Public Policy Issues

Part of strengthening rural Minnesota is helping assure rural perspectives are well represented in public discourse. Blandin Foundation, with partners, convenes and participates in public policy conversations on issues most important to the health of rural Minnesota communities.  

Broadband

Broadband has revolutionized  business, government, education, work and lifestyles. Without robust broadband access and fully technologically literate populations, rural communities will be unable to take advantage of the extraordinary benefits that ultra high-speed, next-generation Internet can provide.

Since 2003, the Blandin Community Broadband Program has engaged at local, state and federal levels to ignite and sustain policies that support rural access to robust broadband.  Guiding this work is a strategy board of public and private leaders to guide the initiative, and a vision.  Visit http://broadband.blandinfoundation.org for extensive details and for related community engagement work. 

Early Childhood Development

Investment in the earliest years of a child's development, from birth to five years, is a key determinant in their future success--and in developing healthy communities, now and years from now.  Blandin Foundation engages in broad public policy initiatives, such as MinneMinds, to advance success of every young child, especially before age five. 

Government Services Redesign

Blandin Foundation participates in the Beyond the Bottom Line Initiative, which works to redesign government services to focus on outcomes for Minnesotans.

Redesign is the transformational change of how public services are delivered to focus on achieving greater outcomes for the public dollar, rather than paying for process.  From education, to health care and human services, to transportation and more, the initiative works to build awareness of redesign's important role in preserving public services in the face of Minnesota's structural deficit.