Minnesota Broadband Vision Endorsements
Everyone in Minnesota will be able to use convenient, affordable world-class broadband networks that enable us to survive and thrive in our communities and across the globe.
This Minnesota broadband vision was created and adopted by over 170 participants in the November, 2015 Border to Border Broadband: Better Together conference sponsored by Blandin Foundation and the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development.
“This vision is crucial to our schools, libraries, healthcare facilities, and local businesses. Broadband deployment is a necessity to help grow our small-town rural economy, support Minnesota’s entrepreneurial spirit, create new jobs, attract new people, and modernize the education and healthcare services so essential to quality of life.” ~US Sen. Al Franken
“I applaud Blandin Foundation, the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development and many other stakeholders in Minnesota that developed the Minnesota Broadband Vision during last year’s “Border to Border Broadband: Better Together” conference. I share your goals of ensuring that all Minnesotans have access to affordable, high-quality broadband that opens new opportunities in education, healthcare and the economy of tomorrow.” ~ US Sen. Amy Klobuchar
The following organizations have formally endorsed the vision:
Statewide Advocacy Organizations:
Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC): a voluntary, non-partisan statewide organization that has assisted the state’s 87 counties in providing effective county governance to the people of Minnesota since 1909
Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM): a statewide association of professionals specializing in the field of economic development.
Greater Minnesota Partnership (GMP): a nonprofit corporation devoted to advocating for state economic development policies and resources that benefit Greater Minnesota
League of Minnesota Cities (LMC): a membership organization dedicated to promoting excellence in local government through advocacy, education and training, policy development, risk management, and other services
Minnesota Association of Community Telecommunications Administrators (MACTA): originally formed to address issues that impact cable television and franchise development, MACTA has evolved into a an advocacy organization to help shape the rapidly changing telecommunications landscape as it affects cities
Minnesota Association of Professional County Economic Developers (MAPCED): promotes the role of counties in fostering economic growth, expanding the tax base, and enhancing quality of life
Minnesota Association of Townships: a nonprofit corporation representing 1,779 of Minnesota’s 1,782 townships
Minnesota Library Association: an association representing all types of libraries by helping them accomplish together what none can do alone; through facilitating educational opportunities, supporting strong ethical standards, providing legislative assistance, and fostering connections between the library community and various constituencies
Minnesota Library Association Legislative Committee: the committee is charged with recommending a legislative platform and program to the MLA board of directors each year and to lobby on behalf of MLA
Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association (MMUA): a nonprofit corporation representing the interests of the state’s 100+ municipal electric and natural gas utilities
Minnesota Public Broadband Alliance: A statewide association representing the interests of communities that have invested either federal, state or local public dollars into support of a broadband network
Minnesota Rural Counties Caucus: MRCC is dedicated to promoting and protecting rural concerns and rural lifestyles through advocacy on behalf of Greater Minnesota county concerns at the Minnesota Legislature, and coordination of communication between its membership
Minnesota Rural Education Association (MREA): the only advocacy organization devoted exclusively to Greater Minnesota schools
Minnesota School Boards Association: a leading advocate for public education by supporting, promoting and strengthening the work of public school boards
Minnesota Service Cooperatives: a Joint Powers organization comprised of nine educational service agencies
Northeast Service Cooperative (NESC): established by the legislature in 1976 as a nonprofit public corporation, NESC serves 32 school districts and 79 cities, counties and other governmental agencies throughout NE Minnesota through professional development, student enrichment and technology services
Elected Officials
Congressman Tom Emmer: representing Minnesota’s 6th District
Congressman Rick Nolan: representing Minnesota’s 8th District
Congressman Collin Peterson: representing Minnesota’s 7th District
Educational Institutions
East Central MN Educational Cable Cooperative (ECMECC): a joint-powers association of schools in east central Minnesota that provides interactive TV programming to its members
Minnesota State Community and Technical College: with campuses in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena and online, M State’s mission is to provide education for dynamic learning, living, working and serving
TISP Forum (Telecommunications and Information Society Policy Forum), HHH School of Public Affairs, U of MN: the central clearinghouse for policy discussion in Minnesota and neighboring states on critical issues in telecommunications and information policy
Healthcare Organizations
