The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disastrous effect on our communities' small businesses due to complications from shutdowns, labor shortages, and supply chain issues. However, within the small business sector, cooperatives and other democratically owned businesses are emerging as economic survivors. The shared ownership model has allowed businesses to pivot and be resilient during turbulent economic times and is now a rapidly growing segment of our

Emerging Leaders in Community Development Mentorship Program

Mentorship Program for emerging leaders in community development for early and mid-career Community Development professionals with one or more years of experience.

OUR MENTORS are leaders within the community development field who have specialized in a range of areas, including affordable and accessible housing development and rehab, housing policy, small business training

Claudia and Gerardo Guiterrez have been serving la cocina nortena to their immigrant community for almost a decade now. Authentic Northern Mexican food had been challenging to come by in the Twin Cities. They started by grilling outside of their home on Fridays for friends and family. Quickly this became both Friday and Saturday nights and then continued to grow into their successful restaurant Hamburguesas El Gordo. That growth has not yet stopped, with four locations open today.

The Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) hosted Minnesota’s first community development conference on October 6th in partnership with the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA). The MCCD Resilient Communities Conference was a success and brought together MCCD members, partners, funders, and other organizations working in the community development field to listen and learn about how we can grow the work and better serve

Talk to legal experts about your business questions. November 17, 2021 9:30am - 11:00am. This free virtual event for businesses at any stage. Space is limited so that al attendees may engage with the panel. Panelists will answer questions submitted in advance and live questions if time permits. RSVP or email questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.... Read more

Some exciting news from MCCD! Last month MCCD was awarded a $1.826M grant, the maximum, from the US Dept. of the Treasury CDFI  Rapid Response Program (CDFI RRP). MCCD and 26 other CDFIs in Minnesota received this

2021 End of Session Wrap-Up

The past 18 months have been a slog at the Minnesota State Capitol, with lawmakers meeting in session every month since February 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the Governor and lawmakers to adopt and consider several emergency policy and funding measures like emergency funding for

Getachew Teklu, owner of Admas Travel, in front of his business area that was destroyed during the uprisings in May 2020. Photo by Tony Nelson, courtesy of Lake Street Council.

The following was sent as a letter to the offices of Governor Tim Walz,

Business Boot Camp is a new program of Open to Business designed specifically for our clients with existing businesses.  Over the course of four weeks, participants will engage in a multi-session curriculum tailored to their business needs and goals.  

Working with a team of advisors, participants will dedicate focused time to set strategic objectives, think critically, and develop strategies relevant to their unique situation.  Boot Camp graduates will finish

In January, MCCD’s Board of Directors voted to approve the 2021 Policy Agenda, which is now posted on our website. The policy agenda shares MCCD’s policy and advocacy priorities at all levels of government and shares the proposals that we think would meet our mission “to work collectively to build strong stable communities by

Open to Business (O2B) is the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) program offering free business counseling and an accessible loan program for prospective entrepreneurs and growing businesses. O2B partners with cities and counties around the Twin Cities region to pair experienced business advisors with small business owners who need technical assistance and financing options. We work with a broad spectrum of businesses, from entrepreneurs with an early stage idea to

Minnesota Main Street COVID Relief Grants

Announced on Sept. 2, 2021:  The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) will begin accepting applications for the Main Street COVID Relief Grants Program on September 20, 2021.  Applications will close on September 29 at 11:59.  Interested applicants are encouraged to attend one of the upcoming informational sessions and visit the DEED’s ... Read more

Emerging Leaders in Community Development Mentorship Program--Now Accepting Applications for Mentees!

The Emerging Leaders in Community Development (ELCD) Steering Committee is proud to launch the 10th round of our mentorship program and are now seeking applications for mentees. We have had over 250 participants since the program began in 2010

We hope this letter finds you and yours safe and secure. As the world changes dramatically around

Last Friday, August 14, MCCD bid a congratulatory farewell to our long time Loan Program Manager, Mara O’Neill. Mara started at MCCD in 2011 and has been instrumental in the growth and success of our small business lending program. Mara is a tireless advocate for entrepreneurs, passionate about supporting small businesses and the community development sector, and a dedicated and very detailed-oriented loan program administrator. Mara volunteers frequently in the community, teaching

MCCD is proud to join a broad alliance of Twin Cities counties, chambers of commerce, community development agencies and other partners to build a local support network to help small businesses survive and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ... Read more

The following is a building safety guidance from the City of Minneapolis:

Urgent: Do not enter any damaged buildings

Please do not enter any damaged buildings. This is very dangerous. The City is blocking sidewalks to keep people away from damaged buildings and working with property owners to secure their properties and get emergency demolitions started as fast as possible.

Guidance on your damaged property

Property owners and

June 2, 2020

This past week has been a difficult one for our neighbors and community members following the horrific murder of George Floyd. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and the broader community. We acknowledge that this violence is just one part of a system of oppression that permeates our society and culture. We cannot allow the targeting of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities to continue and we stand with those who call for

MCCD has been hosting weekly member conversations to discuss primary concerns as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. These calls include updates on local, state, and federal resources and policy changes, as well as opporunities to engage in advocacy efforts. Here, you'll find topic overviews and notes. Please contact Holly Bolstad (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.... Read more

COVID-19 has already significantly impacted people’s ability to pay their rent or mortgage, as well as impacting the development of affordable housing opportunities. The following is a regularly updated list of housing resources that might be of assistance. You can also contact one of our Public Policy team members, This email address is being