Kingfield Neighborhood Association

The past year, KFNA expanded their work with other organizations to find a financially sustainable model for the growth and continuation of our small nonprofits. Specifically focused on other neighborhood associations, KFNA spent 8 months researching organizational consolidation models, but a merger was ultimately voted down by one of our partners. This disappointment in early 2023 motivated KFNA to focus on the completion of the few remaining NRP (Neighborhood Revitalization Program) projects that they have funding to support, refine the work they can sustainably do each year with part-time staff, and seriously begin the shift to a more volunteer-led organization. This shift should lead to a closing of all Kingfield NRP contracts with the City of Minneapolis by the end of 2025. A few of the successful accomplishments this past year included KFNA Board meetings and events returned to in-person gatherings. Prepared and distributed a weekly e-news to almost 3000 individual addresses Reintroduced a monthly newsletter/flyer in English and Spanish, distributed door to door by a local paper carrier. Engaged neighbors in community building events like Kingfield PorchFest, Kingfield Empty Bowls, Get Out the Voting and the annual Polling Party, the Community Sap Tap Promoted grocery distribution events and the creation of the new Harvest from the Heart food shelf to families in need held by our community partner, Sagrado de Corazn. KFNA established a relationship with them to assist them to continue sharing the artwork created during the Uprising. Organized a Community Sap Tap and taught neighbors how to tap their maple trees. The group gathered at MLK Park to collectively boil, and then share, the resulting syrup and hold the first annual Pancake Breakfast, serving over 100 people! Proceeds from the event were shared between KFNA and MLK Park. ? Organized a team of tree-advocates to learn about pruning fruit trees for production from experts at the U of M and the Minneapolis Park Board. This team cared for our growing community orchard located at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park in 2022, watering three times per week through the drought and planting an additional dozen fruit trees. Publicized, recruited volunteer coaches, and advocated for our 20-year old Little Kickers soccer training program which served over 140 kids in 2022. This program was started as a KFNA project and has been led by neighbor Michael Vanderford for the entire program life. ? Secured a three-neighborhood MN Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR) grant-funded project, named the South Nicollet Pollinator Pathway. Together, Kingfield, Lyndale, and Tangletown neighborhood associations are working with 5 community and 45 residential sites to install native gardens designed to support the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, a tiny native species that is on the federal endangered species list. This group organized an educational event in September and partnered with local Master Gardeners to assist community and residential sites with garden design. Identified new partners by building a partnership with Meals on Wheels and Judson Church, to assure the continuation of the Kingfield Empty Bowls event,a single day fundraiser that provides amazing local food donated by Kingfield restaurants and raises money for groups working on homelessness and food security, including Kingfield's Nicollet Square. Promoted the August primary and November general election with utility-pole posters and yard signs to promote voting at MLK Park. KFNA is proud that these signs will be reused a 6th time to promote this year's local election. ? Held a Polling Parties in August and November and greeted neighbors at MLK Park with food and beverages and friendly faces while thanking them for performing their civic duty and voting (with volunteer crossing guards to help them safely across Nicollet). Finished the November Election Day with a Returns Watching Party at Tap Society, with a percentage of sales that day donated to KFNA. ? Continued to be the connector that allows all members of our community to be heard and have a way to reach out and organize through!