I am pleased to announce that DEED has awarded 18 grants totaling $787,200 in SFY 2020 to fund support services for youth, and three grants totaling $172,800 in SFY 2020 to fund support services for adults. The percentage of funds awarded to youth and adult focused projects reflects the percentage of youth/adult funding requests submitted to DEED.

DEED received nearly $5 million dollars in funding requests for SFY 2020, and only $960,000 was available for Support Services grant awards in the SFY 2020 funding cycle.

Grants focus on individuals from low-income communities, and/or young adults (ages 14-24) from families with a history of intergenerational poverty, and/or communities of color. Job preparation and training, internships, financial literacy, and academic and behavioral interventions for low-performing students are some of the services available to participants.

DEED adult support grants also focus on individuals from low-income communities and communities of color, but participants must be aged 18 or older and not currently enrolled in high school. Adult support grants provide employment preparation, job training, internships, financial literacy, and job assistance to fathers.

As part of the competitive grant improvement process we rolled out earlier this year , the team of reviewers, who represented both DEED and community organizations, read and scored each proposal for both grant programs. This was no small task, as DEED received more competitive requests for funding than we could fulfill. And this year, we set out to allocate more funding across the state; include new service providers, who target their services to individuals with multiple barriers to employment; and as part of our equity goal, ensure services are available to serve communities of color and new immigrants. I want to acknowledge and thank everyone for their work, especially those from across the state who gave valuable feedback and input to the process.

The twenty-one recipients of Support Services grants are listed below, pending contract finalization and financial review. I look forward to working with these organizations over the next year on programs that provide support services to eligible Minnesotans.

--Deputy Commissioner Hamse Warfa

Youth Support Services Grants

Minnesota Valley Action Council/South Central, Partnership for SNAP E&T Success, $45,000
This project provides intensive services for SNAP Employment & Training to low-income individuals from communities of color and youth, especially young adults from families with a history of intergenerational poverty. The program focuses on employment preparation and retention, assessment, counseling, and wraparound supports.

City of Brooklyn Park, BrookLynk Youth Employment Program, $45,000
The BrookLynk program consists of 21st-Century skill-building, experiential employment opportunities, and local coordination of employer partnerships. BrookLynk facilitates training and paid employment opportunities where youth ages 14 to 21 learn interviewing, networking, and professionalism. BrookLynk connects young people facing barriers with the skills, experiences, and professional social networks needed to develop their pathway to college and career.

Career Solutions, Learn and Earn, $45,000
This program serves youth age 18-24 who face English language barriers. The program has four components, including English literacy and adult diploma, employment preparation and training, Somali Elder mentoring, and work experience. Participants develop the skills to fill in demand positions, particularly in manufacturing, and to ensure they are on path to continued education and employment with a sustainable wage.

HIRED, Career Pathway, $45,000
HIRED’s Career Pathway training programs serves unemployed or underemployed individuals with significant barriers to employment. The program provides case management, connection to support services, and training for one of two credentials, a commercial driver's licenses (CDL) or work in public sector administration (PSA+). The goal is to improve the lives of participants with family-supporting employment and potential for advancement.

YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities, YMCA Neighborhood Centers Workforce Development, $45,000
This program provides job training, a 100-hour supervised internships with a job coach, and professional development to empower adults and youth to be successful on a career path. Participants are all residents of affordable housing communities facing significant employment barriers. The goal is for participants to transition to career paths that have higher earning and longer-term growth potential, leading to increased wages that will lift families out of poverty.

Project Legacy, Vibrant Futures for Youth of Color, $45,000
Serving disadvantaged youth and young adults of color, Project Legacy provides wraparound services including case management, employment services, education, mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence services, and legal services. Project Legacy serves individuals in Rochester and the surrounding Southeast Minnesota communities.

Workforce Development Inc., Emerging Leaders, $45,000
The program focuses on serving youth from historically underserved populations, including youth of color, youth with disabilities, and those experiencing multigenerational poverty. Services provided include building relationships and rapport, while providing experiential and hands-on learning in job training, employment preparation, career pathways education and work experience. Workforce Development Inc. serves 10 counties in Southeastern Minnesota.

Model Cities of St. Paul, Inc., Community Coaching Employment Readiness, $45,000
Community Coaching is an alternative intervention to detention for youth who are at high risk for incarceration. Through this program, Model Cities provides experiential learning opportunities in both workforce development and financial education for youth ages 14 - 19 who are on probation. Community Coaches support and link youth to services and pro­social activities that help them build positive relationships and connections. The main goal of this program is to enhance employability, increase access to employment among juvenile offenders, and foster strong financial decision-making.

