Press Releases

<results><page>0</page><page>20</page><page>115</page><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>State will use BEAD funding to extend broadband access to 75,000 Minnesotans.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Releases Draft Proposed Federal Broadband Funding Package</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Category><Description/><Title>Economic Development</Title><Id>332021</Id><Key/></Category><Title>Minnesota Releases Draft Proposed Federal Broadband Funding Package</Title><title>2025-08-28 Broadband</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-703433&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-08-28T14:12:51Z</Date><ShortDescription>State will use BEAD funding to extend broadband access to 75,000 Minnesotans.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul, MN&lt;/strong&gt; – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today released the state&apos;s draft final proposal for using federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funds to expand broadband availability.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/bead/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;proposal&lt;/a&gt; would extend broadband access to 75,000 Minnesota homes and businesses, covering every location eligible for BEAD funding in the state. DEED is accepting public comment on the proposal for seven days, after which it will finalize and submit the plan to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for approval before the end of the year. Construction could begin in late spring or early summer 2026.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Fast broadband will be a welcome resource for the thousands of Minnesota residents and businesses who will soon have access,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This funding will help us connect thousands of Minnesota families and businesses to the internet in new, important ways.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s proposal will use an estimated $381 million in federal BEAD grants and utilize a mixture of broadband technology, with more than half of covered locations utilizing fiber optic. Eligible locations are classified by the BEAD program as unserved (with broadband speeds slower than 25 megabits [Mbps] per second download and 3 Mbps upload) or underserved (with speeds slower than 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We are excited that 75,000 Minnesotans will soon have faster broadband because of BEAD,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Office of Broadband Development Executive Director Bree Maki&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We are grateful to our internet service provider partners for their hard work and commitment to the Minnesotans we all serve. We will continue working hard, together, to make smart, effective investments so every Minnesotan can access broadband.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Office of Broadband Development will &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/bead-final-proposal-info_tcm1045-702859.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;host regional, in-person informational sessions&lt;/a&gt; on the draft final proposal over the next week. These sessions will provide an overview of the proposal, steps for public comment and next steps for BEAD in Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>703433</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>broadband</Title><Id>443117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-28T16:16:30Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Eighteen cities statewide received funding for 30 projects.</Description><Audience/><Title>Public Facilities Authority Announces $236.4 Million in Awards</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Category><Description/><Title>Economic Development</Title><Id>332021</Id><Key/></Category><Title>Public Facilities Authority Announces $236.4 Million in Awards</Title><title>2025-08-26 PFA</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-703125&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-08-26T14:59:51Z</Date><ShortDescription>Eighteen cities statewide received funding for 30 projects.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul, MN&lt;/strong&gt; –The Minnesota Public Facility Authority (MPFA) today announced more than $236.4 million in loans and grants to 30 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects in 18 cities throughout the state.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The MPFA helps cities replace aging infrastructure and make system improvements to protect public health and improve water quality. Since its inception in 1987, the MPFA has provided over $7.1 billion for public infrastructure programs statewide, impacting most every community in Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The impact of the MPFA&apos;s funding is felt around the state and is vital to improving not only the health of our communities, but the health of our environment and economy,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Matt Varilek, commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and MPFA chair&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;By prioritizing clean and accessible drinking water, we are working to ensure the wellbeing of our communities for years to come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The MPFA provides crucial financing and technical assistance to communities who might not have access to it otherwise, encouraging economic growth and protecting the health of Minnesotan communities,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;MPFA Executive Director Steve Walter&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Keeping our water clean, drinkable and accessible is the core goal of the MPFA and an investment in Minnesota&apos;s economic growth and prosperity.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The MPFA administers and oversees the financial management of revolving loan funds and other programs that help local units of government build facilities for clean water, drinking water and transportation infrastructure projects. Funding for these projects primarily comes from the MPFA&apos;s Clean Water Revolving Fund (CWRF) and the Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF). The CWRF helps communities build or upgrade wastewater treatment plants to comply with discharge standards in the federal Clean Water Act, and the DWRF helps communities build drinking water storage, treatment and distribution systems that comply with standards in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Projects can also receive funding from MPFA&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/point-source-grants.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Point Source Implementation Grant program&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/wastewater.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Water Infrastructure Fund&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/smallcommunitywastewatertreatmentprogram.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Small Community Wastewater Treatment Program&lt;/a&gt;. In some cases, funding can be provided by specials state appropriations, the USDA Office of Rural Development and local sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Projects and MPFA funding amounts listed below. Funding details for each project are available on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/about/awards.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;MPFA website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-annandale_tcm1045-693678.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Annandale&lt;/a&gt;, $20,113,601&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a tertiary filtration building, associated tank, chemical feed equipment, controls, UV piping and replacement of a grit classifier and grit pump.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-anoka_tcm1045-696300.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Anoka&lt;/a&gt;, $1,146,811&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Service line replacement of approximately 121 lead lines with copper lines between the curb stop and house water meters.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-atwater_tcm1045-693677.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Atwater&lt;/a&gt;, $5,860,380&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a new water treatment plant and supply well.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-aurora_tcm1045-693676.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Aurora&lt;/a&gt;, $15,520,238&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a new filter and operations building, renovations to existing buildings and upgrades to electrical and mechanical systems.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-blue-earth_tcm1045-693675.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Blue Earth&lt;/a&gt;, $19,594,021&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Addition of a reverse-osmosis treatment system to allow the reduction of salt discharge from in-home water softeners, decreasing treatment facilities&apos; chloride concentration at the source.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-chisholm_tcm1045-696302.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Chisholm&lt;/a&gt;, $890,307&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Service line replacement of approximately 50 lead lines with copper lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-duluth_tcm1045-696303.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Duluth&lt;/a&gt;, $62,796,725&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Seven service line replacement projects replacing lead lines with copper lines in the Lincoln Park, Central Hillside and Fairmount neighborhoods, and along Chester Park Drive Alley, Raleigh Street and London Road.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Fairmont, $38,221,805&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Two projects, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-fairmont_tcm1045-693674.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;first&lt;/a&gt; to replace two 1.4-million-gallon ground storage reservoirs with two 2-million-gallon ground storage reservoirs to meet the increased needs of the community, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-fairmont-2025-06-24_tcm1045-696998.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;second&lt;/a&gt; to plan, design and construct Phase 1 improvements to Fairmont&apos;s existing wastewater facility to comply with phosphorus limits, and to upgrade an existing facility.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-hackensack_tcm1045-693673.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Hackensack&lt;/a&gt;, $962,662&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a watermain in conjunction with reconstruction of Highway 371.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-kiester_tcm1045-693672.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Kiester&lt;/a&gt;, $6,613,006&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Replacement of an existing watermain with 6-inch diameter watermains, replacement and installations of new gate valves and hydrants to meet current standards.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-lewiston_tcm1045-693671.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Lewiston&lt;/a&gt;, $10,214,700&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Conversion of existing batch reactors to extend aeration activation sludge. Also includes ion addition, SCADA system installations on lift stations and the replacement of portions of a sanitary sewer main.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-metropolitan-council_tcm1045-693670.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Metropolitan Council&lt;/a&gt;, $32,000,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Financing for wastewater capital projects.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/mpfa-minneapolis-2025-07-31-3-notices_tcm1045-700469.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minneapolis&lt;/a&gt;, $10,460,399&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Service line replacement of more than 1,000 lead lines with copper lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-morgan_tcm1045-696301.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Morgan&lt;/a&gt;, $181,950&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Service line replacement of 11 lead lines with copper lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Saint Cloud, $80,034&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Three service line replacement projects replacing lead lines with copper lines, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-saint-cloud_tcm1045-696299.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;first&lt;/a&gt; on Wilson Avenue, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-saint-cloud_tcm1045-696299.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;second&lt;/a&gt; on Germain Street and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-saint-cloud-2025-07-23_tcm1045-700432.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;third&lt;/a&gt; on University Drive SE and 8th Avenue SE.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/mpfa-stewart_tcm1045-700966.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Stewart&lt;/a&gt;, $4,637,276&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Two projects, the first for watermain looping, the second for sanitary sewer reconstruction.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pfa-underwood-2025-07-07_tcm1045-699119.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Underwood&lt;/a&gt;, $5,543,398&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a new water treatment plant.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/mpfa-wabasso_tcm1045-701946.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Wabasso&lt;/a&gt;, $1,661,350&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a new well and a new treatment plant to remove manganese.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>703125</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-26T15:53:19Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Three programs will support industry business development and workforce training.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED awards grants to support Minnesota’s legal cannabis industry</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED awards grants to support Minnesota’s legal cannabis industry</Title><title>2025-08-21 Cannabis ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-702706&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-08-21T16:30:42Z</Date><ShortDescription>Three programs will support industry business development and workforce training.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced $3.6 million in funding to help businesses enter Minnesota&apos;s new adult-use cannabis industry, and to train workers for jobs in the cannabis field.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Two of &lt;a href=&quot;/deed/business/cannabis/index.jsp&quot; title=&quot;Support for Cannabis Businesses&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; xlink:title=&quot;000 Support for Cannabis Businesses GEN&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s programs&lt;/a&gt; – CanNavigate and CanStartup – will provide technical assistance and increase access to capital for business owners looking to start and expand cannabis businesses in Minnesota. The third – CanTrain – provides grants to workforce training organizations to offer job training to Minnesotans looking to work in the cannabis industry. These programs are aligned to promote and ensure strategic ways for Minnesotans to enter the cannabis industry in a healthy and legal manner.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s three programs came out of the 2023 legislative session when lawmakers legalized adult-use cannabis in Minnesota. DEED is working closely with the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and other state agencies to support business owners seeking licenses to operate in Minnesota and to contribute to Minnesota&apos;s cannabis sector.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Legal adult-use cannabis is an exciting new industry for Minnesota businesses and workers, and DEED&apos;s job is to make sure they have an accessible on-ramp,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;.  &quot;We&apos;re committed to ensuring social equity in the cannabis industry, working alongside our regulatory partners securing market integrity, and supporting Minnesota&apos;s community-focused lenders and workforce development organizations around the state.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Program details and grantees are below. Grantees will set up their programs and begin serving customers in the months ahead, after finalizing contracts with DEED. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CanNavigate&lt;/strong&gt; provides grants to community-based entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) and organizations with cannabis regulatory experts to help individuals navigate the regulatory structure of operating a business in the legal cannabis industry. There is an emphasis on serving individuals whose social equity status has been verified and people facing barriers to employment. Grantees include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Association of Black Cannabis Professionals and Communities United Through Justice and Inclusion - $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Cannabis Institute - $234,601&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Consortium of Community Developers - $308,935&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CanStartup&lt;/strong&gt; provides grants to nonprofit lenders to fund loans for new cannabis microbusinesses. The program prioritizes social equity applicants and supports job creation in communities where long-term residents are eligible as social equity applicants. Grantees include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Propagate Community Development Corporation   - $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Seward Redesign, Inc. - $100,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;WomenVenture - $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CanTrain&lt;/strong&gt; provides grants to eligible organizations to create and implement workforce development programs to provide support, navigation services and training to individuals leading to a relevant career in the legal cannabis industry. Grantees include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minneapolis Community and Technical College - $403,530&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Training Partnerships - $126,116&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Cannabis College - $250,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Urban League Twin Cities - $320,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;White Earth Tribal and Community College - $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;OCM has &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/ocm/businesses/grants/?utm_medium=email&amp;amp;utm_source=govdelivery&quot;&gt;two grant programs&lt;/a&gt; that complement those from DEED: &lt;strong&gt;CanRenew&lt;/strong&gt;, which helps fund projects addressing a range of community needs, including economic development, public health, violence prevention, youth development and civil legal aid; and &lt;strong&gt;CanGrow&lt;/strong&gt;, which provides grants to eligible organizations to help farmers navigate the regulatory structure of the legal cannabis industry and to nonprofits to fund loans to farmers for expansion in the industry. The Office &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/ocm/media/news-releases/?id=1202-702578&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;announced grants for CanRenew&lt;/a&gt; on Thursday, August 21.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>702706</id><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-21T18:30:11Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota’s employment level, unemployment rate and labor force indicators show mild signs of slowing down in July.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Job Market, Labor Force Shift in July</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Job Market, Labor Force Shift in July</Title><title>2025-08-14 July Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-701757&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-08-14T14:36:13Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota’s employment level, unemployment rate and labor force indicators show mild signs of slowing down in July.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota&apos;s employment level, unemployment rate and labor force indicators show mild signs of slowing in July, reflecting national trends. But Minnesota&apos;s over-the-year job growth was stronger than the nation as a whole, according to new data from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota lost 4,400 jobs over-the-month in July, and the unemployment rate increased two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.5%. More than 1,700 Minnesotans left the labor force – and the labor force participation rate ticked down one-tenth of a percentage point to 68.1%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Despite these shifts, Minnesota experienced slightly faster job growth than U.S. employment over the year. Minnesota gained 35,275 jobs, or 1.2%, with the private sector growing by almost 29,200 jobs, or 1.1% – a bit faster than the U.S. as a whole (0.9% and 1.0%, respectively).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We may now be seeing results of mass federal layoffs and funding interruptions, erratic tariffs and shrinking immigration,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Even so, some of the favorable qualities about Minnesota&apos;s labor market remained consistent in July, with low unemployment, significant wage growth and high labor force participation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Average hourly wages for Minnesota private sector workers increased 99 cents to $40.09 in July over-the-month, while over-the-year average hourly earnings increased $2.44, up a notable 6.5%. For the U.S., private sector wages decreased 4 cents over the month and grew 3.8% over the year. The CPI inflation index for all urban consumers rose 2.7% over the year in July.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month, two supersectors added jobs, led by a gain in Education and Health Services (up 5,400 jobs, or 0.9%) and growth in Construction (up 1,200 jobs, or 0.9%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Eight supersectors lost jobs, including Government (down 3,500 jobs, or 1.2%); Professional &amp;amp; Business Services (down 2,300 jobs, or 0.6%); and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (down 2,100 jobs, or 0.4%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;There are some signs of the job market slowing down but Minnesota&apos;s economy is still stable,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Angelina Nguyen, DEED Labor Market Information Director&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Some of our key indicators trended down, such as labor force size and unemployment – but others are consistent with previous months, such as steady over-the-year job growth and very strong wage growth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Most of these trends are shared by the United States as a whole: the nation&apos;s unemployment rate is 4.2% and the labor force participation rate is 62.2%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/July%202025%20Employment%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-283140.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;further analysis of this month&apos;s data&lt;/a&gt;.. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>701757</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-19T14:37:27Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The State Drive for 5 program provides competitive grants to provide workforce training and job placement in five high growth industries.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $12 Million For Workforce Development</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $12 Million For Workforce Development</Title><title>2025-08-13 GO Drive for 5</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-701823&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-08-13T17:03:28Z</Date><ShortDescription>The State Drive for 5 program provides competitive grants to provide workforce training and job placement in five high growth industries.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced $12 million for workforce development for Minnesotans. The State Drive for 5 program provides competitive grants to provide workforce training and job placement in five high growth industries: caring professions, education, manufacturing, technology and the trades.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota depends on a skilled, trained, and educated workforce,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re equipping Minnesotans with the support they need to step into high-demand industries, helping employers fill critical positions, supporting families and communities, and keeping our state competitive.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Drive for 5 strategically targets occupational categories that are projected to be high-growth in the years ahead and that provide jobs with family-sustaining wages for workers,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re building on the program&apos;s initial successes to benefit even more Minnesotans who need training and assistance to join the labor force in high-demand fields and to support Minnesota&apos;s economy by preparing people for in-demand careers and meeting employers&apos; needs.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are excited about this initiative and encourage training program providers, industry associations, chambers of commerce and other business organizations to apply for this next round of Drive for 5 grant funding,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Drive for 5 initiative has been pivotal in transitioning Minnesotans into family-sustaining-wage careers that help lead to generational wealth.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED launched Drive for 5 in 2023 to expand access to workforce training in occupational groups where there is high demand for employees and a pathway to careers with family-sustaining wages. Drive for 5 is a unique approach to two of Minnesota&apos;s most challenging problems: employment disparities faced by Minnesotans and a labor force shortage in key fields.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Drive for 5 grant round announced today is comprised of two programs:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Industry Sector Training for partners that provide workforce development services, work-based learning opportunities, and job placement and retention. These programs prioritize transitioning participants from credentialed training to paid work-based learning opportunities, with the ultimate goal of securing employment or achieving career advancement within a related company or industry.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Job Placement Services for partners that ensure Drive for 5 – Industry Sector Training program graduates are connected with employers that are currently hiring or anticipate near future employment opportunities in the program&apos;s five targeted sectors.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded nearly $20 million in Drive for 5 grants during the previous biennium. So far, initial grantees have enrolled approximately 800 Minnesotans in training programs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Informational webinars&lt;/a&gt; for this grant round will take place on August 22.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>701823</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-13T20:52:54Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Awarded grant projects help increase local tax bases and support community growth.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $1.6 Million for Eight Contamination Cleanup and Investigation Projects </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $1.6 Million for Eight Contamination Cleanup and Investigation Projects </Title><title>2025-08-12 Contamination Cleanup</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-701620&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-08-12T15:22:13Z</Date><ShortDescription>Awarded grant projects help increase local tax bases and support community growth.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced more than $1.6 million in &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/cleanup/contamination.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grants&lt;/a&gt; to eight communities statewide.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The grant program helps awarded communities fund the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites for private redevelopment, covering up to 75% of the costs of removing contamination at approved polluted sites. Remaining costs are covered by cities and counties, other units of local government and private landowners and developers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This grant round will support the investigation or clean-up of more than 184 acres of contaminated land and is expected to create or retain 342 jobs, add almost $2.2 million to local tax bases and create 174 housing units, including 90 affordable units. The eight projects are expected to leverage more than $50 million in private investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Cleaning up contaminated sites helps attract private investments, increase local tax bases, support job growth, address housing needs and promote community growth and vitality,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;This grant program helps Minnesota communities explore and pursue ways to convert contaminated properties into functional sites for business or housing development.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its inception in 1993, DEED&apos;s Contamination Cleanup and Investigation Grant Program has awarded over $212 million in grants, which has helped assess and clean up 4,368 acres of land, contributing to the creation or retention of more than 52,000 jobs and clearing the way for 26,662 new housing units. The program has leveraged over $10.4 billion in private investments and added almost $160 million to local tax bases.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details on individual projects are below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Duluth Economic Development Authority – True North Goodwill Resource and Training Center&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded $444,620 in cleanup funding to the Duluth Economic Development Authority for an 8.81-acre site contaminated with lead, arsenic, benzo(a)pyrenes and high pH soils. Historically part of the Atlas Cement Plant, the site will be redeveloped into a 61,000-square-foot Goodwill resource and training center. The project is anticipated to create 63 new jobs and retain 46 jobs, increase the local tax base by $219,072 and leverage $23.4 million in private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer. DEED previously awarded a &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=675815&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$250,000 redevelopment grant&lt;/a&gt; for the project.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact – Amanda Anderson, City of Duluth economic developer, 218-730-5323&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Floodwood – Floodwood West Infrastructure and Housing Expansion Project&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded $50,000 in investigation funding to the City of Floodwood for a 127.25-acre site historically used for agricultural cropland and possibly vehicle maintenance. The city plans to redevelop the site into a mixed-use area that will include 30 rental units, 34 owner-occupied units, light industrial facilities and new public streets and utilities. The project is anticipated to create 14 new jobs and retain 14 jobs and increase the local tax base by $127,000. Matching funds will be paid by the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact – Cory Suonvieri, City of Floodwood deputy clerk, 218-476-2751&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Mankato – Mankato Supportive Housing&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded $115,554 in cleanup funding to the City of Mankato this 1.56-acre site (located off Hwy. 169 near the Mankato West Cub Foods), which is tainted with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically used for railroads and material storage, the site will be developed into a three-story, 40-unit permanent supportive housing building for individuals experiencing homelessness or people with disabilities. The project is anticipated to create seven jobs, increase the local tax base by $12,400 and leverage $1.5 million in private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact – Courtney Kramlinger, City of Mankato economic development specialist, 507-387-8711&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of St. Paul – The Beasley&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded $102,808 in cleanup funding to the City of St. Paul for this .30-acre site near the intersection of Selby Avenue and Dale Street, which is tainted with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically developed for residential and commercial uses, including a dry cleaner, retail and restaurants, the site will be redeveloped into a five-story mixed-use building with 20 residential units and 3,000 sq. ft. of retail space. The project is anticipated to create nine new jobs, increase the local tax base by $141,937 and leverage $6.5 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer and other grant sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact – Angela Riffe, City of St. Paul planning and economic development project manager, 651-266-8524&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;South St. Paul Economic Development Agency (EDA) – Wakota Crossing&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded $660,490 in cleanup funding to the South St. Paul EDA for this 36.47-acre site which is tainted with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically used as an un-permitted dump, a filling station and a wastewater treatment pond, the site will be redeveloped into three commercial/industrial buildings with two stormwater ponds. The project is anticipated to create 89 new jobs and retain 15 existing jobs, increase the local tax base by $87,926, and leverage $8.4 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer and other grant sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact – Ryan Garcia, South St. Paul city administrator, 651-554-3278&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Two Harbors – Former J&amp;amp;J Castings&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded $50,000 in investigation funding to the city of Two Harbors for this 8.4-acre former foundry site. Historically used for rail maintenance and manufacturing, the site is slated to be redeveloped into a 118-room hotel with restaurants and an event space. The project is anticipated to create 58 jobs and increase the tax base by $1,357,766. Matching funds will be provided by the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact – Patty Nordean, Two Harbors city administrator, 218-834-8806&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Virginia – Pohaki Expansion&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded $107,513 in cleanup funding to the city of Virginia for this 1-acre site, which is tainted with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically occupied by a filling station, an explosives company, a railroad corridor and a retail lumberyard, the current Pohaki lumberyard business will add a 15,000 square-foot, two-story addition to its existing retail space, and an 8,500 square-foot warehouse. The project is anticipated to create 13 jobs, retain 13 jobs, increase the tax base by $112,258 and leverage over $3 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact – Jenny Bourbonais, City of Virginia community development planner, 218-749-3562&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Wabasha – Alleghany Apartments&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded $91,672 in cleanup funding to the City of Wabasha for this .54-acre site, which is tainted with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically occupied by an auto repair shop, a gas station and a machine shop, the site will be redeveloped into a three-story, 50-unit affordable apartment building with underground and surface parking. The project is anticipated to create one job, increase the local tax base by $135,767, and leverage $7.1 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the Wabasha Port Authority and tax increment financing. DEED previously awarded &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/649313&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;redevelopment&lt;/a&gt; and cleanup investigation grants for this project.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact – Caroline Gregerson, Wabasha city administrator, 651-560-4860&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>701620</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-18T17:14:33Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED and the Federal Reserve release their annual Business Services Firms survey.</Description><Audience/><Title>Businesses Report Cautious Optimism, but Higher Costs, for Year Ahead</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Businesses Report Cautious Optimism, but Higher Costs, for Year Ahead</Title><title>2025-08-04 Biz Conditions Survey</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-700630&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-08-04T16:56:59Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED and the Federal Reserve release their annual Business Services Firms survey.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Business services firms in Minnesota expect modestly improving outcomes in the year ahead, but they are concerned about inflation and its impact on consumer spending, according to a survey conducted by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;More than three-quarters of respondents to the survey say they expect revenue, productivity, employment and labor availability to either increase or stay the same over the next 12 months. Most respondents reported improvements or unchanged conditions in those same categories over the preceding 12 months.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;At the same time, most respondents expect higher business costs in the year ahead, and one-third project higher selling prices – leading most to say consumer spending will soften and inflation will worsen.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This survey reflects the unusual state of our economy: business services firms are modestly optimistic about their industries but federal policies, like unpredictable and ever-changing tariffs, that influence costs are causing disruption and uncertainty,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Coming out of the 2025 Legislative session, DEED is investing in business expansion and workforce development so Minnesota companies can continue to thrive here, despite this tumultuous backdrop.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This survey provides us with insights on crucial aspects of the economy like employment and inflation,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Joe Mahon, regional outreach director for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;This information is especially valuable in times of heightened uncertainty.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Business Services Industry Conditions Survey measures the opinions of Minnesota business services firms about their own operations, as well as the state of the economy overall. Accounting firms, computer consultants, advertising and public relations agencies and other types of service companies support the activities of other businesses, and their performance is an indicator of overall business conditions and trends across industries and throughout the state. This year&apos;s survey included responses from 160 businesses.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis have conducted this survey annually since 2006. A detailed report of &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/biz-services-industry-conditions/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the 2025 Survey of Minnesota Business Services Firms&lt;/a&gt; is available on the DEED website.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>700630</id><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-04T17:00:01Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The state sees strong over-the-year growth despite the unchanged month.