Clients

Grasstops directs the Minnesota Youth Advancement Act (MYAA) for the Minnesota Youth Services Association, a comprehensive effort to pursue public policy reform to increase opportunities and resources for youth, and was part of the advocacy effort that successfully secured $1 million in state funding for Runaway and Homeless Youth Services!

In 2007 Grasstops worked with Greater Minnesota Housing Fund to promote the creation of a Sustainable Growth Working Group, which would increase the state's role in planning for our state's future, with an eye toward promoting economic development and growth that preserves our natural resources. While the Legislature did not pass the language establishing the working group, the growing list of stakeholders supporting this dialogue will work with Grasstops to pursue alternate methods of achieving our goals.  The end result will be recommendations to the legislature and governor for the 2008 legislative session.

The Women's Consortium of Minnesota is an umbrella organization and resource center to groups and individuals dedicated to achieving full equality for women and girls. Grasstops helped the Women's Consortium's, Pay Equity Coalition, with strategic planning, policy development, advocacy and bill tracking.  Grasstops has also assisted the Women's Consortium with their annual event "Girls Rock the Capitol" by inviting teachers, principals, social workers and counselors to be a part of the planning committee.  In 2007 Grasstops worked with the Pay Equity Coalition to lobby for legislation requiring pay equity among organizations that obtain large contracts from the state of Minnesota.

The Minnesota School Social Workers Association (MSSWA) is a state wide nonprofit that works to improve the status of school social workers and advocates for children by promoting best practices in schools. With MSSWA, Grasstops works to monitor state legislation, help draft bills, build their legislative agenda, and lobby on behalf of MSSWA with legislators and key decision makers. 

The Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota (MPM) is the driving force in the mentoring movement, bringing together diverse individuals and organizations to connect caring adults with a generation of kids through mentoring relationships.  Grasstops worked with MPM to increase their public policy presence.  We have assisted them in developing a public policy task force, provided training to mentoring programs on advocacy, developed a legislative agenda and connected with stakeholders across the state.  During the 2006 legislative session, Grasstops introduced and lobbied for legislation that would make both federal and state background checks more affordable to mentoring programs and continued this effort in 2007.

In 2007 Grasstops worked with Minnesota Community Land Trust Coalition to build their visibility at the State Capitol.  We worked with them to support property tax relief for their low and moderate-income homeowners.

SignBridgeTM Language Systems LLC is a company that develops products and training systems that utilize sign language signs to help teach second spoken language vocabulary to hearing children.  Grasstops worked with Denise Meyer, President of SignBridge during the 2006 legislative session to introduce and lobby for SignBridge legislation, making sign language curriculum available to bilingual students in public schools. While the legislation did not pass into law, in addition to planning a second attempt in 2007, Meyer has since brought her proposition to national legislators in Washington D.C.

Center for Early Education and Development-University of Minnesota provides applied research, training and outreach throughout Minnesota to help improve developmental outcomes for young children. Grasstops consulted with CEED on their McEvoy Lecture Series, specifically helping the organization to design an action group component that would engage in public policy around early childhood issues.  Grasstops also facilitated one of the action groups as it monitored and acted upon the "child care crisis bill" which was successfully passed and provided 21 million dollars to the field of early care and education. 

Invisible Children is a small one-person organization dedicated to increasing mental health services for abused and neglected children.  Mike Tikkanen, the executive director, hired Grasstops to help him build a movement around this issue.  He has written a book about his experiences as a Guardian Ad Litem and Grasstops identified policy makers who will read the book and engage in dialogue about how we change our systems in Minnesota so they better support abused and neglected children. 

Kids at Risk-Always (KAR-A!) is a nonprofit outgrowth of Invisible Children. Grasstops has assisted in the formation of KAR-A!, guided its strategic planning process, and facilitated their stakeholder mapping and public policy engagement.

Ready 4K is a state wide nonprofit.  Their vision is that children in Minnesota will be ready (emotionally and academically) to enter kindergarten.  In 2005 Grasstops assisted them with bill tracking and research.  Ready 4K has effectively engaged the business community in their efforts, and was successful in passing legislation that will allocate a certain portion of state general funds into an Early Learning Fund, establishing a public-private partnership that develops and evaluates innovative early childhood programming in the state of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Restorative Services Coalition (MRSC) was Grasstops' first client and hired us to provide advocacy training and increase the legislative presence at their annual conference in 2003 and again in 2005.  As a result of this work, Grasstops received a contract from the MN Department of Corrections to research cost/benefit analyses of restorative justice efforts and develop a template that can be used for counties across the state interested in implementing restorative justice in their communities. 

The Barbara Schneider Foundation (BSF) was formed to prevent mental health crisis and improve mental health crisis response in Minnesota.  Grasstops aided BSF in the successful submission of a grant application for advocacy funding to the Headwaters Foundation for Justice.

Testimonials

Grasstops is excited and proud of the work we are doing.  We feel past, present and future success will come, not only because we are committed to our mission, but because we are committed to yours as well. 

Bonnie Watkins, Executive Director of the Minnesota Women's Consortium
"Grasstops has been so helpful to the Minnesota Women's Consortium and many of our member organizations. They are knowledgeable about the legislative process, well-connected within the community, fast learners about key issues, creative in identifying new strategies, and gentle with everyone who might not be quite as resourceful or knowledgeable as they are."

Tim Hansen, Co-Chair of the Minnesota Restorative Services Coalition
"Being flexible is a must when working with community groups. Grasstops was able to effectively work with MRSC, even when we we're not quite sure what we were asking for!  It was great working with and learning from Grasstops."     

Anne McInerney, Legislative Lead of the Minnesota School Social Workers Association
"Imagine how excited I was when I found a lobbying group that was willing to provide affordable services to our small, nonprofit association!  Grasstops is professional, energetic, and knowledgeable about the political process. They have helped us get more involved and active by giving us a voice at the legislature.  Before Grasstops, we were scrambling to get organized; now we have direction and advocacy!  They have been organized and excited about the work.  We appreciate their insight and direction. I highly recommend Grasstops."

Alan Ingram, Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers-MN
"Grasstops is a needed and valuable service for nonprofits and community organizations in Minnesota.  In order to really affect change we must combine public policy with our direct service efforts.  Grasstops understands this connection and is skilled at helping bring unheard voices to our decision makers."

Anne Little Long, Executive Director of the Plymouth Christian Youth Center
"Having had the honor of observing the creation and development of Grasstops, I can enthusiastically say that it has become even more than we had hoped at the beginning.  As the dream of 'All Voices Being Heard' matures I realize what an essential service this is to the nonprofit community. Thanks Anne and Mary!"