Special Interest Groups

Last reviewed March 2026

Minnesota Public Policy Organizations

• Center of the American Experiment - A nonpartisan, tax-exempt public policy and educational institution which explores conservative and alternative ideas regarding Minnesota and the nation.
• Center for Economic Inclusion - Founded in 2017, The Center is the nation’s first organization dedicated exclusively to equipping public and private sector employers and policy makers to close racial employment, income, and wealth gaps. Growth & Justice, the 20-year think tank and advocacy organization advocating for racial equity, merged into the larger Center for Economic Inclusion in 2022. 
• The Citizens League - An independent, nonpartisan group that promotes citizen interest in Minnesota public policy.
• Itasca Project - An employer-led civic alliance focused on providing leadership for long-term regional development, accelerating efforts to address critical issues from a regional perspective, and encouraging organizations to work together.
• League of Women Voters Minnesota - Information about the League's activities and publications, as well as Minnesota legislative and election links.
• Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) - An interfaith, public-interest lobby group working on social justice issues in Minnesota.
• Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - MCN informs, promotes, connects, and strengthens individual nonprofits and the nonprofit sector at the local, state, and federal levels. 
• Minnesota Family Council - A nonprofit, nonpartisan, pro-family organization whose mission is to strengthen Minnesota families by restoring America's founding Judeo-Christian principles to public policy.
• Wilder Foundation - The mission of the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation is to promote the social welfare of persons resident or located in the greater Saint Paul metropolitan area.

Indexes to Special Interest Groups

• Idealist - Includes a searchable directory of over 10,000 nonprofit websites worldwide. Provided by Action Without Borders.
• National Special Interest Groups - Project VoteSmart's compilation of organizations by subject or by state.
• Public Policy Resources: Think Tanks - A resource guide focused on think tanks, public policy institutes and advocacy organizations that produce information on public policy issues of potential interest to citizens and scholars and maintained by the Michigan State University Library.
• Think Tank Search - The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard has compiled this comprehensive list of links that includes the Brookings Institution, the Cato Institute, the Rand Corporation, the Urban Institute, the Reason Foundation, The Heritage Foundation, and many others.

The sites listed on this page are not created, maintained, or endorsed by the Minnesota Legislature.