Deadline: 14-Sep-21
The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is accepting proposals for the Pathways to Prosperity Grant Programs: Bridge to Career to serve participants who are low income and/or who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and have multiple barriers to employment.
Themes
Within DEED’s Employment & Training Division, Adult Career Pathways programs will be focused on awarding proposals that place an emphasis on the following three themes:
- Equity: Adult Career Pathways programs seek to build an inclusive, skilled workforce and reduce disparities based on race, disability, and gender.
- Training participants with the most significant barriers to employment and ensuring participants have equal access to training and employment opportunities.
- Ensuring that organizations serving the most hard to serve populations reflect the community accessing the services and incorporate human-centered design into their programs.
- Reducing and eliminating disparities by empowering all members of the workforce will result in a more equitable and prosperous Minnesota for individuals, families, businesses, and communities.
- Innovation: Adult Career Pathways programs recognize that new solutions must be developed to respond to new and ongoing challenges in the workforce and communities.
- Programs that are mission-driven, utilizing best practices while having an innovation mindset to creatively imagine and apply new approaches to success.
- Clearly show the development of innovative approaches to outreach and recruitment, reaching those who have been disconnected and disenfranchised from the workforce.
- Designing and implementing new efficient and effective systems for workforce development programs that address skills shortages, remove barriers to lifelong learning, and help workers improve their employability.
- will facilitate the growth of innovative programs by providing resources to ensure the programs ability to grow and expand.
- Performance: Adult Career Pathways programs are built on a foundation of partnerships, most significantly between program providers and employers.
- Job Placement Employer partners that will offer livable wage jobs and job advancement to program participants.
- Wage Rate Programs that pursue training and/or development that target industries and jobs with livable wages.
- Job Retention Programs that provide intentional support for participants to retain employment and advance in their chosen field.
- Credential Attainment Programs that yield measurable results demonstrated by attainment of foundational skills and industry specific qualifications.
Funding Information
- Organizations may apply for up to $200,000 each year, for a maximum of $400,000 totalunder the Pathways to Prosperity Bridge to Career Pathways RFP.
- Note that this grantdoes not allow the purchase of equipment costing $5,000 or more.
Target Population
Programs must serve adults at least 18 years old , not enrolled in any K-12 school, who face multiple barriers to employment, and who need enhanced educational and supportive services to be successful in securing long-term family sustaining wages.
All participants enrolled must be authorized to work in the United States and must be part of one or more of the following target populations:
- Individuals of color;
- Individuals lacking stable housing;
- Individuals with a criminal record;
- Individuals without a high school diploma or equivalent;
- Individuals with disabilities;
- Individuals who have been unemployed for 26 or more of the past 52 weeks;
- Individuals with limited English or math proficiency; or
- Individuals
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible organizations include:
- State or Local Government Units
- Tribal Governments
- Nonprofit Organizations
- Community Action Agencies
- Business Organizations or Associations
- Labor Organizations
For more information, visit https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp