Serve on a State Board or Commission
Do you want to share your ideas about state policies and programs? A great way to get involved is to participate on a board or commission through the State of Minnesota. Boards and commissions are made up of Minnesotans who give advice, make recommendations, and help create policies.
You need to apply to serve on a board or commission when there is an open seat. You can fill out the application and also attach a resume and cover letter. Applications are then submitted to the Appointing Authorities. These Appointing Authorities, such as the Governor, Minnesota State Department Commissioners, or Agency Directors, choose who to serve in the open seats.
You can find information about Minnesota boards and commissions, sign-up to get email updates when seats are open, and apply for openings on the Minnesota Secretary of State Boards and Commissions website.
Examples of boards and commissions
There are over 280 boards and commissions in Minnesota! They cover a wide range of topics. It is important for Minnesotans with disabilities to serve on boards and commissions of all topics - not only those related to disability. You can serve on a board or commission related to the industry you work in, a topic you are passionate about, or an experience you know well. To easily search all Boards and Commissions, visit the Secretary of State's website.
If you want to serve on a disability-specific board or commission, below is a sample list. These may or may not have open positions. To find open positions, visit the Open Positions page on the Secretary of State's website.
- Minnesota Council on Disability
- Blind-Visually Impaired Advisory Committee
- State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind
- Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Advisory Committee
- Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing
- Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
- The Ombudsman Committee for Mental Health and Developmental DisabilitiesÂ
- Special Education Advisory Panel
- Subcommittee on Children's Mental Health
- State Advisory Council on Mental Health
- Health Care Homes Advisory Committee
- Rural Health Advisory Committee
- Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council
- Home Care and Assisted Living Program Advisory Council
- Minnesota Assistive Technology Advisory Council
- Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Council