Common Ground.
Common Good.

The Citizens League is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that empowers people to engage in civic life and public policy to make Minnesota a better place to live and work for everyone.

Recent News

A Good Debate: Pension Tension

A Good Debate: Pension Tension

A Good Debate strives to model thoughtful dialogue that encourages disagreement while discouraging rancor. This time, does Minnesota have a pension problem?

What’s the problem with pensions in Minnesota?

What’s the problem with pensions in Minnesota?

As the Pioneer Press reports, "government pension plans are paying out more than they are taking in." According to the latest valuation reports, state public pensions should have $16 billion more in investments right now to pay for future retirement benefits that have...

Capitol Pathways Student Spotlight: D’Andre Anthony Gordon

Capitol Pathways Student Spotlight: D’Andre Anthony Gordon

As the 2018 Legislative Session continues, so does our Capitol Pathways internship program, providing opportunities at the Capitol for college students of color. Part of our 33-student cohort this year is D'Andre Anthony Gordon, a 2nd year student at...

Citizens League Recommendations in New Met Council Reform Bill

Citizens League Recommendations in New Met Council Reform Bill

The Citizens League supports a bipartisan bill now moving through the state’s House of Representatives introducing reforms for the Metropolitan Council, which closely resemble the recommendations that came out of our Met Council Task Force in 2016.

Current Work

Interconnected: Rural-Urban Conversations

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. All discussions are recorded and can be listened to and viewed online.

Capitol Pathways

With the long-term goal of making our government truly representative of our communities, the program opens access to the Minnesota Capitol to the next generation of leaders of color. Through this program, interns build relationships with established Capitol leaders, gain exposure to various kinds of careers in policy, get real-world experience in career fields they would like to learn more about and build a strong professional resume in the process.

Strengthening Public Service

Citizens League is embarking on a new project to dig deeper and explore the unique challenges and barriers to public service, with a particular emphasis on non-elected roles and people who make our state’s local governments work.

Events


The Citizens League hosts forums for civil discussion across Minnesota. Our event series includes events that are open to the public, member-only and workplace events to help inform and engage Minnesotans on important policy and civic leadership discussions.

Thursday, October 10, 2024
MCN & MCF Joint Conference

The Citizens League team is proud to present at the upcoming Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) & Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) Joint Annual Conference. Registration is now open for this two-day conference!


Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Mind Opener: Trustworthy Elections — Do conservatives and liberals agree?

In the midst of another challenging and hyper-polarizing election season, join us to hear from Braver Angels and others about how to enhance trust in our elections.