Workforce Development Grants

This funding initiative provides financial support to small food businesses in specific cultural corridors of Washington, DC, helping them grow and thrive while preserving the community's cultural identity.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to five designated institutions for developing and delivering training programs that enhance emergency preparedness and response capabilities across state, local, tribal, and territorial communities in the U.S.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to community-based organizations that develop and implement programs to help older adults with behavioral health conditions manage chronic diseases effectively.

This program provides funding to local governments, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations in Colorado to increase access to electric bicycles for low-income individuals, promoting sustainable transportation and improving air quality.

This funding opportunity provides state agencies with resources to improve and expand respite care services for family caregivers of individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions, enhancing support systems across all ages.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that help homeless veterans, incarcerated veterans, and homeless women veterans with children secure stable employment and access essential services for successful reintegration into society.

This program provides financial assistance to local governments in Wisconsin for essential transportation infrastructure projects that help create or retain jobs by attracting or supporting businesses.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative economic development projects across multiple Appalachian states, targeting local governments, nonprofits, and educational institutions to drive regional transformation and growth.

This grant provides funding for community projects in Beaverton that promote peace, conflict resolution, and restorative justice initiatives.

This funding program provides financial and strategic support to early-stage for-profit start-ups developing innovative solutions to combat climate change, particularly those benefiting underserved communities in select U.S. cities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for research and technical assistance projects that foster job creation and economic development in distressed communities across the U.S. and its territories.

This funding opportunity is designed to support educational institutions and clinical training sites in Minnesota that aim to improve dental care access for underserved populations through innovative training programs.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in Virginia that provide high-quality early childhood care and education for children from prenatal to age five, focusing on enhancing developmental outcomes and family engagement.

This grant provides funding to Minnesota-based organizations to develop and expand primary care residency programs, particularly in underserved and rural areas, to help address the shortage of primary care physicians in the state.

This funding opportunity supports collaboration between Minnesota businesses and educational institutions to create customized training programs that enhance workforce skills, particularly for economically disadvantaged individuals.

This grant provides funding to organizations that support adults facing employment barriers in Minnesota, helping them access training and services for high-wage jobs while promoting racial equity and economic inclusion.

This funding opportunity supports organizations that provide construction training and employment services to economically disadvantaged youth aged 16-24, helping them gain skills, earn their high school diploma or GED, and secure career-path employment in the building trades.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that help Minnesota residents facing employment barriers gain essential skills and training for high-demand jobs, with a focus on reducing racial disparities and improving economic access.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations in Minnesota that aim to reduce economic disparities and enhance workforce development for Southeast Asian residents facing employment barriers.

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.