This is a list of some nonprofit organizations that are affected by proposed solutions to the budget deficit. Does one of these nonprofits work in your neighborhood? Have you ever been served by one of them? Has someone you know or loved ever needed their help? Maybe you have volunteered for one of them? Perhaps you have donated money to some of them? Or do you just care about the same issues they do? Right now these nonprofits need your help! Contact your elected officials and tell them how important the services of these nonprofits are, and why it matters to you. Find out how by clicking here.

Note that nonprofits listed here have identified themselves to the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits as affected groups, so the list is by no means exhaustive.

American Cancer Society (ACS) (Serves all of Minnesota)
The Governor's budget proposal repeals a new Medicaid option for breast and cervical cancer treatment. Although this money does not flow through ACS, it will affect our ability to work with partners to reach our mission of eliminating cancer as a major health burden. The program targets low income women without insurance.
For more information contact: Matt Flory, 651-999-1202, matt.flory@cancer.org

Apple Tree Dental (Serves the Seven County Metro Area)
Apple Tree Dental provides comprehensive oral health care services to a wide range of individuals who otherwise are unable to obtain this primary health care. Proposed elimination of $800,000 in state dental access grants will significantly reduce our ability to improve access for those suffering as a result of the current state-wide dental access crisis.

Bemidji Community Art Center (Serves the Bemidji Area)
The Bemidji Community Art Center strives to increase arts awareness by providing educational experiences in the arts, serving as an arts communication network, providing an arts facility for the community and artists, presenting and sponsoring quality visual arts and generation active community participation.
For more information contact: Suzi Rhae, 218-444-7570, bcac@paulbunyan.net

Bolder Options (Serves Hennepin County)
Bolder Options is a mentoring program for high-risk youth. The elimination of the Youth Intervention funding would take 10% of our budget and affect one staff person and sixty youth.

Brooklyn Peacemaker Center (Serves Northwest Hennepin County)
The Brooklyn Peacemaker Center has been working with the community 'giving kids a second chance' for over 15 years. This highly effective juvenile diversion agency provides intervention services for nearly 400 youth and families annually as an alternative to criminal prosecution for first-time misdemeanor offenses and truancy. Combined with cuts from the Federal level, the proposed elimination of Youth Intervention funding would slash the agency's budget by more than half, and greatly jeopardize its continuance.
For more information contact: Pat Milton, 763-535-0995, bcpeace@aol.com

Central Minnesota Foster Grandparent Program (Serves Sixteen Counties within Central Minnesota)
The Foster Grandparent Program is a stipend volunteer program for older adults age 60 and older to provide meaningful and supportive relationships with children with special needs. The budget proposal would result in a loss of 3,132 hours of volunteer service.
For more information contact: Jackie S. Johnson, 320-229-4588, jjohnsol@gw.scdio.org

Clare Housing (Serves Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the Surrounding 5 County Metro Area)
Clare Housing has adult foster care homes in Minneapolis and St. Paul which provide services, shelter, and compassionate care for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Cuts in funding may cause these facilities to close down putting residents "out in the streets" to try and function in a very unclean, unsafe and unmonitored environment which can be detrimental for everyone.

Community Involvement Programs (Serves Metro Area and Mille Lacs and Pine Counties)
We provide a variety of services to persons with developmental disabilities and mental illness. The Governor's budget would cut $175,000 in funds to one of our programs that provides housing and supports.

Council on Crime and Justice (Serves Urban and Rural Communities)
The Council commits to building community capacity to address the causes and consequences of crime and violence. The Youth Education Support Project supports school attendance of elementary aged students in the Minneapolis school district. A direct impact of cuts in funding equals a cut in staff time, students receiving services, and less benefits for families.

