As part of the NENA Annual Meeting & Community Meal on April 28, 2022, the NENA Board of Directors will present our new 2022-2024 Strategic Plan, elect board members, vote on bylaw changes, and present an NRP Plan modification. The Strategic Plan includes a multi-year strategy for funding housing, commercial, streetscape, environmental, diversity, safety, livability, and community engagement projects initiated by the neighborhood.
Strategic Planning
Starting in late fall 2021, the Board started work on a new strategic plan for the next three years for our organization. NENA uses the strategic plan to plan priorities, programming, staffing, and resources.
Since our founding in the 1980s, NENA bases its priorities and programming on ideas from our community. Over the past six months, NENA conducted an online survey, focus groups, spoke with Nokomis East Food Distribution guests, and popped up at local businesses and hot spots to engage our community, businesses, and organizations. The Nokomis East Community Priorities Survey results are the backbone for our strategic plan. The Board will be approving the plan in late March and will present it at the April Annual Meeting.
Strategic Plan Highlights
- Hiring a community organizer and program manager to connect our community through outreach, neighborhood programs, and events
- Staying in Place grants and emergency home repair loans to help keep seniors and low-income residents in their homes
- Continued funding for neighborhood favorites such as our Annual Meeting and Community Meal, State of Our Neighborhood, community input sessions, and fundraising events such as the Food Truck Rally and Kickball tournament
- Funding for mini-grants for curb appeal, home security, water run off projects, pollinator gardens, and more
- Green initiatives such as the Minneapolis Monarch Festival and two the community gardens – Gateway Garden and Giving Garden
- Annual neighborhood cleanups and garage sale day
- Community development projects in partnership with the Nokomis East Business Association and local businesses
NRP Plan Modification and Community Vote
To implement the next strategic plan, the Board is also recommending a NRP Plan Modification to reposition City funding allocated to Nokomis East. The Board will share details with our community about the updated community priorities and funding strategies and ask for support from the community at the Annual Meeting.
All residents, businesses, and property owners in the four Nokomis East neighborhoods are strongly encouraged to participate on April 28, 2022, to help NENA plan for the future. In addition to the NRP Plan Modification, the Board will present proposed amendments to NENA’s bylaws. Both proposals require a vote and approval from the General Membership.
NRP Plan Modification
The NENA Board will present our 2022-2024 Strategic Plan, including a multi-year strategy for funding housing, commercial, streetscape, environmental, diversity, safety and livability, and community engagement projects initiated by the neighborhood.
The Board proposes to move $180,000 to support Community Outreach, $92,500 to Housing programming, $77,045.18 to Environmental programming, $8,836.38 for Business Promotion programming, and $235,000 for administration and operations. These funds will be reallocated from overfunded program areas, including Housing Initiatives and undeveloped programs like Children First Grant Program. This reallocation of just over $593,000 will be added to existing NENA funds and strategies to be implemented over the next five to six years. Finally, the Plan Modification requires minor language changes to allow for expanded programmatic use of NRP funds.
