[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced more than $7 million in grants have been awarded to 47 organizations to provide young people workforce development and training opportunities.

“The job training we provide for our young people today will pay off for our entire state tomorrow,” said Governor Walz. “This training will grow our workforce and help thousands of kids fill the good-paying jobs we have available and need to fill right now. With these grants, 47 organizations will be able to provide that leg up, helping us reach our goal of allowing every child, in every neighborhood and community across our state, to thrive.”

“By investing in workforce development and training opportunities across the state, we’re sending the message to young people: we believe in you and we want you to succeed,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “When we remove barriers to employment and provide training opportunities for disadvantaged youth, we invest in the future of our state and set our young people on a path to success. I’m grateful for the work of these organizations and proud to be supporting this important work.”

DEED's Office of Youth Development awarded the Youth at Work grants to organizations providing services to economically disadvantaged or at-risk youth ages 14 to 24. These programs will support youth of color, youth with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged youth by connecting them with good-paying jobs in high-growth industries.

“TheYouth at Work program services young people of Minnesota who face barriers to employment and educational success,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “One of our goals at DEED is to create opportunities for our most vulnerable populations where obstacles might exist, and these youth development and job training programs are crucial to the well-being of our communities and our state's economy.”

The Youth at Work program has statewide impact: metro-focused organizations received 59% of available funds while Greater Minnesota received 39% of available funds. The remaining 2% of available funds went to organizations serving both Metro and Greater Minnesota.

As the state continues to make investments to get young Minnesotans into training and development programs, DEED's Youth at Work program partners across the state are helping support the workforce of today and tomorrow in finding economic stability and developing new skills. The program is in high demand: last fiscal year, DEED received over $17.7 million in funding requests from 60 organizations for the Youth at Work program. Lawmakers recently doubled funding for the program in order to provide the necessary support.

“The Youth at Work program is one of the ways DEED is investing in Minnesota’s future. Helping youth gain soft skills and jobs skills are critical to building a strong pipeline of workers and advance Minnesota's economy,”said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors. “Thank you to Governor Walz, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan, and lawmakers for making this program a priority.”

The following 47 organizations have been awarded grants:

Achieve Twin Cities -$125,000

African Community Services - $50,000

African Immigrant Community Services -$100,000

American Indian OIC -$176,059

Anoka County -$147,150

Appetite for Change -$100,000

Banyan Community -$60,000

Brooklynk-$125,000

Career Solutions -$115,816

Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization (CAIRO) - $150,000

City of Duluth -$236,800

City of Minneapolis (Step Up) -$775,00

City of St. Paul (Right Track) -$775,000

Cloquet Public Schools -$100,000

ComunidadesLatinas Unidas EnServicio(CLUES) -$134,555

Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services (CMJTS) -$188,000

Construction Careers Foundation - $50,000

Cookie Cart -$82,972

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School -$100,000

Dunwoody College -$150,000

East Side Neighborhood Services -$89,713

Elpis Enterprises -$50,000

Face to Face -$100,000

Faribault Public Schools -$83,712

Goodwill Easter Seals -$100,000

Greater Bemidji -$197,500

HIRED -$125,000

Karen Organization of Minnesota -$90,000

Keystone Community Services -$65,000

MAHUBE-OTWA -$50,000

Merrick Community Services -$100,000

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe -$100,000

Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training (NEMOJT) -$100,000

Pine Technical College - $50,000

Project for Pride in Living (PPL) -$50,000

Project Legacy -$200,000

Red Lake Nation -$300,000

Reve Academy -$50,000

Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Programs (RMCEP) - $110,000

Southwest MN Private Industry Council and South-Central Workforce Council/Minnesota Valley Action Council (RWDA 5) - $448,323

Somali Community Resettlement Services –$100,000

Studio 180 -$50,000

Tree Trust -$100,000

Urban Boatbuilders -$100,000

Urban Roots -$100,000

WildflyerCoffee -$200,000

Workforce Development, Inc. -

$225,000