Essentia Health: headquartered in Duluth, MN, Essentia Health is an integrated health system serving patients in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Idaho
Telecommunications Organizations
Leech Lake Telecommunications Company: a department of Leech Lake MIS Division, the telecommunications company is charged with providing and maintaining telephone communications to over 2000 desktops and modems on the reservation
MVTV Wireless: a nonprofit, member-owned corporation founded in 1960 to bring television to the Granite Falls area; in 1999 MVTV began providing wireless internet service, and now covers 22,000 square miles of Southwest Minnesota
Place-based Development Organizations and Units of Government
Chisago County HRA-EDA
Kandiyohi County & City of Willmar Economic Development Commission
Ortonville EDA
Redwood Area Development Corporation
Winona County EDA
Minnesota Initiative Foundations: established in the early 1980’s, these are strong, independent entities that are built to respond to regional needs and opportunities
- Initiative Foundation (central Minnesota)
- Northland Foundation
- Northwest Minnesota Foundation
- Southwest Initiative Foundation
- West Central Initiative
Regional Development Commissions: established in 1969 to provide technical assistance to the local units of government in their region
- Arrowhead Regional Development Commission
- Headwaters Regional Development Commission
- Mid-Minnesota Development Commission
- Northwest Regional Development Commission
- Region Five Development Commission
- Region Nine Development Commission
- Southwest Regional Development Commission
- Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission
Counties
- Aitkin County
- Big Stone County
- Carlton County
- Chippewa County
- Chisago County
- Itasca County
- Kanabec County
- Kandiyohi County
- Lac qui Parle County
- Mille Lacs County
- Nobles County
- Redwood County
- Renville County
- Saint Louis County
- Sherburne County
- Sibley County
- Wilkin County
- Winona County
- Yellow Medicine County
Cities
- City of Arlington
- City of Big Lake
- City of Brownton
- City of Buffalo Lake
- City of Elk River
- City of Fairfax
- City of Gaylord
- City of Gibbon
- City of Grand Rapids
- City of Green Isle
- City of Henderson
- City of Lafayette
- City of Madison
- City of New Auburn
- City of Stewart
- City of Winthrop
Townships
- Jessenland Township
- Seward Township
Minnesota Regional Public Library Systems
- Arrowhead Library System
- East Central Regional Library
- Great River Regional Library
- Kitchigami Regional Library
- Lake Agassiz Regional Library
- Metropolitan Library Service Agency
- Northwest Regional Library
- Pioneerland Library System
- Plum Creek Library System
- Southeastern Libraries Cooperating
- Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative
- Viking Library System
*and numerous individual public libraries throughout the state
Utility Companies
Agralite Electric Cooperative: a locally owned progressive utility providing dependable electric service and other consumer related products to improve the quality of life in the Benson area
Nonprofit Organizations and Community Groups
Camp UniStar Foundation: a non-profit organization offering programs to enhance personal and spiritual growth at their north woods island camp on Cass Lake, and driving positive change for the camp, the island environment, and the surrounding communities
Cloquet Valley Internet Initiative (CVII): a multi-township effort to improve the options residents have for high-speed internet service
EnSearch: located in the Brainerd Lakes Area, EnSearch provides research and evaluation services to support the growth of a variety of businesses and industries
IMPACT 20/20: an influential group of Northwest Minnesota leaders representing diverse interests and working together for the region’s economic success
Kanabec Broadband Initiative: an ad hoc group of community organizations that recognize the importance of broadband to the economic competitiveness of Kanabec County residents, businesses and institutions
Kandiyohi County Broadband and Advanced Technology Committee: facilitated by the EDC and chaired by a business person, the comittee consists of representatives from the Economic Development Commission, The Willmar Lakes Area Vision 2040 Group, business people from Kandiyohi County and community volunteers
Nobles Economic Opportunity Network (NEON): a coalition of governing agencies in Nobles County
PCs for People: a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create new opportunities by providing affordable personal computers, computer repairs, and internet service to people with limited technological experience due to social, physical, or economic circumstances
Project FINE: a nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen and enrich the Winona area by facilitating the integration of people who are ethnically diverse
Red Wing Ignite: provides infrastructure that enables entrepreneurship and innovation for the Red Wing community
Resilient Region Champions of Region Five: a group of citizens a working together to realize the Resilient Region mission of planning sustainable regions that integrate the disciplines of housing, transportation, natural environment and economic development that will encompass in-reach strategies through HIGHLY involved civic engagement in efforts to build an inclusive region that will provide opportunities, be free from discrimination and improve the quality of life of ALL residents
Is your organization considering endorsing the vision? We understand that some boards require a formal resolution documents, so we’ve drafted a resolution in support of the vision (below) that you may use.