Strategic Planning Process
Strategic planning is how we turn our mission into focused action for the years ahead. This plan reflects what we have learned, where we are now, and where we want to go as a movement for climate justice in Minnesota for 2026 and 2027.
Over the fall of 2025, MN350 and MN350 Action led a planning process that brought together staff, board members, volunteers and community partners. Together we reviewed our progress, examined changes in the political and climate landscape, and identified opportunities to strengthen our work. We also listened to people and communities across Minnesota whose lives are most affected by climate change and racial injustice.
This plan is the result of that work. It sets clear priorities, measurable goals and a shared roadmap for the next two years. It reflects our commitment to justice, meaningful community leadership, deep movement building and effective campaign strategy. It will guide how we allocate time, resources and energy so we can grow impact and build power in the years ahead.
Our Mission
MN350’s mission is to unite Minnesotans as part of a global movement to stop catastrophic climate change and the pollution damaging our communities, speed the transition to clean energy, and create a just and healthy future for all.
Our Core Value
We are committed to inclusivity; we strive to always learn and grow.
We seek to elevate and celebrate the diversity in our work and continue to center the many ways we are each impacted by climate change based on the identities we hold and the resources we have at our disposal.
We are securing a safe climate through a just transition from an economy based on extraction and consumption to a sustainable and life-affirming economy. This means that benefits must flow first to marginalized communities that bear the worst effects of climate change. All voices — Black, Indigenous, and people of color; immigrant; white; rural and urban — must be heard in this transition. Using a full range of peaceful methods, we are building a powerful mass movement to end systems of oppression and realize our vision of climate justice.
MN350 and MN350 Action bring together Minnesotans as part of a global movement to stop catastrophic climate change and win a just and healthy future for all.
Through our name and our actions, MN350 and MN350 Action address the urgency of our climate crisis caused by excessive burning of fossil fuels: We must reduce the planet’s CO2 in the atmosphere from over 400 ppm to a safe level – 350 ppm – to have a livable future.
People know what is needed to reduce dangerous climate change: we must transition rapidly to a clean energy economy and leave most remaining fossil fuel (coal, gas and oil) in the ground.
Governments and corporations will not take the necessary action to reduce the impact of climate change adequately if they are left to their own devices. The entrenched economic and political status quo, built on the continuing dependence on fossil fuels, is a barrier to progress.
To break through this barrier, we believe that an organized movement of people must build up pressure for change by galvanizing public support. We can make Minnesota a leader in the transition to a just and livable clean energy economy by engaging large numbers of Minnesotans in a bold and diverse mass movement for climate justice.
MN350 and MN350 Action organize statewide in local communities, engaging people in accessible issue campaigns and empowering volunteers who can act on a shared vision of a just transition to a clean energy economy.
MN350 and MN350 Action seek to build a movement that unleashes hope by encouraging volunteers to be empowered in our community-led efforts grounded in urgency and agency. We engage in the full range of peaceful tactics and strategies including community-building and educational events, lobbying and educating elected officials, democratic participation, holding corporations accountable, marches and mass mobilizations, and non-violent civil disobedience.
We seek to act in solidarity with a broad range of allies and take leadership from the communities most directly impacted by climate chaos — low income people, people of color, immigrants, indigenous communities, and youth.
Addressing the climate crisis is an opportunity to create a more just society, creating new jobs for those displaced from the fossil fuel economy and new opportunities for those who do not benefit from our current, unjust systems rooted in racism, gender inequity, and corporate greed.
We must carefully acknowledge solutions found in the practices and knowledge of frontline communities, those already fighting and protecting to defend their livelihoods and the environment. Centering their voices, we must consider justice as the basis for urgent and lasting solutions to the climate crisis.
MN350 Strategic Imperatives
The moment we are in requires us to significantly accelerate action towards climate justice in the next two years, and this will require us to rapidly scale up our movement.
