2024 Annual Report

TWENTY YEARS STRONG

JULIE MANWORREN

2024 Chair

MN Leadership Council on Aging

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR

Our roots as the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging go back to 2004, when leadership of the Minnesota Senior Federation, Trellis (then the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging) and my own organization invited a few trusted leaders to consider how we could coalesce resources and power of Minnesota's nonprofit and community-based organizations in aging. Today, we mark this 20-year commitment by again continuing to broaden our mission and our membership.

Our Delegates just approved a new strategic plan designed to strengthen the aging sector and Minnesota in the years ahead. Our new framework includes a refresh of the core values that have long served as our foundation - values at the very heart of who the Leadership Council is, and what we believe.

WE VALUE

AGING WITH DIGNITY

We value the inherent worth of older people and how their insights and experiences contribute to Minnesota’s social fabric and vitality

EQUITY AT THE CENTER

We value efforts that center equity, ensuring all people have an equal right to be full participants in all spheres of life as we age

STRENGTH IN SOLIDARITY

We value collective power, built on authentic relationships, trust, transparency, and a willingness to mobilize together to amplify impact

SPIRIT OF POSSIBILITY

We value the continuous pursuit of wisdom through listening, learning, and broadening our thinking, while embracing possibility as a driving force for change

OUR MISSION

"Uniting leaders to advance equitable opportunities for all Minnesotans as we age."

Grounded in these shared values, our Delegates approved the addition of four new organizations to join our efforts as well as adopted a revised mission of "Uniting leaders to advance equitable opportunities for all Minnesotans as we age."

As we venture into this third decade of service, we seek to harness not just the incredible strength and ingenuity of our state's aging sector, but also a broader coalition of leaders across Minnesota.

As we move ahead, I thank you - each of you - for being part of our network. None of the deep systems change efforts we are working on will occur without your thought leadership, shared commitment, and daily efforts creating an equitable and age-friendly Minnesota.

Sincerely,

JULIE MANWORREN

President and CEO

Volunteers of America - Minnesota and Wisconsin

2024 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Member Organizations

2,908

Collaborator Contacts

Council Convenings

3,286

Volunteer Hours

TRUSTED EVENTS

We continued our tradition of hosting convenings that matter, from dynamic and engaging virtual education to in-person conferences.

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POWERFUL PUBLIC POLICY

We advocated for the right public policies, for the right reasons, at the right times. This included 16 policy endorsements in the 2024 Legislative Session.

Events

2,478

Attendees

96% Satisfaction

Composite percentage of all event evaluations selecting "highest value" for the time and resources spent by attendees.

FACILITATING MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

We championed diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities in which to age, including efforts to engage new community voices more representative of Minnesota.

ADVANCING REFRAMED LANGUAGE ON AGING

We worked towards a Minnesota free of ageism by training 1,598 people at Reframe Aging Minnesota sessions with the University of Minnesota Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation and the National Center to Reframe Aging.

2024 Online Connections

990

Facebook Followers

2023 - 887

2022 - 734

2021 - 576

2020 - 231

497

Twitter/X Followers

2023 - 492

2022 - 485

2021 - 410

2020 - 274

1,715

Linked-In Followers

2023 - 1004

2022 - 677

2021 - 259

2020 - 87

Bluesky Followers

NEW!

mnlcoa.org

January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024

16,008

Visits

28,801

Page Views

CENTERING COMMUNITY VOICES

We championed coordinated age-friendly systems by working alongside the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council and 3,400 Minnesotans to develop and launch Minnesota's Multisector Blueprint for Aging.

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BUILDING COALITIONS ROOTED IN SHARED PURPOSE

We fostered public, private and non-profit collaborations, including convening the Finish Strong Funders Network in Aging and efforts to support the Minnesota Department of Health in launching Minnesota's Dementia Strategic Plan.

2024 Activities

2024 Net Promoter Score

2023 - 26

2022 - 73

2021 - 30

What is this? >

Staff Contractors

2023 - 3

2022 - 2

2021 - 2

2024 GOALS

Working together, we championed...

Diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities in which to age
A Minnesota free of ageism
Coordinated age-friendly systems
People who care for older Minnesotans

ADAM SUOMALA

Executive Director

MN Leadership Council on Aging

A MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR

Over the past 20 years, we have served as a trusted convener and connector in the aging sector. Our members are respected for their missions of service and our shared table has brought many voices together to learn, co-create, and move Minnesota forward.

Our strong foundations are built on a belief that systems change is possible when we listen deeply, know each other, trust each other, and think beyond our own day-to-day needs to advance the common good.

Grounded in these beliefs, you will see our work ahead is guided by three strategies: strong relationships, powerful convenings, and systems change. More than words, this is our promise for how we will show up to work alongside you - always rooted in equity and a belief in our collective community strengths.

ORGANIZING STRATEGIES

STRONG RELATIONSHIPS

We build trusted connections that bring forward and center the full diversity of voices aging across our state.

POWERFUL CONVENINGS

We cultivate understanding, forge consensus, co-design solutions, and learn together.

SYSTEMS CHANGE

We mobilize collective expertise and networks to develop and advance transformational aging policy and initiatives.

LEARN ABOUT OUR HISTORY

Thanks to the dedication of our member organizations and support of other funders, we have been growing our capacity and making strategic investments. From our staff team to technology tools, we will continue to work towards a Minnesota free of ageism, we will never back down in championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our sector, and we will strive for coordinated age-friendly systems.

Each day, our members are making meaningful contributions to help us all live and age well. Behind the scenes, our shared efforts work tirelessly to ensure collective efforts from caregiving to community engagement have the support, strategy, and sustainability needed to succeed in our state.

I’m proud of how far we have come and energized at what is possible by working together. I invite you to be a part of our efforts by joining our Delegates at events to learn, lead, and advocate. Only together can we imagine Minnesota's best future for aging and see that vision achieved.

Sincerely,

ADAM SUOMALA

Executive Director

MN Leadership Council on Aging

2024 Financial Strength

990

$137,729

Total Revenue

$182,674

Total Expenses

Beyond our member-powered work, the financial health of the Leadership Council is based in modest revenue from annual member dues, event registration fees, sponsorships, as well as limited foundation support and service contracts.

Like other nonprofits in the aging field, we often see funding lag behind the scale of opportunity, so we operate with high efficiency and focus resources where they matter the most.

As reported in our 2023-2024 990, our total revenue was $137,729 and expenses were $182,674. This reflects lean operations and up-front investments to expand our diversity, equity, and inclusion programs as well as extensive community engagement efforts which helped to co-design Minnesota’s Multisector Blueprint for Aging.

We also received continued operational support from groups like the St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation and Minnesota Northstar Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and have multi-year contracts with the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council and Minnesota Department of Health.

With $114,296 in net assets, we are financially sound. We are ready for strategic growth to responsibly meet our mission.

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Major Contributors

In 2024, beyond the member-driven work of our members, we appreciated investments from the following: