 The City's Partnership Engagement Fund is now open for applications. Community organizations, groups and individuals can apply for funding for small-scale, meaningful projects to make Minneapolis communities more socially connected, healthy and safe.
Applications are open now with an interest form due Feb. 19 and the full application due March 3.
In 2024, a total of $1 million is available for 40 $25,000 contracts with the City. Applicants will need to work with one of the City’s 70 neighborhood organizations for their project engaging underrepresented residents in Minneapolis.
Previous community projects have included youth mentorships, public events, garden infrastructure, civic leadership development, entrepreneurship training, addressing health disparities, employment support, youth peace building, corridor development, resource support for unsheltered neighbors, community building, youth media and storytelling, arts programming and placemaking.
Learn more on the City website.
Online information session
You can watch a recorded webinar about how to apply on the Partnership Engagement Fund City webpage.
Community reviewers needed
If you are not applying for funding, you can be part of the team that reviews Partnership Engagement Fund applications.
Sign up to be a community reviewer.
If you have any questions or need accommodations to participate, email PartnershipFund@minneapolismn.gov or text (612) 321-8649.
 Register today for the Community Connections Conference on Feb. 17. Join in for a fun day of learning and connecting. Meet the people behind important City services, community groups and other institutions.
The conference is free, open to everyone and will also feature the 2024 Green Zone Summit for environmental justice. You can pre-register online now or register in person in multiple languages on conference day.
Community Connections Conference and Green Zone Summit
Saturday, Feb.17, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Minneapolis Convention Center, first floor, Hall E
1301 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Read more and register on the City website.
Program
The 2024 conference is built around the theme of “Open city, your Minneapolis.” This year’s event showcases how Minneapolis is a transparent, accessible city that is open to everyone, open to new ideas and open for business.
We will highlight the ways you can get involved in both government decision-making and your local community. We will also celebrate the many parts of city that are reopening and recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year's conference will have workshops, music and dance, activities for the whole family, an exhibit hall, and a community dialogue on youth and community safety. Lunch is included.
View the full program on the conference website.
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Exhibit hall
Explore over 150 exhibits in this year's exhibit hall. Some of the neat things you can find include:
- Jobs and paid internships for young people at the City of Minneapolis.
- The City Clerk’s booth on how to connect with the Minneapolis City Council; how to make your voice heard; and how to view the City Council’s ordinances, resolutions and meetings online.
- A free COVID vaccine clinic. No insurance needed.
There will be fun activities for kids, including:
- A firetruck.
- Minnesota Zoo animals.
- An indoor soccer field with the New Americans Youth Soccer Club.
Learn about:
- What all the different City departments do.
- How to save someone’s life with CPR and practice it on a mannequin.
- Immigration and other legal help.
- Opioid addiction resources.
- Crime prevention and services for victims.
- Community air pollution monitoring.
- Voting in elections.
- Resources to get rid of lead in your home. You can even bring in toys or ceramics you’d like to test for lead.
Find the full list of organizations on the conference program.
Breakout sessions
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Join your choice of breakout sessions including:
- Your rights as a renter.
- Buying your first home.
- The Minneapolis Climate Equity Action Plan and how the City puts resources toward projects in communities that need it most.
- Voter engagement.
- Community dialogue on being a safe, healthy, and child friendly city.
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Volunteer
Conference partners
Our 2024 conference partners include Metro Transit, CenterPoint Energy, Medica and Xcel Energy.
Metro Transit will provide free rides to the conference to those who download a Community Connections Conference transit pass.
Download your free ride pass.
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Community partners
Our 2024 community partners include the Minneapolis American Indian Center, the Latino Lake Street Business Association, Trellis, The Lao Center of Minnesota, Oromia 11 and the Minnesota Disability Law Center.
City jobs and internships
The Minneapolis Convention Center is hiring a operating maintenance engineer. Apply by Feb. 5.
Urban Scholar paid internships for college and graduate school students are accepting applications through March 4. Apply online.
Applications for Step Up paid internships for high school students are due Feb. 14. Learn more and apply online.
Public Works paid internship applications are due Feb. 29. Learn more and apply online.
The Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs is hosting community office hours in February. Office hours provide basic information on immigration legal services, shelter resources, health care and more.
Office hours
Stop by South Minneapolis CareerForce, 777 E. Lake St., on one of the following days and times:
- Monday Feb. 5, 1-4 p.m.
- Wednesday Feb. 14, 2-5 p.m.
- Wednesday, Feb. 21, 1-4 p.m.
- Wednesday Feb. 28, 2-4 p.m.
Learn more on the City website, or email Michelle Rivero, or call 612-394-6018.
Twin Cities monthly immigration forum meets Thursday, Feb. 15
The City of Minneapolis Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) in partnership with the City of Saint Paul Immigrant and Refugee Program hosts a monthly immigration forum to offer immigration-related updates to the community. The next meeting of this series will be on Thursday, Feb. 15.
Twin Cities monthly immigration forum
Thurs., Feb. 15, 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Join online over Microsoft Teams
Or call in (audio only) at +1 612-276-6670 with meeting ID 365504388#
The topics covered include:
- Federal immigration news and resources.
- City, community and advocacy organization updates.
- Other topics important to immigrant, refugee and new American communities.
Watch previous forums on the City's YouTube channel.
Find dates and links to join the meetings on the OIRA events calendar. Learn more about the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) at minneapolismn.gov/ncr/oira or contact the office directly at oira@minneapolismn.gov.
Radio and TV show schedule
The City of Minneapolis shares important news and updates in English, Spanish, Somali, Oromo and Hmong over community radio stations and two television programs.
You can see the upcoming schedule for these shows and find past recordings on the City website.
Celebrate Black History Month with us. The City of Minneapolis is offering free, public events under the theme African Americans & the Arts.
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Black Music and the Arts – The Minneapolis Sound
A panel discussion to explore the history of Black contributions to music with a focus on the “Minneapolis Sound.”
Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7
City of Minneapolis Public Service Building, Conference Room 100 505 Fourth Ave. S.
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Black and Belonging
A community discussion around belonging to a collective and creating welcoming spaces where we all belong. Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14 City of Minneapolis Public Service Building, Conference Room 100 505 Fourth Ave. S.
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Family Feud: Black History Month Trivia
Featuring Hennepin County and City of Minneapolis employees: a live event to have fun, laugh, show off what you know about Black history, or learn something new.
Noon-2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21
North Point Conference Center, Fifth Floor, Suite 5200 1256 Penn Ave. N.
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History Makers at Home
The Minneapolis Civil Rights Department will recognize leaders in the areas of business, criminal justice, education, economic development, health, housing and government.
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22
Capri Theater, 2027 West Broadway Ave.
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Rock Your Crown
This is the event where hair rules! With the State of Minnesota signing the Crown Act into law, we will celebrate the history of Black hair and the art of styling it.
Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28
City of Minneapolis Public Service Building, Conference Room 100 505 Fourth Ave. S.
The events for Black History Month are presented in partnership with the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County through the efforts of these employee resource groups: City of Minneapolis Black Employee Network, Hennepin County People of Color Employee Resource Group and Hennepin County African American Employee Resource Group. History Makers at Home is presented by the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights.
Read more and share full article online.
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This spring, the City of Minneapolis and Tree Trust are planting free trees for homeowners living in Minneapolis green zones.
You can choose the type of tree you’d like and where you want it planted in your yard. Fill out one of the request forms below, and a landscaper will get in touch to start planning for your tree.
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Apply for funding for your urban agriculture or food waste project by Feb. 14
Homegrown Minneapolis is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for projects related to urban agriculture and addressing wasted food. This funding opportunity is part of the City's Climate Legacy Initiative.
The following projects are eligible for funding:
- Sustainable growing: educational programming and/or access to materials, equipment, water, lighting, and other resources for growing food using sustainable production methods.
- Season extension: Construction and use of energy-efficient season extension/controlled environment growing structures for fruit and vegetable production.
- Prevent wasted food: Reduce wasted food in the city through prevention, food rescue, and composting.
Organizations can apply for $5,000 - $25,000. The deadline to apply is Feb. 14. Late submissions cannot be accepted.