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Job Market, Labor Force Maintain High Levels in June</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Job Market, Labor Force Maintain High Levels in June</Title><title>2025-07-17 June Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-697394&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-07-17T13:31:32Z</Date><ShortDescription>The state sees strong over-the-year growth despite the unchanged month.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>July 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota&apos;s employment level, unemployment rate and labor force were stable in June, with metrics unchanged over the month, according to new data from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota lost 800 jobs in June, effectively flat, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.3%. More than 2,100 Minnesotans joined the labor force – continuing the state&apos;s strong streak of labor force gains in 10 out of the last 12 months – and the labor force participation rate was also unchanged at 68.2%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Both figures continue to compare favorably to the United States as a whole: the nation&apos;s unemployment rate is 4.1% and the labor force participation rate is 62.3%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Despite the flat month, Minnesota experienced above-average job growth over the year. Minnesota added more than 48,500 jobs, or 1.6%, with the private sector growing by almost 35,000 jobs, or 1.3%, faster growth than the U.S. as a whole (1.1% and 1.0%, respectively).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s labor market is in a favorable spot, with low unemployment and a growing labor force,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Despite the disruptions we&apos;re seeing nationally, Minnesota employers continue to hire and workers are entering the labor force looking for jobs.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month, five supersectors added jobs, led by a big gain in Construction (up 2,200 jobs, or 1.6%) and growth in Trade, Transportation &amp;amp; Utilities (up 1,700 jobs, or 0.3%), and Information (up 200 jobs, or 0.5%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Five supersectors lost jobs, including Manufacturing (down 1,700 jobs, or 0.5%), Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality (down 1,300 jobs, or 0.5%) and Other Services (down 800 jobs, or 0.7%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Government added 1,500 jobs, but that growth occurred entirely at the local level – both the state (down 200 jobs) and federal governments (down 100 jobs) lost jobs in June.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This is a very stable, steady and good report&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Angelina Nguyen, DEED Labor Market Information director&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Many of our key indicators remained the same or continued to show improvement.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/June%202025%20Employment%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-283140.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;further analysis of this month&apos;s data&lt;/a&gt;. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>697394</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-07-17T14:31:16Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Walz Announces $33 Million For Small Businesses.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $33 Million For Small Businesses</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $33 Million For Small Businesses</Title><title>2025-07-15 GO SSBCI</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-697254&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-07-15T17:03:28Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Walz Announces $33 Million For Small Businesses.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>July 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[St. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced $33 million for 225 new and developing small businesses. The Governor was joined by small business owners representing manufacturing, health care, hospitality, and clean technology who have been able to start or expand their businesses thanks to partnership with the state through the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Growing up in a small town, I saw how small businesses can make main streets come alive,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Small businesses are job creators that fuel innovation and strengthen our communities. Making Minnesota the best state to live means it&apos;s a place where entrepreneurs can put their ideas into action to support a diverse and thriving economy. With this funding, we&apos;ll partner with hundreds of new small businesses to ensure they have the funding they need to get started.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This funding is part of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/ssbci/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)&lt;/a&gt;. This is the second of three rounds of funding totaling $97 million.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;To date, DEED has deployed $29.5 million of SSBCI funding to help 160 small businesses in 44 cities open, innovate, and expand. The new funding is expected to reach 225 new and developing businesses.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;DEED is pleased to work with the Department of the Treasury once again to support small businesses in our communities,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;99.7% of businesses in Minnesota are small businesses. They manufacture essential goods and make new breakthroughs in tech. They line our main streets and anchor our neighborhoods. Small business drives Minnesota&apos;s economy in every corner of our state and with this initiative, we are continuing to invest in the small businesses that call Minnesota home.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The $33.3 million will fund six existing SSBCI programs:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Automation Loan Participation Program.&lt;/strong&gt; Low-interest loans of up to $500,000 available to manufacturing, distribution, technology, and warehousing businesses.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Growth Loan Fund.&lt;/strong&gt; Low-interest loans of up to $400,000 available to early-stage businesses that are engaged in technological innovation in Minnesota that seek to raise equity investments.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Loan Guarantee Program.&lt;/strong&gt; Guarantees up to $800,000 on loans enrolled by approved lenders.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Small Business Loan Participation Program.&lt;/strong&gt; DEED purchases $10,000 to $250,000 participations in loans made by approved non-depository Community Development Financial Institutions and nonprofit lenders.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED is partnering with the University of Minnesota on two venture capital funds:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Direct Investment Venture Capital.&lt;/strong&gt; Venture capital investments for seed-stage and early-stage startups.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Multi-Fund Venture Capital.&lt;/strong&gt; Fund-level venture capital investments targeting advanced manufacturing, agtech/foodtech, climate tech, life sciences, software, and technology startups.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the State to support Minnesota&apos;s economy and innovative thinkers,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Gregg Goldman, University of Minnesota executive vice president for finance and operations. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;It&apos;s an honor to demonstrate the University of Minnesota&apos;s breadth of knowledge in early-stage businesses and technology to serve Minnesotans, and we look forward to seeing local businesses grow with this second phase of investments.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Hoyo is a small business built on sharing traditional, authentic Somali cuisine,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Ghita Worcester, CEO of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.hoyosambusa.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Hoyo Sambusa&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Participating in the Automation Loan Participation Program allowed our small team to expand production and focus on sharing a piece of our culture with the Twin Cities while creating jobs that provide for families in our community.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Interested businesses can learn more about these programs, and find out how to connect with a ending partner, on &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/ssbci/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s SSBCI page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;About the State Small Business Credit Initiative&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;SSBCI was part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 and included $10 billion for state, territory and tribal business finance programs. This is the second SSBCI initiative – Minnesota received and distributed $15 million through the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;More information about SSBCI, visit the &lt;a href=&quot;https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/small-business-programs/state-small-business-credit-initiative-ssbci&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Treasury&apos;s SSBCI page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>697254</id><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>small businesses</Title><Id>230110</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-11T15:27:53Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Applications for Minnesota businesses to join the delegation are now open. </Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz to Lead November Trade Mission to Switzerland and Germany</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz to Lead November Trade Mission to Switzerland and Germany</Title><title>2025-07-03 GO Trade Mission</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-696257&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-07-03T20:08:27Z</Date><ShortDescription>Applications for Minnesota businesses to join the delegation are now open. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>July 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced he will lead a trade mission to Switzerland and Germany in November of 2025.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The delegation will travel to major business centers Zürich, Düsseldorf, and Berlin. The mission will focus on growing the state&apos;s exports of goods and services, showcasing Minnesota as a top destination for business investment, developing new partnership opportunities, and strengthening existing trade and diplomatic ties.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Amid global disruptions caused by trade wars, Minnesota is doing all we can to strengthen the trade and investment relationships that create and protect jobs at home,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;As some of the largest and most innovative economies in the world, Germany and Switzerland both offer excellent opportunities for Minnesota businesses to expand their exports. I look forward to strengthening our relationships in technology, agriculture, and education.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Governor Walz will lead a delegation of representatives from businesses and organizations within Minnesota&apos;s medical technology, cleantech, food and agriculture, and higher education sectors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Given the current political climate surrounding international trade, now is a great time to showcase Minnesota as a trustworthy business partner,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Switzerland and Germany are two large export destinations for Minnesota goods, and I look forward to promoting our state as a good investment and place to do business.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Germany and Switzerland value high quality agricultural products and we see great opportunity for Minnesota&apos;s farmers in these markets,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We look forward to highlighting our thriving food and ag sectors, fostering relationships with the Germans and Swiss, and expanding markets throughout the European Union.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;While in Düsseldorf, the delegation will attend MEDICA, a medical technology and health care trade fair. The MTO MEDICA booth showcases Minnesota and Minnesota-based companies to thousands of businesses and innovators from 165 nations.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In 2024, Germany was Minnesota&apos;s eighth largest export market for goods, valued at $649 million. Germany is the third largest economy in the world after the United States and China, and the largest economy in Europe. The volume of trade, number of consumers, and Germany&apos;s geographic location at the center of the European Union make it a cornerstone around which many U.S. firms seek to build their European and worldwide expansion strategies. The German market continues to be attractive in numerous U.S. export sectors, including medtech, cleantech, agriculture, and higher education.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Switzerland is Minnesota&apos;s 22nd largest export destination with exports valued at $232 million in 2024. The Swiss market is sophisticated, highly automated, quality-conscious, and competitive with a world-class infrastructure and a business-friendly legal and regulatory environment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Switzerland serves as an excellent test market for a range of goods and services and is strategically placed as a gateway to European markets. Switzerland is one of the world&apos;s top countries for research and development, with further potential for partnerships in areas like biotech, medtech, nanotech, cleantech, and renewable energy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Trade Office at the Department of Employment and Economic Development is organizing the trade mission. &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/exporting/about/mission.jsp&quot; title=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/exporting/about/mission.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Applications to join&lt;/a&gt; the business delegation must be submitted by &lt;strong&gt;Friday, August 15, 2025&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>696257</id><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>trade mission</Title><Id>230112</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-07-10T16:45:51Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>North Branch, Sartell and Willmar awarded funds from DEED’s BDPI program.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards Infrastructure Grants to Three Cities, Supporting 1,000 Jobs</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards Infrastructure Grants to Three Cities, Supporting 1,000 Jobs</Title><title>2025-06-26 BDPI</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-694560&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-06-26T14:13:34Z</Date><ShortDescription>North Branch, Sartell and Willmar awarded funds from DEED’s BDPI program.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded more than $5 million in grants to three infrastructure projects in Greater Minnesota. The funding, from DEED&apos;s Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program (BDPI), is expected to create or retain 1,006 jobs in North Branch, Sartell and Willmar and leverage $221 million in private investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Under the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/business-funding/infrastructure/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;BDPI grant program&lt;/a&gt;, which supports communities outside of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, DEED awards 50% of eligible capital costs for qualifying public infrastructure projects such as streets, wastewater collection and treatment, drinking water, storm sewers and more.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Public infrastructure grants help Greater Minnesota grow and thrive,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;These grants help encourage economic development, add and retain jobs and support community vitality.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The following towns received funding:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;North Branch - $1,050,860&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of North Branch $1,050,860 to support street and utility construction in the city&apos;s 200-acre, multi-phased Interstate Business Park. The project will immediately provide infrastructure for two businesses: LEI Packaging, which currently has 15 full-time jobs in Chisago City and is building a new, larger $5 million facility in North Branch, with plans to add 25 to 50 more workers in the next five years; and Stepp Manufacturing, currently headquartered in a different North Branch location with 71 full-time employees, with plans to invest $9.5 million in a new facility and add 25 to 50 employees in the next five years. The Interstate Business Park project will also prepare an additional 30 acres for future development. Officials estimate the project will attract $30 million in private investments and create or retain 186 jobs in five years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Sartell - $2 million&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Sartell $2 million to support street and utility construction for Niron Magnetics, which intends to break ground this year on a $38 million, 190,000-square-foot building and create 175 full-time manufacturing jobs. The company anticipates investing an additional $62 million in future expansion on the site, creating an additional 425 full-time jobs. The total cost of the public infrastructure project is $4,394,000.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Willmar - $2 million&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Willmar $2 million to assist with street and utilities construction to expand the city&apos;s industrial park and provide access to a new private rail park. The proposed public infrastructure will benefit current businesses and create 250 acres for future development. Officials estimate the project will attract $91 million in private investments and create or retain 220 jobs in five years. The total cost of the public infrastructure project is $4,492,660.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>694560</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-06-26T15:57:46Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The state added jobs at a faster rate than the U.S.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Added Jobs, Increased Labor Force in May</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Added Jobs, Increased Labor Force in May</Title><title>2025-06-20 May Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-694136&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-06-20T13:27:59Z</Date><ShortDescription>The state added jobs at a faster rate than the U.S.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota saw another strong month of job and labor force growth in May, according to new data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota added 6,600 jobs in May, double the rate of the nation as a whole (0.2% versus 0.1%). Minnesota&apos;s labor force grew by 2,236 people, continuing the labor market&apos;s recent record of strong growth – Minnesota has added people to labor force 10 out of the last 12 months.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.3%, compared to 4.2% nationally. The labor force participation rate was flat at 68.2%, compared to 62.4% nationally.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;May was another good month for Minnesota&apos;s job market, with employment growth much stronger than the nation as a whole,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;We&apos;re grateful to the Governor and Legislature for adopting a new budget that will enable us to drive continued progress, with new flexibility for the Minnesota Forward Fund, the continuation of our Drive for 5 campaign to provide workforce training in high-demand fields and new funding to support Minnesota&apos;s public service workforce.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month, six supersectors added jobs, with particularly strong growth in Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality (up 2,100 jobs, or 0.8%), Education &amp;amp; Health Services (up 3,800 jobs, or 0.6%) and Trade, Transportation &amp;amp; Utilities (up 2,500 jobs, or 0.5%). Mining &amp;amp; Logging (down 200 jobs, or 3.0%), Construction (down 1,100 jobs, or 0.8%), and the Other Services supersector (down 1,000 jobs, or 0.8%) led job losses.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Government employment was up 400 jobs over the month, but those gains were confined to state and local hiring. Overall, federal employers in Minnesota shed 400 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota gained jobs faster than the U.S. as a whole, both overall and in the private sector. The state added 40,192 payroll jobs, up 1.3% compared to 1.1% nationally. The private sector added 32,356 jobs, up 1.2% over the year, compared to 1.1%. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Overall, May was a good month for Minnesota&apos;s steadily growing job market,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyen&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We are pleased to see growth faster than the national average this month as we continue adding workers and jobs.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and further analysis of this month&apos;s data and a &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/2025313%20Benchmark%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-672283.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;breakdown of the 2024 revisions&lt;/a&gt;. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>694136</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-07-22T18:22:16Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota exports of goods declined to $6.3 billion in the first quarter 2025, slipping 6% compared to the first quarter of 2024.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Exports Declined 6% to $6.3 Billion in First Quarter</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Exports Declined 6% to $6.3 Billion in First Quarter</Title><title>2025-06-13 Exports</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-693311&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-06-13T13:31:18Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota exports of goods declined to $6.3 billion in the first quarter 2025, slipping 6% compared to the first quarter of 2024.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul, MN&lt;/strong&gt; - Minnesota exports of goods declined to $6.3 billion in the first quarter 2025, slipping 6% compared to the first quarter of 2024, according to data released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). While overall U.S. exports grew a modest 3% during this period, Minnesota was among 20 states nationwide – and eight of the 12 Midwest states – that saw declines or near zero growth in exports.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;On-again, off-again tariffs issued unilaterally by the Trump Administration continue to cause significant uncertainty and concern for Minnesota companies in planning their business strategies, including importing and exporting. This quarter, Minnesota saw exports fall to Canada and Mexico, illustrating the risks posed to our state if the federal government wages a trade fight with our two biggest trading partners,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;We are closely tracking these developments and working with our business community to attempt to manage the impact of tariffs and potential countermeasures from our trading partners.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Category performance&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Global sales for eight of Minnesota&apos;s top 10 exported products fell in the first quarter, led by vehicles (down 25%), cereals (down 63%, including corn and wheat) and optic, medical goods (down 5%). However, strong performances by mineral fuels, oils (up 4%) and plastics (up 4%), as well as dairy, eggs, honey (up 85%, driven by eggs) and oil seeds, misc. grain (up 36%, driven by soybeans), helped support the state&apos;s exports.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Geographic performance&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;North American exports dropped ($2.8 billion, down 7%), as sales slumped to Minnesota&apos;s top two export markets, Canada (down 3%) and Mexico (down 16%). Increased demand for Minnesota goods in the Middle East (up 12%) and in European markets outside the EU (up 17%) partially offset overall sharp declines in demand from Asia, the EU markets overall (down 5%) and Australia (down 31%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Amid the ongoing changes in federal economic policies and foreign countermeasures, we want to assure Minnesota companies and our global trade partners that Minnesota is open for business,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) Executive Director Gabrielle Gerbaud&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;MTO continues to focus on pursuing international growth opportunities and helping Minnesota companies expand their reach and make new connections in foreign markets.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The full first quarter 2025 report is available on DEED&apos;s website in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/export-stats/current-past/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Export and Trade Statistics section.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>693311</id><Tag><Description/><Title>exports</Title><Id>230103</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-06-30T16:45:47Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>New initiative establishes a career pipeline for Minnesotans entering careers in agriculture.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $2.4 Million for Agriculture-Focused Workforce Training</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $2.4 Million for Agriculture-Focused Workforce Training</Title><title>2025-06-08 GO Ag Workers</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-692736&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-06-06T17:25:21Z</Date><ShortDescription>New initiative establishes a career pipeline for Minnesotans entering careers in agriculture.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] - Governor Tim Walz today announced a new $2.4 million initiative to develop and implement agriculture-focused workforce training programs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Farmers drive our economy, contribute to a nation-leading industry, and most importantly, provide the food and raw materials that the rest of the world depend on,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We should be supporting, training, and encouraging the next generation of farmers. Training programs like this one are an effective way to help people overcome barriers to gaining the skills and knowledge they&apos;ll need to enter one of the growing career areas in agriculture.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;DEED is proud to help establish career pipelines for people looking for family-sustaining wages in agricultural work,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s agricultural producers are facing historic uncertainty as they navigate federal changes to tariffs policies. Programs like this one help provide stable opportunities that can lead to full-time employment for workers and long-term growth for Minnesota&apos;s economy.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The new Growing Careers Program will award grants up to $500,000 for partners to develop training programs that will help more Minnesotans enter agriculture careers, especially dislocated workers, including those with low-income or who need assistance with basic skill development. It aims to increase the number of new and emerging farmers and farm businesses, creating a pipeline of well-trained workers to meet the needs of employers and increase the number of new entrants into agricultural sector pathways.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;This program supports DEED&apos;s longstanding goal to connect more people to family-sustainable careers,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development Marc Majors. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;It adds to our efforts to provide high-quality skills training for Minnesotans to pursue family-sustaining wages in all sectors and develop workforces for sectors that are projected for high growth in the coming years.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Agricultural workers are the backbone of our economy; they produce the food, fuel, and fiber we rely on every day,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;This training program will help Minnesota continue to be an agriculture powerhouse by supporting a new generation of workers on and near the farm.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Agriculture-related careers are increasingly in demand in Minnesota, including the new legal cannabis sector. According to DEED&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/oid/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Occupations in Demand tool&lt;/a&gt;, demand for many farming-related careers is projected to grow at an above-average rate over the next 10 years, including:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians, up 14%&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Industrial Truck and Tractor Drivers, up 5.8%&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Supervisors of Farming, Fishing and Forestry Workers, up 4.5%&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Growing Careers Program will fund efforts that focus on agricultural worker on-the-job training, career navigation and worker support services, and paid work experience. The new program is funded by a grant from the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;More information on the Growing Careers Request for Proposal and the upcoming webinar can be found on &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>692736</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-06-30T16:16:43Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Thirteen cities statewide received funding for 15 projects.</Description><Audience/><Title>Public Facilities Authority Announces $44.2 Million in Awards</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Public Facilities Authority Announces $44.2 Million in Awards</Title><title>2025-05-22 PFA</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-685749&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-05-22T14:33:49Z</Date><ShortDescription>Thirteen cities statewide received funding for 15 projects.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul, MN&lt;/strong&gt; – The Minnesota Public Facility Authority (MPFA) today announced more than $44.2 million in loans and grants to 15 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects throughout the state.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The MPFA helps cities replace aging infrastructure and make system improvements to protect public health and improve water quality. Since its inception in 1987, the MPFA has provided $6.9 billion for public infrastructure programs statewide.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;MPFA funding has profound impact on our communities, improving not only our economy but our environment, as well,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner and MPFA Chair Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;By prioritizing clean and accessible drinking water, we are working to ensure the wellbeing of our communities for years to come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Our goal at the MPFA is to provide financing and technical assistance for communities that might not have access to it otherwise, leading to economic growth and prosperity and continued achievement of high standards for clean water and safe drinking water,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;MPFA Executive Director Steve Walter&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Providing capital to guarantee secure infrastructure is one way we continue to make those goals a reality.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The MPFA administers and oversees the financial management of revolving loan funds and other programs that help local units of government build facilities for clean water, drinking water and transportation infrastructure projects. Funding for these projects primarily comes from the MPFA&apos;s Clean Water Revolving Fund (CWRF) and the Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF). The CWRF helps communities build or upgrade wastewater treatment plants to comply with discharge standards in the federal Clean Water Act, and the DWRF helps communities build drinking water storage, treatment and distribution systems that comply with standards in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Projects can also receive funding from MPFA&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/point-source-grants.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Point Source Implementation Grant program&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/wastewater.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Water Infrastructure Fund&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/smallcommunitywastewatertreatmentprogram.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Small Community Wastewater Treatment Program&lt;/a&gt;. In some cases, funding can be provided by specials state appropriations, the USDA Office of Rural Development and local sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Projects and MPFA funding amounts are listed below. Funding details for each project are available on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/about/awards.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;MPFA website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/aitkin-01-27-25_tcm1045-667732.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Aitkin&lt;/a&gt;, $2,348,190&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Replacement of an undersized and aged water tower to provide adequate water delivery for the region.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/03-31-appleton_tcm1045-681592.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Appleton&lt;/a&gt;, $3,543,680&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Funding for two projects: one to rehabilitate a sanitary sewer and the other to replace the watermain on Schlieman Avenue.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/02-04-crosby_tcm1045-677768.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Crosby&lt;/a&gt;, $3,539,610&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Funding for two projects: one to replace the sewer main and the other to replace the watermain between Main Street and 2nd Street Southwest; and 3rd Avenue Southwest and 3rd Avenue Southeast.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/detroit-lakes-01-07-25_tcm1045-667733.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Detroit Lakes&lt;/a&gt;, $9,883,495&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a new 1.5-million-gallon water tower and removal of existing tower.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/03-31-eveleth_tcm1045-681589.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Eveleth&lt;/a&gt;, $694,679&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Installation of a watermain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/03-03-henning_tcm1045-677764.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Henning&lt;/a&gt;, $7,287,909&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Improvements to the Henning water treatment facility.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/02-05-kandiyohi-county_tcm1045-677767.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Kandiyohi County&lt;/a&gt;, $47,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Evaluation of wastewater alternatives for the South/Southwest areas on Big Kandiyohi Lake.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/02-10-mazeppa_tcm1045-677766.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Mazeppa&lt;/a&gt;, $5,000,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Installation of a new wastewater treatment system with a new lift station, pre-treatment facilities and aeration, disinfection and bio-solids processing and storage facilities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/03-17-roscoe_tcm1045-677762.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Roscoe&lt;/a&gt;, $60,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Evaluation of wastewater alternatives for the city&apos;s large subsurface sewage treatment system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/03-03-silver-lake_tcm1045-677763.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Silver Lake&lt;/a&gt;, $3,114,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Improvements to the collection system and pond control structure, and construction of a new lift station.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/03-26-saint-paul_tcm1045-677761.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;St. Paul&lt;/a&gt;, $568,334&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Removal of accumulated sediments and improvement of maintenance access and hydraulic and water quality performance at the Flandrau-Case stormwater pond, including expansion of the basin&apos;s permanent and flood storage volume.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/02-24-tower_tcm1045-677765.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Tower&lt;/a&gt;, $6,055,636&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Upgrades to a treatment plant, seal four wells and rehabilitate or demolish pump houses.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/03-27-winsted_tcm1045-681590.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Winsted&lt;/a&gt;, $2,085,408&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Installation of a new well.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>685749</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-06-09T20:03:52Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota lost a small number of jobs in April, and the state’s unemployment rate increased slightly as more people joined the labor force.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Jobs Picture Changes Little in April</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Jobs Picture Changes Little in April</Title><title>2025-05-15 April Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-683986&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-05-15T13:38:25Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota lost a small number of jobs in April, and the state’s unemployment rate increased slightly as more people joined the labor force.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota lost a small number of jobs in April, and the state&apos;s unemployment rate increased slightly as more people joined the labor force, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In April, Minnesota lost 1,300 jobs, effectively flat over the month, with the unemployment rate rising one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.2%, compared to 4.2% nationally. Nearly 3,300 people joined the labor force, continuing a trend of steady growth. The state&apos;s labor force participation rate is 68.2%, compared to 62.6% nationally.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Overall, Minnesota&apos;s jobs market continued to show strength in April, with a favorable unemployment rate and an active and growing labor force,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;We continue to compare well to the U.S. as a whole, even as our economy has been unsettled by unpredictable policy changes from the federal government.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Six supersectors added jobs in April, led by Trade, Transportation and Utilities (up 1,600 jobs, or 0.3%) and Leisure and Hospitality (up 1,600 jobs, or 0.6%). Five supersectors lost jobs in April, with larger declines in Education and Health Services (down 2,400 jobs, or 0.4%) and Professional &amp;amp; Business Services (down 2,000 jobs, down 0.5%). Government employers lost 500 jobs in April, with federal employment falling by 200 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Mass layoff announcements from the federal government or other employers are not reflected in this data because a job decline will not appear until employees are actually off payroll. If a mass layoff is planned but workers are still on payroll, that is not included here.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota has added 35,480 payroll jobs, 1.2% growth that matches the national rate. The private sector gained 26,477 jobs, up 1.0% and slightly slower than the national average.
