Grants for Public and State controlled institutions of higher education - Employment Labor and Training

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), through its Office of Adult Career Pathways (ACP), is offering the Women’s Economic Security Act (WESA) Competitive Grant for State Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027. The ACP supports Minnesotans facing barriers to employment by funding workforce training, wrap-around services, and educational programs that prepare individuals for family-sustaining wages, with a focus on eliminating racial disparities and increasing access to high-growth, high-wage jobs. This competitive grant program aims to encourage and assist women in entering high-wage, high-demand, and nontraditional occupations, particularly in skilled trades and STEM fields, thereby increasing representation and economic security for women. Funding totals $1.5 million statewide, with applicants eligible for up to $125,000 per year, or $250,000 total over the two-year period. Awards will be evenly split between SFY 2026 and SFY 2027. Funding must support activities aligned with WESA objectives, including recruitment, preparation, placement, and retention of women in nontraditional occupations; training and education; innovative outreach to girls and women; employer incentives; technical assistance; and supportive services such as childcare and transportation. Target populations include women of color, girls of color aged 16–17, women over 50, and low-income women, with priority given to programs serving women of color. Programs must focus on occupations meeting Minnesota’s high-wage, high-demand criteria or U.S. Department of Labor definitions for nontraditional careers for women. Eligible applicants include community-based organizations, employers, labor unions, business or trade associations with 501(c)(6) status, secondary and postsecondary institutions, workforce and economic development agencies, registered apprenticeship programs, and state, local, or Tribal governments. All applicants must have a Minnesota physical location open to the public, be in good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State, and—if nonprofit—hold a recognized tax-exempt designation and be in good standing with the IRS. Each organization may submit one proposal as primary grantee but may partner on other proposals. Applicants must be able to comply with DEED administrative requirements, use Workforce One for participant tracking, and follow applicable state and federal regulations. Applications must be submitted as a single PDF via email to ACPgrants.deed@state.mn.us with the subject “WESA Application – [organization name].” The deadline is 5:00 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Required forms include the cover sheet, narrative responses, work plan, budget, partnership chart and letters of support, conflict of interest disclosures, unemployment insurance account consent, nonprofit financial documents if applicable, and other attestations. Questions must be submitted in writing to Sarah Lee at sarah.lee@state.mn.us by August 21, 2025. DEED hosted an informational webinar on July 16, 2025, and recorded technical assistance sessions are available online. Proposals will be scored on a 100-point scale across seven categories: organizational capacity and experience, program description, implementation work plan, outreach and engagement, partnerships, performance and evaluation, and budget capacity. Reviewers will include DEED staff and community experts in workforce development, education, and relevant industries. Awards are expected to be announced October 8, 2025, with the grant term running from the date of execution through June 30, 2027. Grantees are expected to participate in onboarding, quarterly engagement sessions, evaluation activities, and monitoring visits, and to submit regular performance and financial reports. DEED may offer partial awards to ensure equitable geographic and community distribution of funding. Performance metrics will include job placements, wages, retention, and credential attainment. The grant also carries administrative requirements such as competitive procurement for large purchases, compliance with affirmative action and non-discrimination laws, and retention of records for at least six years. Contact Sarah Lee, ACP Program Coordinator, at sarah.lee@state.mn.us or 651-259-7307 for further information.

This grant provides Maryland-based teaching artists and organizations the opportunity to join a curated roster, enabling them to apply for funding to support arts education programs in schools and communities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Illinois-based organizations that assist small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs with essential services like business planning, financial analysis, and access to capital, particularly in underserved and rural areas.

