The Public Policy Project

Projects

The Public Policy Project is currently working with:

• Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties, St. Paul, MN - Providing a 6-month long civic engagement training program for groups of homeless and low-income “Fellows” as part of the “Community Blueprint to End Poverty.” This initiative is intended to develop and implement high impact strategies that change the way citizens think about poverty and its role in our culture.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation, St. Paul, MN - Bringing low-wealth and community of color residents together with non-profit or private sector staff working in the housing arena in a twice a year, 16 week housing policy advocacy training.
• Northway Community Trust, Minneapolis, MN - facilitating 10 weeks of neighborhood based leadership training for extremely low-income residents followed by a 10-week campaign on the issue of their choice. One group conducted a voter education and registration campaign while a second group undertook a campaign to help students stay in school.

The Public Policy Project has also worked on issues of race, equity and access or shaping advocacy messages with these organizations:

• Working with the Metropolitan Council, the regional government planning authority to facilitate participation by immigrants and communities of color in the “2030 Planning Blueprint” which set land use, housing, transportation development and environmental protection goals for the seven county area. The Public Policy Project was the major facilitator of information and access by communities of color to the process, including organizing and scheduling hearings, and encouraging the Met Council to comply with their mandate to be inclusive of minority participation.
• Working with University of Minnesota School of Architecture to design culturally sensitive housing for the Somali immigrant community. The focus of this process was to incorporate culturally competent design to meet the immigrant community’s religious values.
• Partnership with the Institute on Race & Poverty and the Minneapolis Foundation in the “West Bank Neighborhood Initiative” to design and host “town meetings” for low-wealth and immigrant communities to met with City, School and State decision-makers. As a part of this program we did a four session government structure and policy training for teenage Somali girls through the Minnesota African Women’s Association.
• Managing the MN Association of Day Care Providers 2005 “Day n the Hill” constituent testimony and lobbying campaign. The Public Policy Project coordinated and trained constituents from across the state to meet with legislators, attend the relevant Committee meetings and provide testimony in support of increasing the state’s basic day care support formula.