&lt;br /&gt;
Minnesota wage growth was impressive in April, increasing by 5.6% over the year, more than double the rate of inflation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s labor market is staying steady,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Angelina Nguyen, DEED Labor Market Information Director&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We still see a low and ideal unemployment rate as well as healthy labor force participation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/April%202025%20Employment%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-283140.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;further analysis of this month&apos;s data&lt;/a&gt; and a &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/2025313%20Benchmark%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-672283.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;breakdown of the 2024 revisions&lt;/a&gt;. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://careerforce.mn.gov&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>683986</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-06-03T15:57:20Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Business development funding this year will help create or retain 4,750 jobs and leverage over $1 billion in private investment.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Record Number of Jobs Created from Public-Private Partnerships</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Record Number of Jobs Created from Public-Private Partnerships</Title><title>2025-05-08 GO JCF-MIF</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-683303&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-05-08T13:52:46Z</Date><ShortDescription>Business development funding this year will help create or retain 4,750 jobs and leverage over $1 billion in private investment.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz today announced that state business development programs have helped create or retain a record 4,750 jobs in Minnesota this fiscal year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since July 1, 2024, the Department of Employment and Economic Development&apos;s (DEED) Job Creation Fund and Minnesota Investment Fund have supported 23 business expansions that will collectively create or retain nearly 4,750 jobs – the most since the programs&apos; inception in 2004. The two programs have provided $35 million in funding, leveraging nearly $1.2 billion in outside business investment this fiscal year. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota has shown the country that we&apos;re not just one of the best states to start a business – we&apos;re proving to be one of the best states to grow one too,&quot; &lt;/strong&gt;said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re proud to support the growth and expansion of strong businesses that are tackling some of our world&apos;s greatest challenges, while creating thousands of good-paying jobs for Minnesota families.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Setting a new record for DEED-assisted business expansions says a lot about Minnesota&apos;s healthy business environment,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota is a global leader in advanced manufacturing, health care, innovative discovery and so much more, and we&apos;re excited to work with more businesses helping us stay on that cutting edge.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mn-jcf/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Job Creation Fund&lt;/a&gt; (JCF) provides financing to new and expanding businesses that meet certain job creation and capital investment targets. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mif/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Investment Fund&lt;/a&gt; (MIF) provides loans for capital equipment to help businesses add new workers and retain high-quality jobs, with a focus on industrial, manufacturing, and technology-related industries.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;These programs – along with the Minnesota Forward Fund, which provides funding to support large-scale business expansions – form the core of DEED&apos;s business financing operations. Last fiscal year, the three programs leveraged nearly $1.5 billion in outside investment for business expansions around Minnesota, creating or retaining 3,500 new jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Today, DEED is announcing $3.7 million in JCF or MIF funding for three business expansion projects, which are expected to create 337 jobs and leverage around $56 million in outside investment. The following projects received funding: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;ALTER TECHNOLOGY US, Plymouth – JCF $175,000, MIF $100,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;ALTER TECHNOLOGY US provides back-end related semiconductor services as well as radiation engineering and test services with a focus on high reliability products that serve the aerospace, medical equipment, non-classified defense, and industrial markets. ALTER TECHNOLOGY US will invest initially $4.5 million to set up a semiconductor testing facility in Plymouth. The project is expected to create 15 jobs within the first three years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Beckman Coulter Inc., Chaska – JCF $1,740,000, MIF $1,250,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;A global leader in advanced diagnostics, Beckman Coulter Diagnostics solutions are used in complex clinical testing, and are found in hospitals, reference laboratories, and physician office settings around the globe. Every hour around the world, more than one million patient samples are tested on Beckman Coulter Diagnostics systems benefiting 1.2 billion patients and over three million clinicians each year. The company will invest an estimated $50 million in expanding their clinical diagnostics manufacturing at their current Chaska location. The total project is expected to create 300 jobs.    &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Cytotheryx, Inc., Rochester – JCF $140,000, MIF $325,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Cytotheryx, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing cell-based therapies for acute, chronic, and rare forms of liver disease, enabled by their proprietary bio-incubator that propagates functional cells of the liver. With a total cost of nearly $1.4 million, the proposed project will renovate an existing 18,000-square-foot facility in Rochester. The project is expected to create 22 jobs in the first three years. &lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>683303</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:47:54Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The graduates went through a multi-month, two-part training program that prepared them for family-sustaining wages in energy-related and construction trades careers. </Description><Audience/><Title>DEED, Xcel Energy and Partners Celebrate Graduation of Energy and Construction Trades Students</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED, Xcel Energy and Partners Celebrate Graduation of Energy and Construction Trades Students</Title><title>2025-05-02 Power Up</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-682740&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-05-02T14:58:29Z</Date><ShortDescription>The graduates went through a multi-month, two-part training program that prepared them for family-sustaining wages in energy-related and construction trades careers. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Today, 71 Minnesotans graduated from the second cohort of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/adult-career-pathways/grants/xcel-powerup/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Xcel Energy Power Up Program&lt;/a&gt;, a public-private partnership with the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and community-based organizations to provide training for energy- or construction-related jobs or union apprenticeships.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The graduates went through a multi-month, two-part training program that prepared them for family-sustaining wages in energy-related and construction trades careers. Xcel Energy&apos;s $4 million investment covered case management, training, support services, tools, work boots and union apprenticeship entrance fees for program participants.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Building Strong Communities provided the pre-apprenticeship training, with supportive and other services provided by Avivo, Career Solutions, Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services, Inc., EMERGE Community Development, Native Sun Community Power Development and Summit Academy OIC. Over two years, a total of 132 Minnesotans completed the Power Up program.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The Power Up Program shows how the right training prepares people to begin work on a strong career path right away. Public-private partnerships are a time-tested way to ensure we are preparing people with the right skills for in-demand jobs,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We are proud to have partnered with Xcel Energy and Minnesota training providers to make this program a success.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Our support for the Power Up program has helped bolster Minnesota&apos;s skilled workforce building the infrastructure we need to deliver safe, reliable and resilient energy to power the state&apos;s economic future,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Xcel Energy Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Patricia Correa.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Power Up has been an opportunity to broaden participation in our energy future, a goal we share with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, DEED and other stakeholders. We&apos;ve delivered energy to customers here for more than 100 years. We live and work in our communities, and we want to see them thrive.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;I&apos;m proud to put on my work boots every day, take on a new set of challenges and help build America,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Nicole Manderscheid&lt;/strong&gt;, who was one of 61 Power Up students who graduated last May. Nicole started work as an Ironworkers Local #512 union apprentice last summer and is now helping to build the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/614051&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;new Meta data center in Rosemount&lt;/a&gt;. &quot;The Power Up Program was a good experience. It helped me embark on a new career.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The 71 Power Up program participants are among 111 students who graduated from Building Strong Communities&apos; workforce training programs on Friday.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This graduating class—the largest in Building Strong Communities&apos; history—is a testament to what&apos;s possible when we invest in people and partnerships,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Executive Director of Building Strong Communities Rick Martagon&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;With 111 graduates, including many supported through the Power Up Program, we&apos;re helping Minnesotans take the first step toward lifelong careers in the union trades and energy sector. These are the builders of tomorrow&apos;s Minnesota — equipped with the skills, training and confidence to succeed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Building Strong Communities provided apprenticeship preparatory training for the Xcel Energy Power Up Program and is working to place students into registered apprenticeships in construction trades. The other six community-based organizations played a vital role in recruitment, workforce readiness and student support services. Today&apos;s graduation ceremony took place at North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park, which also provided some of the training for the program.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;DEED is the state&apos;s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about how DEED delivers for Minnesota, visit the&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;DEED website&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. View thousands of job postings from throughout Minnesota, get free job search assistance and find out about no-cost training opportunities at&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.xcelenergy.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;xcelenergy.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;or follow us on&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.twitter.com/xcelenergy&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;X&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.facebook.com/xcelenergy&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Facebook&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>682740</id><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:47:53Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Nominations will be accepted until Friday, Aug. 15.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Now Accepting Nominations for the 40th Annual Governor’s International Trade Awards</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Now Accepting Nominations for the 40th Annual Governor’s International Trade Awards</Title><title>2025-04-30 GITAs</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-682198&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-04-30T13:45:54Z</Date><ShortDescription>Nominations will be accepted until Friday, Aug. 15.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>April 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul, MN –&lt;/strong&gt; The Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is now accepting nominations for the 40th Annual Governor&apos;s International Trade Awards.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;These prestigious awards, celebrating their 40th year in 2025, honor Minnesota companies that have shown exceptional growth and success in foreign markets. In addition to honoring individual recipients, the awards serve as a tribute to the importance and tremendous positive impact of international trade and foreign investment on the state&apos;s overall economy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;I am delighted to continue the annual tradition of celebrating Minnesota exporters,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Governor Tim Walz.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;International trade adds billions to Minnesota&apos;s economy. Recognizing these accomplishments and showcasing the state&apos;s innovation is more essential than ever as we face a global trade war.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;International trade and foreign investment are critical drivers of Minnesota&apos;s economy, supporting thousands of jobs statewide,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Amid significant international uncertainty, it&apos;s important to celebrate the wins and the companies supporting our growth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota farmers and our agriculture and food companies feed the world and in so doing, boost our economy here at home,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;That simple truth is important to reinforce in today&apos;s uncertain economic times. We look forward to recognizing the businesses that are nurturing our state&apos;s exporting power.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;As we mark the 40th anniversary of these prominent awards, we are thrilled to open nominations and encourage companies across the state to apply,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;MTO Executive Director Gabrielle Gerbaud&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We look forward to recognizing and celebrating the tremendous accomplishments of the recipients, as well as the important economic contributions of Minnesota&apos;s entire international business community.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Any Minnesota-based company that exports manufactured goods, agricultural commodities/processed food or services in any industry, as well as large companies of over 500 employees in any industry, that have not won an award in the last 10 years is eligible to apply.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Nominations for the Governor&apos;s International Trade Awards will be accepted until Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. Recipients will be recognized at an awards ceremony to be scheduled in early 2026.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Additional information, as well as nomination instructions and past winners, can be found on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/exporting/about/trade-award.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Governor&apos;s International Trade Awards website.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the Minnesota Trade Office&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) supports small- and medium-sized Minnesota businesses through technical assistance, export education and training programs, trade promotion activities, services by offices in strategic overseas locations, and export expansion grants. State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grants – 50% matching, up to $7,500 – support a range of export development activities, including participation in trade shows and missions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In addition, the MTO attracts Foreign Direct Investment by helping foreign companies explore the advantages of expanding or relocating in Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The MTO also serves as Minnesota&apos;s Office of Protocol, ensuring that the state&apos;s interactions with foreign delegations and dignitaries are conducted with appropriate diplomatic etiquette and cultural practices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;For staff contact information, please visit our &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/exporting/about/contact-us.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&quot;Contact the Minnesota Trade Office&quot; page.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>682198</id><Tag><Description/><Title>manufacturing</Title><Id>230118</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>exports</Title><Id>230103</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:47:53Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Administered by DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office, the Community Energy Transition grant program provides affected Minnesota communities with funds for research, planning and implementation activities to support their local economies through power plant transitions.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $2.7 Million to Four Minnesota Communities Transitioning from Fossil Fuels</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $2.7 Million to Four Minnesota Communities Transitioning from Fossil Fuels</Title><title>2025-04-28 ETO Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-681850&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-04-28T13:44:23Z</Date><ShortDescription>Administered by DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office, the Community Energy Transition grant program provides affected Minnesota communities with funds for research, planning and implementation activities to support their local economies through power plant transitions.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>April 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced more than $2.7 million in grants to help drive economic development and community sustainability in four Minnesota communities with power plants that have ceased operations or are scheduled to cease operations.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Administered by DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office, the Community Energy Transition grant program provides affected Minnesota communities with funds for research, planning and implementation activities to support their local economies through power plant transitions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office supports Minnesota communities undergoing or preparing for power plant closures in their efforts to maintain vitality and diversify their economies,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Communities can face significant uncertainty when a power plant closes. Through these grants, we&apos;re partnering with local officials to help ease that transition.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;At DEED we work hard to connect Minnesota&apos;s stakeholders to resources that support business retention, attraction and expansion efforts,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Energy Transition Office Director Carla Vita.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;We are a connector that helps energy transition communities identify vital resources to support their next steps following legacy power plant closures.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Community Energy Transition grant awards are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Benton County: $1 million&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Benton County will use grant funds to support the development of its Beltline Corridor Project that will connect two major country thoroughfares, TH10 and TH23. This crucial arterial route in western Benton County will link metro growth centers to residential, commercial and industrial sites. Initial development steps taking place in early 2025 include relocating two Xcel Energy electric transmission poles along the route.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We are beyond grateful to receive a Community Energy Transition Grant from DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Benton Country Commissioner Jared Gapinski&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This award supports a wonderful opportunity to promote new economic development opportunities in our county and accommodate existing urban and industrial growth in light of the Granite City Power Generation Plant&apos;s decommissioning.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Cohasset: $750,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Cohasset will use grant funding to support its Blackwater Banks development project. Located on the old Cohasset Lumber Mill site, the 47-acre project will convert an abandoned brownfield site along the banks of the Mississippi River into a diverse, mixed-use new downtown area that will include a hotel/resort, multi-use sporting complex, apartments, townhouses, retail and restaurants.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The grant funding will help support significant site remediation and predevelopment prep work, including demolition and clean-up to remove former lumberyard remnants, plus grading and excavation for road construction and utility infrastructure installation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;On behalf of the City of Cohasset, I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the generous $750,000 grant from the Energy Transition Office to support the Blackwater Banks Project,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Cohasset Mayor Josh Casper&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This vital initiative will become a cornerstone of our community, fostering a diverse economic development landscape. It promises to propel growth in recreation and tourism while paving the way for new housing and thriving small businesses. Together, we are building a prosperous future for all. The grant will significantly enhance our infrastructure and planning efforts, ensuring that the Blackwater Banks Project not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our residents and visitors. We are excited to embark on this journey and look forward to its positive impact on our community.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Oak Park Heights: $374,800&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city a $440,000 Energy Transition grant in 2024 for a feasibility study and pre-design work to construct a new water treatment facility that removes PFAS contaminants from the city&apos;s two existing wells. This additional grant supports measures to advance the project plan. This includes evaluating data from phase one studies and determining the process, equipment, treatment plant building design and project cost estimates.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The City of Oak Park Heights is grateful to DEED for the grant award from the Community Energy Transition grant program,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Oak Park Heights Mayor Mary McComber&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We are honored to receive this grant funding that will allow the city to undertake PFAS water treatment design work as we continue to proactively ensure the safety and sustainability of our water resources. We are thankful for the continued support from DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Otter Tail County: $650,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grant funds will enable the Otter Tail County Economic Development Agency to purchase the dilapidated West Ridge Mall in Fergus Falls. The mall shares a fire suppression system with four businesses that would be subject to closing if the mall&apos;s power were to be shut off. The funding enables the agency to acquire the mall property, clean it up and begin the work of separating fire suppression systems so the businesses can continue to operate while the city explores and pursues long-term plans to redevelop the site.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Otter Tail County is grateful to be awarded the DEED Community Energy Transition Grant, which will support our collaborative efforts with the City of Fergus Falls, adjacent businesses and private sector partners to pursue the redevelopment of Westridge Mall,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Otter Tail District 5 Commissioner Sean Sullivan.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;This project represents a significant opportunity to revitalize the area, drive economic growth and create a sustainable future for our community.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>681850</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:47:53Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota employers added 10,700 jobs in March, the largest monthly gain in a year, and the labor force continued its pattern of growth, according to data released today by DEED.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Records Another Strong Month of Job Growth </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Records Another Strong Month of Job Growth </Title><title>2025-04-17 March Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-679687&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-04-17T13:33:37Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota employers added 10,700 jobs in March, the largest monthly gain in a year, and the labor force continued its pattern of growth, according to data released today by DEED.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>April 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota employers added 10,700 jobs in March, the largest monthly gain in a year, and the labor force continued its pattern of growth, according to data released today by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s overall job growth last month (0.4%) was four times faster than the national rate (0.1%), with Minnesota&apos;s private sector growing twice as fast as the U.S. overall (0.2% to 0.1%). The state&apos;s unemployment rate is 3.1%, up 0.1% from last month, compared to 4.2% nationally.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;More than 2,700 Minnesotans joined the labor force last month, the 10th month out of the last 12 with labor force growth. The labor force participation rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 68.2%, compared to 62.5% nationally.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s job market has shown impressive resilience in the face of unprecedented uncertainty from the federal government,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This month we added jobs at a much faster rate than the nation as a whole as employers continue hiring, and more Minnesotans joined the labor force to look for work. We stand ready to help employers and workers alike as we navigate the unique challenges we&apos;re facing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Eight of the 11 supersectors gained jobs in March, with particularly strong growth in construction (up 1,900 jobs, or 1.4%). Government employment was up 1,500 over the month in March, with all growth coming from local and state governments. Federal employment was steady.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Recent federal mass layoff announcements are not yet reflected in this data because these estimates are based on employers&apos; reporting of payroll jobs. If a mass layoff is planned but workers are still on payroll, then the job decline will not appear until employees are off payroll.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota gained 37,581 jobs, over the year, faster than the national rate of growth. The private sector gained 29,579 jobs – in line with the national average.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Locally, the Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area grew by 5,790 jobs over the year, or 4.7%. Rochester has routinely ranked among the highest percentage-gaining MSAs in the United States over the last six months. The region&apos;s growth has been driven by employment gains in health care, as well as steady growth in retail, public administration, transportation &amp;amp; warehousing, leisure &amp;amp; hospitality and education.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota has a diverse economy, allowing us to weather shifts in broader macroeconomic trends,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Angelina Nguyen, director of DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information Office.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Overall, it&apos;s reassuring that we have a strong job market in Minnesota despite the headlines we&apos;re seeing nationally.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/March%202025%20Employment%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-283140.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;further analysis of this month&apos;s data&lt;/a&gt; and a &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/2025313%20Benchmark%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-672283.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;breakdown of the 2024 revisions&lt;/a&gt;. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>679687</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:47:53Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The grant funding will create or retain 112 jobs, collectively increase local tax bases by $1.82 million and leverage $230.9 million in private investment.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $2.8 Million in Redevelopment Funding</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $2.8 Million in Redevelopment Funding</Title><title>2025-03-31 Redevelopment Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-675815&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-03-31T13:38:09Z</Date><ShortDescription>The grant funding will create or retain 112 jobs, collectively increase local tax bases by $1.82 million and leverage $230.9 million in private investment.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced more than $2.8 million in awards for eight redevelopment and demolition projects statewide. The grant funding will create or retain 112 jobs, collectively increase local tax bases by $1.82 million and leverage $230.9 million in private investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The five grants from DEED&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/cleanup/redevelopmentgrantprogram.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Redevelopment Grant Program&lt;/a&gt; and three loans from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/cleanup/demolition.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Demolition Loan Program&lt;/a&gt; are expected to redevelop 47.54 acres and establish 444 housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Here at DEED, our mission is to empower the growth of the Minnesota economy, for everyone. By funding redevelopment for blighted land, DEED promotes community-led and self-sustaining economic growth,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Our redevelopment grant program is one of the many economic development initiatives at DEED that have a huge impact on the Minnesotans we serve.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Redevelopment Grant Program helps communities with the costs of redeveloping blighted industrial, residential or commercial sites and putting land back into productive use. The Demolition Loan Program helps communities with the removal of dilapidated or unsafe structures to prep sites for future development.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its inception in 1998, DEED has made 267 awards through the Redevelopment Grant Program worth more than $88.6 million in funding. These funds have created or retained 30,839 jobs, attracted over $4 billion in private investment and created 9,564 housing units – 2,983 of which are considered affordable.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Redevelopment grants pay up to half of the redevelopment costs for qualifying sites, with a 50% local match. They can assist with the cost of public land acquisition, building and site demolition, infrastructure improvements, soil stabilization and ponding or other environmental infrastructure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Redevelopment projects below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Alexandria – Park and 3rd Alexandria LLC&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Alexandria $292,024 for this 3.17-acre site at 901 and 923 4th Ave E, and 924 3rd Ave. Historically occupied by residences and a concrete ready-mix plant, this site will be redeveloped into a three-story, 62-unit apartment building with tuck-under garages and a detached, single-story garage. The city expects to create two jobs, increase the local tax base by $115,116 and leverage $13.9 million in private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer and tax increment financing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Martin Schultz 320-759-3629&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Duluth Economic Development Authority (EDA) – True North Goodwill Research and Training Center&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the Duluth EDA $250,000 for an 8.81-acre site on Atlas Parkway to be redeveloped into a 61,000-square-foot resource and training center. Historically part of the 62-acre Atlas Cement Plant, the new resource and training facility will house transportation, warehousing, mattress recycling, classrooms, retail and administrative offices. It will also include a childcare center for program participants. The project is expected to create or retain 109 jobs, increase the local tax base by $219,072 and leverage $23.4 million in private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Amanda Anderson 218-730-5323&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Moorhead – Downtown MCM Phase II&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Moorhead $1 million for demolition on this 1.97-acre site as part of the city&apos;s ongoing downtown development. Historically a shopping mall, two connected office buildings and city hall, the site will be redeveloped into two apartment buildings with a combined 203 units of housing and include 31,000 square feet of commercial space, 500,000 square feet of public space and 297 parking stalls. The city will also renovate city hall. Officials anticipate this phase of the project will increase the tax base by more than $1.03 million and leverage $153 million of private investment. Matching funds will be paid by tax increment financing and city sales tax revenues.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact: Amy Thorpe 218-299-5442&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Norwood Young America – Norwood Flats&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Norwood Young America $238,500 for this 2.18-acre site located at 123 Reform St. N. Historically occupied by an agricultural chemical storage and distribution center and a truck maintenance shop, this site will be redeveloped into a three-story, 41-unit apartment building with tuck-under parking stalls. The city expects the project to create one job, increase the local tax base by $132,062 and leverage $8.4 million in private investment. Matching funds will be paid by tax increment financing and a loan from the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Karen Hallquist 952-467-1810&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Oakdale – Tanners Lake Redevelopment&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Oakdale $430,937 for soil stabilization and stormwater infrastructure on this 3.42-acre site on Geneva Ave. N. Formerly two restaurants and a glass repair company, the site will be redeveloped into a 126-unit market rate apartment building and 12 market rate rental townhomes. Officials anticipate this project will increase the tax base by $326,107 and leverage $32.1 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact: Andrew Gitzlaff 651-730-2806&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Demolition loan projects below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Annandale – Larson Apartments&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Annandale $104,300 for demolition and abatement on this 0.09-acre site located at 74 Oak Ave N. Formerly used as a grocery store and apartments, this property has the potential for a commercial or mixed-use development. The city will issue a tax abatement bond to secure the loan.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Jacob Thunander 320-274-3055&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Maplewood – Moose Lodge&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Maplewood $300,000 for demolition and abatement on this 2.10-acre site. The site was the home of a Moose Lodge — a fraternal and service organization — from 1964-2018 and has sat vacant since. Located at 1946 English St. N., the property has the potential for up to 105 housing units. The city will issue a taxable general obligation abatement bond to secure the loan.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Danette Parr 651-249-2310&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Red Wing – Central Research Property&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Red Wing $232,000 for asbestos abatement and demolition on this 25.80-acre site. Located at 250 Highway 19 and historically used as a research lab, this site has the potential as an industrial development site. The city will issue a general obligation bond to secure the loan.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Kyle Klatt 218-730-5323&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>675815</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:58Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota jobs remained stable in February and the labor force grew by 3,800 people.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Jobs, Labor Force Remain Steady in February </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Jobs, Labor Force Remain Steady in February </Title><title>2025-03-27 February Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-675442&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-03-27T13:36:30Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota jobs remained stable in February and the labor force grew by 3,800 people.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota jobs remained stable in February and the labor force grew by 3,800 people, according to data released today by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota lost 700 jobs in February, effectively flat over the month. The state&apos;s unemployment rate stayed at 3.0% for the fifth month in a row, with the national unemployment rate at 4.1%. Minnesota&apos;s labor force participation rate also stayed steady at 68.1% in February, compared to 62.4% nationally.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Overall Minnesota continues to have a strong labor market with jobs numbers remaining stable in February,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;And over the year job growth is solid at 1.4% in Minnesota, outpacing the national rate of 1.3%. This is good news both for employers and our labor force.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Five of the 11 supersectors gained jobs in February, led by strong months for Education &amp;amp; Health Services (up 2,100 jobs), Professional &amp;amp; Business Services (1,900 jobs) and Manufacturing (600 jobs).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Five supersectors lost jobs, with Leisure and Hospitality (2,900), and Trade, Transportation &amp;amp; Utilities (1,600) posting the highest decreases. Government lost 400 jobs over the month.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota employers added 40,600 jobs – job growth that was faster than the nation in terms of total non-farm employment as well as private sector employment. Six supersectors gained jobs in Minnesota over the year, including Education &amp;amp; Health Services (up 25,300, with the Health Care &amp;amp; Social Assistance subsector up 5.0%); Government (up 11,900); and Other Services (up 4,475).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wages in Minnesota continued to be very strong in February, rising more than double the rate of inflation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Overall, Minnesota&apos;s labor picture in February is positive, with steady employment, a growing labor force and consistently robust wage growth,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Angelina Nguyễn, director of DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information Office.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to access &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and further analysis of this month&apos;s data. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>675442</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:57Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota employers added 9,600 jobs in January, the largest monthly gain since March 2024, and the labor force grew by 4,800 people.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Posts Large Gains in Jobs, Labor Force in January</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Posts Large Gains in Jobs, Labor Force in January</Title><title>2025-03-13 January Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-672409&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-03-13T14:20:18Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota employers added 9,600 jobs in January, the largest monthly gain since March 2024, and the labor force grew by 4,800 people.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota employers added 9,600 jobs in January, the largest monthly gain since March 2024, and the labor force grew by 4,800 people, according to data released today by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s 0.3% job growth in January was three times faster than the nation as a whole. The state&apos;s unemployment rate is 3.0%, which is steady following revisions to the monthly rate from late 2024. The national unemployment rate is 4.0%. Minnesota has added jobs for six straight months and nine months out of the last 12.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s labor force participation rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 68.1% in January, compared to 62.2% nationally.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This report covers January data and does not reflect actions taken since then.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Through January, Minnesota employers continued to add jobs at an impressive clip – an indicator of the underlying strength of Minnesota&apos;s job market,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;As we all confront an economic outlook that is much more uncertain, we are fortunate do so from a foundation of strength. At DEED we will continue to work hard to grow our labor force, connect workers to good jobs and help businesses take root and grow here in Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Eight of the 11 supersectors gained jobs in January, led by strong months for Education &amp;amp; Health Services (up 4,300 jobs), Professional &amp;amp; Business Services (1,900 jobs) and Construction (1,200 jobs).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Only two supersectors lost jobs: Manufacturing (300) and Government (100).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota employers added 46,800 jobs – job growth that was faster than the nation both overall and in the private sector. Supersectors gaining jobs in Minnesota include Education &amp;amp; Health Services (up 28,315), Government (up 12,175), Construction (up 3,924, with especially strong growth in Heavy and Civil Engineering) and Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality (up 3,930).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s labor market started 2025 in a strong position: strong wage growth, high labor force participation, low unemployment and job growth in many key industries,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Angelina Nguyen, director of DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information Office.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Every March, DEED and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics collaboratively release revised employment numbers for the past several years using more comprehensive data. These annual revisions always result in minor shifts in the unemployment rate, labor force participation rate and the job count in the previous year&apos;s monthly data.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Overall, these revisions show Minnesota added more jobs than were initially reported in 2024. This led to improvements to the state&apos;s monthly unemployment rates in the latter months of 2024 and the labor force participation rate throughout the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Any time data has been revised from previous reports, this is noted on DEED&apos;s website.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and further analysis of this month&apos;s data and a &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/2025313%20Benchmark%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-672283.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;breakdown of the 2024 revisions&lt;/a&gt;. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>672409</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:57Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Exports increased 7% overall between 2023 and 2024, exceeding national export growth of 2% in the same period.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Increase in Minnesota Exports, Outpacing National Growth</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Increase in Minnesota Exports, Outpacing National Growth</Title><title>2025-03-12 GO Exports</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-672397&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-03-12T20:49:21Z</Date><ShortDescription>Exports increased 7% overall between 2023 and 2024, exceeding national export growth of 2% in the same period.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced that exports increased 7% overall between 2023 and 2024, exceeding national export growth of 2% in the same period. Minnesota exported nearly $27 billion in agricultural, mining, and manufactured goods to about 200 countries, ranking 13th highest for export growth and 23rd highest in export value among all states.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota has been a consistent leader in the delivery and production of high-demand goods, driven by strong global ties and a workforce of world-class growers, problem-solvers, and innovators,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;As President Trump threatens the partnerships that contribute billions of dollars to our economy, Minnesota will fight to protect relationships abroad and ensure continued economic growth.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;While I wish our businesses did not face the current moment&apos;s highly unsettled international trade landscape, at least we do so with great momentum from the prior year,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;I applaud the contributions of the workers and businesses across the state that made 2024 a strong year for exports in Minnesota. Together we will continue to work with our international trade partners to find a path forward that keeps Minnesota connected to the global market.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Exports of mineral fuel, oil (up $1.1 billion), optical, medical (up $463 million), plastics (up $243 million), and sugar (up $80 million) were major drivers of last year&apos;s success. A resurgence of Minnesota&apos;s mineral fuel and oil exports to Canada – which jumped 122% to $2.2 billion – was the dominant contributor to the state&apos;s export growth.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Optical and medical goods grew a robust 11%, led by strong performances in Taiwan, Mexico, Korea, and China. Plastics reversed some of the decline of recent years with a gain of 24%, with high growth in markets such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland, and Belgium. Exports of sugar products (up 85%) were propelled by sales to Mexico (up 178% to $136 million).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Overall, Minnesota exports saw growth across major world regions in 2024. Exports to North America saw notable gains (up 13% to $11.7 billion), fueled by both Canada and Mexico. Exports also saw growth across Asia (up 8% to $7 billion) and the Middle East (up 24% to $577 million). While exports saw the greatest growth in established markets such as Mexico, Canada, Taiwan, Thailand, and Korea, they also saw vigorous growth to emerging export markets such as UAE, Qatar, and Vietnam.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s success is driven by our close cooperative relationships with our key international trade partners, particularly our neighbors to the north and south – Canada and Mexico,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Minnesota Trade Office Executive Director Gabrielle Gerbaud. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We will work diligently to preserve Minnesota&apos;s forward momentum despite challenges that may be placed in our path, and continue to support the state&apos;s hard-working exporters who were the driving force behind 2024&apos;s growth.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The full 2024 annual report is posted on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/export-stats/current-past/&quot; title=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/export-stats/current-past/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Export Statistics&lt;/a&gt; page on DEED&apos;s website. For more detailed trade statistics, a new tool for viewing &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/export-stats/snapshot/&quot; title=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/export-stats/snapshot/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;snapshots of Minnesota&apos;s trade&lt;/a&gt; with its major trading partners is also available.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>672397</id><Tag><Description/><Title>exports</Title><Id>230103</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:56Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Most grantees are startups led by entrepreneurs of color, veterans, women or persons with disabilities or are located in Greater Minnesota. </Description><Audience/><Title>Launch Minnesota Awards Over $400,000 to 16 Innovative Startups</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Launch Minnesota Awards Over $400,000 to 16 Innovative Startups</Title><title>2025-03-12 Innovations Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-672279&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-03-12T15:26:01Z</Date><ShortDescription>Most grantees are startups led by entrepreneurs of color, veterans, women or persons with disabilities or are located in Greater Minnesota. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced $400,000 in grants to support 16 innovative Minnesota startups. All but two grantees are startups led by entrepreneurs of color, veterans, women or persons with disabilities, or are located in Greater Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Launch Minnesota Business Operation Innovation Grants provide up to $35,000 to promising, innovative and scalable technology businesses to use toward operational costs such as research and development, direct business expenses and technical assistance. &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/launchmn/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Launch Minnesota&lt;/a&gt; is a statewide collaborative effort spearheaded by DEED to support startups and grow Minnesota&apos;s innovation ecosystem.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its inception in 2019, Launch Minnesota has awarded $9.5 million in grant funding and 64% has been awarded to targeted founders. Grant recipients have gone on to raise more than $240 million in additional post-award funding.