CREDI (Cuyuna Range Economic Development, Inc.) (Serves the Eastern Half of Crow Wing County)
CREDI is a nonprofit Economic and Community Development Corporation which represents the citizens and businesses of the Cuyuna Range in their efforts to strengthen the economy, enhance the quality of life by recruiting new businesses, retaining and assisting existing businesses, and promoting and developing affordable housing. The Cuyuna Range Technology Center (CRTC) will be a multi-purpose, 14,900 square foot high-tech business, educational and non-profit center for technology enhancement of the Cuyuna Range and surrounding regions. The 2001 MN Legislature approved a bill allowing for a $150,000 matching grant towards the construction of the CRTC. The loss of the grant not only affects the loss of matching funds, but also the leverage capability of the combined $300,000 towards over $800,000 to be used for the construction of the CRTC. If the potential loss of the dollars this session becomes a reality, it would put the construction of the CRTC back a year or more, which would delay the potential of at least 250 jobs - when the time for such employment is needed now!

Crossroads Displaced Homemaker Program (Serves Kittson, Norman, Roseau, Lake of the Woods, Pennington, Marshall, Polk and Red Lake Counties)
Crossroads serves clients who previously received financial support for more than 2 years. They no longer receive that support due to divorce, separation, disability, or death of spouse. Crossroads helps remove barriers to employment or education by assisting with transportation costs, gas vouchers, car repairs, uniforms, insurance, licensing, etc.
For more information contact: Julie Johnson, 218-681-8158, xroads@northernnet.com

DARTS (Dakota Area Resources and Transportation for Seniors) (Serves Dakota County)
DARTS provides in-home and transportation services for Dakota County seniors and their families and offers volunteer opportunities for all ages. Funding cuts could eliminate our Home Share program, decrease rider trips by 10,000, and negatively impact our caregiver support services, as well as long-term care reform efforts. If funding for the Youth Intervention Program is eliminated, the DARTS' intergenerational program that connects court-referred youth with seniors would be dramatically cut and youth would lose a valued mentor and friend.

Development Corporation for Children (Serves all of Minnesota)
We work to support the business side of child care by providing business training, facility development, and financing. The Governor's budget cuts a $200,000 appropriation that helps our loan fund provide loans to low-income child care providers to meet code requirements and make improvements.

Ely Community Resource, Inc. (Serves Ely Area)
Ely Community Resource provides an after school program for children in grades three through six who are living in poverty and/or experiencing school problems including academic failure, low commitment, and self management issues. Children participate in tutoring, experiential learning, positive alternative activities, and youth-developed community service projects. Our goal is to help the participants improve their academic performance, increase their feelings of positive connection to school, and strengthen their pro-social skills. Loss of After School Enrichment Program funds would result in the elimination of the after school program impacting 100 youth in high risk situations.
For more information contact: Patti Zupancich, 218-365-5254, patti@elycommunityresource.org

Family & Children's Service (Serves Minneapolis and the West Metro)
FCS offers multiple programs and counseling services to strengthen the lives of families and children. The proposed budget cuts will eliminate our Property Offender and Youth Diversion programs for teens. It means fewer chances for youth to turn their lives around, fewer options for the courts, and alternatives that will cost taxpayers significantly more money.

Health Start (Serves St. Paul and the Surrounding Area)
Health Start is a private non-profit founded in 1967 to serve women and youth in St. Paul. Services include prenatal and family planning care provided in our community clinic, comprehensive services to adolescents offered primarily through school-based clinics, and community programs, including parenting education and support. The Governor's budget eliminates funds for the CARES program, which serves families affected by mothers' substance abuse. Funding has paid for social work assessment of substance abuse in pregnant women, recruitment and retention of women in home visit and group programs, and early assessment and referral of children exposed to drugs prenatally.
For more information contact: Gloria Ferguson, 651-312-1995 x208, gferguson@healthstart.org

HIRED (Serves Twin Cities Metro Area)
HIRED is a non-profit employment service provider that operates programs for individuals making the transition from welfare to work and others. The primary welfare to work program is the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP). Proposed budget cuts will result in higher MFIP caseloads and the reduction or elimination of specialized programs for MFIP participants with limited English skills or other special needs. Any reduction in services or increase in caseloads would create serious problems for inexperienced, low-skill workers trying to enter the workforce in the current economic environment.

