Great River Passage Conservancy

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL'S GREAT RIVER PASSAGE INITIATIVE, THE GREAT RIVER PASSAGE CONSERVANCY LEADS ADVOCACY AND PRIVATE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS ALONG SAINT PAUL'S 17 MILES OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. BY ADVANCING MAJOR PROJECTS ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND SUPPORTING UNIQUE PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THE RIVER IN NEW WAYS, GREAT RIVER PASSAGE CONSERVANCY FOSTERS ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. OUR MISSION IS TO RAISE RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY'S VISION FOR CONNECTING SAINT PAUL'S TWO GREATEST ASSETS: ITS PEOPLE AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS THE GREAT RIVER PASSAGE CONSERVANCY'S THREE KEY CAPITAL PROJECTS ALL BUILT MOMENTUM IN 2021. TWO OF THEM, THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER LEARNING CENTER AND RIVER BALCONY, REACHED THE MILESTONE OF LAUNCHING SCHEMATIC DESIGN. MEANWHILE, WE CONTINUED TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS AND RAISE FUNDS THAT MOVED US CLOSER TO SELECTING A DESIGNER FOR OUR EAST SIDE RIVER DISTRICT (ESRD) PROJECT. HOLDING THE CENTER: BRINGING COMMUNITY TOGETHER THE CONSERVANCY CONTINUED TO PLAY THE ROLE OF CONNECTOR AND HUB IN 2021, HOSTING OUR VIRTUAL RIVER PROGRAMMING CONVENING, WITH PARTNERS LIKE WILDERNESS INQUIRY, MISSISSIPPI PARK CONNECTION, AND NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT THEIR PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO GET MORE PEOPLE ALONG, ON, AND IN THE RIVER. AS OUR PROJECTS MOVE THROUGH SCHEMATIC DESIGN, WE BEGAN HOSTING COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS TO LIFT UP COMMUNITY VOICE AND GATHER INPUT FROM PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THE RIVER. ALONG THE WAY, WE HOSTED MORE THAN 35 WALKING TOURS OF OUR THREE PROJECT SITES, WITH TOUR-GOERS INCLUDING DONOR PROSPECTS, FUNDERS, AND TRIBAL LEADERS. WE ALSO PUBLISHED THE RIVER NARRATIVE TOOLKIT, A GUIDE FOR PARTNERS TO USE AS WE COLLECTIVELY ELEVATE AND AMPLIFY SAINT PAUL AS THE RIVER CAPITAL. COMMITMENT TO EQUITY OUR APPROACH TO CONSISTENT AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DREW ON THE EQUITABLE ENGAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE HIGH LINE NETWORK'S EQUITABLE IMPACTS FRAMEWORK (EIF) COHORT OVER THE LAST YEAR. AMONG OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS, THE EIF COLLABORATION HAS GIVEN OUR PROJECT TEAMS A CLEAR ROADMAP FOR BUILDING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE DAKOTA.