Resilient Communities Project - University of Minnesota

04/09/2026

⭐ Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy (R&E) manages about 450,000 tons of waste each year, but their environmental impact is much broader than a number on a scale. 🌎

Watch this video to learn how RCP graduate students are helping R&E identify new metrics to better communicate their full impact to the community: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1175574414

Big thanks to R&E Manager of Planning and Project Management Leigh Behrens, MPA, Director of the Master of Public Affairs Program Steve Kelley, and Humphrey School of Public Affairs graduate student Kayla Bogdanovich for sharing their perspectives in this video!

Video by Maximus Jennings

03/19/2026

Finding work is challenging in our current job market, especially for new graduates. 🌐📄

For years, RCP has connected students to projects with local governments to gain experience and knowledge of their industry from within their classrooms.

Learn how one Humphrey School of Public Affairs student leveraged his applied learning experiences with RCP to land a position in local government just days after graduation in December: ⬇️
https://rcp.umn.edu/whats-new/rcp-experience-launches-grad-students-career

01/30/2026

UMN confronts land-grab legacy in recent RCP project 📝

With assistance from RCP, the Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing (TRUTH) Project analyzed the substantial financial windfall that Minnesota's colleges and universities have reaped from Indigenous lands.

Read and find out more about what TRUTH project uncovered here: https://rcp.umn.edu/whats-new/minnesota-universities-confront-their-land-grab-legacy

12/19/2025

📰 Have you read the latest edition of the RCP Newsletter? Learn about our current projects across Minnesota, discover opportunities to partner with RCP, and much more!
https://mailchi.mp/umn/rcp-newsletter-wi25

12/16/2025

“It’s not bringing the experts in to give you the answer,” Mike Greco, AICP said. “It’s bringing people who have particular expertise that can help the community better understand what its options are...and where it wants to go."

📰 Read more about our Empowering Small Minnesota Communities work with the City Of Harris MN. in the County News Review: https://www.hometownsource.com/county_news_review/news/local/program-for-smaller-cities-makes-a-big-impact-in-harris/article_00c795bf-b332-4df8-bc55-228436d10f57.html

cc: Center for Urban & Regional Affairs - CURA

For the past few years, the University of Minnesota has partnered with Harris and several other Chisago County communities to improve the parks and trails system around the county through

11/12/2025

Are you a small city in Minnesota with less than 15000 residents? 🏘️
Do you have a specific infrastructure-related task you need done within a limited time frame? ⏰

Apply for ESMC’s Short Term Tasks pathway— an opportunity for communities to address specific short-term tasks related to infrastructure with the assistance of University partners.

The scope of work should define a project that can be accomplished by one graduate student working approximately 10 hours over one to four weeks.

Examples of projects include gathering and analyzing socio-demographic data, GIS community mapping, policy research.
Learn More by Reviewing Short-term Pathway Description (https://www.cts.umn.edu/programs/empoweringcommunities/pathways/shortterm) or get started by filling out the ESMC Short-term Tasks Form (https://forms.gle/ehFa9j6nKeLU8R3H9).

Applications are currently being reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis.

08/11/2025

Do you work in a local government agency in Minnesota? We want to hear from you!

Help us understand your agency’s needs—take our 10-minute survey here: https://umn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eERAXr47cd5S1cq

The Resilient Communities Project (RCP) connects local government agencies with the University of Minnesota students and faculty for research and technical assistance that can make a difference.

Your responses will help us refine our model for effective future partnerships. Thank you!

07/25/2025

💡 Multifamily housing units will soon make up half the population in the City of Shoreview, MN (Local Government), yet these residents are not well represented on the City's citizen advisory boards. Learn how Resilient Communities Project (RCP) connected the City with a Humphrey School of Public Affairs Civic Engagement course to research and develop innovative strategies to engage multifamily residents (including a board game!). 🎲

Big thanks to Assistant City Administrator Renee Eisenbeisz and Humphrey graduate student Nick Soldano for sharing their perspectives in this video! We also appreciate our partnership with adjunct faculty Zakcq Lockrem, AICP, who integrated this project into his course.

Video by Maximus Jennings

cc: Center for Urban & Regional Affairs - CURA League of Minnesota Cities University of Minnesota Twin Cities