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED knows that small businesses have a big impact on our state&apos;s economy,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;By investing in innovative, early-stage businesses, we&apos;re creating opportunities for companies to grow and thrive in Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We&apos;ve seen the positive impact that Launch Minnesota&apos;s Innovation Grants have on the startups that receive them,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Neela Mollgaard, DEED Office of Small Business and Innovation executive director&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;DEED is proud these funds have accelerated growth. For every dollar granted by DEED, startups have gone on to raise over $26.40.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Grants help fill a gap of capital needed to bring new technologies to market that are changing the way we work, learn and live,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Launch Minnesota Director Rob Cimperman&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;These awards are assisting businesses at a critical stage in their development.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The following companies received Business Operations Innovation Grants:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.acqumenmedical.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Acqumen Medical:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Redefining NICU and PICU care by providing non-invasive and accurate hemodynamic analytics.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://altheia.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Altheia Inc:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Addressing the problem of healthcare management challenges faced by consumers due to rising financial risks such as higher deductibles and premiums and healthcare churn, which leads to gaps in care and significant costs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.auroramedtech.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aurora Medical Technologies:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Creating a device that innovates the endoscopic practice of suturing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://daynamica.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daynamica:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Helping researchers and organizations understand how people spend their time and feel about their lives.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://delvehealth.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delve Health, Inc:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Offering a digital health platform for patient monitoring, diagnosis assistance and clinical trials by providing data collection, patient engagement and remote patient monitoring through integrated wearable devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.freedomracelifts.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Freedom Vehicle Lifts:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Creating a patented line of safer portable wireless vehicle lift products for vehicle maintenance and repair in the racing and consumer vehicle markets.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://genograms.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Genograms:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Developing innovative tools, including interactive genograms, to help professionals map and understand family dynamics, uncover intergenerational patterns and guide healing interventions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://glomehealth.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Glome Health:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Redesigning home dialysis to make it simpler, safer and more accessible for patients.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.gobo.show/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gobo:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Creating a fair, affordable and flexible way to buy and sell tickets for independent shows.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mymedvita.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;MyMedVita:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Developing a marketplace to search, sort and select upfront procedure prices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://sentrydx.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NexGen Cancer Detection:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Diagnosing residual cancer from a blood draw.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.particle4x.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Particle4X:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Revolutionizing particle diagnostics by leveraging advanced imaging and AI to deliver precise, real-time solutions for industry and academia.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sportsmentalhealthplaybook.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Playbook:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Tracking stress, well-being and resilience, giving athletes insights to enhance performance and teams tools to act early, preventing potential mental health crises.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://progiamedical.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Progia Medical Inc.:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Developing and manufacturing therapy and analysis products for those suffering from the swallowing disorder dysphagia.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://sersense.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sersense Inc.:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Specializing in pioneering automated microfluidic point-of-care technologies, integrating electrochemistry, immunoassays and advanced engineering to deliver innovative diagnostic solutions for neonatal blood testing and preeclampsia analysis.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://simplifiautomation.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Simpli-Fi Automation:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Designing and producing a range of integrated health and environmental monitoring sensors for the healthcare industry.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>672279</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>small businesses</Title><Id>230110</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:56Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED’s new initiatives – the $2 million CanNavigate program and the $6 million CanStartup program – will provide technical assistance and increase access to capital for business owners looking to start and grow cannabis businesses in Minnesota.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Launches Two Programs to Support Legal Cannabis Businesses</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Launches Two Programs to Support Legal Cannabis Businesses</Title><title>2025-03-10 Cannabis RFPs</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-672002&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-03-10T13:29:36Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED’s new initiatives – the $2 million CanNavigate program and the $6 million CanStartup program – will provide technical assistance and increase access to capital for business owners looking to start and grow cannabis businesses in Minnesota.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced two new programs to support organizations that will assist businesses operating in the state&apos;s adult-use cannabis industry. Up to $8 million of state funding is available for service providers to help business owners – specifically social equity business owners and entrepreneurs from disproportionately impacted communities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s new initiatives – the $2 million &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/cannavigate/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CanNavigate&lt;/a&gt; program and the $6 million &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/canstartup/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CanStartup&lt;/a&gt; program – will provide technical assistance and increase access to capital for business owners looking to start and grow cannabis businesses in Minnesota. The programs come as DEED, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and other state agencies look to support business owners seeking licenses to operate in Minnesota and to contribute to growing Minnesota&apos;s economy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;These grants invest in a promising sector of our state economy,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;DEED, OCM, and Minnesota are committed to building a thriving and equitable cannabis market that maximizes opportunities for underserved communities and communities across the state.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CanNavigate (Cannabis Industry Navigation Grants)&lt;/strong&gt; offers up to $2 million in competitively awarded grants to community-based entrepreneurial support organization (ESOs) and organizations with cannabis regulatory experts to help individuals navigate the regulatory structure of operating a business in the legal cannabis industry. There is an emphasis on serving individuals whose social equity status has been verified and people facing barriers to employment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CanStartup (Cannabis Industry Startup Financing Grants)&lt;/strong&gt; will award up to $6 million in grants to nonprofit lenders to fund loans to new cannabis microbusinesses and support job creation in communities where long-term residents are eligible to be social equity applicants.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;As the Office of Cannabis Management moves closer to issuing cannabis licenses, we remain focused on our commitment at DEED to social equity and economic opportunity,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Commissioner Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The CanNavigate and CanStartup grants will further remove barriers to market access for individuals who qualify as social equity applicants and help them thrive in Minnesota&apos;s newest industry.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Additionally, DEED&apos;s &lt;strong&gt;CanTrain&lt;/strong&gt; RFP will launch later in March. CanTrain will award grants to eligible organizations to develop and implement a workforce development program to provide support, navigation services, and training to individuals leading to a relevant career in the legal cannabis industry. And OCM is currently accepting applications for &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/ocm/socialequity/canrenew.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CanRenew&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, a program that helps fund projects addressing a range of community needs, including economic development, public health, violence prevention, youth development and civil legal aid.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED will host a &lt;a href=&quot;https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjY5OTIzNDktOTVkMC00OGQ0LThmMjItN2QzODc3NDhjY2E0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22eb14b046-24c4-4519-8f26-b89c2159828c%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%220a395651-3ba3-427a-ac1f-089d618b5542%22%7d&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;webinar on &lt;strong&gt;CanStartup&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; on March 13 from 10 - 11am; applications are due on April 9. The agency will also host a &lt;a href=&quot;https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=%2F_%23%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%3Ameeting_ODVlZTY1NmItNWI0YS00Y2UzLTg3MzktMmM3ZmYzNTczMTk4%40thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%2522eb14b046-24c4-4519-8f26-b89c2159828c%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%25221474401c-4c15-49dc-bac8-0e5d4bc728a2%2522%257d%26anon%3Dtrue&amp;amp;type=meetup-join&amp;amp;deeplinkId=7376bb67-6e31-4b6c-b2c4-047762b99939&amp;amp;directDl=true&amp;amp;msLaunch=true&amp;amp;enableMobilePage=true&amp;amp;suppressPrompt=true&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;webinar on &lt;strong&gt;CanNavigate&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; for interested applicants on March 18 from 1 - 2pm; those applications are due on April 11. &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/cannabis/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Learn more about both programs&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>672002</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:54Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Through DEED’s Transformative Career Pathways program, the agency partners with training providers across the state to help members of underserved communities prepare for and find family-sustaining employment.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $11.2 Million to Train Workers for High-Demand Employment </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $11.2 Million to Train Workers for High-Demand Employment </Title><title>2025-03-07 Transformative Career Pathways</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-671835&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-03-07T14:50:50Z</Date><ShortDescription>Through DEED’s Transformative Career Pathways program, the agency partners with training providers across the state to help members of underserved communities prepare for and find family-sustaining employment.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced $11.2 million for job skills training, work readiness, internships, work experience, on-the-job training and job placement for Minnesotans.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Through DEED&apos;s Transformative Career Pathways program, the agency partners with training providers across the state to help members of underserved communities prepare for and find family-sustaining employment. Providers expect to serve more than 2,000 Minnesotans through the grants announced today.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Helping people gain the skills they need to find employment with the possibility for wage growth is life changing,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The grants announced today will serve Minnesotans with multiple barriers to employment – a key part of our mission to empower the growth of Minnesota&apos;s economy, for everyone.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Many employers in key industries – particularly health care – continue to face labor force shortages,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Identifying talented candidates and connecting them with strong trainings with industry-recognized certifications will help employers meet their labor needs. These training programs and services are good for workers, employers and our state&apos;s economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Transformative Career Pathways program focuses on skills training and support services to bring populations of workers who have been historically overlooked and often face multiple barriers to employment – particularly people of color and people from low-income communities – into the workforce at family-sustaining wages. This is the program&apos;s second grant round.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Immigrant Development Center in Moorhead received a $700,000 Transformative Career Pathways grant last year. So far, the first cohort of participants has completed the Center&apos;s Manufacturing Bootcamp and Forklift Certification training, and a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training program is underway. The Center also organized an employer connection event as part of the program to facilitate direct hiring opportunities upon certification. The Center will start a Medication Administration training course later this year. More training sessions will follow.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The feedback from our current CNA participants has been very positive, with several asking us to add more health care certifications,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Tolu Afolabi, the Center&apos;s Chief Operations Officer&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This suggests the program is successfully creating pathways for career advancement in health care.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Transformative Career Pathways Workforce Training Grantees:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;AccessAbility, Inc., serving the Twin Cities Metro - $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;African Career Education and Resources, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $350,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;African Economic Development Solutions, serving the Twin Cities Metro -$750,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Asian Media Access, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Avivo, serving the Twin Cities Metro -$300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;CAIRO MN, serving the St. Cloud area -$330,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;CAPI USA, serving the Twin Cities Metro- $330,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Community Action Duluth, Serving the Duluth area - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Dunwoody College, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $350,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Emerge Community Development, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $750,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Global Fatherhood Foundation, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $200,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Goodwill Easter Seals of Minnesota (GESMN), serving the Twin Cities Metro - $350,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Green New Deal Housing, serving northeastern Minnesota - $200,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;International Institute of Minnesota, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $261,518&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Isuroon, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Karen Organization of Minnesota, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $562,382&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Milestone Community Development, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Training Partnership, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $505,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Valley Action Council, serving southern Minnesota - $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Neighbors, Inc., serving the Twin Cities Metro - $450,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;New Vision Foundation, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Project for Pride in Living, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $750,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Smart North, serving Minnesota - $55,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Twin Cities R!SE, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $375,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;True North Goodwill, serving northern Minnesota - $350,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;YWCA Minneapolis, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $165,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;YWCA St. Paul, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $748,600&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED also awarded $1.2 million in Transformative Career Pathways Capacity Building grants to help organizations build their capacity to serve individuals from high-unemployment, low-educational attainment or low-income communities. DEED will accept applications for the final round of capacity building grants until March 31, 2025. &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp#9&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Find out more&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Transformative Career Pathways Capacity Building Grantees:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;AccessAbility, Inc., serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Advocating Change Together, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;African Economic Development Solutions, serving the Twin Cities Metro, - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;American Indian OIC, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Asian Media Access, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Avivo, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;CAIRO MN, serving the St. Cloud area - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;CAPI USA, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Community Action Center of Northfield, serving the Northfield area - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $48,998  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Elpis Enterprises, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $37,800  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Fahan Organization, serving the St. Cloud area - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Family Rise Together, serving the Duluth area - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Green New Deal Housing, serving northeastern Minnesota - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Health Commons Minnesota State University Mankato Foundation, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Higher Works Collaborative, serving the St. Cloud area - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Hmong American Partnership, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Tech for Success, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;NAMI Minnesota, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $29,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Pan Asian Arts Alliance, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;South Sudanese Foundation, serving the Moorhead area - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Start Diversity, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Twin Cities R!SE, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Ultimate Success Insight, serving the St. Cloud area - $49,000  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Wallin Education Partners, serving the Twin Cities Metro - $49,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>671835</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:54Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced a new resource for federal employees who have recently lost their jobs or are facing employment uncertainty. </Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Effort to Help Federal Workers Laid off by Donald Trump Find Jobs in Minnesota</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Effort to Help Federal Workers Laid off by Donald Trump Find Jobs in Minnesota</Title><title>2025-03-06 GO Federal Employees</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-672559&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-03-06T16:02:20Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz today announced a new resource for federal employees who have recently lost their jobs or are facing employment uncertainty. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced a new resource for federal employees who have recently lost their jobs or are facing employment uncertainty. Minnesota&apos;s tight labor market continues to be a challenge for businesses looking to hire in Minnesota, with less than one person unemployed for every job opening available. The initiative comes as the Trump administration, led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), seeks to lay off tens of thousands of dedicated public servants.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;In Minnesota, we value the experience and expertise of federal workers, even if Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE do not,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Government workers provide services each of us relies on – from park rangers to firefighters to medical personnel who care for our veterans. If the Trump administration turned you away, Minnesota wants you.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;There are around 18,000 federal employees in Minnesota. President Trump&apos;s planned federal cuts include the potential elimination of 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Reducing the Department of Veterans Affairs workforce to Pre-Pact Act levels would have negative impacts on veteran health care and potential disruptions to benefits. Veterans make up nearly 25% of the Department of Veterans Affairs workforce.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s federal workers can visit the &lt;u&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fmn.gov%2Fmmb%2Fcareers%2Fsearch-for-jobs%2Ffederal-workers%2F/1/010101956c6a0a8f-84843044-7254-41fd-ae66-10f20cd1e9ed-000000/fLFTgMiYgXh0-Ub3myd_ADwa9NobCSbnOe-FoTJGfok=395&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Careers Website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt; to learn about available resources including:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Job search and application preparation, including in-person and online workshops, resume reviews, and networking opportunities&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Resources for veterans&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Instructions to apply for Unemployment Insurance benefits.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Mass layoffs have an economic impact on communities, not to mention families and workers experiencing them firsthand,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Matt Varilek, Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). &lt;strong&gt;&quot;During this time of heightened uncertainty, DEED staff is ready to help you find your next job through CareerForce, access unemployment benefits while you look for work, or connect you to training opportunities for the next phase of your career.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The State of Minnesota is a great place to work, with jobs in a wide variety of fields focused on providing essential services and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said MMB Commissioner Erin Campbell. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We welcome applications from federal workers, who understand the power of public service to improve lives.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>672559</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:53Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Nine partner organizations will use their Main Street Economic Revitalization grants from DEED to offer assistance for businesses in the communities they serve.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $6.2 Million in Main Street Economic Development Funding</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $6.2 Million in Main Street Economic Development Funding</Title><title>2025-02-27 Main Street</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-670761&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-02-27T14:33:54Z</Date><ShortDescription>Nine partner organizations will use their Main Street Economic Revitalization grants from DEED to offer assistance for businesses in the communities they serve.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced nearly $6.2 million in grants to support local community and economic development on Minnesota&apos;s main streets.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Nine partner organizations will use their Main Street Economic Revitalization grants from DEED to offer assistance – 30% matching grants up to $750,000 – for businesses in the communities they serve.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Main Street businesses are essential to local and regional economic growth. Through these grants, DEED is helping support economic revitalization that generates excitement among residents, community leaders and businesses around Minnesota,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Assistance provided through previous grant rounds helped create or retain thousands of jobs and sparked investment in key commercial corridors across the state.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This is the third and final round of funding from the $80 million program signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz in 2021. To date, more than 600 businesses supported by Main Street grantees have raised $696 million in matching funds. The awards have also helped create or retain more than 8,700 jobs and increase local tax bases by almost $369 million.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Businesses that apply for and receive funding from the partner organizations can use the funds for property repair or renovation, building construction, landscaping and street scaping, demolition and site preparation, predesign and design, engineering, non-publicly owned infrastructure or related site amenities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The impact of our previous Main Street program award has already far exceeded the investment from DEED,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Ryan Vesey, business development director at Greater Mankato Growth&lt;/strong&gt;, a previous Main Street grantee. &quot;These projects have produced a positive ripple effect in main street community development of all sizes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;With two-thirds of Greater Mankato Growth&apos;s initial award disbursed, those projects have invested more than $27 million in matching funds into the community. One project that allowed for the demolition of a dilapidated building is paving the way for a new $92 million hotel project; an asbestos remediation and building repair project led to the development of a new private school; the replacement of an unsafe exterior staircase in Nicollet inspired building tenants to develop a community mural and hold outdoor community events.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s Main Street Economic Revitalization program will help grow the businesses we serve on the Eastside of Saint Paul,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Alma Flores, Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) executive director&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;LEDC is a long-serving partner in Minnesota&apos;s Latino community, and through our place-based initiative, we&apos;re looking to curtail displacement and mitigate gentrification pressures along the commercial corridors and main streets that make up the Eastside community&apos;s diverse ecosystem.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded Main Street Revitalization Program grants to the following organizations in this funding round: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;African Career Education &amp;amp; Resources (ACER) - $194,589&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Destination Medical Center - $750,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Greater Bemidji - $546,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Greater Mankato Growth - $750,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Greater St. Cloud - $624,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Initiative Foundation - $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Latino Economic Development Center - $1.29 million&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Red Wing Downtown Main Street - $750,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation - $780,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>670761</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:53Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><Type><Description/><Title>Paid Leave Press Releases</Title><Id>610574</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Agency releases calculator to help Minnesotans prepare.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Confirms Paid Leave Premium Rate, Remains on Track for Launch in 2026</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Confirms Paid Leave Premium Rate, Remains on Track for Launch in 2026</Title><title>2025-02-21 Paid Leave</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-670064&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-02-21T22:02:09Z</Date><ShortDescription>Agency releases calculator to help Minnesotans prepare.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;ST. PAUL – After extensive public engagement and following recommendations from independent actuaries, Paid Leave at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) confirmed today that when Paid Leave begins for Minnesotans in January 2026, the premium rate will be 0.88 percent. The agency also &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/paidleave/employers/premiums&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;released a calculator&lt;/a&gt; to help Minnesotans estimate their costs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Like unemployment insurance, ongoing Paid Leave program expenses are funded by premiums paid by employers and individuals. The premium rate is a percentage of an employee&apos;s wages that will be paid by the employee and their employer to fund the program, split evenly between the employee and the employer. The 0.88% rate is based on recommendations from independent actuaries.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;While every state with paid leave is different, Minnesota&apos;s premium rate &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.newamerica.org/better-life-lab/briefs/explainer-paid-leave-benefits-and-funding-in-the-united-states/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;ranks 4th lowest out of 14 programs&lt;/a&gt; for cost to employers and employees.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Last summer and fall, Paid Leave staff traveled over 3,000 miles for 18 meetings to answer more than 550 questions from over 1,000 Minnesotans, including business leaders and local chambers of commerce. Those questions, suggestions and requests are helping build a better Paid Leave program for all Minnesotans.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Paid Leave makes time for some of life&apos;s most important moments by providing partial wage payments and job protections. Leave can be taken for one&apos;s own medical needs, to bond with a new child, care for a family member or for certain military or personal safety needs. In one benefit year, Minnesotans can take up to 12 weeks of medical leave for their own medical needs, or up to 12 weeks of family leave to care for others. If someone qualifies for both types of leave in a year, they can take a combined total of up to 20 weeks of leave.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;In our families, workplaces and communities, Minnesotans take care of each other,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;But for too many, missing a paycheck to provide care leads to missing rent or not being able to put food on the table. Paid Leave means that Minnesotans no longer have to choose between care for themselves and their families, or their livelihood.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/paidleave/employers/premiums/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;new calculator tool&lt;/a&gt; will help Minnesota employers and individuals understand what their costs will be under Paid Leave. The tool gives an estimate of the premiums that will be first due in April 2026, after the program launches in January 2026. After the first year, the premium rate will be set annually.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;During outreach and engagement sessions, Paid Leave officials heard from employers about their desire to avoid duplicate work and to use systems they already know. To make things easier, Paid Leave partnered with DEED&apos;s Unemployment Insurance (UI) program to use the familiar UI system to report employee wages. Thanks to outreach efforts and employer engagement, wage detail reports for over 3.4 million employees were successfully submitted to both the UI and Paid Leave programs in October 2024.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In December, Paid Leave shared information about equivalent plans for paid leave. This information, and the new calculator tool, can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://paidleave.mn.gov/employers/resource/index.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the employer toolkit on the Paid Leave website&lt;/a&gt;. Similar resources are coming for individuals, healthcare and service providers and community-based organizations.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>670064</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>paid leave</Title><Id>610575</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:51Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority today announced over $60.3 million in loans and grants awarded to 17 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects throughout the state. </Description><Audience/><Title>Public Facilities Authority Announces $60.3M in Awards </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Public Facilities Authority Announces $60.3M in Awards </Title><title>2025-02-20 PFA</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-669689&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-02-20T16:58:13Z</Date><ShortDescription>The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority today announced over $60.3 million in loans and grants awarded to 17 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects throughout the state. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (MPFA) today announced over $60.3 million in loans and grants awarded to 17 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects throughout the state.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;MPFA awards funds to help cities build public infrastructure that protects the environment and public health, promoting economic growth. Since its inception in 1987, MPFA has financed nearly $6.1 billion in public infrastructure projects, impacting most every community in Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Funding from MPFA is a vital resource for many towns across the state, and an investment with an impact felt long after project completion,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek, chair of the MPFA.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Meeting Minnesota&apos;s universal need for clean, drinkable, accessible water is a key step in empowering Minnesota&apos;s economy for all and will continue to be a priority as we ensure our communities are able to flourish.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The work done by the MPFA is integral to the health, safety and wellbeing of Minnesotans across the state,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Deputy Commissioner Kevin McKinnon.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;And therefore, it is integral to our mission as well. The infrastructure they create and the service they provide will continue to protect the health of our communities and supply clean water for years to come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The MPFA administers and oversees the financial management of revolving loan funds and other programs that help local units of government build facilities for clean water, drinking water and transportation infrastructure projects. Funding for these projects primarily comes from the MPFA&apos;s Clean Water Revolving Fund (CWRF) and the Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF). The CWRF helps communities build or upgrade wastewater treatment plants to comply with discharge standards in the federal Clean Water Act, and the DWRF helps communities build drinking water storage, treatment and distribution systems that comply with standards in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Projects can also receive funding from MPFA&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/point-source-grants.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Point Source Implementation Grant program&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/wastewater.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Water Infrastructure Fund&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/smallcommunitywastewatertreatmentprogram.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Small Community Wastewater Treatment Program&lt;/a&gt;. In some cases, funding can be provided by specials state appropriations, the USDA Office of Rural Development and local sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Projects and MPFA funding amounts listed below. Funding details for each project are available on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/about/awards.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;MPFA website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/11-25-braham_tcm1045-661682.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Braham&lt;/a&gt;, $10,227,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Upgrades to a wastewater treatment plant, improvements to collection and watermain systems and well replacement.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/11-27-browerville_tcm1045-661681.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Browerville&lt;/a&gt;, $5,682,164&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Funding for two projects, one to replace an aging sanitary sewer in the Creamery Avenue area, the other to replace aged and deteriorated portions of the existing water distribution system and watermain looping in the Creamery Avenue North area.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/12-2-danube_tcm1045-661677.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Danube&lt;/a&gt;, $4,538,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a new drinking water treatment plant and wells.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/10-3-duluth_tcm1045-650918.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Duluth&lt;/a&gt;, $8,116,359&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a new drinking water booster station to replace the existing Woodland booster station.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/10-9-ellsworth_tcm1045-650719.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Ellsworth&lt;/a&gt;, $1,926,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Created a connection from the City of Ellsworth to the Lincoln-Pipestone Rural Water system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/10-1-eveleth_tcm1045-650722.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Eveleth&lt;/a&gt;, $779,946&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Installation of approximately 1,200 drinking water meters and associated equipment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/10-2-lake-lillian_tcm1045-650721.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Lake Lillian,&lt;/a&gt; $3,999,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Replacement of watermains, sanitary sewer, storm sewer and rehabilitation of the water tower and streets.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/12-18-2024-la-salle_tcm1045-665621.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;La Salle&lt;/a&gt;, $151,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Watermain looping within the city of La Salle.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/11-5-lincoln-pipestone_tcm1045-661680.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Lincoln-Pipestone Rural Water District&lt;/a&gt;, $5,750,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Predesign, design and construction of a water source development, including new wells, a water softening treatment plant (lime softening) and new water distribution pipes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/10-8-little-falls_tcm1045-650917.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Little Falls&lt;/a&gt;, $1,745,520&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Installation of replacement watermain along 4th Street Northeast from Broadway to 9th Avenue Northeast.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/12-12-mendota_tcm1045-661679.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Mendota&lt;/a&gt;, $650,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Improvements to Mendota&apos;s drinking water system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/11-14-minneota_tcm1045-661684.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minneota&lt;/a&gt;, $3,841,227&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Funding for two projects, one to replace sanitary sewer collection lines along Grant, Lyon and Main streets, and lift station improvements; the other to replace aging drinking watermains along the same streets.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/10-4-morristown_tcm1045-650720.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Morristown&lt;/a&gt;, $1,500,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Improvements to watermains, storm sewer collection, streets and other infrastructure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/10-24-ramsey_tcm1045-661686.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Ramsey&lt;/a&gt;, $3,200,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a trunk watermain and new water treatment facility to remove manganese and iron from the city&apos;s water supply.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/11-13-swanville_tcm1045-661685.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Swanville&lt;/a&gt;, $3,052,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Design, construction, engineering and equipment for a water storage tank, new wells, water meters an7d watermain replacement and looping.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/12-13-watertown_tcm1045-661678.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Watertown&lt;/a&gt;, $3,000,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction of a 750,000-gallon elevated water storage tank and associated improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/11-15-wells_tcm1045-661683.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Wells&lt;/a&gt;, $2,212,909&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Phase 1 and 2 of a project to reconstruct the sanitary sewer on 6th Avenue Northwest, 5th Avenue Southwest, 5th Avenue Northwest and Broadway.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>669689</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:51Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has formally accepted DEED’s proposed map of final eligible locations that BEAD funding could serve. </Description><Audience/><Title>Federal Broadband Funding to Connect 89,000 Minnesotans; DEED Begins Prequalification Process</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Federal Broadband Funding to Connect 89,000 Minnesotans; DEED Begins Prequalification Process</Title><title>2025-02-19 BEAD Broadband</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-669750&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-02-19T16:58:13Z</Date><ShortDescription>The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has formally accepted DEED’s proposed map of final eligible locations that BEAD funding could serve. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced today that nearly 89,000 Minnesota homes and businesses could receive new high-speed broadband service through the state&apos;s $652 million federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) allocation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has formally accepted DEED&apos;s proposed map of final eligible locations that BEAD funding could serve. During this so-called Challenge Process, DEED identified 88,700 locations that qualify as unserved (with broadband speeds slower than 25 megabits [Mbps] per second download and 3 Mbps upload) or underserved (with speeds slower than 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED has published the locations online (&lt;a href=&quot;https://register.bead.mn.gov/register/bead/map&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota BEAD Challenge Map&lt;/a&gt;) so Minnesota homeowners, businesses, counties and others can see if they could receive high-speed broadband through the program.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This is an exciting moment in our work to connect every Minnesotan to the high-speed broadband our communities depend on,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Our state&apos;s BEAD funding will help us connect 89,000 more Minnesota homes and businesses to broadband – a huge figure that shows the impact of DEED&apos;s partnership with the federal government and broadband providers in our state.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s Office of Broadband Development now invites internet providers to submit prequalification information about their future applications to use BEAD grant funds to expand broadband services.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;During this Pre-Qualification Evaluation, internet service providers that plan to apply for BEAD grants should submit pertinent information immediately, allowing DEED to quickly determine their eligibility for those grants. Interested providers can find more details on DEED&apos;s website (&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/bead/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We&apos;re working as quickly as possible to get Minnesota&apos;s BEAD funding to the providers that will help connect more people to high-speed broadband,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Office of Broadband Development Executive Director Bree Maki&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Minnesota&apos;s broadband sector has a strong national reputation, and we&apos;re excited that our ongoing partnership with providers will better connect the Minnesotans we all serve.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Pre-Qualification application is open until Feb. 27, 2025. After this phase, DEED will open three subgrantee selection rounds for BEAD grants this spring and summer, with the goal of submitting the final proposal to NITA by Oct. 3.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>669750</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>broadband</Title><Id>443117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:51Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Most Minnesota manufacturers expect improving or similar business conditions for 2025 compared to last year, according to an annual survey conducted by DEED and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.</Description><Audience/><Title>Manufacturers Report Increased Optimism for Business in 2025</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Manufacturers Report Increased Optimism for Business in 2025</Title><title>2025-02-10 Manufacturing Survey</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-668726&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-02-10T15:44:49Z</Date><ShortDescription>Most Minnesota manufacturers expect improving or similar business conditions for 2025 compared to last year, according to an annual survey conducted by DEED and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Most Minnesota manufacturers expect improving or similar business conditions for 2025 compared to last year, according to an annual survey conducted by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;More than 85% of the survey&apos;s 232 respondents expect improvements or similar conditions within all the survey&apos;s key business and labor force metrics. Companies were especially optimistic about their order volume, production levels, investments in plants and equipment, profitability and productivity.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Most businesses see no change in labor availability in 2025, with 77% expecting the industry&apos;s tight labor market to continue. About 70% of respondents anticipate wage increases of at least 3% to attract and retain workers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Manufacturers power Minnesota&apos;s economy, creating billions of dollars of economic activity and employing hundreds of thousands of people,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;These survey results underline the bright future for manufacturing in our state. DEED is proud to help these businesses expand and succeed, and to invest in workers looking for a career in manufacturing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The full survey and methodology can be found on DEED&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/biz-conditions-survey/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Manufacturing Business Conditions Survey&lt;/a&gt; page.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In 2023, manufacturing contributed $58.1 billion, or 12%, to the state&apos;s economy. The industry has 11% of all available jobs in the state, with an average annual wage in Minnesota at $79,000 — 10% above the average for all jobs. DEED projects more than 93,000 job openings for manufacturing production positions in Minnesota through 2032.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED has several programs to help manufacturers expand in Minnesota, including the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mif/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Investment Fund&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mn-jcf/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Job Creation Fund&lt;/a&gt; to provide financing to new or expanding businesses, and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/ssbci/automation-loan/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Automation Loan Participation program&lt;/a&gt; to fill gaps in financing needs for businesses purchasing machinery, equipment or software to increase productivity and automation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Programs to help the manufacturing workforce include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/adult-career-pathways/grants/drive-for-five/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Drive for Five,&lt;/a&gt; preparing Minnesotans for high-demand jobs in manufacturing, as well as four other occupational categories, by prioritizing training for populations that face obstacles to employment.