We will advocate for:
- Policies that protect our climate and support a just transition to a clean economy
- Resilient, regenerative, and inclusive food systems
- Robust transit infrastructure
- The end of fossil fuel infrastructure
- Safe and sovereign Indigenous communities
- Grow Community Partnerships and Deepen Statewide Engagement
We will expand partnerships with community organizations, coalitions, and local leaders. This includes building stronger relationships outside the Twin Cities metro, increasing presence in Greater Minnesota, and prioritizing collaboration rooted in local needs and community voice. Our goal is to show up as real partners, not performative allies, and to strengthen climate justice work across the state. - Strengthen Volunteer Capacity and Movement Infrastructure
We will increase volunteer engagement, improve support systems, and create more entry points for people to take action. This includes training, onboarding improvements, and specialized short-term roles that support targeted campaigns. Our priority is to build a volunteer base that is skilled, confident and prepared to lead. - Expand Resource Development and Philanthropic Partnerships
Attacks on nonprofits are growing nationwide, and public trust in institutions is being challenged. More than ever, we need supporters who believe in this work. We will explore new grant partnerships, bring in philanthropic allies, and grow grassroots giving from people who want real accountability and climate solutions. Every dollar invested in this plan fuels community power, organizing strength, and long-term change. - Advance Key Campaign Priorities
We will continue organizing around the issues that matter most to Minnesotans. Current priorities include:
AI and data center development impacts, centered on emerging projects like Hermantown
Water protection, pollution accountability and frontline community support
Big Oil No Immunity, a campaign to stop fossil fuel companies from securing legal shields after decades of harm
Canopy Solutions, focused on community-owned energy, resilience and justice
- Food Justice
Launch the Minnesota Food Justice Lab to map food systems, elevate community knowledge, and support policy shaped by lived experience. The focus is on practical solutions that reduce waste, improve access, and build a circular, regenerative food economy rooted in community leadership. - Clean Transportation
Support statewide school bus electrification by helping districts access resources, funding, and partnerships. Continue community outreach, local leadership development, and utility collaboration to protect affordability while expanding electric transportation options for students and neighborhoods. - Transit Justice
Strengthen rider-centered organizing through direct outreach at bus stops, transit hubs, and key routes. Priorities include free fares, better service, accessibility improvements, and development that keeps riders connected to home, work, and essential services. Rider experience guides both organizing and policy strategy. - Indigenous Organizer Team
Lead Indigenous-centered climate justice work while continuing MMIR advocacy and support. Focus on cultural care, community partnership, system navigation, and assistance for families impacted by violence and environmental harm. Center Indigenous leadership in statewide climate strategy and movement direction. - Policy Action Team
Build and strengthen climate-centered leadership by engaging and educating elected officials, candidates, and the public on science-based climate solutions. Focus on policy research, public education, and strategic relationship-building to advance clean energy, environmental justice, and strong accountability standards across local and state government.
MN350 Action Strategic Imperatives
MN350 Action maintains a legislative focus. We will work to:
Elect Climate-Positive Leaders
Support and help elect candidates who will advance climate solutions, defend clean energy standards, and stand with communities most impacted by environmental harm. Focus on strategic districts where leadership can shift what is possible.Expand Organizing Beyond the Metro
Reach voters and volunteers outside the Twin Cities by building partnerships, listening to community needs, and making MN350 Action present in Greater Minnesota. Grow power where decisions are shaped but climate investment has been limited.Build a Volunteer Base With Real Capacity
Develop a strong network of volunteers who are trained, supported, and ready to take action during legislative sessions, elections, and rapid-response moments. This includes turnout, canvassing, digital engagement, and storytelling.Protect and Advance Clean Energy Progress
Stop efforts to weaken Minnesota’s clean energy laws while pushing for stronger policy. Defend wins, close loopholes, and challenge attempts to undermine community protections or stall climate investment.Respond to Infrastructure Threats Like Data Centers
Address the rapid expansion of AI and data centers that risk overwhelming the grid and blocking climate goals. Advocate for regulation, oversight, and accountability that puts communities before corporate growth.