Hmong American Partnership (Serves Ramsey and Hennepin Counties)
Hmong American Partnership provides culturally-appropriate social services to the Twin Cities Hmong community. The agency receives important Youth Intervention Program funding that has been targeted for elimination. This funding supports services that decrease Hmong youth involvement in delinquent behaviors and the juvenile justice system.

Home of the Good Shepherd (Serves the Metro Area)
Home of the Good Shepherd has served girls, women and families in the Metro area since 1868. Currently, we operate transitional housing programs (stay up to two years). We work in solidarity with other non-profits in advocating for the needs of those who are homeless or nearly so. Without services such as ours, lives will be either lost entirely or people will be burdens on Society.
For more information contact: Julie Green, 651-482-5270, juliegreen@goodshepherdsisters.org

Jewish Community Center of St. Paul (JCC) (Serves the greater St. Paul area)
The St. Paul JCC offers cultural and recreational programming through activities for pre-school and elementary children, youth, young adults, adults and senior adults with the goal of strengthening the community. It provides various types of social services to the community including meals on wheels, congregate dining, ESL classes, transportation to medical appointments, interpreter services, and childcare subsidies.
For more information contact: Burt Garr, 651-698-0751

Jewish Family Service of St. Paul (Serves Southwest St. Paul)
The Jewish Family Service of St. Paul provides a number of counseling and case management services including assistance to unemployed and underemployed individuals, senior services for the frail and elderly, refugee resettlement assistance and interpreter services for New Americans. Under Governor Ventura's budget recommendations, a number of these services are threatened and could make it more difficult to provide vocational assistance and Functional Work English programs for recent refugees and new immigrants.
For more information contact: Shel Olkon, 651-698-0767

Kinship of Morrison County (Serves Morrison County)
Kinship is a mentoring organization which matches a caring adult volunteer with a youth in need in Morrison County. Most Kinship youth come from either a single-parent or a highly dysfunctional household. The proposed elimination of the Youth Intervention Program would drastically affect the operation of Kinship of Morrison County, as the YIPA grants totals just under half of the total budget. The office may be forced to close without YIPA.
For more information contact: Deb VanNorman, 320-632-8806, rainbows@littlefalls.net

Kinship of Todd-Wadena Counties (Serves Todd and Wadena Counties)
Kinship is a non-profit mentoring program serving youth ages 5-17 who need friendship, affection, advise, guidance and meaningful adult companionship to help them grow and gain a positive outlook on life. Our mission is to promote positive motivation and direction by developing long-term friendships through mentoring relationships. Kinship is the only intervention/mentoring program offered in our two counties.
For more information contact: 218-894-2799

La Oportunidad, Inc. (Serves the Twin Cities Metro Area)
We provide skill building and peacemaking programs for Latino Children, youth and families. The cuts will remove significant funding from our youth program. Latino youth will no longer be able to participate in culturally effective programming designed to increase their resiliency, reduce their participation in violence, and help them become successful community members.

Lao Family Community of Minnesota, Inc. (Serves the Twin Cities)
Lao Family is dedicated to the well-being of the Hmong people in Minnesota. Proposed budget cuts will affect many of the community's most needy families, including parents learning to read and write English so they can get a better job or off of welfare, young mothers struggling with PTSD, elders who are recovering from opium addiction, and youth who need counseling to prevent addiction or violent behavior.

Light for Life Foundation (Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program) (Serves all of Minnesota)
We are a comprehensive community outreach program that educates youth and communities about depressive illnesses that cause suicide and gives information on how and where to get help. Cutting funding would mean our education and advocacy programs would need to be cut. We also would see staff reduction.

