Minnesota Public Interest Research Group

Filing Period

Jul 1, 2012 to Jun 30, 2013

Signed

Nov 12, 2013

Return Version

2012v2.3

Gross Receipts

$976,391

Major Activities

Activity 2

Campus organizing local initiatives - mpirg campus chapters mpirg's chapters work on both statewide as well as local campaigns. Each chapter chooses their issue priorities on an annual basis, with a focus on statewide priorities. In total, mpirg has over 300 active student members with over 600 that are engaged at some point over the course of the year. University of minnesota - twin cities 45 events, 9,301 reached, and 951 volunteer hours. Democracy - vote november 6 to prepare students for the 2012 elections, mpirgstudents at the university of minnesota - twin citieslaunched a nonpartisan voter engagement effort that registered or pledged to vote 7,624 students on campus, educated 915 through direct communication and election issues related programming, and made 18,110 direct contacts reminding students of their polling places and to go vote on election day. While doing this work, mpirgersengaged their peers in opposition to the two proposed constitutional amendments: 1) the anti-marriage amendment and 2) the voter restriction amendment. Affordable higher education mpirgers at university of minnesota - twin cities engaged their peers and legislators at the state capitol in support of an affordable higher education. Two students from the chapter became legislative interns with mpirg and then worked with the minnesota senate and house to introduce higher education debt relief legislation. In addition, mpirg students worked with an applied economist to release a report, and testify, on the positive economic benefits that would accrue to minnesota under the proposed legislation. This report was released along with a debt yearbook in which the faces of students across the state and their higher education debt burden were shown to highlight the real, personal impact this debt is having. They also advocated in support of increasing state investments in public higher education and the state grant program, which ultimately led to budget allocations that froze tuition for the first time in over a decade. Environomics mpirg students were engaged and active in support of the clean energy and jobs campaign, a coalition of over 30 nonprofit organizations that pushed for a solar electricity standard of 10% by 2030. The coalition was successful in getting a start on this objective by establishing a 1.5% solar electricity standard, while also advancing energy efficiency goals, and other policies that create the right incentives and begin the transition to a clean energy economy. Several students at the university of minnesota - twin cities campus were directly involved in the minneapolis energy options campaign to bring clean, local, efficient, affordable, and reliable energy to the city. They assisted in direct advocacy, communications, and community outreach efforts. Corporate accountability mpirgers continued to push for greater corporate accountability on campus by raising awareness and taking action to move away from predatory banks to more responsible banking options. The also began work to examine the size and nature of the investments in the endowment at the university of minnesota - twin cities. The ultimate goal is identify those investments which run counter to the values of students, and the university as a whole, and to transition to more socially responsible investments. University of minnesota - duluth 44 events, 7,378 reached, and 432 volunteer hours. Democracy - vote november 6 to prepare students for the 2012 elections, mpirg students at the university of minnesota - duluth launched a nonpartisan voter engagement effort that registered or pledged to vote 2,514 students on campus, educated 100s through direct communication and election issues related programming, and made 1000s of direct contacts reminding students of their polling places and to go vote on election day. While doing this work, mpirgers engaged their peers in opposition to the two proposed constitutional amendments: 1) the anti-marriage amendment and 2) the vo

Activity 3

Issue advocacy environomics mpirg continued to work actively to establish curbside collection of compostable materials in minneapolis and st. Paul. Mpirg once again engaged thousands of community members in the twin cities in support of these policies. In st. Paul, mpirg has worked to see curbside collection of compost put into the city budget. In minneapolis, mpirg has worked to encourage city councilmembers to establish an ordinance to begin curbside collection of compostables. In addition, mpirg and our student leaders have been working to oppose the proposed expansion of garbage incineration at the hennepinenergy recovery center (herc). A report outlining the public health concerns, the disproportionate impact the garbage burner has on low-income communities and communities of color, the global warming impacts, and the alternatives to approving such an expansion was finalized for release in late 2013. Mpirg educated, engaged, and activated minneapolis residents in support of taking charge of the city's energy future in a campaign called minneapolis energy options. The goal was clean, affordable, reliable, and local energy that benefits all communities. The campaign grew out of a coalition that wanted to employ a new strategy to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. The campaign connected minneapolis residents with the city council in support of greater freedom in franchise negotiations with the city's two major utility providers, xcel energy for electricity and centerpoint energy for gas. Mpirg knocked on over 55,000 doors, discussed the issue with over 18,000 residents, and secured over 3,500 calls to action from minneapolis residents. As a result, mpirg secured a commitment and memorandum of understanding with centerpoint energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030, reducing hiring disparities, and work to enhance their energy efficiency programs. These efforts also brought xcel energy to the table to negotiate with city leaders about how they can support local clean energy deployment, promote and achieve energy efficiency goals, and provide greater transparency in energy usage data to facilitate achieving these goals. At the capitol, mpirg students, as partners in the clean energy and jobs coalition, supported a solar electricity standard of 10% by 2030. The coalition was successful in getting a start on this objective by establishing a 1.5% solar electricity standard, while also advancing energy efficiency goals, and other policies that create the right incentives and begin the transition to a clean energy economy. Affordable higher education mpirg worked with legislators at the state capitol to introduce bipartisan legislation to reduce the higher education debt burden felt by so many students in minnesota. The legislation, known as opportunity minnesota, creates a tax credit for payments made on eligible higher education debt payments for students from higher education institutions in minnesota that continue to live in the state post-graduation. Mpirg was successful in moving the legislation through two key committees in the senate, but work remains to advance the bill in the state house of representatives. Accompanying the introduction of the legislation and committee action, mpirg finalized and released an economic analysis of the policy that showed how the bill would, in the long term, pay for itself by increasing the number of students who would pursue and obtain a higher education. Mpirg worked closely with an applied economist at the university of minnesota who provided the overall direction and final analysis of the policy proposal. Mpirg released a debt yearbook in which the faces of students across the state and their higher education debt burden were shown to highlight the real, personal impact this debt is having on students in minnesota. Civic engagement - vote november 6 mpirg worked with students at our seven college campuses and engaged community members to oppose two propos

Filer

EIN

23-7389068