Citizens League Events
Upcoming Events
Interconnected: Workforce Challenges and Opportunities for Local Government Entities in Minnesota
Join us for a timely Interconnected webinar co-hosted by the Center for Rural Policy and Development and the Citizens League exploring the findings of Strengthening Public Service in Minnesota, a new report from the Citizens League that examines the challenges and opportunities facing our state’s public workforce. Learn how Minnesota can better recruit, retain, and support the next generation of public servants—and why it matters for the future of our communities.
Through our engagement with communities in Minnesota, we strive to help people understand that public policy happens everywhere, and everyone has a role in decision-making.
Our events are organized around these goals, inviting a panel of different viewpoints to discuss policy issues that affect Minnesotans. We cover such topics as mental health, aging, disruptive protests, and water quality. Those in attendance can expect ample opportunity to voice their perspectives, questions, and ideas as well.
Read on for our current event series!
Civic Celebration
Each year at our Civic Celebration, Citizens League gathers Minnesotans from diverse backgrounds, political parties, and ideologies for an evening to appreciate what makes us unique: an enduring civic culture, innovative leadership, and a commitment to public service.
At the 2025 Civic Celebration, we continued this tradition. Hundreds of civic leaders, policy thinkers, and community builders gathered for an evening to celebrate the people and ideas that make our state unique, and to recognize our 2025 honorees, Peter Bell and Sharon McMahon, and Civic Changemaker Awardee, Anton Jones.
Interconnected: Rural-Urban Conversations
Minnesotans often use the phrase “rural-urban divide” when talking about the values and priorities that seem to differ across our state. But in reality, our challenges and opportunities are truly interconnected – though the solutions we design may look a bit different in Minneapolis compared to Mankato, or in Brainerd vs. Bloomington. This conversation series – hosted by the Center for Rural Policy and Development and the Citizens League – bridges the divide between urban & rural Minnesota by exploring our shared challenges and how to design a future that works for our unique communities. Each event begins with a look at CRPD’s latest research, followed by a panel discussion with speakers from urban and rural areas.
All events are recorded and can be viewed online. Click to view.
Mind Opener
In a world of information overload, Citizens League Mind Opener conversations aim to go beyond the headlines, clickbait, and sensationalistic social media posts to help attendees develop a deeper understanding of the nuances of complex policy issues – and explore potential solutions.
Citizens League intentionally curates robust panel discussions that represent diverse points of view. Depending on the topic, panelists may include professionals with specific expertise, elected officials, advocates and community leaders, or people directly impacted by the issue or outcomes.
Attendees are invited to bring their questions, ideas, and open minds – and our hope is that they will leave more informed, interested, and prepared to engage.