Three Grant Programs to Build ALANA Wealth & Capacity

November 30, 2023 Dr. Bruce Peter Corrie ALANA Brain Trust, Strategy Comments Off on Three Grant Programs to Build ALANA Wealth & Capacity

Here are details for 3 Grant Opportunities – one due December 11, another January and the third being launched in January – so get ready. Great opportunity to strategize to bring wealth building resources to your community and set the base for future growth.

Minnesota Humanities Center – Cultural Heritage Grants – Due December 11, 2023

I found the Minnesota Humanities Center staff to be friendly and helpful – the chance for feedback on your idea ends Monday December 4. One of the few places you can apply as an individual or in other words – an opportunity for social entrepreneurs. Assistance available for people needing support with an application process in English. Community review panel decides on grant awards. Great resource to build cultural assets.

Questions – Laura Adams – laura.adams@mnhum.org

Grant details – click on links

Cultural Heritage Grants:

An individual or organization awarded a Cultural Heritage grant must demonstrate one of the following:

  • Preserve and honor the cultural heritage of Minnesota;
  • Provide education and student outreach on cultural diversity;
  • Support the development of culturally diverse humanities programming, including arts programming, by individuals and organizations; or
  • Empower communities in building identity and culture, including preserving and honoring communities whose Indigenous cultures are endangered or disappearing.

Capacity Building Grants for Organizations

Capacity Building grants to organizations are to be used to:

  • Provide training and assisting staff on grant writing and grant reporting,
  • Assist with capacity building and fundraising capabilities.
  • Retain nonprofit management experts and consultants.

Civics Education Grants

An individual or organization awarded a Civics grant must demonstrate one of the following:

  • Provide civics education for youth on law, democracy, government, and/or debate.
  • Conduct civics education programs.

Targeted Populations Workforce Competitive Grants – Due January 3, 2024

RFP

If you are an ALANA nonprofit with a budget under $1 million – these programs can help build your capacity and serve people in your network. Money also to work with a mentor to help build your capacity to serve. A really great opportunity to build your organization.

Three areas:

  • Part 1a: Job & Skills Training
  • Part 1b: Organizational Mentorship
  • Part 2: Entrepreneurship Training

The Targeted Populations Workforce Competitive Grants should provide skills training that leads to  employment or business development in high-growth industries as outlined in Minnesota Statute 116L.43.

Applicants may apply for up to $750,000 total each year, for a maximum of $1,500,000

Eligibility – has to be a nonprofit in good standing and pass the financial risk assessment.

As defined in Minnesota Statute 116L.43 a “Community-based organization” is a nonprofit organization that:

(1) provides workforce development programming or services; and

(2) has an annual organizational budget of no more than $1,000,0002; and

(3) has its primary office located in a historically underserved community of color or low-income community; and

(4) serves a population that generally reflects the demographics of that local community

For the Targeted Populations Competitive Grants, a community-based organization funding will be prioritized to serving areas with historical high unemployment rates, low academic achievement rates and where median income is below family sustainable wage (Less than $50,000).

All applicants must be currently operating, have an active 501(c)(3), have an active business filing with the Minnesota Secretary of State in good standing, and have a physical business presence in the state of Minnesota at time of application.

All applicants must complete and submit the pre-award risk assessment with the required financialdocuments for NGOs for funding consideration.

Target Population

Proposals must serve individuals who are seeking employment and require assistance to secure and maintain employment; or

  • Individuals who wish to start a small business and require assistance (non-capital) to do so.
  • All participants for Part 1a must be:
    • Eligible to work in the United States and
    • 18 years of age or older at the time of enrollment and
    • Not enrolled in any K-12 school and
    • Seeking employment and
    • One or more of the following:
  • At or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines adjusted for respective family size
  • An individual of color

All organizations for Part 1b must be:

  • Community Based Organizations

All participants for Part 2 must be:

  • Eligible to work in the United States and
    • 18 years of age or older at the time of enrollment and
    • Not enrolled in any K-12 school and
    • Seeking to open a business within the next year and
    • One or more of the following:
  • At or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines adjusted for respective family size
  • An individual of color

Technical Assistance

For technical assistance in interpreting instructions and to submit questions, contact: Vanessa Roman Email: Vanessa.Roman@state.mn.us. Questions must be submitted in writing via e-mail. Questions will be accepted and answered up to three business days before the due date of this proposal.