Lutheran Social Service - St. Cloud Area Youth Services (Serves Benton, Sherburne and Stearns Counties)
The Youth Intervention Project provides meaningful individual and group activities to truant youth in the Mid-level and High Schools in Sherburne County. We had received a grant to enhance our summer programming. We had planned to hire an additional year-round staff person, provide meaningful mentoring opportunities, include youth in some "adventure learning" activities, and take a group of youth on a 3-day campaign trip. The funding was through the Department of Economic Security, Youth Intervention Program. The Governor has recommended that the Program be discontinued.
For more information contact: David Nusbaum, 320-529-9357, dnusbaum@lssmn.org

META-5 Displaced Homemaker Program (Serves Todd, Wadena, Morrison, Cass, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs and Beltrami Counties)
We serve homemakers who have been at home taking care of their homes and families and dependent on someone else for primary source of income and have lost that due to death, divorce, disability, separation or abandonment. META-5 helps this special population through this transition time and become gainfully employed. With the proposed cuts our program would be totally eliminated.
For more information contact: Lucy Franz, 218-855-8010, lfranz@gwmail.clc.mnscu.edu or Kim Pilgrim, 218-894-5132, kpilgrim@gwmail.clc.mnscu.edu

Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (Serves the Seven County Metro Area)
The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council serves communities in the seven-county metro area by providing grants and services to arts organizations and for arts projects. The proposed cut in arts funding could reduce the number of grants awarded for arts activities in all areas of the metro. It could also diminish the scope of our services to constituents.

Minneapolis Way To Grow (Serves Minneapolis)
Way To Grow is a school readiness program that works with expectant parents and their children up through age 6. Way To Grow connects families to resources and services, provides home visits, parenting classes and a number of other services that helps parents in raising school-ready children. Way To Grow will lose $175,000 from the state if recommendations go through.

Minnesota Child Care Resource & Referral Network Agencies (Serves all of Minnesota)
Child Care Resource & Referral agencies provide families, child care programs/providers, and communities with information and support for quality child care that is affordable and accessible to all families. The budget proposal would result in a loss of service in some communities jeopardizing the quality of accessibility of child care.

Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (Serves all of Minnesota)
We are the statewide coalition of programs across the state serving victims of sexual violence. We provide training, resources, technical assistance, and other services which enable rape crisis centers in all parts of the state to provide services to victims. The cuts we are receiving (15% in FY 2002 and 67% in FY 2003) have the potential to severely impact our ability to provide services and to act as the only state-wide voice for victims of sexual assault.

Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women (Serves all of Minnesota)
MCBW is a statewide collective voice on behalf of battered women, providing training and technical assistance to battered women's programs throughout the state and serving as a clearinghouse of information. MCBW provides leadership at the statewide level to end domestic violence through public policy, systems advocacy, public awareness and special projects. A 67% cut to our state funding would directly hurt battered women and programs that serve them!

Minnesota Housing Partnership (Serves all of Minnesota)
MHP is a member-based nonprofit organization founded in 1989. Our mission is to advance the preservation of creation of housing affordable to low and moderate income people as a means of strengthening communities and families throughout Minnesota. Funding cuts proposed to housing programs pose a tremendous setback in our agenda to promote and preserve affordable housing.

Minnesota Humanities Commission (Serves all of Minnesota)
The Minnesota Humanities Commission provides leadership, programs and resources that advance the study of humanities in schools, colleges, and cultural organizations throughout Minnesota. The proposed cuts - 25% of our appropriation - would severely limit our work with school age children and their teachers, and with retired adults.

Moorhead Police Youth Intervention (Serves the City of Moorhead and Clay County)
Our Youth Intervention Program diverts all first time juvenile offenders from the clogged court system into restorative justice practices that hold offenders accountable for their actions. We teach all Moorhead and Clay County third grade students (700) a good touch/bad touch/stranger curriculum. We also hold a Summer Youth Program for 200 youth throughout the summer for youth ages 8-12, including an education component, lunch and activity, without cost, to supply youth with positive contacts with policy and educational activities. This position is also our school resource officer to Moorhead High School. Our community would lose all of these services.
For more information contact: Lt. Dave Andersen, 218-299-5124, brian.dahl@ci.moorhead.mn.us

