or 
lines to the right of the URL bar at the top of your browser
Application Now Open for U of M Empowering Small Minnesota Communities Program
The program helps small communities become better positioned to benefit from federal, state, and local investments.
Established by the Legislature in 2023, the Empowering Small Minnesota Communities (ESMC) program helps cities with fewer than 15,000 residents compete for critical funding.
Through a partnership with the University of Minnesota, ESMC provides the strategic support needed for under-resourced areas to secure and maximize federal, state, and local investments.
The ESMC program will provide support and assistance to small communities by:
- Suggesting ways to incorporate sustainability and climate resiliency methods.
- Identifying funding streams for infrastructure and public asset investment.
- Building capacity for smaller cities to develop projects and apply for state and federal infrastructure grants including planning and analysis, project design, pre-engineering, and engineering.
How to engage with the ESMC Program
Communities can engage in the program through three different pathways:
- Rapid Response Tasks. For cities that have already begun the project planning process but may need additional assistance with gathering and analyzing data, geographic information system (GIS) community mapping, and policy research to make applications for funding more competitive.
- Tactical Action Projects. For cities that have defined ideas for a potential project to serve community needs but:
- Require assistance with technical evaluations and research to determine feasibility.
- Require a needs assessments to evaluate a proposed project that could be a good candidate for competitive funding.
- Community Futures Partnership. For cities that:
- Seek to identify a community strategy to build momentum on a potential project that addresses a community goal.
- Need assistance with identifying projects that advance a broader community strategy.
Interested cities can learn more about the program and submit applications for consideration on the ESMC website. The multiyear program has begun to accept applications and submissions for the first round are due on April 30.