Brokering Trust
Bridging Divides
The Citizens League is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that creates opportunities for Minnesotans to engage in building a strong civic life and effective public policies.
Recent News
Civic Celebration Speakers Announced!
The Citizens League is excited to announce our line-up of speakers who will honor civic trailblazers Dr. Josie Johnson and Susan Kimberly at the annual Civic Celebration on October 18, 2017 at the Minneapolis Event Center. Speakers will include Shawntera Hardy,...
Intern melds science, health and policy with experience at the Citizens League
Each year, the Citizens League is fortunate enough to host a Brandl Scholar from the Eugene J. McCarthy Center at St. John’s University over the summer. The interns we’ve had from this program prove to be bright and enthusiastic, and quickly become engaged...
From Capitol Pathways to Policy Director
Capitol Pathways 2016 alum accepts Policy Director position for the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless Congratulations to Capitol Pathways alum, Fatima Moore, the new Policy Director for Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless (MCH)! Fatima was part of our first...
Capitol Pathways: 2nd Annual End of Session Celebration
We are excited to announce that Governor Mark Dayton declared June 1, 2017 Capitol Pathways Day! We are so proud to have this day in honor of our Capitol Pathways work, our students, host organizations and many community supporters. Read the full proclamation here! We...
Our Partnership with the University of St. Thomas
Last week, we said goodbye to two of our interns from the University of St. Thomas: Mallory Patrow and Kelsea Kern, both now graduated from St. Thomas with a degree in political science. During the past school year, Mallory and Kelsea played an instrumental role in...
Almanac at the Capitol: Catching up with Capitol Pathways
Last year TPT’s “Almanac at the Capitol” profiled Capitol Pathways’ inaugural year and followed one of our Capitol Pathways students around for a day — from working at his host site, the Department of Natural Resources, in St. Paul, to making the one hour drive back...
Current Work
Minnesota Legislative Exchange
The Minnesota Legislative Exchange is a first-in-the-nation effort to build trust and bipartisan relationships in state legislatures. As Minnesota’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit focused on civic engagement and public policy solutions, Citizens League is proud to lead this important effort, intentionally forging new relationships to bridge divides and govern our state effectively.
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
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.
Mind Opener – Past, Present and Future: The Case for Liberal Arts Education
Join us for a special Citizens League Mind Opener, hosted and sponsored by Macalester College, as we delve into an insightful conversation about the future of liberal arts and higher education, and the role it can play in building a resilient, strong civic life for Minnesota and beyond.
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Civic Celebration 2026
The annual Civic Celebration, Citizens League’s premier fundraiser and networking event, will take place on Thursday, April 16, 2026! Minnesotans from diverse backgrounds, political parties, and ideologies will gather for an evening to recognize Minnesota’s civic culture, innovative leadership, and a commitment working together across our differences to build trust and improve lives.