Eligible Job Skills Training

Eligible Services-Part 1a-Jobs and Skills Training

The Targeted Populations Workforce Job and Skills Training Competitive Grants must provide services

and skills training that leads to employment in high growth industries and a career pathway that leads to

a family sustainable wage.

Eligible services and skills training is limited to one or more of the following:

(1) student tutoring and testing support services;

(2) training and employment placement in high-wage and high-growth employment;

(3) assistance in obtaining industry specific certifications;

(4) remedial training leading to enrollment in further training or education;

(5) real-time work experience or on-the-job training3;

(6) career and educational counseling;

(7) work based learning: work experience and internships in high growth industries and career

pathways that leads to a family sustainable wage.

(8) supportive services;

(9) tuition reimbursement for new entrants into public sector careers;

(10) career mentorship;

(11) post-program case management services;

(12) job placement services;

(13) the cost of corporate board of director training for people of color; and

(14)Outreach and workforce education and engagement services.

Eligible Mentorship Training

Part 1b of this RFP provides organizations with limited DEED grants management experience the ability to partner with established workforce organizations which have demonstrated experience and success in DEED Employment and Training grant administration to provide organizational mentorship to the grantee for grant operations and workforce program administration.

Eligible Entrepreneurship Training

Entrepreneurial skills training programs must provide the basics of starting and operating a small

business. Training must develop the skills associated with entrepreneurship and owning a business.

Relevant training includes, but is not limited to:

(1) creating a business plan;

(2) conducting market analyses;

(3) developing budgets, accounting principles, and forecasting resource needs;

(4) Resource development;

(5) business coaching;

(6) business regulations; and

(7) business marketing

Industry Sector Alignment Requirement-All applicants

All applicants should align their proposed program with high growth and in-demand jobs in their region as identified in the Regional Workforce Development Area.

• Region 1 – Northwest: Education, Agriculture, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Transportation,

Wholesale Distribution

• Region 2 – Northeast: Construction & Skilled Trades, Healthcare, Transportation,

Warehousing/Logistics, and Manufacturing

• Region 3 – Central: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Natural Resources

(Agriculture) & Energy, Professional & Business Services (Information Technology) Aviation

• Region 4 – Twin Cities/Metro: Business Services, Construction, Healthcare, Manufacturing,

Public Sector, Information Technology

• Region 5 – Southwest: Agriculture, Construction, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Transportation and

Warehousing

• Region 6 – Southeast: Construction, Healthcare, Information Technology, Public Sector,

Advanced Manufacturing

Clean Energy, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) training are also allowable and

encouraged for all regions. Applicants proposing other industries should be able to demonstrate how

the proposed service or is needed and will lead to family sustainable wage employment.

Promise Act – To be released January 2024

A great opportunity for ALANA businesses under $750,000 in gross revenue in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

The state funded PROMISE Act program is focused on distributing $79 million in grants and $24 million in loans to support the growth and repositioning of small Minnesota businesses:

  • With Business with Less than $100,000 gross revenue – $10,000 grant
  • With Business with more than $100,000  but less than $350,000 gross revenue – $25,000 grant
  • With Business with more than $350,000  but less than $750,000 gross revenue – $50,000 grant

Use

Working Capital

 Eligibility

  1. who have a gross annual revenue of $750,000 or less for grants and
  2. $1 million for loans (based on 2021 tax returns) and
  3. Registered with the State of Minnesota
  4. Have tax returns showing operating for 2 years
  5. are located, or who operate in neighborhoods / communities that have been adversely affected by: Structural racial discrimination; Civil unrest; Lack of access to capital; A loss of population; An aging population; a lack of regional economic diversification

 The Minneapolis neighborhoods include areas of: 

  • North Minneapolis – West Broadway, Camden & Others
  • South Minneapolis – Lake Street, 38th & Chicago, Franklin Avenue South, Nicollet Avenue, & Riverside corridors of South Minneapolis

The St. Paul neighborhoods include areas of:

  • University Avenue
  • Midway
  • Eastside
  • Other St. Paul neighborhoods
About Dr. Bruce Peter Corrie 74 Articles
Economist rooted in the experience of ALANA (African Latino Asian Native American) communities with expertise in economic and academic inclusion and community empowerment. Pioneering work in the creation of "Cultural Destinations" a strategy to leverage cultural assets for wealth building in low income diverse communities. My work has been inspired by Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Paulo Freire. Economist and a steward of the ALANA Brain Trust which works to bring capital and capacity to the ALANA communities.
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