Public Health System Transformation Update Newsletter
September 2025 | View all system transformation newsletters

Seven new local innovation projects kick off

In July 2025, seven new locally led innovation projects kicked off their work, joining eight innovation projects already up and running. These projects span every region of the state, working to identify, test, and expand new ways of building capacity in foundational public health responsibilities. Each innovation project is supported by the Minnesota Infrastructure Fund.

• Explore ways for rural areas to collect and use population health data more effectively, so they can make smart decisions to keep their communities healthy 
  Aitkin-Itasca-Koochiching (fiscal host), Carlton-Cook-Lake-St. Louis
• Cooperate across local and Tribal health teams to create health messages that resonate with different cultures
  Beltrami (fiscal host), Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Red Lake Nation, White Earth Nation
• Bring together public health, community organizations, and medical care systems, to share data and ideas so communities can better collaborate on improving community health
  Benton (fiscal host), Sherburne, Stearns
• Explore the pros and cons of different ways to join work (organization, structure, governance) across health departments, to serve people more effectively
  Le Sueur-Waseca
• Test a new system where Tribal and local public health experts track and respond to diseases across communities more effectively
  Itasca, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (fiscal host, via Aitkin-Itasca-Koochiching Community Health Board)
• Explore the pros and cons of different ways to join work (organization, structure, governance) across health departments, to serve people more effectively
  Meeker-McLeod-Sibley
• Discover a more effective method to track and help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in jails and correctional facilities
  Dakota, St. Paul-Ramsey (fiscal host), Washington

Learn more

• Learn more about current and past innovation projects supported by the Minnesota Infrastructure Fund at: Minnesota Infrastructure Fund: Local Innovation, Big Transformation.

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