Minnesota Solutions
EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTIONS TO COMMUNITY PROBLEMS
THROUGH THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS
AND RESOURCES OF CITIZENS, BUSINESS,
GOVERNMENT, AND NONPROFITS
Why Minnesota Solutions?
A confluence of forces are obligating elected officials
and community leaders to do more with less, think
smarter, act quickly, and learn new and better ways of
solving problems– to focus limited time, energy, and
resources on developing the best possible solutions to
state and community problems.
Why Minnesota Solutions?
 Rapid social, political, technological and environmental
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change is transforming communities and states, bringing
to the forefront conflict among interests
chronic budget deficits
dramatic demographic change
increasingly polarized politics
2011 Minnesota state shutdown
diminishing resources from the federal to the local level
increasing responsibility for problem solving without
adequate resources
increasingly frustrated and alienated public
Why Minnesota Solutions?
 Better decisions
 Faster implementation
 Bridges differences
 Deals productively with shared power for decision-
making
 Creates new resources
Solutions Model
 A community defines a problem they want to solve
 The governor designates the project and an impartial
convener to bring people together
 Participants sign a Declaration of Cooperation
 Implementation begins
Examples
 Oregon reduced the number of Oregon children in
foster care by 20 percent.
 Sherman County became the last county in Oregon
to develop a public library.
 Delaware formed the Cancer Consortium which led
to Delaware having the best rate of improvement for
cancer mortality in the country.
Examples
 Minnesota Legislature passes Longterm Care Reform
using collaborative processes.
 Arizona Department of Transportation saves millions in
lawsuits by instituting partnering policy for construction
projects.
 Manitoba, Minnesota, North and South Dakota and the
Canadian and US Federal Governments form
International Flood Mitigation Initiative to address
flooding in the Red River Basin.
 Maryland Department of Families, Youth, and children
negotiated agreements with each county over ways to
reform human services delivery.
Pilot Project
Minnesota Solutions will begin with a pilot issue.
The Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and the
Metropolitan Airports Commission are interested in
standardizing taxi regulations and fares, eliminating
duplication of services between local governmental
agencies, reducing regulatory hurdles and barriers,
and improving service for customers.
Vision
Our vision is to establish the Solutions model in
Minnesota.
Bench marks include:
 An executive order and/or legislation establishing
Minnesota Solutions
 Establishment of a permanent Steering Committee
whose members are appointed by the Governor
 Secure governmental, foundation, and fee-forservice funding
Advisory Council Objectives
 Foster the momentum and will to establish the Solutions
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Model in Minnesota
Leverage influence and resources to develop Minnesota
Solutions
Provide guidance and technical assistance for pilot issues
Recommend members of the permanent Steering
Committee to the Governor and help to assemble these
members
Lobby for an Executive order and/or legislation
establishing Minnesota Solutions
Identify priority issues
Advisory Committee Commitment
 Work on Advisory Committee objectives
 Meet monthly for one year
 Policy fellows will coordinate meeting logistics and prepare
agendas