Public outreach grants

Lead organizations must be a nonprofit organization, public entity or Tribal Nation with experience in outreach, education, and/or technical assistance for employees, employers, and/or self-employed individuals.

Partnerships are encouraged and may include for-profit entities.

Minnesota ensures equity, fairness, precision and consistency in grant awards. The State of Minnesota grant programs are expected to intentionally identify how the grant serves diverse populations, especially populations experiencing inequities and/or disparities.

Priority populations

Proposals should aim to increase awareness and access among:

• Low-wage workers
• Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)
• Immigrants and refugees
• LGBTQIA2S+ individuals
• People with disabilities
• Limited English proficiency (LEP) communities

All proposals must include a plan to:

• Engage with the Paid Leave Communications Team to ensure messaging consistency
• Make materials accessible to people with disabilities and LEP communities

Priority project categories

• Education: Fostering learning and understanding of Paid Leave through interactive, dynamic activities
• Outreach: Building awareness of and increasing equitable participation in Paid Leave
• Technical assistance: Providing individualized consultation services that eliminate barriers and increase equitable access to, participation in, and/or compliance with Paid Leave
  • One-on-one support to eliminate barriers
  • Assistance in accessing Paid Leave benefits

Competitive Priorities

The Public Outreach Grants program will be focused on awarding proposals that place an emphasis on one or more of the following themes.

1. Equity:

• Services are designed and delivered in a culturally specific, community-based methodology.
• The scope of demographic and/or geographic coverage is outlined and an explanation is provided for why it is a priority for Paid Leave Outreach.
• Knowledge of the community being served is demonstrated.

2. Collaboration and Partnership:

• Programmatic partnerships and collaborations between organizations are eligible and encouraged. The proposal must identify a lead applicant, who will be responsible for the implementation and administration of the grant and serve as lead fiscal agent. List all partner organizations that will contribute to the proposed program with or without compensation.

3. Likelihood to Succeed:

• Review criteria are based both on the programmatic requirements and on an applicant's ability to carry out the grant deliverables within the grant performance period.

Proposals will be evaluated on a 100-point scale:

Grant recipients receiving $25,000+ will undergo a financial and capacity review before awards are finalized.

Key Dates

Applicants must:

• Register as a vendor with the State of Minnesota Supplier Portal
• Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) created in SAM.gov
• Adhere to prevailing wage laws if applicable
• Have current Unemployment Insurance account
• Comply with all state and federal requirements

Reporting and accountability

Grantees must:

• Submit quarterly progress reports and an end-of-year report
• Provide financial documentation for reimbursement
• Actively participate in evaluation and data collection efforts that assess the impact of this initiative
• Participate in annual monitoring visit

Allowable expenses

Grant funds must be used for the purposes of developing and providing outreach, education, and/or technical assistance.

Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Fundraising
• Lobbying
• Taxes (except sales tax on goods and services as well as payroll tax)
• Out-of-state travel

For technical assistance for the GMS, contact:

Grants System Administrator
GMS.DEED@state.mn.us

Need help navigating the application process? Use the resources below to set you and your organization up for success.

Application tips

• Register early: Set up your account in DEED's Grants Management System (GMS).
• Review eligibility: Make sure your organization meet the minimum requirements before applying.
• Check documentation requirements: Prepare your financial statements and letters of support from any partners early in the process.
• Stay within the character limits: Review the character limits for each application section. Keep your responses concise and relevant.
• Plan your budget: Make sure to include realistic and allowable expenses. Include a clear breakdown of partner allocations (if applicable).
• Highlight equity and impact: Strong proposals prioritize underserved communities and explain how your work will increase access to Paid Leave.

Instructional materials

• Public Outreach Grants webinar recording
  • Webinar slides
• How to use the applicant portal

Supporting documents

• Contract template

General

With the significant increase in year 2 funding, is there an expectation to create additional grant-related programming in year 2?

• There must be justification for any increased spending. This could include expanded or additional programming.

The webinar referenced that Paid Leave outreach was an important aspect of the success of launching Paid Leave programs in other states. Are there successful Paid Leave outreach plans or examples you can refer us to?

• The nonprofit New America assembled a brief, Implementing Paid Family and Medical Leave, that provides a helpful summary of research and experience from other states. Of particular relevance is the section Learnings Part 2: Outreach. The National Partnership for Women and Families also offers a consolidated collection of paid leave research, including studies that cover outreach strategies.

As this opportunity and program is so new, would it be possible to schedule time in-person to further discuss our questions regarding this exciting opportunity?

• No, we are not able to meet with individual grantees to discuss the RFP. To ensure equitable treatment, fairness, and consistency throughout the competitive grant process, we only accept written questions. All responses are then made available to the public to ensure no unfair advantage.

To design a program that includes the work of the Paid Leave Outreach Communications and Public Engagement teams, is there any information you can provide us about their work or role so that we can plan accordingly?

• Paid Leave is engaged in broad communications, outreach, and engagement strategies. This includes outreach to community organizations and in-person events, the creation and distribution of plain language materials in multiple languages, and a branding and marketing plan to reach diverse target audiences across the state. Key audiences for these efforts, which may be supplemented, complemented, or amplified by grantee efforts, include but are not limited to:
  • Large/Small Employers
  • Healthcare Providers
  • Hmong, Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities
  • Black or African American communities
  • Latine/Spanish-speaking communities
  • Somali/East African communities
  • New immigrant/Undocumented communities
  • American Indian and tribal communities
  • Rural communities
  • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and two spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) communities
  • People with disabilities
  • Older Minnesotans

Eligibility

Do you have to be a nonprofit to apply for the Paid Leave Public Outreach Grant?

• The lead applicant must be a nonprofit organization, public entity, or tribal nation. Partnerships are allowed. Partners in the grant proposal may include for-profit entities.

Translations

Is DEED Paid Leave already working on translation of informational materials? If yes, does this mean translation shouldn't be part of our own budget/workplans?

• The Paid Leave team plans to translate core program materials into several languages commonly spoken in Minnesota. Grantees who aim to serve communities with language needs not met by available Paid Leave materials may choose to budget for additional translations in your proposal. Grantees who plan to translate Paid Leave materials will be expected to coordinate closely with Paid Leave Communications to align on languages to be served and processes to ensure accuracy and clarity in translated materials.

Will DEED Paid Leave be creating any audio/video informational materials (in English and other languages) or could this be part of our first year workplan/budget if we know we have populations who would need information in audio format?

• Paid Leave is developing video content, in English and other languages commonly spoken in Minnesota, that will be shared on the program website and through other channels. Grantees may propose additional audio or video content and will be expected to coordinate closely with Paid Leave Communications to ensure accuracy, clarity, and consistency of message.

Submissions

Can proposals include education for employers, especially small employers, about their responsibilities under the new Paid Leave law?

• Yes, employer education is an allowable use of grant funds. Proposals may include services for employees, employers, and/or self-employed individuals.

Can we provide information and education to both employees and program participants who visit our offices? Is this dual approach eligible under the grant?

• Yes, this is eligible. Proposals may serve one or more of the following groups: employees, employers, and/or self-employed individuals.

Our organization plans to submit a proposal focused on educating both employers and employees. Can you confirm that employer education is an allowable use of funds?

• Yes, employer education is an allowable use of funds under this grant.
• In addition, Paid Leave Public Outreach Grants may be awarded to community-based groups for the purpose of outreach, education, and/or technical assistance for employees, employers, and/or self-employed individuals. The applicant's proposed work should support and amplify the ongoing outreach, engagement, communications and strategy work of the Paid Leave team. The goal is to create greater awareness among populations that are less likely to know about or have access to Paid Leave. Further details about proposal priorities and evaluation criteria can be found in the RFP.

We are in the process of developing a grant request to work with employers and employees - to provide outreach and education on the Paid Leave program. Is there a PDF of the questions that are in the Paid Leave application system? That would be helpful as we continue our planning.

• At this time, the Paid Leave application system is still under development, so we don't yet have a finalized list of application questions to share. As the system is finalized, we'll make sure to communicate updates to all stakeholders.

Through our programming we serve marginalized populations that do not readily have access to accurate information. Can we submit a proposal to support our current programming adding in where/how we would distribute Paid Leave info to our participants and their families, and how we would measure the impact of our outreach? Or do we have to create a brand new program to distribute the Paid Leave information?

• It is not required to create a brand-new program. You are welcome to build on your current programming. It's up to your organization to decide what approach will have the greatest impact and can be implemented effectively within the grant timeline.

Can we include salaries of staff providing direct service? If so, is that limited to a certain percentage of the budget?

• Yes, salaries for staff providing direct service can be included as part of your personnel costs. There is no specific cap on the percentage of the budget that can be allocated for staff time. However, all costs must be reasonable, clearly justified, and proportionally aligned with the amount of work being done on the grant-related activities.

Can we submit a proposal addressing just one of these categories: Education, Outreach, or Technical assistance? Or, do we need to address more than one or all three of these categories in our proposal?

• Yes, applicants may choose to address just one category. You are not required to address all three. Proposals can focus on education, outreach, or technical assistance individually, or any combination of those areas.