Putting Community at the Center of City Innovation

By Melissa Kjolsing

Cities across Minnesota are facing increasingly complex challenges, from rising mental health needs and housing shortages to workforce recruitment struggles and infrastructure funding gaps. To move forward, cities need more than traditional solutions. They need fresh approaches rooted in local knowledge — and piloting, or a small-scale test that implements a new solution, offers a promising path.

Yet, effective innovation isn’t something that can be imported wholesale. It’s cultivated locally, rooted in the unique knowledge, experiences, and needs of each community. Piloting is a key strategy to finding right-fit answers, allowing cities to test adaptable solutions that respond to real-world needs.

Building a culture of piloting in local government

Testing ideas that might not succeed is tough — especially in a resource-limited environment where failure can feel costly. Yet without the freedom to fail fast and learn quickly, progress stalls. To spark innovation, city leaders must foster a culture where experimentation is safe, collaboration is encouraged, and learning — even from failure — is valued. Building this kind of culture takes time and trust, but it’s essential for long-term resilience.

Here are some key principles and practices cities can follow to successfully pilot community-centered solutions:

• Focus on action. Keep the work centered on forward movement, consistently taking next steps to learn and demonstrate progress.
• Encourage continuous improvement across departments. Foster a culture of problem solving and risk tolerance. Much of this work involves learning and adapting. This comes naturally to some and is challenging for others. Model how this can work, and establish a regular rhythm of working with residents to identify and cocreate solutions.
• Start with real local needs. Gather insights through listening sessions, surveys, or town halls. Ensure representation from diverse voices, especially those most impacted by the issue.
• Codesign the solution. Involve residents and stakeholders in shaping the approach. Use simple prototypes or concept testing to validate ideas early.
• Set clear goals and measures. Define success in partnership with the community. Use both quantitative data and lived-experience feedback to evaluate impact.
• Keep it small, focused, simple, and flexible. Pilot on a manageable scale with room to adapt. Choose a specific challenge or population group to serve.
• Communicate openly. Share the “why,” “what,” and “what’s next” of the pilot clearly and regularly. Celebrate learning — even the moments that didn’t go as planned.
• Build the right partnerships. Collaborate with local organizations, schools, universities, or tech providers open to experimentation. Look for shared values, not just resources.
• Plan for what comes next. Document learnings and community feedback. Outline paths to scale, replicate, or sunset the pilot depending on outcomes.

Piloting can serve as a low-risk, high-learning method, enabling cities to experiment with solutions in collaboration with their communities before scaling up.

What it looks like in action: Minnesota cities piloting innovation

Several Minnesota cities have embraced piloting to address local challenges:

• New Ulm: Through the Heart of New Ulm project, the community launched nationally recognized pilots focused on improving heart health — including workplace wellness, community screenings, and healthy food access. By aligning local health care providers, public health officials, businesses, and residents, New Ulm created a scalable model for rural heart health transformation that emphasizes prevention and community-wide engagement.
• St. Cloud: In May 2025, central Minnesota was selected to pilot an AI-powered road safety tool aimed at reducing serious traffic accidents during the high-risk summer months. This initiative leverages data analytics to identify areas with the greatest risk of fatal or serious injury accidents, allowing for targeted interventions. The program is part of a broader effort to enhance road safety through technology-driven solutions.
• Central Minnesota: In the coming months, local government leaders in the central Minnesota counties of Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena will pilot technology solutions that address the region’s critical shortage of volunteer first responders. These pilots will explore innovations that expand access to training, reduce burnout, streamline dispatch operations, and support responder mental health.

These are just a few examples of how piloting can foster innovative solutions that resonate with community needs.

The future is pilot-powered

Minnesota’s cities — large and small — have the vision, talent, and local wisdom to lead transformative change. By embracing piloting as a strategy, communities can shape solutions that are not only effective but deeply rooted in equity and trust. The future of civic innovation is local, and it’s powered by pilots.

Melissa Kjolsing is managing director of AscendRural, a program created by Sourcewell (sourcewell.org). Sourcewell is a member of the League’s Business Leadership Council (lmc.org/sponsors).