The Minnesota Coalition of Lake Associations (MN COLA) is a statewide organization advocating for the protection of water. We help our members preserve, protect, and improve the waters and shorelands of the State of Minnesota through advocacy, education, and sharing of best practices. Across the state our members include regional coalition of lake associations (COLAs) and lakes and rivers associations (LARAs), who are in turn made up of local individual lake and river associations.
MN COLA: Our Mission
MN COLA preserves, protects and improves the waters and shorelands of the State of Minnesota through advocacy, education, and sharing of best practices.
MN COLA: What We Do
MN COLA has open-forum meetings several times a year to help foster communication between its members on concerns that are relevant to the organization’s mission. These meeting usually feature special presentations, and are hosted by individual COLAs and LARAs around the state. MN COLA also meets occasionally at the State Capitol complex during legislative sessions. Between meetings, MN COLA communicates electronically with their members on water-related issues; including legislative updates, agency policies and rules, grant opportunities, and news reports.
The MN COLA website provides a repository for content on water-related topics and issues. The website is also a place where members can share their newsletters, and in that way assist other members.
MN COLA board members contribute to their Grassroots Action Agenda on water-related issues and concerns.
MN COLA conducts periodic surveys of its many lake association members on various topics. For example, a MN COLA survey in 2012 looked at local government and voluntary spending on AIS prevention and control activities. The results of that survey contributed to successful enactment of the state’s AIS Program Aid that provides $10 million annually to the counties.
We invite interested organizations and individuals to join and help with this important work. MN COLA eligibility includes COLAs and LARAs, individual lake and river associations, lake improvement districts (LIDs), other non-profit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens who share the mission and purpose of the organization.