Minnesota Chamber Foundation

Economic research: in may of 2023, the Foundation completed its update report and research on the economic outlook for Minnesota, the 2023 edition of Minnesota: 2030. This report provides an objective analysis on the performance of Minnesota's economy and recommendations to address headwinds to future growth. In june of 2023, the Foundation began a new research project on Minnesota's environmental permitting process, hiring engineering consulting firm barr to lead the technical research. That work continued through 2023.

Center for workforce solutions the center for workforce solutions is designed to provide private sector solutions to the workforce challenge facing Minnesota employers. The center has multiple focus areas. The first, is the business education network (ben) formed in 2015. Ben is a private-sector solution to employers' urgent need to find skilled, qualified and ready workers for jobs available in communities across our state. Ben partners established a relationship with the united way of the twin cities to expand career pathways. The center is also home to the Foundation's workforce diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. Outcomes in this area include a diversity resource site, and playbook for employers. New programs include a peer group of diversity leaders and expansion of employer consulting services. This effort is designed to assist employers across the state to develop welcoming workplaces. The third area of focus is highlighting and advancing the role of immigrants to Minnesota's economy, both as workers and entrepreneurs.

The business environmental sustainability finance program (besfp) is a grant program of the Minnesota Chamber Foundation. The purpose of the besfp grant program is to motivate business owners to complete energy efficiency or waste reduction projects that would otherwise not get done without besfp grant. Grants of up to $3,000 may be available for pre-qualified energy efficiency and waste management projects. Besfp grant program works closely with energy smart or waste wise staff to identify projects that may qualify for a grant. Eligible projects include energy efficient projects that recieve an energy utility rebate and waste projects which result in quantifiable waste diversion (waste kept out of the municipal solid waste stream). No more than one grant per business (or business location) per calander year or for one 12-month period, will be given. Priority is given to businesses that have not received a besfp grant at any time in the past.

Leadership Minnesota: we are currently in the 23nd year of offering leadership Minnesota to our membership with over 800 alumni. Leadership Minnesota serves to enhance the understanding of the state's economy and the role of public policy for Minnesota's business leaders. Forty participants from various parts of Minnesota will travel across the state with the goal of increasing their understanding of what drives Minnesota's economy and how public policy affects the success of business in our state. They will tour various companies and talk directly with industry and company leaders about their economic impact to our state, their challenges, opportunities and future plans. The group is selected in april and the programs begins the following september. An alumni event is held once a year in a part of the state that was not part of the initial program year for participants. Leaders lab: we have concluded nine years of the program with well over 300 alumni. This program is modeled after leadership Minnesota but targets developing business leaders. Leaders lab will take 40 developing business leaders on 4, 2-day sessions. Like leadership Minnesota, each session will include opportunities to tour and learn more about industries that drive Minnesota's economy and how public policy affects the success of business in our state.