Neighborhood House (Serves Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington Counties)
Neighborhood House builds doorways of opportunity for vibrant, diverse communities by meeting essential human needs, facilitating active participation in community life, and providing access to community resources and programs. Cuts would eliminate two key programs - Home Share and Youth Experiencing Alternatives - and gouge an additional $77,000+ from Child Care, English as a Second Language, and AmeriCorps.
For more information contact: Marisa Geisler, 651-227-9119, mgeisler@neighb.org

Neighborhood Youth Services - Woodland Hills (Serves Duluth's Central Hillside, East Hillside, and Lincoln Park Neighborhoods; also Harborview Homes and Windwood Homes)
Neighborhood Youth Services provides free, safe, supervised, structured programming for all youth ages 6 to 17. Programming is provided between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. during the school year and during the day and evening throughout the summer. NYS believes in the potential that exists in all youth. Our purpose is to strengthen youth and their families through "Asset Development" by providing a safe, caring environment. With the elimination of Youth Intervention Program funds, NYS would lose a critical component of our program - The Mobile Peer Outreach Program serves over 200 youth annually. Youth whose family may not have a phone or transportation of the financial means for extracurricular activities, are afforded the opportunity to participate in a weekly peer group that plans its own activities to include service, education, recreation and cultural awareness.
For more information contact: 218-723-3523, nys@woodlandhills.org

NHS Network of the Twin Cities (Serves the Neighborhoods of Minneapolis and St. Paul)
The NHS Network of the Twin Cities ensures livable, sustainable, and diverse neighborhoods through affordable housing and homeownership opportunities. Our organizations would be affected by cuts to the Rehabilitation Loan Program and Housing Assistance Fund.

Northwest Youth & Family Services (Serves Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Little Canada, Mounds View, New Brighton, North Oaks, Roseville, Shoreview and St. Anthony)
NYFS provides counseling, prevention and intervention services to over 5,000 people each year through a variety of programs. Many of our programs target at-risk youth. Three NYFS programs have already been affected by cuts in funding, resulting in the loss of 2.5 staff positions. Further cuts may force the closing of programs for at-risk youth and other vulnerable populations.
For more information contact: 651-486-3808

People Incorporated (Serves Ramsey, Hennepin, Dakota, Washington, Chisago, and Anoka Counties)
People Incorporated works to promote and secure independence and community integration for people with mental illnesses and other brain disorders. Proposed 5% cuts in 15 of our community-based programs for adults with mental illness will result in severe cuts in services to our more than 3,000 clients. Many of these people will end up in hospitals, jails, or on the streets.
For more information contact: Tim Burkett, 651-774-0011

Region Nine Development Commission (Serves Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Sibley, Watonwan and Waseca Counties)
Region Nine Development Commission is a rural 9 county multi-purpose organization. Cuts will affect our prevention and youth development programs, the small business development center, community development, healthcare access programs, multi-cultural programs and programs for the aging population.

Resources for Child Caring (Serves Ramsey County)
Resources for Child Caring provides quality early childhood education, training and resources to help providers improve the caliber of child care they deliver and the lives of the children receiving that care. The budget proposed would eliminate all state funding for resource and referral agencies throughout the state. Programs offered at Resources for Child Caring, such as parent referral, provider training, and working with the community to build the supply of quality child care, would be directly impacted.

The City, Inc. (Serves Northside and Southside Minneapolis)
We service anywhere from 80+ children in our After School Enrichment Program, providing healthy snacks, help with homework, dinner, classes on self-esteem, conflict resolution, personal hygiene, peer pressure, ATOD (alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs) prevention. We also provide transportation to and from our facility. The proposed budget will cut off all the above mentioned opportunities for children that may not have these opportunities elsewhere. We also take these children to camp five times a year. This is a critical program to help disadvantaged youth.
For more information contact: Pat Ferrer, 612-377-9752, patricia_ferrer@thecityinc.org

Three Rivers Community Action, Inc. (Serves Goodhue, Rice and Wabasha Counties)
Three Rivers Community Action, Inc. is a non-profit human service organization working to address critical needs of low-income families. Proposed cuts to funding would exponentially alter or eliminate the work we do through partnerships with local government, school districts and other organizations in the areas of Early Childhood, Transportation, Meals on Wheels, and affordable housing issues. The effects would be both immediate and long lasting. Failing to invest in families will create a much larger deficit for our communities in the future.

