***CGPAC is on hiatus pending procurement of new program funding. If you are a Minnesota community looking for assistance with projects related to sustainability and livability, consider applying for assistance from the Resilient Communities Project.***

SERVES: Local governments, citizen groups, and nonprofit organizations in developing communities on the edge of the Twin Cities metropolitan area

PROGRAM: The University of Minnesota’s Community Growth Planning Assistance Center (CGPAC) provides planning research and technical assistance to help growing communities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area manage growth and development effectively. Eligible communities or organizations work with CGPAC staff to define a research or technical assistance project, and CGPAC coordinates access to a qualified University of Minnesota graduate research assistant, a faculty member, or a group of students in a graduate-level course at the University of Minnesota to assist with the project. There is generally no cost to the community or organization for this assistance, although matching funds are always appreciated to help us stretch our limited resources.

MISSION:

• Create and sustain the capabilities of growing communities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area to effectively plan for land use and growth
• Help communities manage growth patterns in ways that make development more environmentally sustainable, socially responsive, and economically efficient
• Activate a public participation process that helps to create and maintain a sense of place and community cohesion
• Provide University of Minnesota faculty and graduate students with opportunities to apply their research and technical skills to assist local communities in their efforts to manage the consequences of growth and development