Reports

November 6, 2012 marked the culmination of a long, high-stakes, six billion dollar election – the most expensive in our nation's history. There is much to understand and digest: from the impact of targeted voter suppression efforts to record turnout by the youth and Latino electorates; from precedent-setting ballot measures to the largest gender gap ever seen in a presidential race. Issues played large in this election and point the way to future policy opportunities in the next few years. While just a start, we hope this compilation of polling, news, reports and analysis from the Funders' Committee for Civic Participation will help you find the meaning behind this election and chart a way forward on the issues you care most about.

Produced by Headwaters Foundation for Justice and Grassroots Solutions on behalf of the Ford and Northwest Area Foundations, this topographical assessment set out to capture and account for three specific factors or dimensions that impact the current landscape of nonprofits doing policy work on issues of economic opportunity: Involvement and Connections, Power, and Opportunities. These dimensions were identified as of particular interest to the sponsoring foundations, with the intention that the findings may also be of value to the broader nonprofit community.

Organizing Apprenticeship Project's (OAP) sixth Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity holds Minnesota's legislators accountable for pursuing racial equity through the leadership we-the many communities in Minnesota- granted them. OAP is asking our legislators to lead the cause of closing racial disparities that cut across all areas of community life. OAP is asking them to work with communities of color of build an inclusive Minnesota.

If you asked a visitor for their impression of the Twin Cities, you would be likely to receive a positive response. A high quality of life, an educated workforce and a clean environment are things that our region is known for. But for nearly a quarter of the population—our region’s population of color and indigenous community—the Twin Cities do not live up to that promise. Despite our many resources, people of color here experience some of the worst disparities in the nation.

The African American Leadership Forum's vision and call to action for creating transformative change in the Twin Cities' African American Community.

In October 2011, the Education Workgroup launched a strategic plan that sets several achievement targets by 2015 for African American children in the Twin Cities, and aims to erase all education achievement gaps for African American Children by 2020.

Transformative change is about “flipping the script.” We have to restructure the current system, so that success builds on success. Transformative change is about working across all levels and domains, with a sustained focus on high-impact systems interventions. The AALF’s Transformative Agenda moves from silos to collective action.