History + Media Links

In August 2016, the Saint Paul City Council passed Resolution 16-1407: “Committing to Community Benefits at the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Site.” For three years, residents and community leaders collaborated to create a resource the neighborhood surrounding Allianz Field can draw from to improve and strengthen the area for years to come: Neighbors United Funding Collaborative was the result of this three-year process.  

For six months the Community Benefits Fund Task Force gathered from residents and business owners’ thoughts, ideas and aspirations for the creation of this community benefits fund and what it might support, including nearly 900 neighborhood comments during community outreach. 

Focusing on preventing displacement and supporting small and immigrant/POCI-owned businesses was a priority for just over half of the inputs (478). More aesthetic categories like placemaking, beautification, public art, and sanitation were a priority for just under half of the inputs (402).

The community’s priorities were then organized as follows: 

• Support local business
• Placemaking and wayfinding
• Investing in public art.

TIMELINE

• May 2016: Snelling-Midway Community Advisory Committee presents final report 
• February 2017: Community Benefits Fund task force convenes to begin community engagement process
• June 2018: Neighbors United Funding Collaborative is unveiled to the public. 
• November 2018: “Community Conversation” event held at Midpoint Event Center. More than 900 people shared their ides in-person and online. 
• August 2019: Saint Paul City Council passes Resolution 16-1407 “Committing to Community Benefits at the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Site”
• January 2020: A Citizens Advisory Committee is assembled to focus on fundraising efforts and project review.
• May 2020: The first round of funding ($75,000) is distributed to small businesses in the region affected by COVID-19.
• June 2020: Fundraising efforts begin to support small, local businesses impacted by the looting in Hamline Midway + Union Park neighborhoods. The NUFC Advisory Board was reconstituted into a majority BIPOC membership.
• July 2020: The NUFC Advisory Board approved a second round of COVID-19 support.
• August 2020: The second round of funding ($95,000) is distributed to small businesses in the region affect by COVID-19. Full list of businesses here.

Media

Impact Magazine: MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM

Fox 9: Rebuilding in Saint Paul: Group raising funds for Midway & Union Park neighborhoods

Kare11: Want to help? Organizations looking for and offering support after Minneapolis unrest

USA Today: Their stores were burned, ransacked and looted. What’s next for Minneapolis-area small business owners in danger of losing livelihoods?