1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to rural development; creating a statewide resource for community design 
1.3 	and economic development in greater Minnesota; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. GREATER MINNESOTA FUTURES.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Creation. The Minnesota Design Center at the University of Minnesota 
1.7 	shall partner with relevant organizations and greater Minnesota communities to establish a 
1.8 	program for community development. The program shall identify current and future 
1.9 	opportunities for rural development, create designs, seek funding from existing sources, 
1.10 	and assist with the implementation of economically, environmentally, and culturally sensitive 
1.11 	strategies that respond to current community conditions, needs, capabilities, and aspirations 
1.12 	in support of the communities as good places to live, work, and play. For the purposes of 
1.13 	this section, "greater Minnesota" means the area of Minnesota outside of the metropolitan 
1.14 	area as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 473.121, subdivision 2.
1.15 		Subd. 2.Project activities.  Among other activities, the program, in partnership with 
1.16 	relevant organizations and greater Minnesota communities, shall:
1.17 	(1) assess community capacity to engage in design, development, and implementation;
1.18 	(2) create community strategies and project designs that respond to a community's culture 
1.19 	and needs, reinforce its identity as a special place, and support its future aspirations;
1.20 	(3) create an implementation strategy;
1.21 	(4) build capacity to implement design work by identifying potential funding strategies 
1.22 	and sources and assisting in grant writing to secure funding;
2.1 	(5) create graphic designs for community use; and
2.2 	(6) work with other greater Minnesota programs to implement those community projects 
2.3 	appropriate to their mission.
2.4 		Subd. 3.Appropriation. $500,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2020 from the general 
2.5 	fund to the commissioner of employment and economic development for a grant to the 
2.6 	Minnesota Design Center at the University of Minnesota for the purpose of the greater 
2.7 	Minnesota community design program in this section.