In an era of low volunteerism and dwindling public funding for urban neighborhood associations, eight south Minneapolis organizations have launched “One South,” an initiative to explore how combining forces might help them survive.
Tabitha Montgomery, executive director of the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association, said the associations have met for the past five years to question whether they were “healthy.” They concluded that their current organizational models have never been exactly right, she said, “meaning we’re often asked to do a lot with very little.”
Gone are the prosperous 1990s, when the city of Minneapolis dispensed $20 million a year to its network of nearly 70 neighborhood organizations for community-driven priorities, such as developing grocery stores, making park improvements, keeping up the housing stock and cleaning streets.
Now each neighborhood gets about $20,000 a year, which many say is barely enough to maintain their offices and hire staff. State and federal funding has become increasingly snarled, increasing competition for private philanthropic grants.
Montgomery said waning resources and high turnover often interrupt the work of trying to make a difference locally.
“The truth is, there is high desire within the organizations to figure out a way forward,” she said.
“We’re going to present a couple alternatives to how we might work together, more collaboratively, more deeply, in order for many of the things in our community that we treasure ... [to continue] for another decade or two.”
Among options: merging, sharing resources or combining work, such as co-producing major programs, including art festivals, farmers markets and rental assistance funds.
