defense spending, and realizing savings through enactment of the farm bill.

Long-Term Investments for the Future
Looking at longer-term budget issues, Franken cited the desperate need for tax-code reform.  He reassured the audience that there is “unanimity in Washington” about not eliminating the charitable deduction, but he also cautioned that a 28-percent cap proposal still has legs.

Several times in his remarks the senator also spoke to the long-term value of investing in early childhood education.  Referring to the oft-quoted Art Rolnick research showing double-digit returns on investments in early childhood development, Franken cited the evidence that kids who receive appropriate support are less likely to fall behind in school, more likely to graduate, less likely to go to prison, more likely to earn higher wages, and so forth.

In other comments and responses to audience questions, Franken emphasized:

• Pursuit of mental health legislation that mitigates stigmatization of mental illness and increases support for in-school services for children.
• Focused effort (in tandem with Senator Klobuchar) to save MinnesotaCare as nationwide health-care reform moves forward.
• Optimism for achieving bipartisan immigration reform.
• Need for workforce development to fill a rising number of manufacturing jobs.

Most questions and comments from the nonprofit attendees and Senator Franken focused on increased spending to support worthy causes.  This may have left some wondering which revenue increases will be recommended to ensure long-term budget sustainability.

If you have burning policy questions about spending or revenue, or if you want to offer advice or information to guide Senator Franken’s work, reach out to him and his staff.

And bring your concerns and interests to MCF’s and MCN’s next “Coffee with Congress” gathering.  We’re planning nine more events with Minnesota’s federal elected officials in 2013.  Watch mcf.org for announcements of upcoming dates.

– Wendy Wehr, MCF vice president of communications and information services