Interact Center for the Visual & Performing Arts will 1) hire an Outreach & Communications consultant to work with staff to identify partners and opportunities for Interact artists with disabilities to present performances, arts exhibitions, and hands-creativity workshops throughout Minnesota; 2) create targeted outreach list; 3) create fresh messaging; 4) develop implementation plan; 5) facilitate training.
The Winona County Historical Society (WCHS) will partner with Engage Winona and The Joy Labs to create and launch a leadership circle from historically and currently marginalized communities, who will guide new exhibit development in collaboration with museum staff and exhibit professionals. Members of the leadership circle will co-design the leadership circle process, which will involve framing discussion questions, engagement plans, and exhibit content.
On December 11, 2023 a dedicated Hmong-American activist and leader, Tou Ger Xiong, was kidnapped and killed in Colombia. Tou Ger Xiong has dedicated his life to building bridges across cultures, speaking out against injustices to marginalized communities, advocating for active civic engagement among communities of color, and bringing people together through laughter. This grant aims to provide a space for the community to come together to collectively mourn the loss of Tou Ger Xiong.
This project will work with Ananya Chatterjea, Ananya Dance Theatre artists, Asian American puppeteers, and actors in a series of workshops to collaboratively devise a shared movement vocabulary and choreography rooted in non-Western movement traditions for the world premiere of FIFTY BOXES OF EARTH by Ankita Raturi in Theater Mu's 2024-25 season.
Since 2011, Appetite For Change has been facilitating connections and celebration for community members and the rich history and traditions of food in North Minneapolis. North Minneapolis is known as being one of the most economically distressed communities in Minnesota, with 46.5% of people living below the poverty line and a median household income of $38,226 in 2021 (compared to the state average of $117,800) (FFIEC, 2021). Though, these statistics don't capture the true essence of the community that makes up North Minneapolis.
To obtain the services of a qualified historian to research and write built environment history content supporting the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom curriculum
Como shuttle program relieves pressure on parking availability by providing additional parking capacity and increasing accessibility to regional park programs and experiences.
to install solar thermal hot water heating system for the bathhouse building and the concessions building as part of the park swimming pool replacement
Prepare long-range plan update for Como Regional Park with particular focus on the trial network around Como Lake and connection to Grand Round North Regional Trail. Work may include community engagement, assessing feasibility, engineering testing, and transportation study and analysis.
Como shuttle program relieves pressure on parking availability by providing additional parking capacity and increasing accessibility to regional park programs and experiences
Full reconstruction of parking lots and associated entrance drives, path connections, and curbs into Como Regional Park, including asphalt and concrete removal, excavation, grading, stormwater management, erosion control, paving and concrete work, lighting, and landscaping
Prepare a master plan update for Como Regional Park with particular focus on the trial network around Como Lake and connection to Grand Round North Regional Trail. Work may include community engagement, assessing feasibility, engineering testing, and transportation study and analysis.
Publication, in book format, of a narrative history of a "company town," Silver Bay, Minnesota, based on interviews with longtime residents (interviews and transcriptions funded by a previous Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund grant) and on interviews previously collected by the Bay Area Historical Society.
To preserve the stories known only to older members of the community a narrative history of Silver Bay, Minnesota was compiled using interviews of longtime residents. The students of William M. Kelley High School recorded and transcribed 15 hours of small-group and individual interviews of 44 early and former residents of the town including officials and employees of Reserve Mining Company. These interviewees relate their experiences of living and working in the area. Silver Bay was established as a "company town" in the late 1950's and remained as such into the early 1980's.
This project will consist of a literature and data review and compilation of E. coli information from available sources including but not limited to EQuIS database, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS), One Watershed, One Plan (1W1P), Source Water Plans (MDH), Microbial Source Tracking (MST) data provided by the MPCA, and other relevant sources for bacteria data.
Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve, complete reconstruction of campground roadways, utility improvements and campsites. (3 of 6 projects financed with grant.)
Contract with Minnesota Conservation Corps to complete native plantings, shoreline restoration, and invasive plant control. Additional crews will enhance resource preservation and restoration program, limiting invasive growth and protect vital resource areas.
At Lilydale Regional Park, completion of construction work started in 2009 with a FY 2010 Parks and Trails Fund Grant and new design/engineering/construction documents for picnic shelter, lake picnic area and middle section road re-alignment including utilities and lighting.
Lake Elmo Park Reserve. Complete Winter Recreation Area development that was started with FY 2010 Parks and Trails Fund grant including: plan winter recreation area project, develop or re-develop recreation facilities to accommodate evening use, install lighting for ski trails and site, develop roads and parking lot, remodel or replace barn for use as a trailhead, and provide signage and other amenities to enhance park visitor's experience
At Bald Eagle-Otter Lakes Regional Park, complete 2 acre Nature Play Area and 1 acre Children's Garden (including garden house for multi-purpose programs) at Tamarack Nature Center that was started with the FY 2010 Parks and Trails Fund grant and other funds.
Complete important Como RP access road, Estabrook Drive, and related infrastructure, lighting, landscape restoration. Park hosts approximately 4,476,000 visits annually, representing people from many backgrounds.
Final stages of implementation of the first-in-the-nation public natural filtration swimming pool at Webber Park, which is within North Mississippi Regional Park. Work will include design, engineering, and construction of landscaping, stormwater management, grading and drainage, furniture, and signage.
Restore and enhance 51 acres of natural areas, five miles of linear natural signature plantings and install seven EV charging stations along the 27-mile Mississippi River Greenway.
To hire qualified professionals to restore portions of the interior window trim and balcony of B'nai Abraham Synagogue, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
To complete the inventory of the only statewide collection documenting Minnesota military history under the direction of a qualified museum objects curator.
The Ecological Monitoring Network will install up to 185 final plots. Data are needed to understand climate change impacts in Minnesota and identify resilient natural lands for conservation or enhancement.
