Targeted Community Capital Project Grant Program Now Open for Proposals

Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced it is seeking proposals from qualified non-profit organizations and government entities for complex and costly capital projects that might not occur without public financial assistance. Targeted Community Capital Project Grant Program funded projects must result in providing, increasing, and/or expanding access to economic development, education or workforce development programs or services to underserved communities or economically disadvantaged persons or groups.

Up to a total of $18,000,000 is available for grants in State Fiscal Year 2022-2023 through the Targeted Community Capital Project Grant Program, which was passed by the Minnesota Legislature during the 2021 session. Individual organizations and government entities may apply for up to $1,500,000.

“DEED is committed to empowering the growth of the Minnesota economy for everyone,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “To do this, we need to ensure that underserved communities and economically disadvantaged Minnesotans can access the economic and workforce development resources they need. Targeted Community Capital Project Grants will do just this by targeting funding for programs and services where they are needed most.”

Eligible capital project costs include predesign, design, acquisition of land or buildings, construction, furnishing and equipping a new or renovated building with a result of increasing access to services for the targeted communities. Equipment is not eligible unless purchased and installed upon initial acquisition and construction of a building, expansion or major remodeling and needed for the operation of the project.

Examples may include:

• an expansion of an existing building to increase training opportunities to individuals for whom English is a second language or
• purchasing a building to provide work readiness skills training, pre-apprenticeship training, and/or in-demand occupational trainings in an area of Minnesota with high rates of concentrated poverty

All proposals must be received via email to AdultCompetitiveGrants.Deed@state.mn.us and time stamped received by 5:00 pm Central Time on Monday, December 6, 2021. Award recipients will be notified in January 2022.

To learn more about this program, join our upcoming informational webinar:

If you have additional questions, you may submit them to Ann Meyers at ann.meyers@state.mn.us. DEED will post responses to frequently asked questions on DEED's Competitive Grants and Contracts page.

DEED is the state's principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and its services, visit the DEED website or follow us on Twitter.