DEED is looking to recruit roughly 100 community members to serve as grant reviewers for competitive workforce development grant programs – including the Transformative Career Pathway Competitive Grant and the Child Care Economic Development Grant Program – this fall and potentially late winter 2024-25.

We're committed to including more diverse voices and perspectives in our grantmaking process – and including community reviewers is an important way to do this. We value the community reviewer process across the agency.

We believe a more inclusive process can help us make funding decisions that better support our commitment to reducing employment disparities in Minnesota. We're looking for community reviewers with lived experiences tied to DEED's competitive grants. We're also looking for reviewers who are aware of current challenges that job seekers face – people with this experience bring an important voice to the table in our decision-making.

DEED has previously recruited community reviewers for our employment and training grants including Pathways to Prosperity, Career Pathways, child care development and small business growth. We're excited to again leverage community members' experience and perspectives in the process.

In addition to having important personal experience, prospective community reviewers should have an interest in workforce development, as well as experience in grantmaking, finance and lending, education and training, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and/or a related area. DEED also requires community reviewers to participate in a short online training session.

We are seeking individuals with diverse community backgrounds, subject matter expertise and an interest in community advancement. We ask that community reviewers be able to dedicate 20-40 hours to read grant proposals over the course of two to three weeks. Grant reviewers will read approximately eight to 10 proposals during October and November. Proposals are generally 12-15 pages in length, with additional supporting and budget documents that need to be reviewed.

DEED will provide a small stipend to community reviewers who meet eligibility requirements, complete training and review proposals on time and complete the required process to receive payments. Community reviewers are also invited to complete an online post-review survey to share feedback on the process and improve future processes.

Please consider applying to be a community reviewer today – or pass along this information to others in your networks! Having community reviewers from diverse background helps DEED make important grantmaking decisions – it's a true collaboration. By engaging diverse stakeholders, maintaining high-quality standards and fostering collaboration, community reviewers contribute to the advancement of knowledge, the improvement of projects and the holistic growth of individuals and communities in Minnesota.

Ready to apply to be a community reviewer?

Fill out the DEED Community Reviewer Application. But act fast! The application will close on Wednesday, September 25 at 4:30 p.m.

Have more questions?

Please join us for a virtual Community Reviewer Information Session on September 16 at 1:00 p.m. The session will be recorded and posted on DEED’s YouTube page if you aren't able to attend.

Reviewer training sessions (all contain the same information) are slated for October 10 from 1-3pm for individuals selected to serve as community reviewers.

If you have questions, email AskDEED@state.mn.us.