Registration Open for Community Connections Conference!
 Space is limited, so register now for this free conference and networking event! This year's conference will include a panel, several exciting learning labs, including topics from immigration to tenant rights, a Minneapolis neighborhood showcase and delicious food from American Indian, African American and Southeast Asian caterers among others. Read more...
Exhibitors, don't miss your chance! You have until Friday, January 5 to sign up.
Pictured: Exhibitor speaking with attendees at 2017's conference. Photo by Uche Iroegbu.
 NCR will be relaunching its successful community engagement learning lab series called the Community Connector Series this March. Topics include successfully engaging underrepresented communities, disability awareness and intersectionality. Those who complete the series of 8 learning labs earn a Community Connector certification from NCR.
This year, we had our first group of graduates, and all had distinct takeaways from the series. One graduate said the cultural competency that they gained from the series will help them do better outreach to Southeast Asians. Another commented that they learned how they can use NCR as a resource to connect with different communities and mentioned that the learning labs were great networking opportunities. We honored three of them with an informal lunch hour celebration. Pictured: Jeffrey from Regulatory Services, Polly from Jordan Area Community Council and Casidy from the Fire Department.
Would you like an email reminder when the next class session opens up? Email rebekah.tedrick-moutz@minneapolismn.gov or call 612-673-3163. If you attended one of NCR's learning labs in 2017, we want your opinions! Let us know what you liked, what else you'd like to learn and what we could improve.
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 STEP-UP is the City of
Minneapolis's internship program for young adults between the ages of 14-21. Each year, STEP-UP
recruits, trains and places more than 1,600 Minneapolis youth in meaningful
paid internships with over 220 top Twin Cities businesses, public agencies and
nonprofits.
Employers: STEP-UP helps companies identify and nurture young talent, introduce a diverse new generation to their industry and make a difference in the lives of young professionals. Each year STEP-UP trains more talented interns than we have positions. Consider hiring an intern today! Call Nina Robertson at 612-673-5118. Learn more...
Pictured: Jordan Area Community Council STEP-UP Interns 2015
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 The Minneapolis & Saint Paul Home Tour is looking for a wide variety of homes that help tell the stories of city living and provide home improvement inspiration. The Home Tour is a free annual event that brings thousands of home enthusiasts together for a weekend of sharing home remodeling ideas and hearing and learning about neighborhoods.
NCR is a sponsor of the Minneapolis & Saint Paul Home Tour. To nominate your home or a home that you worked on, visit http://www.msphometour.com/submit-home or call 612-867-4874.
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 The Nokomis East Neighborhood Association (NENA) is pleased to announce that it has been recognized by the Charities Review Council for satisfying the council's widely-recognized Accountability Standards.
Achieving the Accountability Standards was a year-and-a-half-long process. The NENA Board reviewed and updated its bylaws and over 25 policies and procedures in order to accomplish their goal. The Charities Review Council's designation acknowledges NENA’s commitment to upholding transparency, accountability and excellence.
If your neighborhood organization is interested in free board training and technical assistance, contact your neighborhood specialist and explore the resources on NCR's webpage to find out how we can help.
 The One Minneapolis Fund supports community-based nonprofit organizations that develop leadership in underrepresented groups to increase the number of residents on Minneapolis boards and commissions, involved in policy making decisions, and in neighborhood and community organizations. The impact report for grantees in the 2015 cycle is available here.
The total grants increased to $182,000 in 2015, which supported ten projects that carried out leadership training with 188 residents. 23 participants successfully joined a leadership structure, all of whom were members of underrepresented groups. Read more about the projects…
Picture contributed by Hope Community.
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 NCR
bids farewell to two key staffers in January: Claudia Diggs, Program Assistant, and Robert
Thompson, Policy Specialist.
Claudia Diggs has been a key part of NCR since 2014. Her major projects have included coordinating City
Academy, Minneapolis's 25th anniversary celebration of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the
Community Connections Conference. She has served the City as an Executive Committee member of the
Minneapolis Black Employee Network (MBEN) and as an Executive Board member of
the Minneapolis Professional Employees Association (MPEA).
She will be starting a new job as a
Neighborhood Relations Specialist with the City of Brooklyn Park. She confesses
that she won’t miss Minneapolis traffic or parking, but that she will
definitely miss her NCR colleagues.
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 Robert Thompson has been an integral part of the NCR Department, having served as NCR’s first Neighborhood Specialist and outgoing Policy Specialist.
Robert piloted NCR’s training program and has
offered board and other training throughout the city. He's been involved in drafting policy, guidelines and reports distributed
by NCR, and he served as NCR’s in-house expert on nonprofit
governance.
While Robert says he’ll miss working with the great volunteers
and staff of neighborhood organizations, he won’t be going far. His post-NCR
plans include consulting with area nonprofit organizations.
Please join us in wishing Robert and Claudia the best in
their new adventures! You can follow the City's job board for information about upcoming openings.
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