SERVES: Residents and neighborhood organizations

MISSION: The mission of MCNO is to build the capacity of residents and neighborhood organizations to successfully take on local concerns by developing the skills of neighborhood organizers and leaders. MCNO envisions neighborhoods where people are organized to identify and tackle local issues, building vital communities that value democracy, inclusiveness and fairness.

WHAT WE DO:

For 15 years, The MCNO has provided training and support to neighborhoods to take on neighborhood issues. We build skills and knowledge for issue-based grassroots community organizing. We believe effective neighborhood organizations offer a unique contribution to democracy by providing a forum for individuals of disparate backgrounds and beliefs to take collective action. We value the intersection of place-based, relationship-based, and issue-based organizing: people coming together to identify and work on local issues in a specific geographic area. We believe residents and community members should have a voice in decisions that affect their community. We believe communities are strongest when everyone is engaged and involved in decision making. We believe in the value of neighborhood residents defining their own community agendas. We are committed to engaging underrepresented constituencies. We believe organizations, leaders, and organizing processes must be accountable to the community. We customize experiences for organizers, community members and organizations including mentoring, coaching, consulting, and providing technical assistance and training. 

We believe knowledge is essential to power. MCNO works with constituents to find and strategically use information and research. We collect, document, and share best practices and stories of success from leaders and community members in the field. Additionally, MCNO fosters public will and support for the field of community organizing. MCNO brings together community organizers and leadership to share and support each others work in the field.

Over the years MCNO has worked with neighborhoods to stop highways, close down drug houses, cut class sizes, start immigrant business organizations, develop new park programs, improve traffic flow at LRT stops, and create a Hmong language translation card. Hundreds of neighborhood organization staff and thousands of volunteers have participated in MCNO trainings and support. 

OUR SUPPORTERS: We would like to thank the following foundations, organizations, and institutions for providing financial and in-kind support to MCNO:

• McKnight Foundation 
• Center for Urban and Regional Affairs
• Healthy Foods Healthy Lives Institute
• City of Minneapolis
• Main Street Project
• William Mitchell College of Law
• Leadership Council on Civil Rights