Cohort 1: 2-Generation Policy Network (2017 - 2021)
2-Generation Policy Network was the first iteration of Minnesota’s system change work. It was designed to advance two-generation approaches to policies and practices that improve outcomes for children and parents, together.
Grantees and Prototypes
These local sites serve young children and families and are addressing racial disparities in human services outcomes through community-centered processes and programming. Click on any of the names of the organizations to learn more about the systems change work they lead.
Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood
Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood (housed at Amherst H. Wilder Foundation) is a transformative education partnership that puts children on the pathway to college and career success. Using a school-based approach, Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood supports children at four Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood Pathway Schools in the Frogtown, Rondo, and Summit-University neighborhoods of Saint Paul. Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood brings together 10 anchor partners and 70 other organizations to deliver a comprehensive, culturally rooted, two-generation strategy to families. Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood uses education, family stability, and advocacy tools to pave pathways of opportunities for children. The SPPN Parent Council builds parent power in public decision-making spaces through public policy community organizing. The goal is to build a movement of people of color in the neighborhood working to build a thriving community.
The Northside Achievement Zone
The Northside Achievement Zone is one of Minnesota’s federal Promise Zones. Its goal is to permanently close the achievement gap and end generational poverty in North Minneapolis. It operates as the backbone for a collaborative of 25 community-based partner organizations and schools to walk side by side with low-income families as they put their children on a path to college and create a culture of achievement on the Northside. Northside Achievement Zone has centered it's work on the "scholar" since its inception and has had significant involvement of parents including the empowerment program. The Northside Achievement Zone recently expanded to include parent-focused initiatives known as Family Academy to have a more coordinated approach to employment services through shared coaching, training and co-located staff.
Olmsted County
Olmsted County has long provided state-level leadership among county governments for integrated human services. For more than 20 years, the county has offered whole family services to families at-risk of being referred to the child protection system. The county launched supportive housing programs for young parents and troubled youth and works specifically with fathers to assure adequate family connections.
The White Earth Nation
The White Earth Nation (WEN) uses WECARE (White Earth Coordination, Assessment, Resource and Education), a care coordination database system that provides an efficient and effective way to link families living on the White Earth Reservation to needed services. Key employees of the Tribal programs, including Human Service programs, The Bureau of Indian Education and Indian Health Service have access to the WECARE information technology system. The comprehensive WECARE assessment tool can be used to assess a family’s broad needs and automatically send referrals to publicly funded programs. The tool assesses both child-focused needs such as childcare funding and immunizations, and parent-focused needs such as transportation, training support, and financial assistance.