Minnesota Job Skills Partnership — Pathways Program

Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Pathways Program is DEED's companion workforce grant for creating career paths and new jobs for Minnesotans with low incomes or people moving from public assistance into work. It sits alongside the Partnership Program but targets a different workforce population, and the lead applicants are accredited Minnesota educational institutions or workforce development intermediaries working with businesses. The program offers grants up to $500,000 per project, with business cash or in-kind support matched at a 0.5:1 ratio. Like Partnership, projects usually run one to two years and use funds for curriculum development, instruction, materials, equipment, and instructor travel. Applications are accepted year-round and reviewed by the MJSP Board on the same multi-cycle calendar as Partnership. Pathways is strongest when an employer needs a labor pipeline into entry-level or advancement roles and can partner with education or training intermediaries that already serve the target population. Because the business is a co-partner rather than the sole applicant, the program rewards clear job demand, a workable training plan, and a practical path from instruction into employment. It is a narrower but often better fit than Partnership when the workforce goal is inclusion as well as skills.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.