Tri-County Action Programs, Inc. (Tri-CAP) (Serves Benton, Sherburne and Stearns Counties and Beyond)
We are private, non-profit agencies providing an array of services including transportation, housing construction, rent and mortgage assistance, pre-employment counseling, Energy Assistance, etc. Our Displaced Homemaker Program is set to be zeroed out. This funding serves women and men in 8 counties in central Minnesota. Our Economic Opportunity Grant is set to be reduced, which impacts housing programs and youth activities, as well as case management activities for several areas.
For more information contact: 320-251-1612or 1-888-765-5597

Vinland Center (Serves all of Minnesota)
Vinland is a small, but highly effective rehab agency working with people with a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities. A cut of $275,000 per year for Vinland's Employment Program - which serves disabled veterans who are poor and often homeless - is proposed. This $275,000 constitutes two-thirds of the funding for this particular program and is critical for the continued existence of this program. The Employment Program helps people with many barriers to employment return to work and become productive members of their community.
For more information contact: Susan Rivard, 763-479-4523, srivard@vinlandcenter.org

Youth Intervention & Prevention Program (Serves Martin County)
The YIP Program includes Teen Court and Truancy Program. Teen Court is for first time petty offenders. Juvenile offenders are held accountable by a jury of their peers, while victims' rights are respected. Teen Court is also an opportunity for teenage and adult volunteers to have an active, positive role in the judicial system. The Truancy Program is for "at risk" or children in need of services. Our goal is to empower youth and help them succeed at school. If the funding is cut for the Youth Intervention & Prevention Programs, the Teen Court and Truancy Program will no longer exist in Martin County.
For more information contact: Amy Voss or Julie Grunewald, 507-238-3215, amy.voss@co.martin.mn.us

Youth Service Bureau of the Forest Lake Area and Chisago County (Serves Forest Lake, Chisago County and Portions of Anoka County)
YSB provides prevention, early intervention/counseling services, truancy response services and restorative justice program services annually to 2,300 at-risk/high-risk children and youth ages 5-18. Because we are a people-based agency, the elimination of funds will result in a reduction of staff positions (1.5 - 2.0 FTE). Existing parenting and support services will be reduced and clients will wait longer and travel farther to receive other services.

Youth Service Bureau, Inc. (Serves Central and South Washington County)
The Youth Service Bureau nurtures youth, strengthens families and builds caring communities through counseling and community justice initiative. The proposed elimination of state YIPA funding will severely hamper our ability to divert first offender youth from the court system. These funds are integral to our work with over 1,800 youth each year.
For more information contact: Paul Weiler, 651-439-8800, paul.weiler@ysb.net

YouthLink (Serves the Metro Area)
YouthLink serves at-risk and homeless teenagers. Cuts to funding would eliminate our programs that support efforts to keep kids out of the juvenile justice system. For every teenager that receives intervention services and stays out of the juvenile justice system, the community saves 1.5 to 2 million dollars.
For more information contact: Anne Supplee, 612-252-1206, supplee@youthlinkmn.org

YWCA of Minneapolis (Serves the City of Minneapolis)
Girls Resolution and Prevention is a YWCA program that changes the lives of girls who are committing crimes by providing a group service that teaches peaceful conflict resolution, enhances positive self-identity, develops leadership skills, enhances decision-making skills and offers education about career and life options for teen girls. State of Minnesota funding comprises about 1/3 of the budget for this program, and the services would be greatly reduced without State funding. The remaining funding is a two-to-one match that likely would not be available without the State funding. The RAP program has been extremely successful in preventing girls from re-offending. It was the first diversion program just for girls in the state.
For more information contact: Nancy Hite, 612-215-4135, nhite@ywca-minneapolis.org

Questions? Comments? Contact thinktwice@mncn.org.

(Page last updated: February 22, 2002)