The Food Recovery Grant, supported by BizRecycling, is designed to combat food waste and address food insecurity by funding programs that recover surplus, edible food from various businesses and organizations for distribution to those in need. This initiative aligns with a broader mission of environmental sustainability through waste reduction and social welfare by ensuring access to nutritious food. The program's foundation is built on the principle of resource optimization, transforming potential waste into a valuable community resource. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are people in need within Ramsey and Washington counties of Minnesota, who will receive recovered food. The grant also supports a wide array of eligible organizations including food producers, distributors, grocers, cafeterias, food shelves and banks, colleges with donation and food shelf programs, and farmers markets. The impact goals are two-fold: to significantly increase the amount of edible food recovered and redistributed, thereby reducing landfill waste, and to improve food access for vulnerable populations. The grant prioritizes both food recovery and donation, as well as education and engagement. Funds can be used for materials such as collection buckets, boxes, bags, and food mobility equipment, as well as storage and transportation costs. Limited staffing costs related to food recovery/gleaning work and infrastructure/equipment for these efforts are also supported. Additionally, the grant allows for staff recycling training, demonstrating a focus on comprehensive waste reduction strategies beyond just food. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in the volume of food recovered and distributed, a reduction in food waste sent to landfills, and an expansion of the capacity of local organizations to engage in food recovery efforts. The grant awards, up to $20,000, are strategically deployed to foster sustainable food recovery ecosystems. By supporting operational costs and infrastructure, BizRecycling's strategic priority is to build resilient systems for food recovery that lead to tangible reductions in hunger and waste within the target counties, embodying a theory of change where targeted financial support leads to improved environmental and social outcomes.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to partnerships aimed at improving teacher preparation and effectiveness in high-need schools and educational agencies across the country.

This grant provides financial support for academic training to develop qualified rehabilitation professionals in high-demand areas, such as vocational rehabilitation counseling, to address personnel shortages in services for individuals with disabilities.

Under the authority of Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established its discretionary grant program in 1978. In 1997, OSHA renamed the program in honor of the late Susan Harwood, former director of the OSHA Office of Risk Assessment. The grant program offers opportunities for nonprofit organizations to compete annually for funding so they may develop and conduct training and educational programs for small business employers and workers.The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program aims to advance the job quality of the American workforce by providing disadvantaged, underserved, low-income, or other hard-to-reach, at-risk workers with hazard awareness, avoidance, and control training to protect them from on-the-job hazards, and to inform workers of their rights and employers of their responsibilities under the OSH Act.The program and this funding opportunity announcement prioritizes investment and funding to train workers and employers impacted by working in high-hazard industries, industries with high fatality rates, or whose workforce has historically had disadvantaged access to occupational safety and health training, including young workers, temporary, minority, low literacy, limited-English speaking, and other disadvantaged and hard-to-reach workers and worker communities. The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program seeks to increase access to life-saving training by encouraging grantees to provide the training in other languages. Technical assistance, guidance, and support for this funding opportunity is presented in OSHAs FY 2024 Susan Harwood Training Grant Funding Opportunity Overview available at: www.osha.gov/harwoodgrants/applicant-information.The program is designed to support and enable nonprofit organizations efforts to provide this important occupational safety and health training to disadvantaged workers. These nonprofit organizations include qualifying labor unions; community-based, faith-based, and grassroots organizations; employer associations; Native American tribes; tribal Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and native-controlled organizations that are not an agency of a state or local government; and public/state-controlled institutions of higher education. The program provides education and training on advancement of workers workplace rights and protections against discrimination and reprisal.The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program seeks applications that include proven strategies to reach the target training populations while also developing innovative solutions to expand access. Grantees agree to participate in the data collection and training impact evaluations described in this funding opportunity announcement.The Susan Harwood Grant Program awards funds to qualifying organizations who have demonstrated capabilities to achieve the programs performance expectations outlined in this FOA. This includes experience in engaging subject matter experts, delivering and administering adult training programs, recruiting students, and managing grants. Following the grant awards, OSHA monitors each organizations progress in achieving their performance goals and training targets. OSHA accomplishes this by conducting orientation meetings, training material reviews, training observations, program and financial monitoring visits, and quarterly and year-end report reviews. For FY 2024, OSHA announces the availability of $12,787,000 in funding for new Susan Harwood Training Program grants based on 2024 federal appropriations. OSHA expects to award multiple grants to eligible nonprofit organizations under this competitive FOA. This FOA does not itself obligate any federal funds. The obligation of funds occurs when grant recipients acknowledge receipt and acceptance of award documents. Program funding is for a 12-month period beginning no later than September 30, 2024, and ending on September 30, 2025. The maximum award for a Targeted Topic Training grant is $160,000.Applications submitted under this FOA are competing for a Targeted Topic Training grant. Targeted Topic Training grant applicants must propose to develop and conduct instructor-led training addressing one of the OSHA-specified training topics for an audience identified in this funding opportunity. Organizations are restricted to one Susan Harwood Targeted Topic Training grant, Training and Educational Materials Development grant, or Capacity Building grant award in a fiscal year. If an organization submits applications for multiple Susan Harwood funding opportunities, OSHA will review the last complete and viable application package submitted.

