Next Deadline for Spring Projects: March 15

The Kris Nelson Community-Based Research Program builds the power and capacity of community-based organizations to create social change through partnerships with the University of Minnesota. We match the research and technical needs of organizations with student research assistants to carry out community-defined and community-guided projects. CURA works with organizations selected for the program to create shared understanding and action based on the results.

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National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) selected the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) at the University of Minnesota for the G. Thomas Kingsley Impact Award for their facilitation of the Anti-Displacement Work Group on the Blue Line Extension. CURA's efforts led to a unified vision and co-created recommendations with a broad range of stakeholders that center community interests and address the needs of corridor residents, businesses, and neighborhoods.

Read the full story on the NNIP…

In February, we announced that we would not be issuing an open call for projects this summer, in an effort to be more thoughtful and strategic about our work. Since then, we have spent time working to establish more equitable and flexible processes around our application process, project selection criteria, program evaluation, and communication with partners. Important changes to the program include:

• Year-Round Availability of Kris Nelson Application: We've opted to keep the Kris Nelson application open year-round, offering organizations greater flexibility in navigating the…

The City of Minneapolis faces a growing issue with vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties, particularly in areas like North Minneapolis. The City has committed to getting these properties back into functional usage, and in partnership with the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs’ (CURA) Kris Nelson Program, the North Minneapolis Promise Zone analyzed the City’s redevelopment process. Through a case-study and survey of West Broadway Avenue in North Minneapolis, it was found that numerous properties in the vicinity have…

In an effort to be more thoughtful and strategic about our work, we have decided not to issue an open call for summer Community-Based Research (CBR) projects with the Kris Nelson Program. This pause is not a standstill, but a deliberate step toward growth. We recognize the importance of taking this time to restructure our approach, seek feedback from past partners to evaluate the program's impact, and engage in thorough organizing and sharing of past projects. The summer will also be a period for forging…

Job postings are open through November 13. Note: If you are having any technical issues applying for these positions, please contact CJ Madsen, CURA's HR generalist.

Renewing the Countryside is a nonprofit organization that strengthens rural areas by championing and supporting rural communities, farmers, artists, entrepreneurs, educators, activists and other people who are renewing the countryside through sustainable and innovative initiatives, businesses, and projects.

In 2022-23, CURA partnered with Renewing the Countryside and a student researcher to study agricultural easements as a policy tool to preserve agricultural land in Minnesota. Agricultural easements protect the long-term viability of the nation’s food supply by preventing conversion of productive working…

The Kris Nelson Community-Based Research Program at the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) builds the power and capacity of community-based organizations to create social change through partnerships with the University of Minnesota. We match the research and technical needs of organizations with student research assistants to carry out community-defined and community-guided projects. CURA works with…

Community Based Research Graduate Student Project Spotlight

Fact sheet: Housing and Race in Minneapolis

Through the Kris Nelson Community-Based Research Program, Jack Gramlich (MPP '24) has supported the research and advocacy goals of the Make Homes Happen Coalition over the last year. Together, Jack and his community partner worked to produce a fact sheet that visualizes key insights on racial disparities in the Minneapolis housing market, which supports the project's broader research goal of evaluating the City's progress on meeting its housing goals.

My community partner, the Make Homes Happen Coalition, focuses on racial disparities in the…