The Improve Group

05/07/2026

IG recently upgraded some technology thanks to the LOCAL Fund distributed by Nexus Community Partners in partnership with the City of St. Paul. This fund supports cooperatives in St. Paul. The LOCAL Fund builds community wealth, anchors jobs locally, grows the local economy, and centers a shared-ownership culture that uplifts residents now and for generations to come. We were recently featured in a video about the fund. Watch the video to learn more about our co-op and others in St. Paul:

Over the past two years, one way Nexus Community Partners has bolstered a cooperative-ownership culture is through the LOCAL Fund: first-of-their-kind grants...

05/06/2026

There’s no simple recipe for building trust—but the three elements of the “Trust Triangle” can help. IGer Sara McGarraugh recently led a conversation about the Trust Triangle at a convening of the Strengthening Evaluation Contracting Partnerships Initiative (SECPI). The Trust Triangle is a tool to help individuals and organizations assess and build trust. Check out the full article:

In March, Sara McGarraugh led a conversation about the Trust Triangle at a Gathering Space for Strengthening Evaluation Partnerships, hosted by the Strengthening Evaluation Contracting Partnerships Initiative (SECPI). The gathering space supports evaluation consultants to learn from each other’s a...

05/01/2026

Our May newsletter gives updates on the co-op, celebrates IGer advancements, and shares about a way to assess trust in working relationships.

Our May newsletter gives updates on the co-op, celebrates IGer advancements, and shares about a way to assess trust in working relationships.

02/12/2026

Integrate evaluation into your grant-writing process! Sign up to learn from IGer Sara McGarraugh as she hosts a virtual webinar with the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: Evaluation for Grantseekers, on February 19th! Sign up here: https://buff.ly/2zlwOl9

01/22/2026

The Improve Group stands in solidarity with ICE Out of MN Day.

01/22/2026

The Improve Group stands in solidarity with ICE Out of MN Day, Friday, January 23rd. We add to calls for the demands that ICE leave Minnesota now, the officer who killed Renee Good be held legally accountable, and no additional federal funding be allocated for ICE in the upcoming Congressional budget.

As a worker-owned cooperative, we have a value of people making decisions about what impacts them. To that end, we aim to support each other to use Friday as we decide, based on our own understanding of our lives and work. For Friday, our staff are deciding for themselves how to spend their time – whether that looks like supporting our mission-driven clients who serve Minnesota communities, taking time off (using our unlimited PTO) to attend a rally, and/or fulfilling other family and community needs.

12/19/2025

Heads up! IG will close our office from December 25, 2025, through January 1, 2026, to rest and spend time with loved ones. We’ll be back at work on January 2, 2026, ready to continue making an impact in collaboration with our partners, clients, and the communities you serve!

12/19/2025

2025 marked 25 years of business for The Improve Group. In that time, there have been many changes to our organization and in the world! 2025 has been a challenging year for many of us, in many areas of our lives. However, our mission to help organizations make the most of complexity and have a meaningful, sustained impact has stayed the same. Our values have guided us through changes to the world, our sector, and the clients and communities we work with. So, as we reflect on 2025, we want to celebrate and express our appreciation for what we learned, people we worked with, and opportunities we had to collaborate as an organization. Click the link to read 25 reflections, appreciations, and highlights from 2025.

2025 marked 25 years of business for The Improve Group. In that time, there have been many changes to our organization and in the world! 2025 has been a challenging year for many of us, in many areas of our lives. However, our mission to help organizations make the most of complexity and have a mean...

12/18/2025

Our last newsletter of the year shares our reflections, celebrations, and appreciations for 2025!

Our last newsletter of the year shares our reflections, celebrations, and appreciations for 2025!

11/12/2025

Our latest newsletter shares many co-op celebrations and an article about our community engagement!

Our latest newsletter shares many co-op celebrations and an article about our community engagement!