Get Involved in Current Programs: Mujeres en Accion y Poder | Midtown Farmers Market | Land Use and Housing committee | Public Art | The Corcoran News | Corcoran GROWS

The Corcoran neighborhood
The Corcoran Neighborhood is situated in the heart of south Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is bounded by East Lake Street to the north, East 36th Street to the south, Hiawatha Avenue to the east, and Cedar Avenue to the west. Learn more about neighborhood demographics.

Corcoran Neighborhood Organization (CNO) History and Purpose
The Corcoran Neighborhood Organization was established in 1975 around a grassroots effort by neighborhood residents to establish Corcoran Park on the site of a closed school. Building on this victory, CNO has continued to unite and equip neighbors to improve and protect the neighborhood. CNO is a non-partisan information source, spokesperson, and advocate for the community on civic affairs, and strives to engage community members on issues that may have a positive or negative impact on the community.

CNO Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission: We unite neighbors to strengthen our community.
Vision: We envision our community as a place that fosters leadership, engagement, and a sense of belonging.
Values:

• Empowerment. To empower residents to advocate for their neighbors and invest in the future of the neighborhood where they live, work and recreate.
• Equity/Diversity. To create equitable access for all our neighbors to the public resources necessary to live a safe, productive, and joyful life.
• Innovation/Creativity. To lead in creative programming and innovative neighborhood solutions.
• Sustainability/Placemaking. To develop and promote sustainable living options to create a more resilient neighborhood.

CNO Structure and participation
Everyone is welcome to attend CNO meetings and events and Corcoran residents are eligible and encouraged to become members (visit the CNO office at 3451 Cedar Ave S to become a member). Resident participants of CNO programs make recommendations to the CNO Board, a group of volunteers elected from the neighborhood. At its monthly meetings the Board reviews and votes on these recommendations and thus determines policy for the organization. CNO staff cannot vote or serve as members of CNO committees or the board. Board elections are held at the May General Membership meeting. View the CNO Executive Board listing. View the CNO bylaws.

Current CNO programs include:

• Mujeres en Accion y Poder (MAP) women's empowerment groups bring Latina/o families into the life and leadership of the Corcoran, Powderhorn Park, and Standish neighborhoods. Learn more.
• Midtown Farmers Market connects the diverse residents of south Minneapolis to rural food producers in a mutually beneficial economic and cultural exchange, serving and welcoming participation from residents of the Twin Cities metro area. Learn more.
• Land Use and Housing Committee works to improve and protect the built environment and engage the whole neighborhood in important issues and decisions. Learn more.
• Public Art programming engages residents of all ages and abilities to co-design and install pavement murals and other permanent public art installations.Learn more.
• The Corcoran News is an English/Spanish monthly newspaper written, edited, and delivered to every household by neighborhood residents since 1985. Learn more.
• Corcoran GROWS –is a Transition Town initiative working to move our community from oil dependence to local resilience. Learn more.

CNO Strategic Plan (approved by the CNO board in May 2012)
1. Strengthen organizational resiliency by building staff capacity.

• Add expertise and human capital to the organization to maintain and expand programming, including planning for staff leadership transitions.
• Increase the capacity of existing staff to build, strengthen, and leverage organizational partnerships.
• Strengthen internal communications across existing "boundaries" (committees, staff, board, volunteers, funders, partners, and residents).

• Demonstrate capabilities to funders and partners, both what CNO does and could do.
• Leverage partnerships to attract new funders.
• Establish a shared organizational story and vision to share with potential and existing funders and supporters.

• Involve and equip residents to be leaders, identify and address problems, and launch programs.
• Position the organization as a primary hub to participate in and learn about issues that affect the community.
• Develop a deep understanding of changes and needs in the community.

• Determine primary criteria for partnerships and identify potential partners (outside of SUN partnership).
• Seek partners whose capabilities or expertise compliments ours in key areas.
• Develop and maintain strong lines of communication with residents, volunteers, developers, potential partners, etc.