This funding opportunity supports projects that foster cultural, educational, economic, and environmental collaboration between the United States and New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau, targeting a diverse range of applicants including individuals, non-profits, and educational institutions.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government entities in Central New Mexico to develop innovative programs that improve food security for students and their families within educational settings.

This grant provides funding to organizations in rural Michigan to support experienced social workers in supervising Limited Licensed Master Social Workers, enhancing the availability and quality of mental health services in underserved areas.

This funding opportunity supports innovative projects that advance preservation technologies and training for cultural resources, targeting state, local, and tribal governments, educational institutions, and public entities in the U.S.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that assist homeless veterans and those at risk of homelessness in securing meaningful employment and reintegrating into the workforce.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for projects aimed at controlling and eradicating invasive plant species across various land types in Arizona, prioritizing collaboration and effective management practices.

This program provides funding to government agencies, non-profits, tribes, and educational institutions for collaborative forest restoration projects on private lands in Idaho, focusing on wildfire risk reduction and ecosystem improvement.

The City of Dacono's 2025 Community Grant program is an annual initiative designed to provide financial support to community organizations. The program's core objective aligns with the City Council's mission to appropriate funds that directly benefit the Dacono community. The amount of funding available each year is flexible, determined by current priorities and the city's available revenue, ensuring that the grants can adapt to evolving community needs and economic conditions. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are community service organizations, federally designated non-profit corporations, and organized school groups. The program aims to foster a stronger, more vibrant community by empowering these entities to carry out their important work. While specific impact goals are not explicitly detailed, the underlying objective is to support initiatives that enhance the quality of life, address local challenges, and promote community well-being within Dacono. The eligibility criteria underscore the program's focus on established and organized groups. Applicants must be recognized community service organizations, federally designated non-profit corporations, or organized school groups. A crucial requirement for applicable non-profits is the submission of a valid and current 501(c)(3) registration, ensuring accountability and legitimate non-profit status. This priority on recognized and legally established organizations helps ensure that funds are directed to entities with a proven capacity for community impact. Expected outcomes and measurable results are implicitly tied to the activities undertaken by the grantee organizations. While not explicitly stated in terms, the city's strategic priority is to support a diverse range of community-focused projects. The theory of change suggests that by providing financial resources to these eligible organizations, the City of Dacono can indirectly achieve its broader community development and support goals through the efforts of its community partners. The varying annual funding based on priorities and revenue also indicates a flexible approach to strategic allocation, adapting to the most pressing needs each year.

This program provides funding to educational institutions, flight schools, and organizations to develop training initiatives that address the national shortage of qualified pilots and unmanned aircraft systems operators.

The Adams County Community Foundation is offering a competitive grant program up to $1,000 for nonprofit leadership development. This initiative aligns with the foundation's mission to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations within Adams County. By investing in leadership development, the foundation aims to empower local nonprofits to more effectively carry out their missions and serve the community. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are Adams County nonprofit executive directors and board members. The impact goal is to increase their knowledge and effectiveness in leadership roles. This includes participation in training opportunities focusing on strategic planning, reorganization, and leadership development for staff and board members. The foundation prioritizes activities that directly enhance a nonprofit's ability to achieve its objectives. Eligibility criteria stipulate that applicants must be in a paid or volunteer leadership position (Executive Director or a position leading to Executive Director or Board Chair) for a qualified 501(c)(3) charity. The program considers the financial need of both the organization and the individual. Eligible activities include college courses, certification programs, or professional conferences in finance, fundraising, human resources, or other relevant skills. Travel and lodging costs may also be covered. The expected outcomes of this grant program are sound and measurable, emphasizing tangible improvements in leadership capabilities and organizational effectiveness. While the specific measurable results are not detailed, the objective to "increase their knowledge and effectiveness" suggests that participants will gain practical skills and implement new strategies. The grant funds will be paid directly to the nonprofit organization, not to individuals, ensuring that the investment supports the institutional growth and sustainability of Adams County's vital nonprofit sector.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for cultural and educational projects that strengthen ties between the U.S. and Djibouti, focusing on improving English language instruction and STEAM education for young adults.

This program provides funding to organizations that host events offering essential services to veterans facing or at risk of homelessness, helping them reintegrate into the workforce.