Minnesota Job Skills Partnership – Pathways Program Grants
Minnesota Job Skills Partnership – Pathways Program Grants support low-income Minnesotans and people moving from public assistance into work through business-led training that builds career paths and meets employment needs.
Funder: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Due Dates: September 14, 2026 (Regular Pathways) | October 5, 2026 (Short Form Pathways)
Funding Amounts: Up to $500,000 per grant; projects typically last 1–2 years, with a 3-year maximum
Summary: Funds business-led training that creates jobs and career paths for low-income Minnesotans and people moving from public assistance to work.
Key Information: Participating businesses must provide a cash or in-kind match of at least $0.50 per $1 of Pathways funding.
Description
The Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) Board, administered through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), funds cooperative projects between businesses and training providers. Pathways projects train people with incomes at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines or people transitioning from public assistance to work. Training must address an employment need and be shaped by participating businesses.
MJSP prioritizes projects that expand equity and economic opportunity, including diversity, equity, and inclusion training. Pathways preferences include jobs with paid benefits and defined career paths, educational pathways that can continue beyond the grant, and participation by CareerForce centers, organizations serving BIPOC communities, and local human service agencies.
