trainee and instructor with manufacturing equipment

Helping you and Minnesota thrive

Minnesota offers a variety of grant programs designed to keep high-quality jobs in the state while also helping to offset training-related expenses. A CareerForce specialist can help you figure out what employee training assistance might be available for your organization and how we can support your talent needs. Below is a brief description of Minnesota grant programs.

Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Grants

The Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) was created in 1983 by the state legislature. It’s a state agency governed by a 12-member board of directors that represent Minnesota businesses, labor, government and educational institutions. Created to act as a catalyst, the MJSP brings together Minnesota’s post-secondary educational and other nonprofit training institutions with business and industry. Together, these entities design and implement training programs that meet current and future employer needs and offer trainees long-term professional growth and economic opportunity.

MJSP’s focus is on short-term training for full-time employment in growth sectors of the state’s economy. Here is some basic information about MJSP’s training grant programs and links to more information about each of them.

  • Partnership Program provides grants of up to $400,000 to educational institutions that partner with businesses to develop training for new and existing employees of businesses throughout the state. 
     
  • Pathways Program provides grants of up to $400,000 to educational institutions or nonprofit organizations that partner with businesses to provide training, new jobs and career paths for people with low incomes. Projects must include at least one participating business and an accredited Minnesota educational institution or training provider. 
     
  • Job Training Incentive Program provides grants of up to $200,000 to new or expanding businesses located in Greater Minnesota. These grants go directly to the businesses for purposes of training workers as quickly and efficiently as possible. 
     
  • Low Income Worker Training Program provides grants of up to $200,000 to public, private or nonprofit entities to help low-income people gain new skills necessary to move up the career ladder to higher-paying jobs and greater economic self-sufficiency.