Special Initiatives
The Latest
OneMPLS Grants Provide Relief for Local Residents
Seven local organizations will receive a total of $830,000 to address basic needs such as food and housing during the ICE surge.
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Keeping Public Media Strong in Minnesota
Recognizing the importance of public and community media in our state, we are granting $75,000 from our OneMPLS Fund to Save the Signal Minnesota, a new statewide effort to protect the future of public media.
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Small Businesses May Now Apply for Economic Response Grants
Small businesses in Minnesota that have experienced operational disruptions in recent weeks may now apply for emergency financial support through the Economic Response Fund.
In addition to our core issues, we take on projects where we see opportunities to fuel community engagement and action on emerging local issues. Explore our recent efforts.
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Marketing Minneapolis in winter is tricky business
A new holiday highlight is coming to downtown Minneapolis — a Nov. 28 tree lighting at Crystal Court, presented by the Minneapolis Foundation with support from Xcel Energy and the Pohlad Family Foundation. Led by R.T. Rybak, the event aims to brighten both the city and the spirit of the season.
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Reclaiming our Civic Institutions
Watch this Westminster Town Hall Forum hosted by Minneapolis Foundation President R.T. Rybak, alongside Steve Grove who shares his insights on why starting local is the best opportunity we have to reclaim the promise of America and rebuild trust in our future.
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Minnesota Meeting: Next in News Playlist
Explore the intersections of media, policy, and community with this selection of talks and panels from Minnesota Meeting: Next in News. This playlist features timely discussions on the issues, innovations, and individuals shaping Minnesota’s media landscape.
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Public Media at Risk: Why Lakeland PBS Matters
This video explores what funding losses from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting mean for Lakeland PBS and why it matters to the communities it serves in northcentral Minnesota.
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How Public Media Cuts Hit Northern Minnesota
Public media is under fire. KAXE, like many local stations, is confronting a triple threat: federal funding cuts, state-level reductions, and unexpected operational costs — all converging at once. In this video, we explore what these cuts mean for KAXE and the future of public media in rural Minnesota
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The State of Public Media
Following the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s loss of $1.1 billion in federal funding, hear what leaders are doing to not only to protect these critical resources, but to brace and prepare for an uncertain future in a discussion moderated by Minneapolis Foundation President and CEO R.T. Rybak.
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Keeping Public Media Strong in Minnesota
Recognizing the importance of public and community media in our state, we are granting $75,000 from our OneMPLS Fund to Save the Signal Minnesota, a new statewide effort to protect the future of public media.
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Minnesota Meeting: Next in News
Join us as we bring together innovators working locally and nationally to reimagine the future of journalism and bring our community together to ensure our news ecosystem continues to thrive.
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The State of Nonprofits
In January, we hosted a webinar called The State of Minnesota Nonprofits. To keep that conversation going, we’ve launched a follow-up video series hosted by our Senior Director of Special Initiatives, Tom Weber. Check out this playlist where we continue to add new videos.
VisitMinnesota Meeting
This event series provides a space where people across the region can come together to learn, share ideas, and get inspired to act on our community’s greatest needs. Relaunched in 2024 with a convening focused on the environment, the Minnesota Meeting returns in October 2025 with a conversation about the future of journalism. Join us at the Minnesota Meeting: Next in News!
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