North Minneapolis Initiative

News: North Minneapolis Beautification Project 9/25/09

News: Jordan Area Community Garden 8/31/09

News: Cottage Park Community Garden 07/10/09

News: West Broadway Demolition Project 3/17-3/18/09

Early in 2008, the Pohlad Foundation started working to try and improve the lives of children and families and increase economic opportunities in North Minneapolis  The area was chosen because it has seen little private investment, is home to children with poor educational outcomes, high rates of diabetes and other health issues, and that is wrongly perceived to have more crime than other parts of Minneapolis.   During 2008, North Minneapolis became known for another reason: it has the largest number of foreclosed homes in the region – many due to criminal fraud committed by people who often had no formal connection to the area. 

From 2008-2010, the Foundation will invest more than $2.6 million in North Minneapolis. This initiative follows the first major private investment – construction of a ColoPlast manufacturing plant -- in the area in years. A significant portion of the Foundation’s investment will be made in, or for the benefit of residents of, the Cottage Park (CP) neighborhood, located at the intersection of West Broadway and James Avenue North.

The Foundation was asked to work in the CP neighborhood by the City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED).  During 2008, Foundation staff spent significant time reading and learning about city plans for the area, getting to know Catalyst Community Partners (a nonprofit development organization), listening to residents of Cottage Park, and with representatives of other area nonprofit organizations to identify and prioritize the community work it seeks to support. The Foundation will support efforts that:

• Directly enroll CP children in summer programs and activities;
• Provide summer jobs to youth that live in North Minneapolis;
• Provide summer camp opportunities to youth that live in North Minneapolis;
• Improving existing housing in, and recruit new homebuyers to, CP; and
• Assist established businesses owned by North Minneapolis residents and nonprofits working to revitalize West Broadway – North Minneapolis’s main street and a thriving commercial avenue until 1970s.                  

First year accomplishments of this Foundation initiative are:  

• Installation and support of a new playground in a Cottage Park on July 26, 2008; Click here to read more
• Support for construction and replacement of a park bench -- by local artists and neighborhood youth -- in Cottage Park;
• Planning for re-development of the building at 1200 West Broadway;  
• Convincing small businesses and nonprofits involved in social ventures, to consider expanding to West Broadway in buildings slated for re-development; and
• Creation and support of an “education tax credit” pilot project that will provide funds for delivery of desired and educationally productive after-school activities.

To learn more about the Foundation’s involvement in North Minneapolis, contact Marina Lyon at mlyon@pohladfamilygiving.org

To learn more about CPED and NHF cluster neighborhoods, please visit:

CPED and NHF