CIVIC Caucus

“The Civic Caucus relies heavily on volunteer time and does not rent or own an office. This amount covers day to day expenses such as telephone, internet, video conferencing, expenses for preparation and sending group email messages, postage, office supplies, and refreshments at Civic Caucus meetings.”

“The nonpartisan Civic Caucus is a place for learning and exchange of viewpoints, where issues can be discussed honestly without fear or anger and deeper understanding achieved. Integral to the work of the Civic Caucus is convening deeply committed citizens and community leaders to work together, learning, analyzing and uncovering solutions to Minnesota's critical public issues. Since 2005, the Civic Caucus interview panel--a group of dedicated volunteers with a wealth of public-policy experience and expertise--has conducted nearly 600 thoughtful interviews of civic and business leaders, innovators, elected officials, researchers, academics, and other thought leaders. As curators of Minnesota's collective wisdom, we work to empower the reasoned voices in Minnesota's civic discourse. Our interviews are a rich, civil and very thorough dialogue, transcending partisan differences. We seek to discover root causes and analyze and spotlight smart solutions to thorny issues. We strive to share our information and learning as widely as possible at no charge to assist the community and its leaders. Detailed summary notes of all interviews, recently also accompanied by video recordings, are distributed to a list of over 8000 civic-minded readers and nearly 300 media outlets statewide. The interview summaries and over 20 position reports are available on the Civic Caucus website. We believe now more then ever there is a profound need for respectful civil discourse and deep thinking in working toward solving Minnesota's most pressing problems. The Civic Caucus strives to meet this need and fill a valuable place in Minnesota's policy landscape.”