University of Minnesota, Morris
IN-3: Innovation 3

Partnership with MPCA in the Minnesota GreenCorps program. University of Minnesota, Morris (Morris) worked with MPCA to launch a new AmeriCorps program in Minnesota, called the Minnesota GreenCorps. Launched in 2009, Minnesota GreenCorps is a statewide initiative to help preserve and protect Minnesota’s environment while training a new generation of environmental professionals. This program places AmeriCorps members with local governments, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations around Minnesota, where they will serve for 11 months on focused environmental projects. The program is coordinated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. For the 2010-2011 program year, 25 host sites were selected through a competitive process out of 62 applicants. Twenty-six full-time members are serving with organizations statewide in the following topic areas: • energy conservation and air quality • waste prevention and recycling • living green outreach • green infrastructure Five reduced half-time members, who are also current students, are serving with the University of Minnesota-Morris, one of Minnesota GreenCorps' strategic partners. Minnesota GreenCorps is an AmeriCorps program. Funding is provided through a grant from ServeMinnesota and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).