Merrick Community Services, Employment Services Integrated Model, $45,000
Merrick Community Services offers job search support, case management, training opportunities, placement and retention services. The program delivers these services to low-income adults and young adults on the East Side of Saint Paul who are unemployed or underemployed and seeking resources for self-sufficiency.

Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council, Learn and Earn, $45,000
The goal of this Learn and Earn program is to advance the careers and wages of participants through opportunities to obtain academic credit, college credit, industry-recognized credentials, marketable skills, on-the-job training and work experience, and employment in a high growth, high-demand occupation.

Jeremiah Program, Removing Barriers, $45,000
Jeremiah Program focuses on eliminating intergenerational poverty through education for two generations and holistic support in the Metro Area. Serving low-income single mothers and their children, the program provides access to stable housing and onsite early childhood education; mothers receive training and coaching and earn a post-secondary degree. These supports allow mothers to obtain the credentials to build a career with family-sustaining wage.

African Immigrants Community Services, Refugee Job Readiness & Employment Program, $45,000
African Immigrants Community Services targets youth and adult East African refugees, serving hard-to-employ clients for placement in high demand positions that have on-the-job training or do not require proficient English skills or a degree. Services include direct job readiness, paid internships, and tuition for enrollment in certificate or training programs.

Karen Organization of Minnesota, What’s Next? $45,000
In collaboration with St. Paul and Roseville Public Schools, the Karen Organization of Minnesota addresses the academic challenges and career development needs facing youth and young adults from refugee and immigrant communities. Services include culturally responsive workforce training, financial literacy, employment preparation, and job skills with the goal that participants advance to training, post-secondary education, or employment.

Banyan Community, Youth Intervention and Educational Support, $42,200
The Youth Intervention and Educational Support Focused on Creating a Pipeline of Diverse Employees serves low-income high school and college students from the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis. Through wraparound services and academic and job preparation, participants are prepared for employment in high-growth, in-demand occupations.

Greater Bemidji, M12 Career Academies, $40,000
The M12 Career Academies project provides integrated economic development and workforce development services in Northwest Minnesota. Services include job training, employment preparation, job assistance, and training. The project goal is to introduce low-income youth and adults to technical skills and employment.

Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, Parents in Education, $40,000
The Parents in Education program serves low-income, young parents experiencing barriers to living-wage employment. Participants are provided case management, training opportunities to obtain an industry-recognized certificate, on-the-job training opportunities, and job search and placement assistance.

Goodwill-Easter Seals, FATHER Project, $40,000
The FATHER Project serves low-income fathers who face intergenerational poverty and employment disparities. Services include employment consulting designed to provide basic and occupational skill training and placement/retention services and support. These coordinated and individualized services positively impact economic and social outcomes, combat disparities, and strengthen family relationships.

Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services, Support Services, $40,000
The Support Services project will reduce disparities for people of color through employment preparation, paid internships, short-term career training, financial literacy education, and entrepreneurship-supporting activities. The program will serve low-income youth and adults, including those with disabilities or those parenting children with disabilities. Participants gain skills for career success with a focus on credentialed employment in health care, manufacturing, and transportation.

Adult Support Services Grants

Family Services Rochester, FATHER Project, $100,000
The FATHER project targets low-income fathers, who are recovering from being separated from their children and families as a result of many factors including divorce, spending time in treatment or correctional facilities, and are transitioning back into their families’ lives. The program focuses on employment preparation and retention. Fathers are also connected to community providers for other help including child support, legal assistance, financial literacy, and supervised visitations.

Northwest Indian Community Development Center, Anokiiwin (Good Work) Project, $25,000
The Anokiiwin project will elevate 15 community members transitioning from correction facilities by providing employment preparation, job training, financial literacy, and academic intervention. Participants will be connected to coursework that integrates basic education with skills training. The project serves over 2,000 people per year, within a 60-mile radius that includes the Red Lake Nation, White Earth Nation, and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

Project for Pride in Living, PPL Supportive Services Project, $47,800
PPL will train people of color from low-income families to work in banking. The banking course will prepare participants for entry-level banking positions with opportunities to move up. The program also provides financial coaching, SNAP program assessment and support, work readiness, job placements, soft skills, and work readiness skills, while providing individualized navigation and wraparound supports.