For discussion

Minnesota Compass will help point communities in the right direction, but we still need to do the work

By Matt Rezac, Blandin Foundation

Matt Rezac is senior program officer for public policy and engagement at the Blandin Foundation in Grand Rapids Minnesota. He facilitates community partnerships to help discern and develop strategic actions that will improve community well being. Blandin Foundation is a funder of Minnesota Compass, and Matt sits on the steering committee for the project.

“Experts have their place…it’s important to keep them there.”

This is one of my favorite quotes, convincingly spoken by a professor who had mastered several areas of expertise. The lesson: communities can’t outsource learning, development and problem solving. Yes, we in community must be informed by the best information available. But the solutions we pursue – the specific ways of applying that information – need to be of our own making, crafted from the assets and limitations that define our particular situation. In other words, community context matters, and no one knows it better than community members.

If only it were that simple! In an era of economic uncertainty, overbooked work and personal lives, and virtual data deluge, it can be difficult to focus on long-term issues impacting community health. At times we rely on external gurus for guidance because the opportunity for authentic community discernment barely registers amidst the noise. When we DO come together and make choices as a community, priceless momentum can dissipate while we cull through the haystack of information (and misinformation) to find a needle that’s reliable and relevant.

Herein lies the value of MN Compass: objective analysis for Minnesota communities, available online, free of charge. MN Compass examines the latest research on a range of community issues, identifies driving trends, and distills the findings into accessible “Key Measures”. These detailed “snapshots” can be easily sliced and diced online to view local issues from various perspectives. The extensive “More Measures” section can then be used to explore the layered details of each issue. Raw data can be downloaded into spreadsheets so users can customize it further to best fit their needs.

Yet the researchers who developed MN Compass know that even this admirable assembly of data isn’t enough to effect change. MN Compass also strives to connect information with action. The “Do” section allows communities to quickly identify organizations from around the state working on the key issues they care about. “Ideas at Work” highlights specific approaches to these issues that communities have developed in hopes of creating positive change.

All of this saves time and adds capacity at no cost. Effective community decision-making follows a predictable progression: analyze, discern, act, and reflect. MN Compass expedites analysis and discernment while setting the stage for action and reflection.

However, this potential will not be realized if it isn’t used. Simply put, MN Compass must get onto the computer screens of people who are motivated to use it. Information from local communities will need to be collected and posted to the “Do” section. Staff and boards of community organizations need to find out that MN Compass exists and deem it relevant to their needs. Government officials will need to be encouraged to adopt MN Compass as a go-to source to inform planning and policymaking. We may find that the construction of this impressive tool was the easy part.

Here at the Blandin Foundation, our mission is to strengthen communities in rural Minnesota, especially the Grand Rapids area that we call home. We’ve been working with a group of local partners to think through how our community can make the most of MN Compass. We’ve held a series of information sessions for area non-profits, encouraging them to use MN Compass as part of an overall communications plan to amplify their work. We’ve discussed a local promotion campaign to announce the “launch” of MN Compass in early 2010, including presentation to our Chamber of Commerce and a series of “stories behind the data” on our local independent radio station. In 2010, we’ll introduce the site to our Board of Trustees and consider how MN Compass can add value to our annual strategic plan review and assessment. We’re also exploring how MN Compass can be connected to the 5000 Blandin Community Leadership alumni throughout rural Minnesota. Finally, we’re hoping to introduce MN Compass to our local education community as a potential tool for classroom instruction.

MN Compass has been built with the knowledge that it’s not an end in itself. Its applications – whether for planning, policy making, grant writing, assessment, etc. – are limited only by the needs and creativity of communities throughout Minnesota. I hope you’ll look for opportunities to put MN Compass to work in the place you call home.

Opinions in the For Discussion columns are the authors' alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Minnesota Compass. Compass welcomes a range of views about issues pertaining to quality of life in Minnesota.