Groundwork Minneapolis History
Minneapolis was selected to receive federal pilot funding and technical assistance from the Groundwork USA Initiative program early in 2002. The Steering Committee (comprised of members of the Minneapolis Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee, the community, and staff from the City of Minneapolis and the National Park Service) completed the Groundwork Minneapolis Feasibility Study and Strategic Plan in March 2003, and the Plan was approved by the City Council in the same month.
Groundwork Minneapolis established offices, hired an Executive Director and incorporated in the Fall of 2003. IRS Tax Exempt 501(c)3 status was awarded in June 2004. Groundwork Minneapolis held its first official project event, the Ryan Lake Cleanup Day, in April 2004, and completed its first project, the Ryan Lake Shoreline Restoration, in September 2004. Since then, Groundwork Minneapolis has worked with a variety of neighborhoods, agencies, projects and programs in the city.
Pilot funding and support has been provided by the NPS Rivers & Trails Program and the Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields Program. The City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County also have provided substantial funding and support.
Mission
The mission of Groundwork Minneapolis is the shared mission of Groundwork USA:
To bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement and management of the physical environment by developing community-based partnerships which empower people, businesses and organizations to promote environmental, economic and social well-being.
Vision
Groundwork Minneapolis is unique among the Groundwork USA network in that it works with neighborhood groups to meet neighborhood needs, to accomplish projects which neighborhoods would not be able to accomplish without its help. The organization is physically located within a department of city government, providing an opportunity for different relationships with governmental entities than other nonprofits typically have.