About Us
Ecolibrium3’s mission is to lead and inspire change towards an equitable and sustainable future.
We accomplish this mission through two areas of focus.
The first is serving as the neighborhood convening organization in Duluth’s low-income Lincoln Park neighborhood, working on all aspects of sustainable revitalization that advance opportunities for residents and businesses.
The second is a focus on community sustainability and resiliency including aspects of energy transition, housing stock improvement, economic security, and health.
We excel at understanding high-level challenges and then designing and implementing programs, partnerships and projects that address those issues.
Our work has been nationally recognized for excellence in programming and community impact.
White House Champion of Change for Building Resilient Communities Award
US Environmental Protection Agency’s Seeds of Change Award
US Conference of Mayors Outstanding Achievement Award
National Main Street Forward Award for COVID-19 Response
Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership Climate Adaptation Award
Board
Carole Newkumet, Community Volunteer, Retired Public Health, Chair of the River Corridor Coalition, Chair/Board Treasurer
Karl Wagner, Engineer, Fitment Group
Njoki Kamau, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota Duluth
Rebecca Bischoff, Technician, American Engineer Testing, Inc.
Sara Cole, President and CEO, Duluth Area Family YMCA
Our History
Ecolibrium3 has a rich history of serving northeastern Minnesota.
Ecolibrium3 began as Common Ground Deconstruction Services and Reuse Center in 2004 to train low-income individuals in the trades while recovering building materials. Over the course of its first eight years, as the social enterprise of the 501(c)3 nonprofit, Northern Communities Land Trust, Common Ground expanded its role from deconstruction to green affordable housing construction.
Common Ground completed 124 single-family new constructions and extensive remodels, a national demonstration project of the Green Communities standards with solar for affordable housing, two multi-family buildings for veteran transitional housing, and development of the community-scale Duluth Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP).
In 2011, when Common Ground’s parent nonprofit merged with another housing agency, Common Ground spun-off half of its staff, board, and programming to form Ecolibrium3. Under the new, non-affiliated 501(c)3, Ecolibrium3 staff and board have been able to expand its community impact in areas of residential energy efficiency, environmental protection, and sustainable economic development. Ecolibrium3’s CEO, Jodi Slick, is the founder of both Common Ground and Ecolibrium3.
