The State and Local Policy Program at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs is a national cluster resource center that has been conducting clusters studies for 10 years.  Currently it is evaluating “Rural Knowledge Clusters” in a study funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Great North Alliance is a civic leadership organization working to enhance regional competitiveness in a global economy.  The GNA conducts critical regional benchmarking studies comparing the Twin Cities region with other leading metro regions.

University of Minnesota President Mark Yudof’s Working Group on the Minnesota Economy released a report in December 2000 that included a cluster-based development strategy among its recommendations.