Look for and select “RFP Homegrown Minneapolis Community Projects" on the eSupplier portal. View RFP listings in the eSupplier portal.
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 Open Streets will once again take place in 2024, and the City of Minneapolis is seeking event organizers for the 2024 event series.
The City is soliciting proposals for up to five event organizers to coordinate and implement up to two Open Streets events each. The City will provide up to $50,000 for each event. If an event organizer is awarded two events, the contract would be up to $100,000.
Open Streets Minneapolis events give local businesses, artists and community groups a one-day opportunity to transform the streets into a place where people can gather and celebrate the diversity and creativity of the city while walking, biking and rolling. From the first event in 2011 through the 2022 season, Open Streets events have drawn more than 677,000 people.
There are plans for five Open Streets events in 2024:
- West Broadway.
- Lyndale Avenue South.
- Central Avenue Northeast.
- Franklin Avenue.
- Nicollet Avenue.
Proposals are due by 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15.
Find more information on the City’s website.
The City of Minneapolis is seeking an artist or artist team to create asphalt art murals on two intersections. The murals will be on the South-Folwell Safe Route to School. The artist must have experience working with young people to create large murals. The artist will work with students at South and Folwell schools to create and paint the designs. The chosen artist or artist team will receive a $20,000 artist fee and $4,000 for materials.
Bloomberg Philanthropies is supporting this City study as a traffic calming strategy.
Deadlines
Find more information on the City website.
Grants for sewer repairs
In February the City plans to start accepting grant applications to repair failing private sewer pipes and connections to the public sewer. Homeowners can receive grants between $5,000 to $10,000 and may need a match to receive the funds. The City expects this year’s funding to provide grants to 30-35 property owners. You can look at information now to get ready with bids and then apply when applications open.
Eligibility
- Residential property in Minneapolis.
- Owner occupied property.
- Uses a City of Minneapolis Target Market Program contractor. At least three bids will be required from this vendor list.
- Copies (photos or scanned images) of three bids uploaded with the application.
- Copy of proof of residency (license, utility bill or mortgage statement) uploaded with the application.
The Metropolitan Council funds these grants.
Find more information on the City website.
 Early voting has begun in Minneapolis for the presidential primary. Voters in the city are among the first in the nation to cast in-person ballots in this high-profile race. They can do that at the Early Vote Center now through the day before the March 5 primary. The Early Vote Center is at 980 E. Hennepin Ave.
Unlike with other elections, voters in the presidential primary choose which of the participating major party’s ballot they want. The party they choose is not public information, though it will be available to the selected major party.
Standard hours for the Early Vote Center are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The center is closed on Presidents Day, Feb. 19. The center is also open the last two weekends before the primary. Besides the Early Vote Center, voters can vote early at the downtown Hennepin County Government Center, 300 Sixth St. S. You can find more information on early voting options on the City website.
The Early Vote Center makes early in-person voting more convenient for Minneapolis voters. It’s especially helpful to people who need language support or other special accommodations, such as curbside voting. Voting early can help people avoid lines and crowds at polling places on the day of the election.
Vote early by mail
Any voter can vote early by mail; no reason is required. Please allow enough time to complete the process by mail. It can take up to seven days. You can complete your applications online on the City website.
Make sure you’re registered to vote
While people can register to vote at the polls, preregistering speeds up voting on the day of the primary. Voters can check the status of their registrations on the City website. If you’ve moved to a new address or had a name change since last registering, you’ll need to reregister to vote. If you haven’t voted in the past four years, you’ll need to reregister.
Preregister online, or fill out and mail in a registration application, which is available at government offices and the City website. Preregistration ends 21 days before the March 5 primary.
 The City Council Chamber is closed through the year for City Hall renovations. Until this construction is completed, council and committee meetings will take place in the Minneapolis Public Service Center, 250 Fourth St. S., Room 350. Independent bodies that also meet in the Council Chamber will move to Room 350 of the Public Service Center.
Find up-to-date meeting locations
For the most up-to-date information on meeting locations, go to the City’s Legislation Information Management System.
Live streams
You can find live streams on the City’s website; on the City’s cable channels, Comcast 14 and 799; and on the City’s YouTube channel.
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