Community Development

SRDC is available to provide research and data analysis for potential community projects. Through extensive collaboration with regional and state partners, SRDC can help you navigate data resources.

SRDC partners with local Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Teams and MnDOT to develop and implement SRTS plans. SRDC can help your community apply for SRTS plans and help with research and implementation projects to help children walk and bike to school more often through infrastructure improvements, education, and promotional activities.

SRDC can help your community promote active living and active transportation initiatives by assisting with community planning to incorporate sidewalks and crosswalks into street development, increase access to walking/biking paths, connecting and promoting trails systems, and more. SRDC works closely with the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) to support community-driven solutions to expand opportunities for active living.

SRDC has a long history of working on regional resiliency and renewable energy projects within the region. In particular with the Rural Minnesota Energy Board (RMEB), SRDC has operated the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program since 2014. This program allows businesses to take out a loan for building energy retrofits and repay the loan through their property taxes. The energy saved by the business is enough to make the additional tax payments as well as put money back into the business. SRDC also is a founding partner of the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), a statewide public-private partnership staffed by four organizations in Minnesota whose mission is to connect individuals and communities to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects. CERTs has impacted over 660,000 people through grants, events, and programs since 2009, and awarded over $1.3 million in Seed Grants to energy projects since 2006. SRDC provides assistance to local units of government in relation to energy issues that affect the region, including electrical transmission lines and energy inputs that affect economic viability (wind-power/bio-fuels) and provides staff and analytical support to the Rural Minnesota Energy Board and the Southwest Clean Energy Resource Team, and is a partner in Minnesota GreenStep Cities a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability goals through implementation of 29 best practices.

SRDC collaborates with community groups, organizations, and local leaders to promote initiatives surrounding inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and welcoming communities that seek to engage stakeholders in discussions and programs that can assist communities to embrace and celebrate diversity.

SRDC collaborates with local leaders, organizations, and community groups to advocate for and develop policies and policy changes that help alleviate concerns within the region and that help expand opportunities for regional growth. SRDC’s Legislative Committee advocates at the state level for projects and policies that affect Southwest Minnesota. The Committee accepts recommendations and requests for support on a year-round basis. SRDC frequently provides letters of support and collaborates with local projects and policies. We also work with MADO and other statewide partners to advocate for policies affecting Greater Minnesota.