12/7/2023 10:23:21 AM
DEED’s Office of Broadband Development (OBD) is facilitating the development of a statewide digital opportunity plan to reduce gaps in access, device ownership, and digital skills. This planning process will help determine how funding under the Digital Equity Act will be distributed to improve digital equity across the state.
To ensure the state's digital equity plan reflects the experiences of all Minnesotans, Digital Connection Committee are an essential piece of OBD's planning strategy and process. These self-selected committees serve as key partners as OBD collects information about local digital inclusion strengths, needs, and goals. People from low-income households, people age 60 or older, people learning to speak or read English, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and people living in rural communities are among those groups especially invited to participate in a Digital Connection Committees. OBD communicates directly with Committees throughout the planning process. Contact Hannah Buckland at hannah.buckland@state.mn.us for more information on starting a committee and to share your insights.
DEED’s Office of Adult Career Pathways provides adult employment and training grants to support adults who face multiple barriers to employment, and are in need of enhanced educational services, wrap-around support, and supportive services, to be successful in securing long-term family sustaining wages. The Office of Adult Career Pathway's goal is to help eliminate racial disparities and large economic gaps in Minnesota and increase Minnesotans’ literacy and access to high-growth and high-wage jobs.
New this year, Adult Career Pathways is seeking proposals from qualified organizations to provide services through the Drive for Five Initiative Competitive Grants. Grantees will conduct outreach, provide education and training, and job placement in technology, labor, the caring professions, manufacturing, and educational and professional services. Interested applicants are urged to submit their proposal by December 18 , 2023. The Drive for 5 Request for Proposal can be found on DEED's website.
Adult Career Pathways is also seeking providers to submit a proposal for grant funding through the new Targeted Population Workforce Programs initiative. This grant program focuses on skills training and support services to bring populations of workers who have been historically overlooked and often face multiple barriers to employment – particularly people of color – into the workforce at family-sustaining wages. Community-based organizations are asked to submit proposals by Jan. 17, 2024. Targeted Populations Workforce Program Request for Proposals can be found on DEED's website.
If you missed this month's forum, you can watch our discussion on DEED's YouTube channel.
immigrants and refugees