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/training-grant/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Job Skills Partnership,&lt;/a&gt; working with businesses, educational institutions and nonprofits to train or retrain workers, expand work opportunities and keep high-quality jobs in the state.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/training-grant/atipp/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Automation Training Incentive Program,&lt;/a&gt; awarding grants to small businesses in the manufacturing or skilled production industry to train incumbent workers efficiently on new automation technology.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/training-grant/jtip/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Job Training Incentive Program,&lt;/a&gt; helping new or expanding businesses in Greater Minnesota train workers quickly and efficiently.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>668726</id><Tag><Description/><Title>manufacturing</Title><Id>230118</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:51Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The mission will focus on showcasing the state as a top destination for business investment, developing new partnership opportunities, and strengthening existing ties and investments.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz to Lead Business Development Mission to the Netherlands</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz to Lead Business Development Mission to the Netherlands</Title><title>2025-02-07 GO Netherlands Trade Mission</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-668660&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-02-07T20:56:46Z</Date><ShortDescription>The mission will focus on showcasing the state as a top destination for business investment, developing new partnership opportunities, and strengthening existing ties and investments.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced he will lead a business development mission to the Netherlands from February 17-19, with stops in Eindhoven, The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Delft. The mission will focus on showcasing the state as a top destination for business investment, developing new partnership opportunities, and strengthening existing ties and investments.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Business development missions provide an opportunity to strengthen international economic ties and lead to direct investment in Minnesota,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;I am thrilled to lead this trip to the Netherlands to further strengthen the state&apos;s trade and investment relationships with an important international market.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota companies have a global marketplace, and DEED is committed to helping them find new customers and investment from around the world,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Visiting the Netherlands will help us establish new ties, strengthen existing relationships, and benefit Minnesota companies, workers, and the state&apos;s economy.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Trade Office at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is organizing the business development mission. Governor Walz, DEED Commissioner Varilek, and Minnesota Trade Office leaders will facilitate a robust itinerary for the delegation as they meet with local elected leaders and Dutch companies looking to buy goods from North America.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The country occupies a strategic commercial location and is a key center within the global business network, with advanced infrastructure geared toward the transportation of goods, people, and data. Minnesota&apos;s total trade in goods with the Netherlands was $908 million in 2024. The Netherlands is the state&apos;s 10th largest export market, with $614 million in Minnesota exports in 2024. Minnesota imported $294 million in goods from the Netherlands that year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;More than a dozen Netherlands-based companies have operations in Minnesota, employing 6,900 Minnesotans and with $328 million invested in gross plant, property, and equipment in 2024. More than 30 Minnesota companies – including giants such as 3M, Cargill, Ecolab, and C.H. Robinson – have business operations at about 200 locations in the Netherlands.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>668660</id><Tag><Description/><Title>trade mission</Title><Id>230112</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:49Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Funding expected to create over 1,400 new child care slots.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $6 Million in Child Care Grants</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $6 Million in Child Care Grants</Title><title>2025-02-06 GO Child Care Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-668267&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-02-06T16:02:20Z</Date><ShortDescription>Funding expected to create over 1,400 new child care slots.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced $6.1 million in grants to expand access to child care across the state. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded 25 organizations with Child Care Economic Development Grants, expected to expand child care capacity by 1,400 slots statewide.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Affordable, reliable child care is essential for a thriving economy – it removes the barriers that prevent parents from entering the workforce, and makes life easier and more affordable for families,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;These grants are creating opportunities for child care providers, expanding high-quality, affordable childcare, and growing our economy.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Access to affordable, reliable child care gives families and caregivers options and peace of mind,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Child care investments benefit businesses, families, and our economy. These new grants are helping us create a state where all families can thrive, and all children are set up for success from day one.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s Child Care Economic Development Grant program provides funding to communities to invest in new or expanding child care businesses, including facility improvements, worker training, attraction, retention and licensing, and other strategies to reduce the child care shortage. The program, administered by DEED&apos;s Office of Child Care Community Partnerships, coordinates the efforts of state government, communities, businesses, and non-profit organizations that are working to provide child care.   &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Of the funds awarded, 84%, or $5.1 million, will go towards increasing child care availability in Greater Minnesota, creating 1,337 slots. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Secure child care is a not only important for parents&apos; peace of mind, but is a crucial aspect of maintaining a healthy and thriving economy,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;As the demand for more child care availability continues to increase, public investments in this sector take on even greater importance. Today&apos;s Child Care Economic Development Grants are one of the ways we&apos;re working with partners around the state to serve working families.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Access to workers remains the most difficult challenge facing economic growth in the greater Bemidji region. It&apos;s critical we increase workforce participation by reducing barriers to work for our community members - first among them is childcare. This grant will directly increase our economic growth and expansion in both the Bemidji area and the Red Lake Nation,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Dave Hengel, Executive Director of Greater Bemidji, Inc., a grantee that will use funding to support three child care expansions and create a resource center for providers in its region. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Thanks to DEED&apos;s funding support, Latina family childcare providers can help solve the dire shortage of childcare spaces in Minnesota,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Ruby Azurdia-Lee, President and CEO of Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES).&lt;strong&gt; &quot;CLUES&apos; East Side Childcare Business Incubator and Family Wellness Center will provide training, technical assistance, and classrooms to support Latina childcare providers in launching their own small businesses or expanding high quality care in their own homes. This funding will create up to 56 new childcare slots in a high poverty neighborhood and pilot a model of culturally responsive childcare business development that can be replicated and scaled in urban and rural communities throughout Minnesota, ultimately benefiting thousands of families across the state.&quot; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since the inception of the office in July 2023, DEED has awarded $12 million in grants to 45 organizations to fund child care startups or business expansions, resulting in over 3,500 new child care slots. &lt;a href=&quot;https://smilehub.org/blog/states-providing-the-most-support-for-children/192&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;SmileHub recently ranked&lt;/a&gt; Minnesota a top state for children, in part because of the availability and credibility of the state&apos;s child care centers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The following organizations were awarded Child Care Economic Development Grants in this funding round: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Becker County – $120,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Brainerd Family YMCA – $97,5000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Catholic Charities Twin Cities – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;City of Hutchinson – $40,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;City of Wadena – $195,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES) – $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Cook County PHHS – $385,178&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Duluth Area Family YMCA – $480,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;God&apos;s Treasures Childcare Learning Center – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Greater Bemidji, Inc. – $575,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Heartland Lakes Development Commission – $100,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Hendricks Community Hospital Association – $159,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Hmong American Partnership – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;ISO 482- Little Falls Community Schools – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar EDC – $178,500&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Lil Chompers Child Care Inc. – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Mapleton Economic Development Authority – $175,120&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Nobles County Community Service Agency – $480,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Northland Foundation – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Northwest Minnesota Foundation – $134,530&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Otter Tail County – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Renville County – $345,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Warroad Community Childcare Center – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;WomenVenture – $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>668267</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:49Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota employers added 4,100 jobs in December and the state’s labor force grew by 3,300 jobseekers, according to data released today by DEED.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Jobs and Labor Force Grow Again in December</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Jobs and Labor Force Grow Again in December</Title><title>2025-01-22 December Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-666146&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-01-23T15:30:36Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota employers added 4,100 jobs in December and the state’s labor force grew by 3,300 jobseekers, according to data released today by DEED.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota employers added 4,100 jobs in December and the state&apos;s labor force grew by 3,300 jobseekers, according to data released today by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Minnesota has added jobs for six straight months and 10 months out of the last 12.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate decreased two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.3% in December. Nationally, over the month, the unemployment rate declined one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.1%. The state&apos;s labor force participation rate remained steady at 67.8%, as did the national rate of 62.5%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Employers continue to create good-paying jobs, and more Minnesotans are looking for work this month – two positive indicators for Minnesota&apos;s economy,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Minnesota is also seeing high wages, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/662188&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;surging exports&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/661697&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;high-profile business expansions&lt;/a&gt; in key industries around the state. Our economy has momentum, and we&apos;re planning to keep it going in 2025 through targeted workforce development investments and ongoing support for businesses looking to launch, expand and create jobs all over Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Job gains in December were led by two sectors: Education and Health Services (up 5,100 jobs) and Government (up 4,300 jobs). Within those sectors, Education and Health Services saw fast growth in Health Care and Social Assistance jobs (up 4,600), and Government was led by hiring at local units of government (up 3,700). Overall, Minnesota&apos;s private sector lost 200 jobs over the month.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, nearly 10,000 Minnesotans joined the labor force. In that time, Minnesota gained nearly 37,500 payroll jobs, up 1.3% compared to 1.4% nationally. The private sector gained 17,302 jobs, up 0.7%, compared to 1.3% nationally.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Four Minnesota supersectors gained jobs over the year: Education and Health Services, up 41,090; Government, up 20,196, Leisure and Hospitality, up 1,099; and Construction, up 196. All other sectors declined, led by Professional and Business Services (down 11,856) and Manufacturing (down 4,107).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;There was positive news in this month&apos;s report, including ongoing job growth, labor force gains and strong wages,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyen.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;What we want to see in the year ahead is continued steady growth in both the public and private sectors.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Average hourly wages for private sector workers continue to grow. Over the year average hourly earnings increased $1.98, up 5.4%, compared to national growth of 4.6% and an inflation rate of 2.9%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/October%202024%20Employment%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-283140.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;further analysis of this month&apos;s data&lt;/a&gt;. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>666146</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:48Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The 12 grants will create 481 new jobs and leverage more than $395 million in private investment.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces Nearly $7 Million in Contamination Cleanup Grants</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces Nearly $7 Million in Contamination Cleanup Grants</Title><title>2025-01-21 Contamination Cleanup</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-665858&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2025-01-21T14:45:47Z</Date><ShortDescription>The 12 grants will create 481 new jobs and leverage more than $395 million in private investment.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2025</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul, MN&lt;/strong&gt; – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $6.9 million for 11 communities to assess and clean up contaminated sites for private or public redevelopment. The grants are expected to create 481 new jobs, collectively increase local tax bases by $4.7 million and leverage more than $395 million in private investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/cleanup/contamination.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grants&lt;/a&gt; pay up to 75% of the costs to assess and clean up polluted sites. Cities, port authorities, housing and redevelopment authorities, economic development authorities or counties with known or suspected soil or groundwater contamination are eligible. In addition to creating jobs and growing the tax base, the 12 grants announced today will assess or clean up 187 acres and create 582 housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED recognizes the importance of being able to clean up land that might otherwise be deemed inoperative,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;That&apos;s why the Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grant program is so great — it allows Minnesota cities to further pursue economic growth in locations where that once might have not been possible.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its inception in 1993, the Contamination Cleanup and Investigation Grant Program has awarded over $212 million in grants, which helped assess and clean up 4,212 acres of land – contributing to the creation or retention of 51,902 jobs and clearing the way for 26,673 new housing units. The program has also leveraged over $10.4 billion in private investments and added more than $153 million to local tax bases.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details on individual projects below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Alexandria – Park and 3rd Lofts&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Alexandria $455,720 for this 3.2-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically occupied by residences and a concrete ready-mix plant, this site will be redeveloped into a three-story, 62-unit apartment building with tuck-under garages and a detached, single-story garage. The project is anticipated to create three jobs, increase the local tax base by $115,116 and leverage $13.9 million of private investment. The developer will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Marty Schultz, (320) 759-3629&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Bemidji – Rail Corridor&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Bemidji $902,082 for this 19.1-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically a rail corridor with related commercial buildings, the site will be redeveloped as a 60,000-square-foot community wellness center operated by the YMCA as part of a larger redevelopment project expected to revitalize the area. Located at 101 Minnesota Ave. SW, it is anticipated this project will create 77 jobs, increase the tax base by $30,000 through Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) payments and leverage $35 million of private investment. The city will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Rich Spiczka, (218) 759-3565&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Duluth – Sofidel America Expansion&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Duluth $2,399,086 to help clean up contaminants in order to double the size of the Sofidel paper manufacturing facility. Historically occupied by iron and steel foundries and scrapyards, the existing 476,000-square-foot paper plant will be expanded with a 295,000-square-foot converting facility, a 76,000-square-foot raw materials warehouse and a 108,000-square-foot automated &lt;a name=&quot;_Int_CDS64HSv&quot;&gt;warehouse&lt;/a&gt;. Sofidel&apos;s $200 million expansion, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/649601&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;announced in October&lt;/a&gt;, is anticipated to create 160 jobs, retain 80 jobs, increase the local tax base by $2.3 million and leverage at least $87.2 million of private investment. The developer will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Tricia Hobbs, (218) 730-5322&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Ely – Ely Depot and Railroad Revitalization&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Ely $312,257 for this 3-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically used as a railroad depot, the redevelopment includes historic preservation of a portion of the original railroad depot with an additional 1,500-square-foot addition that will be a brewery, bar, restaurant and event center. Located at 212 Central Ave., the project is anticipated to create 22 new jobs, increase the local tax base by $27,368 and leverage $1.7 million in private investment. The developer will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Harold R. Langowski, (218) 226-5474&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Mankato – Hotel Mankato&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Mankato $323,887 for this 2-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically occupied by a hotel and an auto dealership, this site will be redeveloped into one four-story, 126-room hotel, and one 10-story, 156-room hotel and restaurant. The two hotels will be joined by a common lobby and one level of shared underground parking. Located at 101 E. Mankato St., the project is anticipated to create 111 jobs, increase the property tax base by $566,738 and leverage $81.6 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer and tax increment financing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Courtney Kramlinger, (507) 387-8711&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Medina – Hamel Road Apartments&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Medina $930,687 for this 6.7-acre site contaminated with various contaminants. Historically developed as cropland and used for dumping debris, this site will be redeveloped as an 89-unit, multi-family apartment complex with sub-grade and surface parking. Located at 500 Hamel Road, it is anticipated this project will create two jobs, increase the tax base by $228,997 and leverage $22 million of private investment. The developer and other grant sources will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Dusty Finke, (763) 473-8846&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of St. Cloud – Riverboat Lot&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of St. Cloud $41,433 to assess this 0.3-acre site. Historically occupied by commercial buildings and most recently used as a parking lot, this site will be redeveloped into a mixed-use building with 20 to 30 residential units and commercial space on the ground floor. Located at 599 1st St. S, the project is anticipated to create seven jobs and increase the local tax base by $50,500. The city will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Cathy Mehelich, (320) 650-3111&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of St. Paul – 42 Water Street&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of St. Paul $354,839 for this 3.3-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically occupied by a foundry, a railroad freight depot, a petroleum-chemical business and a pharmaceutical manufacturer, this site will be redeveloped into a 35,000-square-foot recreational facility. This project joins the recent &lt;a href=&quot;https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDEED/bulletins/2f9468a&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Farwell Yard&lt;/a&gt; development on Water Street, which received DEED&apos;s Redevelopment Program grant funding in 2021. The project is anticipated to create 43 new jobs, increase the local tax base by $191,838 and leverage $10.7 million of private investment. The developer and other grant sources will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact – Nick Wolff (651) 266-6645&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of St. Paul – Western Graphics&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED also awarded the city of St. Paul $619,821 for this 1.6-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically occupied by printing and label making businesses and most recently used by the Y of the North as a youth program activity area, this site will be redeveloped into a 25,000-square-foot wellbeing center operated by the YMCA. Located at 530 N. Wheeler St., the project is anticipated to create 19 new jobs, retain 23 jobs and leverage $12.9 million of private investment. The developer and other grant sources will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Marilyn Rosendahl, (651) 266-6606&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Rochester – Civic Center North&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Rochester $366,288 for this 1.8-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically occupied by a metal stamping manufacturer and a pharmaceutical supplier, this site will be redeveloped into a 14-story, 243-unit market-rate apartment building and a five-story, 76-unit affordable apartment building. Located at 217 E. Center St., the project is anticipated to create six new jobs, increase the local tax base by $861,407 and leverage $103.4 million of private investment. The developer will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Brent Svenby, (507) 328-2003&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Rosemount – Minnesota Aerospace Complex&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Rosemount $37,480 in investigation funding for this 60-acre site. Historically used in the production of smokeless gun powder and most recently for agricultural purposes, this site will be redeveloped into multiple buildings supporting a private industrial campus. The site will be located within UMore Park, directly south of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=1045-614051&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;recently announced&lt;/a&gt; Meta data center. The project is anticipated to create 16 jobs and increase the local tax base by $130,747. The developer and other grant sources will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Eric Van Oss, (651) 322-2059&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Waconia – Olive &amp;amp; Second&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Waconia $248,302 for this nearly 1-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically developed as single-family homes, a service station and surface parking, this site will be redeveloped as a 92-unit, multi-family apartment complex with 3,000 square feet of retail space. It is anticipated this project will create 15 jobs, increase the tax base by $323,045 and leverage $27 million of private investment. The developer will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Shane Fineran, (952) 442-3100&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>665858</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:46:48Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Funding supports 27 projects across Minnesota.</Description><Audience/><Title>Public Facility Authority Awards More Than $265 Million for Infrastructure Projects Statewide</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Public Facility Authority Awards More Than $265 Million for Infrastructure Projects Statewide</Title><title>2024-12-31 PFA Q1</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-662170&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-12-31T16:58:13Z</Date><ShortDescription>Funding supports 27 projects across Minnesota.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>December 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul, MN&lt;/strong&gt; – The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (MPFA) today announced more than $265 million in loans and grants awarded to 27 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects during the first three months of the fiscal year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The funds help cities replace aging infrastructure and make system improvements to protect public health and improve water quality. Since its inception in 1987, the MPFA has provided $6.1 billion for public infrastructure programs statewide.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Funding from the MPFA positively affects our communities, and it will help them grow and develop for years to come,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Matt Varilek, the chair of the MPFA&lt;/strong&gt;.  &quot;Keeping our water clean, drinkable and accessible will always be a top priority as we work to help communities flourish.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The MPFA provides crucial financing and technical assistance to help communities build public infrastructure that protects public health and the environment,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Jeff Freeman, executive director of the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Investing in the wellbeing of Minnesota&apos;s infrastructure is a catalyst to economic growth and prosperity.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Of the $265 million total, $182 million comes from the MPFA&apos;s Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The funds are supported by federal appropriations through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state match appropriations and revolving loan repayments. These revolving funds help communities replace aging wastewater and drinking water infrastructure and build or upgrade treatment plants to comply with standards in the federal Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Some projects also received state grant funds from the MPFA&apos;s Point Source Implementation Grant program and Water Infrastructure Fund (WIF) program. In some cases, funding was also provided by special state appropriations, the federal USDA Rural Development and local sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Projects and MPFA funding amounts listed below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-01-cologne_tcm1045-640423.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Cologne&lt;/a&gt;, $1.06 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will design improvements to the existing wastewater treatment facility and related infrastructure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-01-kandiyohi-county_tcm1045-640422.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Kandiyohi County&lt;/a&gt;, $22.36 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project is phase two of the rehabilitation of the wastewater treatment facility that includes a reduction in phosphorus discharge to meet permit requirements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-01-lewis-clark_tcm1045-640421.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Lewis and Clark Joint Powers Board&lt;/a&gt;, $22 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of an equity contribution to Lewis and Clark Rural Water System, Inc. to expand its capacity to deliver additional water to the cities of Luverne and Worthington and the Lincoln Pipestone and Rock County Rural Water Systems.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-01-rice-lake_tcm1045-640420.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Rice Lake&lt;/a&gt;, $1.8 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will install a sanitary sewer gravity main and force main along Martin Road.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-02-inver-grove-heights_tcm1045-640419.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Inver Grove Heights&lt;/a&gt;, $2.17 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate the drinking water treatment plant.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-03-dayton_tcm1045-640418.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Dayton&lt;/a&gt;, $1.75 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a wellhead treatment plant.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-11-clearbrook_tcm1045-640417.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Clearbrook&lt;/a&gt;, $5.6 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of engineering work for construction of a new drinking water treatment plant including treatment for manganese, as well as other improvements to the city&apos;s drinking water infrastructure, including water tower and treatment facility rehabilitation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-11-trosky_tcm1045-640416.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Trosky&lt;/a&gt;, $3.95 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a sewer collection system, lift station, force main and two cell stabilization ponds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-12-atwater_tcm1045-640415.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Atwater&lt;/a&gt;, $7.85 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will replace the sanitary sewer and water main on the north side of the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-15-chisholm_tcm1045-640414.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Chisholm&lt;/a&gt;, $1.73 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will replace the aging sanitary sewer, manholes, lift station and water main as part of the 5th Street South rehabilitation project.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-15-pelican-rapids_tcm1045-640413.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Pelican Rapids&lt;/a&gt;, $6.29 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate the sanitary sewer collection system and replace the aging water main, hydrants and gate valves along Trunk Highway 59 and Trunk Highway 108.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-18-edgerton_tcm1045-640412.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Edgerton&lt;/a&gt;, $1.54 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will replace aging cast iron water mains.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-18-redwood-falls_tcm1045-640411.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Redwood Falls&lt;/a&gt;, $9.45 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate the wastewater treatment plant, including upgrades to reduce the discharge of phosphorus.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-31-annandale_tcm1045-640410.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Annandale&lt;/a&gt;, $647,864&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate the existing 300,000-gallon elevated storage tank.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/7-31-evansville_tcm1045-640409.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Evansville&lt;/a&gt;, $628,361&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will improve the sanitary sewer collection system and install a new generator.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/08-13-west-saint-paul_tcm1045-650735.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;West Saint Paul&lt;/a&gt;, $1.7 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will design and construct a lift station and force main.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/08-13-aurora_tcm1045-650736.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Aurora&lt;/a&gt;, $24.85 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a new drinking water treatment plant, water intake and transmission lines to serve the City of Aurora and White Township.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/08-14-lino-lakes_tcm1045-650734.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Lino Lakes&lt;/a&gt;, $32.5 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a new iron and manganese gravity filtration water treatment plant and associated facilities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/08-15-frazee_tcm1045-650732.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Frazee&lt;/a&gt;, $914,371&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of replacing aging sanitary sewer lines, manholes and aging water mains along East Main Avenue.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/08-15-lowry_tcm1045-650731.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Lowry&lt;/a&gt;, $306,700&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of water main replacement and looping.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/09-5-hill-city_tcm1045-650723.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Hill City&lt;/a&gt;, $9.83 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a new drinking water treatment plant, including treatment for iron and manganese and the replacement of well pumps.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/09-10-bird-island_tcm1045-650730.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Bird Island&lt;/a&gt;, $445,158&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of water main replacement and looping in the area of 11th Street and Birch Avenue.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/09-10-staples_tcm1045-650729.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Staples&lt;/a&gt;, $324,330&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will replace the aging water main on 2nd Street Northeast.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/09-11-saint-cloud_tcm1045-650728.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Saint Cloud&lt;/a&gt;, $22.67 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will replace the existing force main from a lift station to the wastewater treatment facility and cover design costs for rehabilitation of the anaerobic digesters.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/09-16-eagle-bend_tcm1045-650727.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Eagle Bend&lt;/a&gt;, $1.8 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of sewer collection and infrastructure improvements along US Highway 71 and various city streets.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/09-23-oak-park-heights_tcm1045-650725.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Oak Park Heights&lt;/a&gt;, $1.4 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a third drinking water well and pumphouse.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/09-27-rochester_tcm1045-650724.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Rochester&lt;/a&gt;, $80 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate and upgrade the wastewater treatment plant to meet more stringent phosphorus effluent limits.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>662170</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:32Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Projects expected to create or retain 869 jobs in Stewartville, Chisago City, North Mankato and Hermantown.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards Four Greater Minnesota Cities Infrastructure Grants</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards Four Greater Minnesota Cities Infrastructure Grants</Title><title>2024-12-30 BDPI</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-662172&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-12-30T17:04:59Z</Date><ShortDescription>Projects expected to create or retain 869 jobs in Stewartville, Chisago City, North Mankato and Hermantown.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>December 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded more than $4.37 million in grants to four infrastructure projects in Greater Minnesota. The funding, awarded from DEED&apos;s Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program (BDPI) and Innovative Business Development Public Infrastructure Program (IBDPI), is expected to support 869 jobs and leverage $255 million in private investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Investing in public infrastructure is investing in the wellbeing and vitality of our communities,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;DEED grants help stimulate local economic development, create jobs and support innovative businesses and organizations.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/business-funding/infrastructure/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;BDPI grant program&lt;/a&gt; supports communities outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/business-funding/innovative/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;IBDPI grant program&lt;/a&gt; supports communities statewide with a specific target of infrastructure for innovative businesses. Under the programs, DEED awards 50% of eligible capital costs for the qualifying public infrastructure projects. These projects include streets, wastewater collection and treatment, drinking water, storm sewers and more.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The following is a breakdown of the latest funding:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Stewartville - $1.055 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded Stewartville $1.055 million in IBDPI funding to assist with constructing streets and public utilities to extend the Schumann Business Park to be used by United Therapeutics. United Therapeutics is a biotech medical company that develops innovative solutions for organ transplantation and pulmonary diseases. The company is initially investing $75 million in a facility, which will create 22 jobs. Long term, the company is planning three additional phases that will create an additional 300 jobs. The total cost of the public infrastructure project is $2.11 million.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Chisago City - $214,270&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded Chisago City $214,000 in BDPI funding to expand their industrial park. The project will allow space for LEI Packaging, a food packaging manufacturer, and King Kind, a hydroponic cannabis cultivation and edible manufacturing business, to construct new facilities. The infrastructure will also provide space for additional businesses in the future. The city is expecting $70 million in private investment and to create 105 jobs. The total project cost is $463,500.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;North Mankato - $1.108 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded North Mankato $1.108 million in BDPI funding to assist with constructing streets and utilities to expand the Northport Industrial Park. The expansion will add 67 acres and seven lots to the park. A warehousing and distribution business is planning an immediate investment of $15 million in a new facility, which will create 75 jobs. The city expects the project to create $28 million in private investment and 150 new jobs. The total project cost is $2.3 million.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Hermantown - $2 million&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded Hermantown $2 million in BDPI funding to assist with constructing streets and public utilities for a new 35-acre industrial park. The city is estimating the industrial park will attract $82 million in private investment and create 290 jobs, with a total project cost of $4.9 million.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>662172</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:32Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>At $6.7 billion, state exports continue to outpace national rate.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Surge in Minnesota Exports</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Surge in Minnesota Exports</Title><title>2024-12-23 GO Exports</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-662188&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-12-23T18:11:20Z</Date><ShortDescription>At $6.7 billion, state exports continue to outpace national rate.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>December 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced that Minnesota exports rose to $6.7 billion last quarter, jumping nearly 11% over the same quarter last year. Growth of Minnesota exports outpaced the national rate (3%) for the quarter and outperformed all but 12 other states.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s surge in exports is a reflection of the significant business expansion that continues to create job opportunities and strengthen our global trade networks,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;With investments in business expansion and workforce development, we&apos;re meeting global supply chain needs and enhancing ties with global partners while building a strong economy that supports communities at home.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The first nine months of 2024 have seen Minnesota exports grow nearly 10% over the same time period in 2023, while the U.S. growth reached nearly 3% over the same period.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;2024 has been a strong year for Minnesota and has seen our economy outpace national trends every quarter,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;This growth is in no small part thanks to flourishing relationships with our international trade partners. Our robust global trade networks continue to create opportunity for Minnesotans with our connections abroad, passing that success on to a more vibrant, dynamic economy at home.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Half of Minnesota&apos;s top 10 products saw growth, with mineral fuel and oil (up 369%), plastics (up 27%) and aircraft and spacecraft (up 33%) among the leaders in gains. Growth in sales of optic and medical devices was driven by segments such as measuring and checking devices, and medical and surgical instruments.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s two largest markets, Canada (up 16%) and Mexico (up 30%), drove much of this quarter&apos;s growth. Mineral fuel and oil exports contributed significant growth to Canada ($520 million, up from $15 million). Exports to Mexico were pushed by a variety of Minnesota goods, including electrical equipment, machinery, oil seeds and grain, and optic and medical goods.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Exports to Asia surged 18% to $1.8 billion this quarter due to a mounting demand for Minnesota goods, led by optic and medical goods, machinery, and electrical equipment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Meanwhile, exports to the Middle East leapt 27% to $129 million, fueled by strong sales to the United Arab Emirates of machinery, railway equipment and aircraft.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s exports continue to thrive and grow in the global market,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Minnesota Trade Office Executive Director Gabrielle Gerbaud. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We look forward to fostering even stronger ties with our North American partners, as well as developing new connections and supporting export growth in key regions across the globe.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The full third quarter 2024 report is available on DEED&apos;s website in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/export-stats/current-past/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Export and Trade Statistics section&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>662188</id><Tag><Description/><Title>exports</Title><Id>230103</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:32Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced more than $10.5 million for seven business expansion projects in the state. The projects are expected to support 755 jobs and leverage more than $86 million in outside investment.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Seven Business Expansion Projects, 750 New Jobs</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Seven Business Expansion Projects, 750 New Jobs</Title><title>2024-12-19 GO JCF-MIF</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-661697&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-12-19T18:23:52Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Walz announced more than $10.5 million for seven business expansion projects. The projects are expected to support 755 jobs and leverage more than $86 million in outside investment.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>December 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced more than $10.5 million for seven business expansion projects in the state. The projects are expected to support 755 jobs and leverage more than $86 million in outside investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Investments in business expansion support innovation, drive business growth, and create good-paying jobs,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;The expansion of these seven businesses will help Minnesota communities prosper and keep our economy strong.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota is a top state for business in part because of effective partnerships between state government and the private sector,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s economy is in a strong place as we end the year and DEED will remain heavily focused on supporting business expansion and job creation in support of thriving local economies around the state.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mn-jcf/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Job Creation Fund&lt;/a&gt; (JCF) provides financial incentives to new and expanding businesses that meet certain job creation and capital investment targets. Eligible companies may receive up to $2 million for creating or retaining high-paying jobs and for constructing or renovating facilities or making other property improvements. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mif/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Investment Fund&lt;/a&gt; (MIF) provides financing to help add new workers and retain high-quality jobs – with a focus on industrial, manufacturing, and technology-related industries – increasing the local and state tax base and improving Minnesota&apos;s economic vitality. Funds are awarded to local units of government, which provide loans to assist expanding businesses. Some of the loans may be forgiven if specific goals are met. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details on individual projects below: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Heliene USA, Inc., Rogers – JCF $601,350, MIF $2,300,000  &lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Heliene USA, Inc. is a solar module manufacturer that currently operates two manufacturing lines of crystalline solar modules. The proposed project will establish a third manufacturing line, and will lease a 230,000-square-foot facility for additional manufacturing, warehouse, and distribution space. The total project cost is $15.07 million and is expected to create 182 jobs within the first two years. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;States Manufacturing, Dayton – JCF $840,000, MIF $1,960,000  &lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;States Manufacturing provides integrated services through four manufacturing groups, including electrical solutions, metal fabrication, equipment shelters, and painting services. With a total project cost of over $23 million, the proposed project would renovate a 500,000-square-foot building and create 340 jobs within the first three years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Philips Image Guided Therapy Corp., Plymouth – JCF $1,540,500, MIF $2,000,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Philips Image Guided Therapy, a medical device and technology systems company, will expand its Plymouth facility to add additional manufacturing and research and development areas, as well as a Global Customer MedTech Training Center that the company anticipates will bring up to 2,000 visitors annually. The company will invest approximately $31 million and create 158 new jobs – representing a more than 50% increase to its local workforce size – over the next four years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Little Sombrero Salsa, LLC, New Hope – MIF $185,000  &lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Little Sombrero Salsa, LLC, is a salsa manufacturing company founded in Oklahoma in 1999 that recently reopened in 2023 under the same ownership. The proposed project will lease a 17,000-square-foot building in New Hope that will house an office space, warehouse, and manufacturing production line. The total project cost is $935,000 and is expected to create 40 new jobs. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Monumental Sales, Inc., St. Cloud – JCF $175,000  &lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Monumental Sales, Inc. is a granite product manufacturer specializing in granite memorials commemorating those who have passed. The proposed project will consolidate their locations and upgrade the new space for office operations and manufacturing. The total project cost is $9.5 million and is expected to create 10 new jobs. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Cloud Window, LLC, Sauk Rapids – JCF $175,000, MIF $150,000  &lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Cloud Window, LLC designs and manufactures high-performance acoustic and historic replica aluminum windows, doors, storefronts, and curtainwalls for commercial and industrial buildings nationwide. The company&apos;s expansion project includes renovating the company&apos;s existing facility and site improvements, as well as the purchase of machinery and equipment. The total project cost is $3.6 million and is expected to create 19 new jobs over the next two years. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Two Rivers Enterprises, Inc., Holdingford – JCF $120,000, MIF $200,000  &lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Two Rivers Enterprises, Inc., is a custom stainless steel equipment manufacturer and fabricator for food processing, food service, restaurants, and medical practices. The proposed project will expand the current facility by adding 10,400-square-foot of production space, as well as purchase machinery and equipment. The total project cost is $1.7 million and is expected to create six new jobs. &lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>661697</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:30Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota added 2,500 jobs and its labor force grew by more than 4,600 workers in November, according to data released today by DEED. </Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Jobs and Labor Force Grow in November</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Jobs and Labor Force Grow in November</Title><title>2024-12-19 November Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-661600&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-12-19T14:31:03Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota added 2,500 jobs and its labor force grew by more than 4,600 workers in November, according to data released today by DEED. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>December 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota added 2,500 jobs and its labor force grew by more than 4,600 workers in November, according to data released today by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Minnesota has added jobs nine of the last 12 months.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.5%, lower than the national rate of 4.2%, which also rose at the same rate. The labor force participation rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 67.8% over the month, compared to 62.5% nationally – a decline over the month before.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;November was another strong month for Minnesota&apos;s jobs market. Employers added staff, and more Minnesotans started looking for work,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;As we look to the new year, DEED will work with our private sector, nonprofit and government partners to build on this positive labor market momentum.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Four supersectors in Minnesota gained jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, led by strong gains in Construction (up 2,800 jobs, or 2.1%), a reversal of four prior months of seasonally adjusted job losess . Education and Health Services (up 4,900 jobs), Government (800 jobs) and Other Services (400 jobs) also added employees. Six supersectors lost jobs over the month, led by Professional &amp;amp; Business Services (down 1,900 jobs or 0.5%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s labor market is balancing out,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyen&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;More Minnesotans are working, looking for work or simply want to work, and there are good jobs available for them in industries across our economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota gained 33,458 payroll jobs, up 1.1%. The private sector gained 16,169 jobs, up 0.6%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wages in Minnesota continue to impress. Over the year, average hourly private sector earnings increased 5.4%, double the rate of inflation. Nationally, private sector wages grew 4.1% over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/October%202024%20Employment%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-283140.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;further analysis of this month&apos;s data&lt;/a&gt;. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>661600</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:30Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced $19 million from the State of Minnesota to support SkyWater Technology’s plan to expand its semiconductor manufacturing facility in Bloomington, which is expected to create approximately 70 new jobs. </Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $19 Million Investment in Minnesota Semiconductor Manufacturer SkyWater</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $19 Million Investment in Minnesota Semiconductor Manufacturer SkyWater</Title><title>2024-12-06 GO SkyWater Announcement</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-658754&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-12-06T15:45:17Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz today announced $19 million from the State of Minnesota to support SkyWater Technology’s plan to expand its semiconductor manufacturing facility in Bloomington, which is expected to create approximately 70 new jobs. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>December 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced $19 million from the State of Minnesota to support SkyWater Technology&apos;s plan to expand its semiconductor manufacturing facility in Bloomington, which is expected to create approximately 70 new jobs. The total project cost is $127 million.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Biden-Harris Administration also announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce plans to provide up to $16 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota remains an established leader in manufacturing innovation, an accomplishment made possible through investments in high-tech business expansion, education, and workforce training,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Our consistent support of companies like SkyWater encourages the establishment and growth of high-tech companies that keep Minnesota on the cutting edge of the semiconductor industry. We&apos;re grateful to the U.S. Commerce Department for its commitment to Minnesota&apos;s future and its partnership with our state.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s $19 million investment comes from the Minnesota Forward Fund, a Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) program Governor Walz signed into law last year to invest $400 million in business growth in Minnesota. It also provides matching funds for companies seeking federal resources like CHIPS Act funding. This is the Minnesota Forward Fund&apos;s third award.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s semiconductor sector is strong and growing, making our state an important hub for domestic manufacturing of this important resource,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are proud to partner with SkyWater Technology, the U.S. Commerce Department, and the City of Bloomington to keep Minnesota&apos;s momentum going.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;SkyWater is a vital part of the Bloomington high-tech ecosystem, and we are excited to see this critical investment in our community,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Bloomington Mayor Tim Busse. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We have appreciated the leadership that SkyWater has demonstrated to move the industry forward and are grateful to the Department of Commerce and State of Minnesota for recognizing and supporting those efforts.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;SkyWater&apos;s anticipated federal funding is the second in Minnesota from the 2022 U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, a $53 billion initiative by President Biden to grow U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research and development, and workforce.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Part of SkyWater&apos;s multi-year capital investment plan, this incremental funding would accelerate modernization and equipment upgrades to enhance production for customers in aerospace and defense as well as biomedical, industrial, thermal imaging, and quantum computing markets. The company&apos;s investment would increase its U.S.-based semiconductor technology development and production capacity by 30% and create approximately 70 new jobs to support the workforce in Bloomington.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are pleased to receive this Minnesota Forward Fund award to expand our nation&apos;s onshore capacity right here in Minnesota, and we&apos;re proud of our role in helping to strengthen the U.S. supply chain for microelectronics,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said SkyWater CEO Thomas Sonderman. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;As America&apos;s Trusted Foundry, through our business model and expanding capabilities, we are creating a national asset for technology development, which is in a critical state domestically. We have been working to meet the specific needs of the Defense Industrial Base and commercial companies developing technologies of the future.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>658754</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:29Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The national unemployment rate also remained steady at 4.1% and Minnesota continues to rank among the top states for labor force participation.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Unemployment Rate and Labor Force Participation Remain Steady</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Unemployment Rate and Labor Force Participation Remain Steady</Title><title>2024-11-14 October Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-653093&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-11-14T15:12:48Z</Date><ShortDescription>The national unemployment rate also remained steady at 4.1% and Minnesota continues to rank among the top states for labor force participation.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>November 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate remained at 3.4% in October and for the fourth consecutive month the state&apos;s labor force participation rate held steady at 67.7%, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The national unemployment rate also remained steady at 4.1% and Minnesota continues to rank among the top states for labor force participation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Last month, we announced two major business expansions – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/649601&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Sofidel&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=650967&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Solventum&lt;/a&gt; – that will retain and add thousands of jobs in the state,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;On top of those expansions, we also announced the latest round of &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/648734&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;broadband development funding&lt;/a&gt;, which enables more businesses across Greater Minnesota to grow and attract talent. These critical developments help address workforce challenges and create an ongoing climate ripe for business expansion, job creation and economic growth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Six of Minnesota&apos;s 11 supersectors added jobs in October, including Education &amp;amp; Health Services (up 1,300 jobs); Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality (up 1,100 jobs); and Manufacturing (up 1,100 jobs). Four supersectors lost jobs, including Professional &amp;amp; Business Services (down 3,100 jobs) and Construction (down 1,100 jobs).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Annually, five supersectors posted positive annual growth in the state, including Education &amp;amp; Health Services, which was up 33,412 jobs, or 5.8% for Minnesota, outpacing the national rate of 3.8%. Growth was also strong in Minnesota&apos;s Health Care &amp;amp; Social Assistance sector, up 6.7% annually. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota lost 1,000 jobs in October on a seasonally adjusted basis, translating to a 0.0% change. This over-the-month loss is neutralized by an upward revision to the number of jobs gained in September (an additional 1,100 were added following revisions to the numbers). &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota gained 33,257 payroll jobs, up 1.1% over the year, which is slightly slower than the national rate of 1.5%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The average private sector hourly wage in Minnesota decreased slightly to $37.76 in October. Over-the-year average hourly earnings in the state increased $1.21, up 3.3% – outpacing inflation at 2.6%. For the U.S., private sector wages decreased 6 cents over the month and grew 3.3% over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;In general, Minnesota&apos;s labor market held steady in recent months and we saw bigger variations in regional job change,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyen&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Some Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) grew much faster than the state while other MSAs saw a small decline over the year. Each region has its strengths and specialties, which supports a diverse economy with multiple strong supersectors.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In support of ongoing job creation and small business development, DEED&apos;s Office of Small Business &amp;amp; Innovation just launched a &lt;a href=&quot;https://joinusmn.com/doing-business-here/grow-your-business/index.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&quot;Season of Small Business&quot; campaign&lt;/a&gt; highlighting the big impact small businesses have on local communities, the state&apos;s economy and employment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;full state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/October%202024%20Employment%20Analysis_final_tcm1045-283140.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;further analysis of this month&apos;s data&lt;/a&gt;. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>653093</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:29Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced that WalletHub has ranked Minnesota a top-three state for finding a job.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Minnesota Ranked a Top State for Jobs</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Minnesota Ranked a Top State for Jobs</Title><title>2024-11-01 GO WalletHub Announcement</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-651410&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-11-01T15:47:45Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz today announced that WalletHub has ranked Minnesota a top-three state for finding a job.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>November 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced that WalletHub has ranked Minnesota a top-three state for finding a job. This announcement follows Wednesday&apos;s news that Solventum, a global health care company, will make a &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/?id=650968&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$200 million investment&lt;/a&gt; in Minnesota. WalletHub&apos;s scorecard used 34 indicators of job market strength and economic health. Minnesota received top rankings for median household income, access to benefits, job opportunities per capita, support for working parents, and low unemployment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;With a strong job market families earn more, save more, and are able to dedicate more time to their families,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We don&apos;t just create jobs in Minnesota – we create good jobs that pay well, provide benefits, and offer protections. That has always been our guiding principle and I am glad to see that effort reflected in data.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;As a top state for business, health care, and manufacturing, Minnesota is paving the way for entry into high-demand, family-sustaining careers,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We have been consistent in our commitment to invest in businesses while empowering workers and supporting families. We will continue this work to ensure Minnesota is a place where businesses and workers thrive.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota also has the ninth highest share of workers with private health insurance and ranks as the fourth best state for working parents. In 2023, Governor Walz signed &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dli.mn.gov/news/new-workplace-protections-programs-make-minnesota-best-state-workers&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;new workplace laws to protect paid time off and enhance health care coverage&lt;/a&gt;. These laws, including earned sick and safe time, paid family and medical leave, and protection of preventative care are protecting workers and providing equitable economic opportunities for Minnesota children and families.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In 2023, Governor Walz signed the &lt;a href=&quot;https://lcpr.mn.gov/SecureChoice.htm&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Secure Choice Retirement Program&lt;/a&gt; into law, enhancing retirement options for employees. Minnesota has the sixth best access to employer-based retirement plans.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;WalletHub ranked Minnesota with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and the 13th most job opportunities per capita. Investments in workforce development, including the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/what-we-do/objectives-plans/wioa.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act&lt;/a&gt;, connect Minnesotans to high-growth, high-demand career fields like manufacturing, education, and public safety. Workforce growth also comes from historic investments in higher education including opportunities for free college tuition for students with a family income under $80,000 and investments in child care and early learning.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota also received the third highest ranking for median household income and has the 10th highest average monthly starting salary.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-jobs/35641&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Read the full report.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>651410</id><Tag><Description/><Title>top state</Title><Id>230111</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:27Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced that Solventum, a leading global health care company, will make a $200 million expansion in Eagan.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $200 Million Research and Development Expansion in Minnesota</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $200 Million Research and Development Expansion in Minnesota</Title><title>2024-10-30 GO Solventum Announcement</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-650967&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-10-30T18:29:33Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz today announced that Solventum, a leading global health care company, will make a $200 million expansion in Eagan.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>October 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced that Solventum, a leading global health care company, will make a $200 million expansion in Eagan, retaining an estimated 2,000 Minnesota jobs. The expansion is supported by nearly $13 million in business development funding from the State of Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Solventum&apos;s expansion reinforces Minnesota&apos;s track record as a globally recognized leader in manufacturing, health care innovation, and medical technology,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;ve worked with Solventum every step of the way on this announcement, retaining thousands of high-paying jobs and expanding opportunities for innovation, ensuring Minnesota remains the best state in the nation for health care.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Solventum will invest an estimated $209 million to relocate and consolidate staff and operations to a state-of-the-art research and development facility in Eagan from its legacy locations at 3M&apos;s Maplewood campus. Relocation project costs include property acquisition, major renovations and significant machinery, equipment, and technology investments. Solventum expects to be in its new location by early 2026.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We thank Governor Tim Walz, Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Matt Varilek, and the City of Eagan for their partnership in making this project possible,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Bryan Hanson, Solventum chief executive officer. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s support was instrumental in our decision to reinvest in the Twin Cities area. We look forward to continued growth as a global healthcare leader and a strong partnership with the State and City of Eagan.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re thrilled Solventum chose to continue to expand its presence in Minnesota after an extensive search process,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Having this Fortune 500 company contribute to local and global economies while retaining thousands of jobs in our state and tapping into Minnesota&apos;s internationally-renowned health care and med tech ecosystem is a win across the board.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Solventum&apos;s decision to relocate to Eagan is a testament to the strength and appeal of our city. We are committed to supporting their growth and ensuring that Eagan continues to be a vibrant location for businesses and employees alike,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Solventum&apos;s economic development awards come from DEED&apos;s Job Creation Fund (JCF) and Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF). The JCF provides financial incentives to new and expanding businesses that meet certain job creation and capital investment targets. The MIF provides financing to help add new workers and retain high-quality jobs – with a focus on industrial, manufacturing, and technology-related industries – increasing the local and state tax base and improving Minnesota&apos;s economic vitality.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>650967</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:27Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Today, DEED launched a third and final round of Main Street Economic Revitalization Program funding to award the remaining $4.68 million balance of the $80 million program.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Launches Final Grant Round for Main Street Economic Revitalization Program Remaining Funds</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Launches Final Grant Round for Main Street Economic Revitalization Program Remaining Funds</Title><title>2024-10-21 Main Street RFP</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-649887&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-10-21T16:17:06Z</Date><ShortDescription>Today, DEED launched a third and final round of Main Street Economic Revitalization Program funding to award the remaining $4.68 million balance of the $80 million program.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>October 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN - The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) just launched a third and final round of Main Street Economic Revitalization Program funding to award the remaining $4.68 million balance of the $80 million program. The program was approved by the Minnesota State Legislature and signed by Gov. Tim Walz in 2021.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Organizations eligible to submit proposals for the grant funding – as partner organizations – include foundations engaged in economic development, community development financial institutions, and nonprofit organizations engaged in housing and commercial development. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Our main streets are key local and regional economic growth drivers. Grants and loans from previous Main Street Economic Revitalization Program grant rounds helped create jobs and spark investment in key commercial corridors across Minnesota,&quot; &lt;strong&gt;said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Community leaders statewide report that this program has helped spur economic revitalization and generated excitement among residents and businesses in their communities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Selected partner organizations will use the awarded grant funds to establish funding programs that provide assistance – 30% matching grants up to $750,000 and guaranteed loans up to $2 million – for eligible recipients and projects that support community and economic development within one or more defined commercial corridors or main street districts. To date, more than 600 individual projects have been approved with $696 million in matching funds. The net tax base increase in these communities is expected to be almost $369 million with 8,728 jobs either created or retained.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Community businesses and organizations eligible to receive funding from these partner organizations can use those awards for property repair or renovation, building construction, landscaping and street scaping, demolition and site preparation, predesign and design, engineering, non-publicly owned infrastructure or related site amenities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED will select and announce the partner organizations in January 2025, followed by posting the organizations&apos; contact information and instructions on how to request assistance for eligible projects on the Mainstreet Economic Revitalization Program web page.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Completed proposals are due by 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22. DEED will hold a program information session on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 11 a.m. Those interested in attending can &lt;a href=&quot;https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MmQyZGM0YWMtOWQwMS00ODMzLTkyMGEtMTcyNDBhYjVjMGE5%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22eb14b046-24c4-4519-8f26-b89c2159828c%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22a7049e75-969a-466b-b687-cff98d7db0c4%22%7d&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;join the meeting virtually&lt;/a&gt; or call in (audio only) at +1 651-395-7448, conference ID 704 447 998#&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>649887</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:27Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota employers added 6,300 jobs in September according to data from DEED. </Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Job Growth Streak Continues</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Job Growth Streak Continues</Title><title>2024-10-17 September Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-649603&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-10-17T13:34:16Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota employers added 6,300 jobs in September according to data from DEED. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>October 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota employers added 6,300 jobs in September according to data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The state&apos;s unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.4%, which is lower than the national rate of 4.1%. And Minnesota&apos;s labor force participation rate held steady for the third month in a row at 67.7%, one of the highest in the country.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This was another strong month for Minnesota&apos;s jobs market,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;With ongoing job growth, low unemployment, wages outpacing inflation and high labor force participation, plus &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/644670&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;surging exports&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/649601&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;record business expansions&lt;/a&gt;, the Minnesota economy is robust entering the final quarter of the year – even as we partner with the business community, higher education, nonprofits and others to address challenges including the ongoing workforce shortage.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Four of the 11 supersectors in Minnesota added jobs last month, led by growth in Government (up 3,600 jobs, or 0.8%), Professional &amp;amp; Business Services (up 2,300 jobs, or 0.6%), Education &amp;amp; Health Services (up 1,600 jobs, or 0.3%) and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (up 1,200 jobs, or 0.2%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Four supersectors lost jobs, including Financial Activities, down 700 jobs; Information, down 600 jobs; Other Services, down 600 jobs; and Manufacturing, down 500 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;To grow jobs and Minnesota&apos;s economy, DEED is focused on high-growth sectors and highlighting untapped pools of workers to join the labor force. During &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/social-media/deed-developments/#/detail/appId/1/id/647612&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Manufacturing Month&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/social-media/deed-developments/?id=647879&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;National Disability Employment Awareness Month&lt;/a&gt; in October, the agency is working to bolster the manufacturing industry – a critical backbone of Minnesota with more than 93,000 job openings projected for manufacturing production positions through 2032 – and to increase the number of skilled and work-ready Minnesotans from all communities in the labor force. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota gained 37,566 jobs over the year, up 1.3%, which is slightly slower than the national rate of 1.5%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wages continued to grow significantly faster than inflation. The average private sector hourly wage rose to $38.00 in September in Minnesota. Over-the-year average hourly earnings increased $1.79, up 4.9% in the state – more than twice the rate of inflation at 2.4%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;It&apos;s positive to see ongoing strong wage growth in Minnesota that continues to outpace inflation,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyen&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This is critical for our efforts to attract workers to Minnesota and address the ongoing workforce shortage from a variety of angles.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and data. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>649603</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:27Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Sofidel expansion is supported by a $5 million investment from the State and is expected to create 160 new jobs.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $200 Million Manufacturing Expansion in Duluth</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $200 Million Manufacturing Expansion in Duluth</Title><title>2024-10-17 GO Sofidel Announcement</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-649601&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-10-17T13:27:00Z</Date><ShortDescription>Sofidel expansion is supported by a $5 million investment from the State and is expected to create 160 new jobs.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>October 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced that the manufacturer Sofidel will make a $200 million expansion in Duluth, supported by $5 million in business expansion funding from the State of Minnesota. The expansion will create at least 160 new jobs, tripling the company&apos;s current workforce size.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota is a top state for innovation in manufacturing for a reason. Our investment in Sofidel is creating jobs and reinforcing Minnesota as a top place to live and work,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;In partnership with our Department of Employment and Economic Development, we are creating high-growth, high-demand, good-paying jobs, and building a stronger economy all across our state.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Funding comes from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development&apos;s (DEED) Job Creation Fund (JCF) and Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF). The JCF provides financial incentives to new and expanding businesses that meet certain job creation and capital investment targets. The MIF provides financing to help add new workers and retain high-quality jobs – with a focus on industrial, manufacturing, and technology-related industries – increasing the local and state tax base and improving Minnesota&apos;s economic vitality.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;This is an incredible investment in Duluth and the entire state – one that reinforces the company&apos;s commitment to excellence in the paper manufacturing industry and northern Minnesota&apos;s economic vitality,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;It&apos;s an important demonstration of a public/private partnership – and Sofidel&apos;s presence and efforts will contribute not only to the local and state economies but to the fabric of the community as well.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Sofidel will expand their existing facility into an integrated, state-of-the-art production plant where raw materials are processed, manufactured, and packaged into finished goods such as paper towels, bath tissues, and napkins. The company will construct an automated warehouse for product storage and distribution. Construction will take place in phases beginning in late 2024 and continuing through late 2026. The completed project size will be nearly 600,000 square feet.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;This expansion is a testament to our long-term commitment to growth and innovation in the North American market. In Duluth, we found a favorable operating environment, with a skilled and dedicated workforce, and strong partnerships with local institutions and the community. These factors encouraged us to further invest in this facility,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Simone Giacomelli, Integration Manager at Sofidel. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are also grateful for the tremendous support from the State of Minnesota and the City of Duluth, which has been essential in bringing this project to life.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;I am incredibly grateful to the teams at Sofidel and DEED, as well as our fantastic City of Duluth staff, all of whom worked tirelessly to ensure the complicated pieces of this major expansion and development fell into place,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;This is an investment in funding, jobs and to bringing a vibrant life to this manufacturing facility for decades to come. Duluth has a long and proud tradition of making things, especially related to the regional natural resource economy, and we&apos;re thrilled Sofidel sees that and is becoming part of that tradition.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>649601</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:24Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The funding, from DEED’s Redevelopment Grant Program, will go towards eight projects statewide.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $4.6 Million in Redevelopment Grants</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $4.6 Million in Redevelopment Grants</Title><title>2024-10-15 Redevelopment Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-649313&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-10-15T13:45:24Z</Date><ShortDescription>The funding, from DEED’s Redevelopment Grant Program, will go towards eight projects statewide.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>October 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $4.7 million in land redevelopment grant funding for eight projects statewide and one blighted land demolition loan. The grant funding will create or retain 278 jobs, collectively increase local tax bases by $1.28 million and leverage $174.7 million in private investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The eight grants from DEED&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/cleanup/redevelopmentgrantprogram.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Redevelopment Grant Program&lt;/a&gt; and one loan from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/cleanup/demolition.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Demolition Loan Program&lt;/a&gt; are expected to redevelop 21.99 acres and establish 264 units of housing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The Redevelopment Grant Program is a great tool communities can use to develop previously unusable land into businesses and housing that support local economic growth and the community,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;By creating and retaining jobs, this program promotes local workforce development as well as economic growth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Redevelopment Grant Program helps communities with the costs of redeveloping blighted industrial, residential or commercial sites and putting land back into productive use. The Demolition Loan Program helps communities with the removal of dilapidated or unsafe structures to prep sites for future development.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its inception in 1998, the Redevelopment Grant Program has made 262 awards worth more than $87.6 million in grants funding. These funds have created or retained 30,805 jobs, attracted over $3.7 billion in private investment and created 8,991 housing units – 2,961 of which are considered affordable.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Redevelopment grants pay up to half of the redevelopment costs for qualifying sites, with a 50% local match. They can assist with the cost of public land acquisition, building and site demolition, infrastructure improvements, soil stabilization and ponding or other environmental infrastructure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Redevelopment Grants:&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Bemidji – Rail Corridor Phase I&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Bemidji was awarded $589,926 in Redevelopment Grant funds for demolition and public infrastructure on this 6.66-acre site. Formerly a rail corridor with related commercial buildings, the site will be redeveloped into a 60,000-square-foot community wellness center. It is anticipated this project will create 77 jobs, increase the tax base by $30,000 through Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) payments and leverage $35 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: &lt;em&gt;Rich Spiczka, (218)-759-3565&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Crookston – Red River Valley Winter Shows&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Crookston was awarded $1,487,000 in Redevelopment Grant funds for asbestos abatement, demolition and public infrastructure on this 9.07-acre site. Formerly an arena for livestock and agricultural shows, the site will be redeveloped into a 7,000-square-foot credit union. It is anticipated this project will create eight jobs, retain 12 jobs, increase the tax base by $50,553 and leverage $7 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by tax increment financing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: &lt;em&gt;Karie Kirschbaum, (218)-281-3049&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Hibbing Economic Development Authority (EDA) – 400 Block Redevelopment&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Hibbing EDA was awarded $407,000 in Redevelopment Grant funds for asbestos abatement and demolition on this 0.7-acre site. The two structures—formerly used as apartments, commercial storefronts, and most recently as restaurants—will be demolished and redeveloped as a four-story multi-use building with 5,650 square feet of commercial space and 54 residential units. It is anticipated this project will create 17 jobs, increase the tax base by $253,035 and leverage $13.5 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact&lt;em&gt;: Betsy Olivanti, (218)-312-1579&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Mankato – Hotel&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Mankato was awarded $1,114,071 in Redevelopment Grant funds for demolition and public infrastructure improvements on this 2.03-acre site. Historically used as a hotel and auto dealership, this site will be redeveloped into two hotels:  a four-story, 126-room hotel and a 10-story, 156-room hotel with a restaurant. It is anticipated the project will create 111 jobs, increase the property tax base by $566,738 and leverage $80.9 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by tax increment financing and developer equity.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: &lt;em&gt;Courtney Kramlinger, (507)-387-8711&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Maplewood – Gladstone Crossing&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Maplewood was awarded $101,375 in Redevelopment Grant funds for demolition and public infrastructure improvements on this 1.23-acre site. Formerly a church and most recently a furniture store and parking lot, this site will be redeveloped into a mixed-use residential building with 40 affordable units with office space. It is anticipated this project will create three jobs and increase the tax base by $32,083. Matching funds will be provided by additional grant sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact&lt;em&gt;: Michael Martin, (651)-249-2303&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Northfield – Loon Liquor Development&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Northfield was awarded $29,795 in Redevelopment Grant funds for asbestos abatement on this 0.30-acre site. Formerly used by a media company, the existing building will be renovated into a 7,200-square-foot craft distillery. It is anticipated this project will create five jobs, retain nine jobs, increase the tax base by $18,200 and leverage $1 million of private investment. Matching funds will be paid by the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact&lt;em&gt;: Nate Carlson, (507)-645-3069&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Red Wing – Fleischmann Maltery&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Red Wing was awarded $746,500 in Redevelopment Grant funds for demolition on this 1.31-acre site. Formerly the Red Wing Malting Company and the Fleischmann Malting Company, the site will be redeveloped as a mixed-use building with 120 residential units – 15 of which will be affordable – and 12,000 square feet of commercial space. It is anticipated this project will create 35 jobs, increase the tax base by $195,410 and leverage $30.1 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer, tax increment financing, and the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: &lt;em&gt;Kyle Klatt, (651)-385-3697&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wabasha – Alleghany Apartments&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Wabasha was awarded $166,528 in Redevelopment Grant funds for asbestos abatement, demolition and public infrastructure improvements on this 0.54-acre site. Formerly used as a gas station and auto repair shop, the site will be redeveloped into a 50-unit affordable apartment building. It is anticipated this project will create one job, increase the tax base by $135,767 and leverage $7 million of private investment. Matching funds will be paid by tax increment financing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: &lt;em&gt;Caroline Gregerson, (651)-560-4860&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Demolition Loan Program&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Jackson – Coast Building&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Jackson was awarded $156,230 in Demolition Loan funds for asbestos abatement and building demolition on this 0.15-acre site. Formerly used as a hardware store, this site has the potential for a three-story mixed-use development. The city will issue an abatement bond to secure the loan.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: &lt;em&gt;John Schumann, (507) 380-8012&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>649313</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:24Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced $52 million in grants to expand broadband access to an estimated 7,700 homes and businesses throughout Minnesota.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $52 Million to Expand Broadband to nearly 8,000 Minnesota Homes and Businesses</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $52 Million to Expand Broadband to nearly 8,000 Minnesota Homes and Businesses</Title><title>2024-10-09 GO Broadband Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-648734&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-10-09T18:48:35Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz today announced $52 million in grants to expand broadband access to an estimated 7,700 homes and businesses throughout Minnesota.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>October 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced $52 million in grants to expand broadband access to an estimated 7,700 homes and businesses throughout Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Investing in broadband infrastructure benefits businesses and communities across the state,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz.  &lt;strong&gt;&quot;By connecting thousands of Minnesotans to businesses, education, and health care through broadband, we&apos;re making Minnesota the best place to work, live, and do business.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Earlier this year, Governor Walz announced over &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/611711&quot;&gt;$50 million to expand broadband access&lt;/a&gt; to an estimated 8,900 homes and businesses throughout Minnesota. In May 2023, Governor Walz signed legislation providing $100 million to the state&apos;s broadband grant funding program for the biennium.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Broadband is an essential resource that gives Minnesota an economic competitive edge and provides more choices on where to work and live,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &quot;&lt;strong&gt;It bolsters communities&apos; efforts to not only promote business attraction and expansion, but also empowers existing businesses with the many benefits that high-speed service can provide.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The grant awards announced today will help broadband providers expand high-speed broadband service in 24 counties across Minnesota. The grants come from &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/grant-program/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;two DEED programs&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$25 million from DEED&apos;s flagship Border-to-Border Broadband Program, through which broadband provider grantees are reimbursed for up to half the eligible cost of deploying broadband infrastructure, with funding for a single project capped at $10 million.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$27 million from the Low Population Density Program, which offers grants to providers building broadband service to areas of Minnesota with particularly low population densities and high broadband deployment costs. The grants can be worth up to $10 million and cover up to 75% of the total cost of a project.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;To date, DEED has awarded over $400 million in Border-to-Border or Low Population Density grants, providing broadband access to nearly 120,000 homes and businesses. Communities and internet service providers contributed over $48 million in matching funds for this grant round and over $400 million for all grant rounds to date.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED will continue administering nearly $652 million in federal &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/583127&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program&lt;/a&gt; funding from the Biden-Harris Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand broadband to the most unserved and underserved Minnesotans.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s impressive broadband infrastructure progress and ongoing efforts are largely due to strong partnerships. As we celebrate this 10-year milestone, I want to thank our state leaders for appropriating the funds needed to continue this essential work and applaud our county and community leaders who recognized broadband&apos;s value and provided the matching funds required to qualify for these state grants,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Office of Broadband Development Executive Director Bree Maki. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;I also want to commend our state&apos;s broadband providers – from national names to small community co-ops and family-run businesses – who stepped forward to take on projects that are often challenging or located in the state&apos;s most remote regions.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;List of Border-to-Border Grantees by County&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Aitkin&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative
&lt;br /&gt;
$1,808,768&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Carlton&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Consolidated Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$2,127,530&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Faribault, Freeborn&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Blue Earth Valley Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$1,779,163&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Fillmore&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Ace Telephone Association
&lt;br /&gt;
$2,567,200&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Fillmore, Olmsted, Winona&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;MiEnergy Cooperative
&lt;br /&gt;
$3,164,721&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;East Central Energy
&lt;br /&gt;
$3,267,902&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Kandiyohi&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Meeker Cooperative Light &amp;amp; Power Association – Gennessee Township
&lt;br /&gt;
$662,430&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Meeker Cooperative Light &amp;amp; Power Association – Kandiyohi Township
&lt;br /&gt;
$744,965&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Mille Lacs&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;East Central Energy
&lt;br /&gt;
$3,604,567&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Morrison&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Benton Cooperative Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$1,248,430&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Nobles&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Lismore Cooperative Telephone Co
&lt;br /&gt;
$208,598&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Olmsted&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Kasson &amp;amp; Mantorville Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$515,564&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Louis&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Mediacom LLC – Lakewood Normanna
&lt;br /&gt;
$145,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Mediacom LLC – Lakewood South
&lt;br /&gt;
$232,800&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Stearns&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Meeker Cooperative Light &amp;amp; Power Association
&lt;br /&gt;
$542,077&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Arvig
&lt;br /&gt;
$708,790&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Washington&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Midco
&lt;br /&gt;
$689,700&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wright&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Meeker Cooperative Light &amp;amp; Power Association
&lt;br /&gt;
$945,133&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Total: $24,963,338&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;List of Low Population Density Grantees by County&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Clearwater, Mahnomen&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Garden Valley Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$4,626,012&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Le Sueur&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Bevcomm Inc
&lt;br /&gt;
$1,101,801&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Martin
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Federated Rural Electric Association
&lt;br /&gt;
$8,008,419&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Murray&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Woodstock Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$2,914,733&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Otter Tail&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Otter Tail Telcom
&lt;br /&gt;
$3,700,198&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Louis&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative
&lt;br /&gt;
$3,924,157&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Stearns&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Runestone Telecom Association
&lt;br /&gt;
$1,538,614&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Waseca&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Bevcomm Inc.
&lt;br /&gt;
$1,186,050&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Total: $26,999,984&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>648734</id><Tag><Description/><Title>broadband</Title><Id>443117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:24Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><Type><Description/><Title>SSB Press Releases</Title><Id>613835</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED has secured a $19.1 million grant from the federal government to improve employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, injuries or illnesses. </Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Secures $19 Million to Expand Employment for People with Disabilities or Illness</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Secures $19 Million to Expand Employment for People with Disabilities or Illness</Title><title>2024-10-01 Employment Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-647218&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-10-01T14:00:22Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED has secured a $19.1 million grant from the federal government to improve employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, injuries or illnesses.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>Grant improves employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, injuries or illnesses</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul, MN&lt;/strong&gt; – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has secured a $19.1 million grant from the federal government to improve employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, injuries or illnesses.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The U.S. Department of Education grant will help fund two DEED programs: Evolve Employment, supporting Minnesotans who recently experienced vision loss; and MN RETAIN, to help workers stay at work or return to work as soon as medically possible after an injury or illness.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s mission is to empower the growth Minnesota&apos;s economy for everyone. That means every Minnesotan deserves an opportunity to be included in the workforce,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;We&apos;re grateful for our federal partners who are helping us support all Minnesotans, especially during October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This is good news not only for our workers and their families, but also for employers looking to hire.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;$9.1 Million for Evolve Employment&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Evolve Employment, housed at DEED&apos;s State Services for the Blind (SSB), is a five-year initiative to tackle unemployment and under-employment of blind, low vision and DeafBlind Minnesotans who recently experienced vision loss, have been unemployed for an extended period of time or are New Americans.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;With the grant funding, the program will deliver specialized career services to both individuals and businesses; support businesses in the Customer Service and Technology sectors to provide retention services and foster career development opportunities; and offer enhanced progressive employment, assistive technology, benefits counseling and sector partnerships to meet the needs of the long-term unemployed and New American job seekers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The fact is that unemployment and under-employment rates for the people we serve have been way too high for far too long,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;SSB Director Natasha Jerde.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;This is a bold new initiative to rally our resources and improve employment outcomes for blind, low vision and DeafBlind Minnesotans.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The program expects to serve at least 800 individuals and 500 businesses over the next five years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;$10 Million for MN RETAIN&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/dislocated-worker/mn-retain/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;MN RETAIN&lt;/a&gt; (Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury/Illness Network), a federally-funded program administered by DEED, serves people with new disabilities as they work to find and maintain employment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The program will use the grant to offer services related to:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Early intervention to provide support to individuals within the first two months of disability onset;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Comprehensive services that offer wraparound support, accommodations and modifications for people with disabilities in the workforce, and;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A partnership with Mayo Clinic, leveraging the Clinic&apos;s Return-to-Work Case Managers and the state&apos;s workforce development system to help more Minnesotans newly diagnosed with disabilities to access or maintain good jobs.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Helping people with new disabilities get back to work is critical for workers and families. Through MN RETAIN, we&apos;re helping provide peace of mind and financial independence to people during a particularly challenging period of their lives,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Ama Akakpo, Director of Employment and Training Programs.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;This funding gives us the opportunity to combine the historic expansion of the state Dislocated Worker program provisions with RETAIN program resources to provide sustainable employment services to people with disabilities across the state.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;MN RETAIN plans to assist at least 1,000 individuals who require support to remain in the workforce.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>647218</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:42:24Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced over $6 million in new grants to expand access to child care for working families throughout Minnesota. </Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $6 Million Child Care Expansion</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $6 Million Child Care Expansion</Title><title>2024-09-26 GO Child Care Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-646562&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-09-26T17:01:50Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz today announced over $6 million in new grants to expand access to child care for working families throughout Minnesota. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>September 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced over $6 million in new grants to expand access to child care for working families throughout Minnesota. The new grants follow record funding &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/?id=1055-624470&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;announced in May&lt;/a&gt;, and are expected to create thousands of new child care slots.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Having access to affordable and reliable child care is what allows new parents to get to work. Investments like this help not only that parent, but their employer, their community, and our economy as a whole,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;These new grants will create thousands of new child care slots and expand support for middle-class families across Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Through historic child care investments, we&apos;re nurturing our children, combating long-standing workforce inequities, maintaining a competitive economy, and building a strong state. With this work we&apos;re taking major strides toward our goal of making Minnesota the best state in the nation for children,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;When we invest in the needs of children and families, we&apos;re building a strong foundation for generations to come.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;will accept proposals&lt;/a&gt; for Child Care Economic Development grants through Oct. 31.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grant awards of up to $600,000 can be used for child care business startup, expansion or retention, provider training, facility modifications, employee retention, improvements required for licensing, and assistance with licensing and other regulatory requirements. At least half of the available grant funds will go to communities located outside the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. DEED will also award up to $500,000 to a nonprofit to administer sub-grants for individual child care providers and centers seeking improvement funding for state licensing requirements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Child care remains a critical need in communities across the state. DEED&apos;s Office of Child Care Community Partnerships helps child care businesses statewide access the support they need to succeed,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;This grant programs helps to create more child care slots and provide families with better access to high-quality, affordable child care that not only supports their economic stability, but also their children&apos;s development.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Our previous grant round funded numerous community-driven programs that leveraged local resources to design and implement solutions that are unique to their area and the families they serve,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Director of Child Care Community Partnerships Tammy Wickstrom. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re excited to see the creativity grow as child care providers and community leaders collaborate on solutions for their local needs and look to other Minnesota communities for best practice ideas.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Earlier this year, DEED awarded $6.2 million to 21 organizations that are expected to increase child care program capacity by 2,241 slots. Since 2017, DEED has issued more than $12.7 million in Child Care Economic Development grants to 77 local governments and nonprofit organizations across the state, helping create up to 11,541 child care slots.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>646562</id><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:20Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota employers added 14,400 jobs in August, the largest monthly increase in jobs since July 2022, according to data from DEED.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Posts Largest Monthly Job Gain in Two Years </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Posts Largest Monthly Job Gain in Two Years </Title><title>2024-09-19 August Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-645370&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-09-19T13:24:03Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota employers added 14,400 jobs in August, the largest monthly increase in jobs since July 2022, according to data from DEED.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>September 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota employers added 14,400 jobs in August, the largest monthly increase in jobs since July 2022, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month, employment grew by 0.5% in Minnesota, far faster than the national rate of 0.1%. Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.3% and the labor force was flat over the month. The state&apos;s unemployment rate is lower than the national average of 4.2%, and the labor force participation rate is among the best in the country.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This is a great month for Minnesota&apos;s jobs market,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We added the most jobs in a single month in two years, reflecting employers&apos; ongoing appetite to hire more workers. Our responsibility is to help them do that. &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/643105&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;September is Workforce Development Month in Minnesota&lt;/a&gt;, offering a reminder of the initiatives underway to invest in our economic future by recruiting and retaining workers and making sure Minnesota is creating the jobs of the future right here at home.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Eight of the 11 supersectors in Minnesota added jobs last month, led by strong growth in Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality (up 4,300 jobs, or 1.6%), Education &amp;amp; Health Services (up 4,200 jobs, or 0.7%) and Professional &amp;amp; Business Services (up 3,900 jobs, or 1.1%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised last month&apos;s employment figures for Minnesota. Rather than a loss of 1,100 jobs, as was initially reported, the state gained 2,500 payroll jobs from June to July. Overall, Minnesota has added jobs nine out of the last 12 months.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota gained 41,695 jobs over the year, up 1.4%, only slightly slower than the national rate of 1.5%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wages grew twice as fast as inflation. The average private sector hourly wage is $37.74 in Minnesota, an increase of 5.9% over the year. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) a common measure of inflation, rose 2.5% over that time.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Over the last several months, we have seen strong wage growth in Minnesota,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyen&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Wage growth has consistently outpaced inflation, which is a good thing as we work to attract and retain talented workers for our labor force.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;To mark Workforce Development Month, six state agency commissioners wrote an op-ed in the Duluth News Tribune about Walz-Flanagan administration strategies to grow Minnesota&apos;s workforce, such as ramping up support for high-growth sectors, investing in equity, increasing access to education and skills training, marketing Minnesota nationwide and making the state the best place for workers to raise a family. Learn more at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/columns/statewide-view-minnesota-striving-to-create-a-high-skilled-job-ready-workforce&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Statewide View: Minnesota striving to create a high-skilled, job-ready workforce&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED also hosted the 2024 Workforce Summit to share best practices and innovative ways to prepare the state&apos;s workforce to meet the needs of Minnesota businesses. Learn more at &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/social-media/deed-developments/?id=644555&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Coming Together to Strengthen Our Workforce at the 2024 Minnesota Workforce Summit&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and data. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>645370</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:20Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The Small Cities Development Program awarded grants to 31 cities, townships and counties. </Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $20.8 Million  for Economic Development in Greater Minnesota</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $20.8 Million  for Economic Development in Greater Minnesota</Title><title>2024-09-18 SCDP Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-644836&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-09-18T13:51:29Z</Date><ShortDescription>The Small Cities Development Program awarded grants to 31 cities, townships and counties.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>September 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced 31 cities, townships and counties across Greater Minnesota will receive nearly $21  million in &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/community-funding/small-cities.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Small Cities Development Program (SCDP)&lt;/a&gt; grants. The funding will be used for commercial and residential property rehabilitation, public facility improvements and other economic development projects.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s Small Cities Development Program promotes growth in Minnesota&apos;s small towns, helping Minnesotans in communities of all sizes feel the benefits of economic development,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This funding promotes economic growth and prosperity by supporting healthy communities and homes. And it ensures Minnesotans have access to funding that can create a safe and stable living environment, no matter where they are in Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This year, 88% of SCDP grant recipients serve people with low and moderate incomes .&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Cities with fewer than 50,000 residents and townships and counties with fewer than 200,000 residents are eligible. DEED administers the grants, which are funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Communities can apply for funds for one or more of the following types of projects:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Residential owner-occupied or rental property improvement projects to increase the quality of dwellings suited for individual or family occupancy. Examples include exterior repairs and replacement projects, insulation, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, lead paint remediation or accessibility modifications.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Commercial property improvement projects for buildings occupied by retail and independent businesses. This can include façade improvements (e.g. awnings, exterior signs), building code issues and energy efficiency.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Public facility improvement projects that serve neighborhoods or communities, such as community centers, streetscapes or wastewater treatment projects.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details on this year&apos;s grant recipients are below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Appleton, $943,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 20 owner-occupied housing units and eight commercial buildings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Boyd, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to water distribution lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Braham, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of an existing well and connection to water treatment plant.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Bricelyn, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to water distribution lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Climax, $546,168.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to water distribution lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Cromwell, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements and community center rehabilitation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Crookston, $1,198,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 16 owner-occupied housing units, three mixed-use rental housing units and 13 commercial buildings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Fertile, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to water distribution lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Franklin, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to water main looping and water distribution lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Garfield, $589,950.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to repave streets after sewer main replacement.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Georgetown, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to source a water connection to the water supply and water distribution lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Granite Falls, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to the streetscape.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Halstad, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to water distribution lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Hill City, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to replace the sewer force main.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Ivanhoe, $599,150.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of eight owner-occupied housing units and 26 rental housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Kettle River, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to the wastewater and portable drinking water.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of La Crescent, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to the streetscape.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Mantorville, $431,250.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 15 owner-occupied housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Maynard, $562,913.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility infrastructure improvements to the water tower/tank and water plant rehabilitation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of McGregor, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to rehabilitate the wellhouse.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Montevideo, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 42 rental housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of New Munich, $445,625.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 10 owner-occupied housing units and 11 rental housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Park Rapids, $1,003,900.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 15 rental housing units, seven mixed-use units and 18 commercial buildings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Pelican Rapids, $948,750.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 17 owner-occupied housing units and 10 commercial buildings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Revere, $600,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Public facility improvements to the stormwater conveyance system including catch basins, manholes, storm sewer pipe and service laterals.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Russell, $460,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 12 owner-occupied housing units and eight rental housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Ruthton &amp;amp; Tyler, $1,194,550.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 22 owner-occupied housing units and public facility improvements to the water tower.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Zumbrota, $597,713.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 21 owner-occupied housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Kittson County, $563,500.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 20 owner-occupied housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Marshall County, $575,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 20 owner-occupied housing units.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wilkin County, $1,173,000.00&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rehabilitation of 20 owner-occupied housing units and 13 commercial buildings.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>644836</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:19Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Administered by DEED’s Energy Transition Office, the Community Energy Transition grant program provides the state’s affected communities with funds for research, planning and implementation activities to support their local economies through energy transitions.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $5.21 Million to Six Communities Transitioning from Fossil Fuels </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $5.21 Million to Six Communities Transitioning from Fossil Fuels </Title><title>2024-09-17 Energy Transition Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-644814&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-09-17T13:51:29Z</Date><ShortDescription>Administered by DEED’s Energy Transition Office, the Community Energy Transition grant program provides the state’s affected communities with funds for research, planning and implementation activities to support their local economies through energy transitions.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>September 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul — The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced $5.21 million in grants to help drive economic development and community sustainability in six eligible Minnesota communities with power plants that are scheduled to close or have recently closed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Administered by DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office, the Community Energy Transition grant program provides the state&apos;s affected communities with funds for research, planning and implementation activities to support their local economies through energy transitions. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office helps our communities maintain economic vitality as their legacy power plants close,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Minnesota is the second state in the country with a strategic, coordinated program to support these communities and we are proud to be a leader in energy transition planning as we move toward our goal of 100% clean electricity by 2040.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Collaboration and partnerships are essential in our efforts to support communities through energy transitions,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Energy Transition Office Director Carla Vita&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We work closely with community leaders, local utilities and other state agencies to ensure coordinated efforts. DEED&apos;s Business Development team also provides affected energy transition communities with vital support and resources to help with business retention, attraction and expansion, workforce strategies and economic diversification.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Community Energy Transition grant awards are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Becker: $770,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The grant award will cover planning costs -- including environmental review and right-of-way acquisitions assessment -- to develop a grade separated interchange at U.S. Hwy. 10 and Trunk Hwy. 25. A redesigned interchange, located at the Becker business park&apos;s west entrance, will significantly improve vehicle and rail safety, and increase regional mobility and accessibility to help to attract new business to the area and address housing challenges.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The Becker city council thanks DEED for this grant to assist us in planning the grade-separated interchange. The grant funds will be used along with Becker&apos;s previously received, congressionally-directed funding to complete the planning and design for the intersection&apos;s improvements. The work at this intersection will not only enhance safety and mobility, but also improve access to the city&apos;s business park as Becker move forward on the Sherco power plant&apos;s planned retirement,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Becker Mayor Tracy Bertram&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Cook County: $1,000,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Funds will be used for two key projects: development of a strategic plan for the transition of the former Taconite Harbor Energy Center located in Schroeder Township; and land acquisition, infrastructure development, building and construction of a country waste transfer station.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Taconite Harbor strategic plan is a key step for the county toward applying for federal funding for site redevelopment. It will also help promote more public engagement for the transition and support the county&apos;s redevelopment vision. ​The waste transfer station will facilitate a reliable, efficient waste management system that is fundamental to economic development infrastructure. Currently, the county&apos;s waste is hauled to Duluth. Cook County faces competing needs for its available tax funds to develop a transfer station due to its relatively small population and large percentage of public land.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This Community Energy Transition Grant award creates a major opportunity for Cook County to redevelop the Taconite Harbor site in a way that will benefit the local economy for generations to come,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Cook County Administrator James Joerke. &quot;&lt;/strong&gt;It will also enable us to modernize our solid waste processing facilities to reduce water and air pollution, which will benefit not only county residents, but also all Minnesotans who come to Cook County to enjoy its beauty and wealth of natural resources.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Monticello: $1,000,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The grant funding will help the city plan and begin construction of a utilities extension needed to increase developable land for an industrial park that will help replace jobs and the city&apos;s tax base.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The City of Monticello is excited to have been awarded our second grant from the Community Energy Transition fund. This funding will further our efforts to achieve our energy transition goals and help us move from planning to action,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Monticello Community Development Director Angela Schumann&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The funding will be used to construct critical infrastructure to support job creation and tax base expansion. Our thanks to the Energy Transition Office staff for their work in launching the new grant structure and answering all of our questions along the way.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Oak Park Heights $440,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grant funds will be used for a feasibility study and pre-design work to construct a new water treatment facility to remove PFAS contaminants.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;On behalf of the City of Oak Park Heights, I want to express our deep gratitude to DEED for awarding us the $440,000 Community Energy Transition Grant,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Oak Park Heights Mayor Mary McComber&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The funding will enable us to conduct a thorough PFAS treatment feasibility study and pre-design as we continue to proactively ensure the safety and sustainability of our water resources. We are grateful for DEED&apos;s partnership and continued support.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Red Wing: $1,000,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grant funds will support multi-year planning to create numerous transition planning documents, including an economic impact assessment, community engagement and support strategy, revenue diversification strategy, infrastructure enhancements, workforce development and retraining, and more.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We are so proud to receive this DEED grant that will help us to develop economic diversification strategies so the city can continue to thrive after the power plant is retired,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Red Wing City Council President Kim Beise&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The award is a huge win for the community and region. We are excited for this opportunity to accelerate ideas and develop a comprehensive Economic Resiliency Transition Plan that ensures the City of Red Wing remains a great place to live, work and play.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Sherburne County: $1,000,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The grant will fund initial planning for transportation corridor improvements on a span of Hwy. 25 between I-94 in Monticello to Hwy. 10 in Big Lake. The connection improvements, which include a new river crossing, will help to create more jobs in the region and promote business growth. The grant funds will be used for an environmental assessment and alternatives analysis, as well as outreach to local officials and public engagement meetings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This is great news,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Sherburne County Board of Commissioners Chair Gregg Felber&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;It&apos;s terrific to have the State of Minnesota invest with us in this important planning project for the future of Central Minnesota as we actively shape the transition of this region&apos;s economy and communities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;I would especially like to thank our municipal, township, business and Wright County partners,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Sherburne County Commissioner Raeanne Danielowski&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The Mississippi River connects us all, but without deliberate planning and intentional development of infrastructure it can also divide us. This grant award helps our partnership advance its collective goals of a healthy, vibrant and connected community.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>644814</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:18Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>At $7.1 billion, state exports up 17% in second quarter of 2024.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Surge in Minnesota Exports</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Surge in Minnesota Exports</Title><title>2024-09-16 GO State Exports</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-644670&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-09-16T16:23:33Z</Date><ShortDescription>At $7.1 billion, state exports up 17% in second quarter of 2024.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>September 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced that Minnesota exports of goods surged to $7.1 billion in the second quarter of 2024, a 17% increase over the same period in 2023. Minnesota&apos;s export growth topped the national rate (5%) for the quarter and was stronger than all but eight other states.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s rapid growth of exports distinguishes the state as a leader on the global stage. This is an accomplishment made possible by the state&apos;s innovative workers and businesses who consistently produce high-quality goods to meet global supply chain needs,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz&lt;strong&gt;. &quot;This surge in exports is proof that when we invest in workforce development, business expansion, and building strong partnerships abroad, our economy thrives.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota exports for the first six months of 2024 have grown 9% over 2023, while U.S. exports gained 2% over the same period.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s exports had an incredible second quarter, reflecting the hard work and innovative talent of Minnesota workers and businesses,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re excited to see notable growth in newer markets and look forward to supporting Minnesota businesses as they expand and help our economy grow.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Sales of Minnesota goods made huge gains of 41% to markets in North America ($3.4 billion), with both Canada and Mexico increasing by at least 40% each. Exports to Mexico were driven by core products such as vehicles (up 44%) and emerging segments, such as plastics (up 80%) and food by-products (up 98%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Exports grew significantly to the Middle East (up 72%), as well as to Asia (up 3%), the Caribbean, Central and South America (up 8%), and Africa (up 8%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Exports to Australia – now the state&apos;s 10th largest market – increased 18%. Last November, Governor Walz led the state&apos;s first-ever trade mission to Australia.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The significant growth we saw in the second quarter is testimony to Minnesota&apos;s role as a major player in international markets,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Minnesota Trade Office Director Gabrielle Gerbaud. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Continuing to showcase Minnesota as a top destination for business investment is paramount and we&apos;re excited to continue developing the State&apos;s international connections and partnerships.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The full second quarter 2024 report is available on DEED&apos;s website in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/export-stats/current-past/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Export and Trade Statistics&lt;/a&gt; section.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>644670</id><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>trade mission</Title><Id>230112</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>manufacturing</Title><Id>230118</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>exports</Title><Id>230103</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:18Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED announced Launch Minnesota Business Operation Innovation Grants to 21 Minnesota startups.</Description><Audience/><Title>Launch Minnesota Awards Nearly $583,000 to 21 Innovative Startups </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Launch Minnesota Awards Nearly $583,000 to 21 Innovative Startups </Title><title>2024-09-13 Innovation Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-644586&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-09-13T18:51:23Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED announced Launch Minnesota Business Operation Innovation Grants to 21 Minnesota startups.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>September 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced $552,820 in Launch Minnesota Business Operation Innovation Grants to 21 Minnesota startups that have created innovative technology solutions; 76% of the grantees are startups led by entrepreneurs of color, veterans, women or persons with disabilities or are located in Greater Minnesota. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Launch Minnesota is a statewide collaborative effort spearheaded by DEED to support startups and grow Minnesota&apos;s innovation ecosystem. It awards Innovation grants of up to $35,000 to promising, innovative and scalable technology businesses to use toward operational costs such as research and development, direct business expenses and technical assistance.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its inception in 2019, Launch Minnesota has awarded $9.1 million in grant funding and 64% has been awarded to targeted founders. Innovation grantees have gone on to raise more than $150 million in additional post-award funding.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt; &quot;It’s always fascinating to see the broad range of innovative new products and technologies being developed right here in Minnesota,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Launch Minnesota helps our state’s startups to grow and thrive as they develop new ways to help individuals and businesses solve problems.” &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;“Launch Minnesota increases access to capital, helps connect our state’s vibrant startup ecosystem and provides educational resources for entrepreneurs,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Neela Mollgaard, DEED Office of Small Business and Innovation Executive Director&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Innovative businesses are vital to the state’s business economy, and we&apos;re thrilled the grant continues to help businesses start, scale and succeed.” &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This grant round represents a diverse range of startups with new products and technologies that enhance consumers’ daily lives or help businesses or health care providers to be more efficient and improve operational safety,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Rob Cimperman, Launch Minnesota Director&lt;/strong&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The following companies received Business Operations Innovation Grants: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://alurellc.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Alure LLC&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The minority co-owned company is developing a product that baits and kills Japanese Beetles using a pheromone-baited scent and an effective capture surface. The product is organic and eliminates the need for pesticides.   &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.anserimplants.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Anser Implants&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The company’s clavicle pin is a minimally invasive solution for midshaft clavicle fractures that effectively stabilizes the bone while accommodating micromotion and preserving length. This allows patients to resume their normal activities faster, without compromised motion or unsightly bumps and scarring. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://aplosmed.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Aplos Medical&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The minority-owned company’s Omega PF device for the treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly known as GERD, is implanted with a laparoscopic procedure. The device is designed to prevent excessive acid from entering the esophagus and minimize dysphagia (swallowing difficulty) and side effects common to other GERD treatments. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.clixflosser.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Clix Flosser&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The company’s ergonomically-designed, hand-held dental flossing device simplifies flossing. The product is refillable for continued use and does not require batteries or charging. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;cLoc Medical&lt;/strong&gt;: The minority-owned company is developing a novel mechanical suture fastener device for cardiac and other surgeries. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://endovascularhorizons.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Endovascular Horizons&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The minority-owned company’s minimally-invasive endovascular technology for treating chronic subdural hematomas can increase procedure safety by replacing the current standard of care that is highly invasive. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ekwe.app/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Ewke&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: Created and designed by musicians and teachers, the company’s mobile app-based music platform provides an easy way to learn, teach, play, create and share music. Users can explore and access contemporary electronic sounds and recordings of 150 musical instruments from around the world, plus record their own external voice and acoustic instruments, for their own unique compositions. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://gametimehero.web.app/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Gametime Hero&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The minority woman-owned company is developing an event management platform that streamlines the process of organizing and participating in sports, hobbies and other types of events. The platform helps users connect with other enthusiasts to build their own local communities, organize events, assemble teams, coordinate participants, find last-minute subs or replacements, and more.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://hivescience.ai&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Hive AI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The woman-owned tech company is developing a marketing and decision intelligence platform built on scientific data about human behavior and cognitive patterns. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Infinite Intel&lt;/strong&gt;: The minority co-owned startup is developing a web app platform that aims to revolutionize workers&apos; compensation claims by leveraging AI. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://levelrie.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Levelrie&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The woman-owned company is developing an AI-based mobile app that serves as a personal stylist that curates outfits for specific occasions, events or trips. The app simplifies occasion-based shopping and it enables users to build a digital closet with their existing wardrobe and generate outfit ideas based on their personal style and preferences. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://trymodernkind.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;ModernKind&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The woman-owned startup, located in Zimmerman, developed waterless shampoo and body wash formulas, made with clean ingredients and no harsh chemicals, and packaged in refillable aluminum bottles and compostable refill pouches. The aluminum packaging is recyclable and replaces the need for single-use plastics packaging that is prevalent in the beauty products industry.     &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.themoovapp.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;MOOV&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The minority co-founded, Twin Cities-based rideshare initiative champions fair compensation for drivers and affordable rates for riders. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://nivoso.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Nivoso&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The company is developing autonomous snow removal and lawn maintenance robots with sensors and complex software algorithms that enable the units to operate without human intervention. The products are modular and customizable for commercial market users. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://pennant.tv/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Pennant&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The minority-owned streaming video platform enables performing artists and organizations to deliver custom-branded content and set their own prices for subscriptions and merchandise or sell access to premium pay-per-view style content. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://phos-tech.net/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Phos Technology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The Duluth-based, veteran-, minority-, woman-owned company developed a patented fluorescence technique and software to monitor and characterize chemical and physical degradation and oxidation of polyethylene and polypropylene materials at early and late stages and at the sub-micron level. These advanced insights can be used to improve plastic design, manufacturing and testing, which can help to reduce damage to the environment by enhancing the reusability of plastics. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.priogen.bio/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Priogen&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: The minority co-founded University of Minnesota spin-off company specializes in next-generation protein diagnostics technologies for detecting prion and protein misfolding diseases – such as chronic wasting disease and mad cow disease – in wildlife, livestock and humans.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reveal Medtech&lt;/strong&gt;: The company is developing fluoroscopic markers that delineate structures in the heart and vasculature to simplify device implantation and improve precision. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.talknician.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Talknician&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The company is developing an AI-optimized learning and resource management system to support workplace onboarding, upskilling and servicing in discrete manufacturing settings and the consumer packaged goods and food processing industries. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.vertexmedsolutions.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Vertex Medical Solutions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The minority-owned company is developing a web-based social care coordination application for emergency departments and health care payers, aimed at improving health outcomes.  The app includes an assessment tool to identify patient’s social needs such as food and housing insecurity, a trauma history questionnaire to identify factors such as emotional triggers and coping skills and a community resources platform to help connect patients to relevant community-based organizations and social services. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://xblock.ai/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;xBlock AI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: The woman-owned company is developing a learning platform for hospitality management that provides tailored courses, quizzes and assessments based on individual needs and career paths. &lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>644586</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:18Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The initiative is part of the state’s campaign aimed at attracting visitors, residents, &amp; businesses to Minnesota by showcasing the state&apos;s world-class economic opportunities and high quality of life.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces New Campaign to Attract Business to Minnesota</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces New Campaign to Attract Business to Minnesota</Title><title>2024-09-09 GO Explore MN</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-643511&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-09-09T16:27:28Z</Date><ShortDescription>The initiative is part of the state’s campaign aimed at attracting visitors, residents, &amp; businesses to Minnesota by showcasing the state&apos;s world-class economic opportunities and high quality of life.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>September 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and Explore Minnesota today announced the launch of a new effort to attract business to Minnesota. The initiative is part of the state&apos;s campaign aimed at attracting visitors, residents, and businesses to Minnesota by showcasing the state&apos;s world-class economic opportunities and high quality of life.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;From small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, we&apos;re focused on maintaining our record as a top state for business,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;By telling the stories of companies who&apos;ve found success in our state, we&apos;re encouraging other businesses to look to Minnesota to grow and invest.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The new initiative, created in partnership with Explore Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), captures the stories of leading businesses across key industries, including manufacturing and biomedical technology. The campaign features testimonials from Mayo Clinic Business Development, Microbiologics, Polar Semiconductor, and Rosenbauer America. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.exploreminnesota.com/business&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;campaign&lt;/a&gt; will run nationwide through June 2025.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s diverse economy serves as a foundation for businesses to start, grow, and prosper,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are proud to be ranked one of the best states for businesses bolstered by one of the highest-caliber talent markets in the country. We invite people to explore what our state has to offer for businesses and their employees.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota has long been a location for innovation and global impact. From conducting to the first open-heart surgery, to fostering the invention of groundbreaking devices, and now boasting more than two dozen business accelerators and incubators, the state is a leader in technological advancement. Decades of public and private investments in education have produced a robust and skilled workforce, making Minnesota&apos;s talent pool one of the most educated and diverse in the country.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Through this new release in the Star of the North campaign, we&apos;re showcasing how the state is reinvigorating the economy from high-tech manufacturing to industry-leading research and medical innovation,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Explore Minnesota Executive Director Lauren Bennett McGinty. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;The campaign articulates our diverse business ecosystem and talent market, high quality of life, and commitment to inclusive growth for businesses to thrive.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Whether a company is opening its doors for the first time, or a long-standing business is expanding its production, business leaders know that Minnesota is a dynamic place to be,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Our state has a powerful innovation ecosystem, massive research-and-development spending, top-rated infrastructure, and a global talent market. And we&apos;re doubling down on incentives and supports for companies looking to invest or expand.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In addition to economic strength, Minnesota also stands out for its quality of life in every region. The state boasts a top-tier health care system, vast natural resources, and vibrant arts and culture scenes. Minnesota consistently ranks among the top states for livability, with a relatively affordable cost of living.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;To learn more about business opportunities in Minnesota, visit &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.exploreminnesota.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Explore Minnesota for Your Business Needs&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>643511</id><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:17Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota’s on-the-job training program expands to include child care industry.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan Highlight Efforts to Grow Minnesota’s Workforce</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan Highlight Efforts to Grow Minnesota’s Workforce</Title><title>2024-09-05 GO WFD Month</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-643105&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-09-05T17:37:40Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota’s on-the-job training program expands to include child care industry.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>September 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan are recognizing Workforce Development Month by highlighting efforts to connect more Minnesotans to high-growth, high-demand jobs through job training and workforce development programs. The state&apos;s Dual Training Grant program has now been expanded to include the child care industry, providing $450,000 to support the training of dozens of new child care workers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;As a top state for business, health care, and manufacturing, there are so many opportunities for people to enter high-demand, family-sustaining careers in Minnesota,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;ve expanded on-the-job training and workforce development to grow our economy and build a strong, competitive workforce.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;When we invest in workforce development and job training programs, we create economic opportunity for Minnesotans across the state,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;These programs are charting pathways for people in Minnesota to succeed in high-growth industries, from clean energy to health care.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and its business and nonprofit partners strive to connect all people who need work to the employers who want to hire them. These efforts are supported by additional state investment in training to bring more Minnesotans into the labor force.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Workforce development efforts include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/614773&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Drive for Five Fund&lt;/a&gt; to create a pipeline of workers who are skilled and prepared to pursue employment in five high-demand career areas.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/627251&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Clean Economy Equitable Workforce&lt;/a&gt; program to help underrepresented Minnesotans enter careers in the high-demand fields of construction, clean energy, and energy efficiency.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/628030&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Transformative Career Pathways&lt;/a&gt; program which provides job skills training, work readiness, internships, work experience, on-the-job training, and job placement for Minnesotans.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/627048&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Dual Training Grant&lt;/a&gt; program to help employers meet their workforce needs by creating on the job training programs for employees.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Removing &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/?id=589989#/detail/appId/1/id/597989&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;college degree requirements&lt;/a&gt; for state jobs.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Growing the education workforce through &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/626669&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;teacher apprenticeships&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/628023&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;teacher mentorship&lt;/a&gt; programs, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/641830&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;special education&lt;/a&gt; grants.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A record expansion of &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/?id=1055-624470&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;child care&lt;/a&gt; grants to create new child care slots across the state to serve working families.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Together, Minnesota&apos;s workforce development professionals are helping to build the future of Minnesota&apos;s workforce,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Our workforce development strategy is starting to have a real-world impact as initiatives are implemented across the state, and we&apos;re excited to keep this momentum going for the people of Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re focused on preparing workers for employment in high-growth sectors that offer career pathways with family sustaining wages,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Marc Majors, DEED Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Recent historic workforce investments will create more opportunity and have significant impact for years to come – and that&apos;s good news for all Minnesotans.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Many workforce development professionals will come together on September 12 in Duluth for the Minnesota Workforce Summit, sponsored by DEED.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Successful worker training takes partnership. Everyone benefits when employers invest in education and skills training for workers,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Nicole Blissenbach, Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry commissioner. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;ve seen proven results from apprentices in state registered apprenticeship programs who earn a good salary as they train to become highly skilled professionals and tradespersons. The department&apos;s Dual-Training Pipeline and Youth Skills Training programs also support workers in an earn-and-learn model.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Part of making Minnesota the best place for families is ensuring every child receives a quality education. We&apos;re building the best teaching workforce in the nation by expanding career pathways for new teachers and investing in programs to retain and support our teachers so that they can grow and thrive,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Education Commissioner Willie Jett.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;From grants that support on-the-job training to free college tuition for Minnesotans, we are making vital investments in our state workforce,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Minnesota Office of Higher Education Commissioner Dennis Olson. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Our efforts are providing workers with the tools they need to succeed, connecting employers with highly skilled job candidates, and bolstering our state&apos;s economy. All of which ensures we are building a state where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;A dynamic and growing workforce is vital for the economic success and growth of Minnesota,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Iron Range Resources &amp;amp; Rehabilitation Commissioner Ida Rukavina. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Our workforce development program facilitates partnerships with businesses and industries to enhance career exploration programs, develop tailored workforce training solutions and promote career pathway initiatives that encourage non-traditional students to enter high-demand fields. In addition, we are investing in housing, outdoor recreation, downtown revitalization, broadband connectivity and childcare services, all of which are instrumental in drawing new workers and families to the region.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Developing the workforce of the future is critical,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We must work together to enhance and sustain high-need areas like direct support professionals in the caring careers field to help care for the aging and people with disabilities in Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Highlighted resources during Workforce Development Month:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Access the agenda for the Minnesota Workforce Summit, which brings together key stakeholders from Minnesota&apos;s workforce development system on September 12 in Duluth.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Find career exploration, job search, and hiring assistance at a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/locations&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForce location near you&lt;/a&gt; or by calling 651-259-7500.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;View &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/WorkforceDevelopmentMonth&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Workforce Development Month resources&lt;/a&gt; including success stories and blog posts focused on specific areas of Minnesota from DEED&apos;s regional labor market analysts.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Access the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/CreativeJobSearch&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;new Creative Job Search guide&lt;/a&gt;, an updated version of this award-winning resource for career explorers and job seekers.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>643105</id><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:16Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED today announced more than $5 million for three business expansion projects in the state. </Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $5 Million for Business Expansion Statewide</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $5 Million for Business Expansion Statewide</Title><title>2024-08-22 GO Q2 JCF/MIF</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-642096&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-08-22T19:07:10Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz and DEED today announced more than $5 million for three business expansion projects in the state. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced more than $5 million for three business expansion projects in the state. The projects are expected to support 175 jobs and leverage $72 million in outside investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We didn&apos;t achieve our ranking as a top state for business by accident. We earn that reputation by investing in business expansion, supporting innovation, and driving business growth,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;These projects will create good-paying jobs and expand Minnesota&apos;s leadership in health care and medical technology.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota is one of the best places for businesses of any size to break ground, build, and expand,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Job Creation Fund and Minnesota Investment Fund&apos;s record-breaking year is testament to how tirelessly DEED&apos;s business development programs and staff work to make Minnesota a place businesses want to settle and thrive.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Job Creation Fund (JCF) provides financial incentives to new and expanding businesses that meet certain job creation and capital investment targets.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Eligible companies may receive up to $2 million for creating or retaining high-paying jobs and for constructing or renovating facilities or making other property improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF) provides financing to help add new workers and retain high-quality jobs – with a focus on industrial, manufacturing, and technology-related industries – increasing the local and state tax base and improving Minnesota&apos;s economic vitality. Funds are awarded to local units of government, which provide loans to assist expanding businesses. Some of the loans may be forgiven if specific goals are met.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details on individual projects below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Golden Valley – JCF $1,840,000, MIF $1,370,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Baxter Healthcare Corporation is a global medical technology manufacturer headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, with locations around the world. The proposed expansion will create a new research and development center in Minnesota that will support the company&apos;s kidney care business. The total expansion cost is $40.7 million and is expected to create 70 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;LISI Medical Remmele, Inc., Big Lake – MIF $550,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;LISI Medical — a division of LISI Group — is a medical device manufacturer that specializes in implants and instruments for minimally invasive surgery, as well as orthopedic, spinal, and trauma surgery. The proposed expansion will grow the existing Big Lake facility by approximately 45,000 square feet, bringing it to a total of 152,000 square feet. The total project cost is $23.5 million and is expected create 30 jobs within the first three years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Simpli-Fi Automation, Inc., St. Paul – JCF $268,000, MIF $1,000,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Simpli-Fi Automation, Inc. is a St. Paul-based company specializing in cutting-edge technology for health care. The company is planning to develop a 7,500-square-foot facility in St. Paul to create advanced materials used in health and environmental sensors that are vital for improving patient care and monitoring environmental conditions. The $12.2 million expansion is set to create or retain 75 jobs over the next three years.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>642096</id><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:16Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate increased to 3.2% as employers dropped a statistically-flat 1,100 jobs in July, according to numbers released today by DEED.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Jobs, Labor Force Little Changed Last Month </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Jobs, Labor Force Little Changed Last Month </Title><title>2024-08-15 July Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-641007&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-08-15T14:12:02Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate increased to 3.2% as employers dropped a statistically-flat 1,100 jobs in July, according to numbers released today by DEED.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Employment and labor force in Minnesota changed little over the month, with the state losing a small number of jobs and recording slightly fewer would-be workers in July, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate increased to 3.2% as employers dropped a statistically-flat 1,100 jobs in July. The labor force fell by 2,200 people over the month. Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate is still lower than the national rate of 4.3%, which also increased this month, and the state&apos;s labor force participation rate (67.8%) continues to be among the highest in the country.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota has gained more than 29,200 payroll jobs. According to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/jolts/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics&lt;/a&gt;, Minnesota employers had more than 169,000 open positions in May, an increase over the month prior.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Despite monthly variance, Minnesota&apos;s economy remains in a strong place. &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/639522&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Companies report that they expect to continue hiring&lt;/a&gt;, we&apos;re monitoring dozens of business expansions that will create thousands of jobs, and DEED is working hard to grow the state&apos;s labor force as our new workforce programs enroll and graduate participants,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We&apos;re also eagerly watching macroeconomic factors that could drive Minnesota business growth and hiring, including interest rate decisions from the Federal Reserve.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Three of Minnesota&apos;s 11 supersectors gained jobs last month, led by Education &amp;amp; Health Services, which added 4,300 jobs. Six supersectors lost jobs, including Trade, Transportation &amp;amp; Utilities, down 2,400 jobs; Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality, down 2,000 jobs; and Financial Activities, down 1,100 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wages for Minnesota workers continue to be high. Average hourly wages for private sector workers increased $1.42, or 3.9% over the year. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) a common measure of inflation, rose 2.9% over the year, meaning wages increased faster than inflation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the last six months, DEED released nearly $35 million in funding for three new workforce training programs designed to bring more Minnesotans into the workforce and on the path to careers with family-sustaining wages. These include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/614713&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$20 million for Drive for 5&lt;/a&gt;, an effort to prepare more Minnesotans for high-demand jobs in five occupational categories: technology, the trades, caring professions, manufacturing and education;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/628055&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$12 million&lt;/a&gt; to provide employment and training services for populations who have been historically overlooked and often face multiple barriers to employment; and&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/627246&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$2.7 million for Clean Economy Equitable Workforce&lt;/a&gt;, to train Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and low-income Minnesotans for good-paying union trade jobs in the high-demand fields of construction, clean energy and energy efficiency.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;and data. You can also find&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>641007</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:16Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The funding went to 35 projects across Minnesota.</Description><Audience/><Title>Public Facilities Authority Awards More Than $253 Million in the First Half of 2024</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Public Facilities Authority Awards More Than $253 Million in the First Half of 2024</Title><title>2024-08-05 PFA Awards</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-639597&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-08-05T15:51:21Z</Date><ShortDescription>The funding went to 35 projects across Minnesota.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (PFA) today announced more than $253 million in loans and grants awarded to 35 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects throughout the state during the first half of 2024. Since its inception in 1987, the PFA has financed $6.09 billion for public infrastructure projects statewide.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Funding from the PFA positively affects our communities and it will help them grow and develop for years to come,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Matt Varilek, chair of the PFA&lt;/strong&gt;.  &quot;Keeping our water clean, drinkable and accessible will always be a top priority for the PFA as we work to help communities flourish.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The PFA provides crucial financing and technical assistance to help communities build public infrastructure that protects public health and the environment,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Economic Development Deputy Commissioner Kevin McKinnon&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Investing in the well-being of Minnesota&apos;s infrastructure is a catalyst to economic growth and prosperity.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Funding for the projects primarily comes from PFA&apos;s Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which helps communities build or upgrade wastewater treatment plants to comply with discharge standards in the federal Clean Water Act, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which helps communities build drinking water storage, treatment and distribution systems that comply with standards in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Some projects also received funding from PFA&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/point-source-grants.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Point Source Implementation grant program&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/wastewater.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Water Infrastructure Fund&lt;/a&gt; program and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/funds-programs/smallcommunitywastewatertreatmentprogram.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Small Community Wastewater Treatment Program&lt;/a&gt;. In some cases, funding was also provided by special state appropriations, the Federal USDA Office of Rural Development and local sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Projects and PFA funding amounts listed below. Funding details for each project are available on &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/pfa/about/awards.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the PFA website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;June 24 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/6-24-elk-river_tcm1045-630905.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Elk River,&lt;/a&gt; $1,100,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will decommission the non-complying sewage system in the Rolling Hills subdivision and connect it to the city&apos;s existing sewer system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;June 24 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/6-24-glenwood_tcm1045-630904.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Glenwood&lt;/a&gt;, $540,700&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will recondition the existing 400,000-gallon drinking water storage reservoir.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;June 14 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/6-14-onamia_tcm1045-628622.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Onamia&lt;/a&gt;, $4,350,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of a new drinking water plant and well improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;June 14 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/6-14-appleton_tcm1045-628623.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Appleton&lt;/a&gt;, $3,877,434&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will replace an aging water main and rehabilitate an aging sanitary sewer on Schlieman Avenue.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;June 3 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/6-3-saint-paul_tcm1045-628621.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Saint Paul&lt;/a&gt;, $29,000,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project is a continuation of financing for the construction of the new McCarrons drinking water treatment plant.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;May 30 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/5-30-south-haven_tcm1045-628626.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;South Haven&lt;/a&gt;, $3,500,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of improvements to the drinking water system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;May 30 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/5-30-delavan_tcm1045-628627.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Delavan&lt;/a&gt;, $1,009,153&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate the city&apos;s drinking water treatment plant, including treatment for manganese.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;May 13 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/5-13-winnebago_tcm1045-628629.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Winnebago&lt;/a&gt;, $4,893,094&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will replace an aging water main, as well as reconstruct and realign a sanitary sewer in the Cleveland Avenue West area.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;May 9 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/5-9-tyler_tcm1045-628624.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Tyler&lt;/a&gt;, $7,259,274&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate a gravity sanitary sewer, as well as construct a new main lift station and a new force main from the lift station to the wastewater treatment ponds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;May 8 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/5-8-east-gull-lake_tcm1045-628625.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;East Gull Lake&lt;/a&gt;, $2,184,957&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a new force main, rehabilitate the lift station, improve the Pine Beach treatment facility, and decommission the North Full Point treatment facility.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;May 2 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/5-2-east-gull-lake_tcm1045-628628.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;East Gull Lake&lt;/a&gt;, $2,900,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will design, construct, and finance equipment capital improvements to the South Beach Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF), decommission the North Gull Point WWTF, and reroute the wastewater force main.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;April 29 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/4-19-bagley_tcm1045-628635.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Bagley&lt;/a&gt;, $7,200,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will predesign, design, construct, and rehabilitate the water main and sanitary sewer infrastructure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;April 25 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/4-25-albert-lea_tcm1045-628634.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Albert Lea&lt;/a&gt;, $7,098,045&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of the demolition, construction, and replacement of equipment at the wastewater treatment facility&apos;s pretreatment building.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;April 11 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/4-11-north-zumbro_tcm1045-628636.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;North Zumbro&lt;/a&gt; Sanitary Sewer District, $10,000,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will acquire property for and predesign a wastewater facility for the newly formed sanitary district covering Goodhue, Pine Island, Wanamingo, and Zumbrota, as well as the Elk Run settlement lands of the Prairie Island Indian community.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;April 10 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/4-10-saint-michael_tcm1045-628637.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Saint Michael&lt;/a&gt;, $5,000,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will design and construct wastewater infrastructure system improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;April 9 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/4-9-medicine-lake_tcm1045-628630.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Medicine Lake&lt;/a&gt;, $3,500,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will extend water distribution lines from Plymouth and minor sewer work to address inflow and infiltration in the sanitary sewer system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;April 8 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/4-8-vernon-center_tcm1045-628632.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Vernon Center&lt;/a&gt;, $7,984,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip water distribution, sanitary sewer and storm water collection systems, and related local road improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;April 8 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/4-8-westbrook_tcm1045-628631.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Westbrook&lt;/a&gt;, $6,733,580&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a new reverse osmosis drinking water treatment plant, including treatment for nitrate.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;April 8 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/4-8-randolph_tcm1045-628633.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Randolph&lt;/a&gt;, $13,000,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will design, acquire, construct, and equip a new sanitary sewer collection and treatment system for the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;March 25 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/3-26-long-prairie_tcm1045-628640.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Long Prairie&lt;/a&gt;, $2,623,500&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate the main lift station, replacing pumps and piping, and includes a significant electrical upgrade.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;March 28 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/3-28-clinton_tcm1045-628639.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Clinton&lt;/a&gt;, $1,300,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of sewer rehabilitation on the west side of the city and improvements to the wastewater treatment facility.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;March 14 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/3-14-lake-lillian_tcm1045-628641.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Lake Lillian&lt;/a&gt;, $2,620,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate the city&apos;s drinking water treatment plant and includes improvements to remove arsenic.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;March 4 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/3-4-glenville_tcm1045-628638.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Glenville&lt;/a&gt;, $5,713,600&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a drinking water treatment plant for radium removal and two new municipal walls.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;February 22 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/02-22-saint-paul_tcm1045-611607.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Saint Paul&lt;/a&gt;, $774,577&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will retrofit the Bush-Desoto Stormwater Pond to reduce phosphorus loads to the Mississippi River.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;February 14 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/02-14-wabasso_tcm1045-611608.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Wabasso&lt;/a&gt;, $2,910,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate the city&apos;s sanitary sewer collection system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;February 12 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/02-12-ironton_tcm1045-611609.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Ironton&lt;/a&gt;, $2,500,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will construct a new water treatment plant.
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;February 5 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/02-05-sauk-rapids_tcm1045-611610.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Sauk Rapids&lt;/a&gt;, $121,784&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will replace 13 privately-owned lead service lines along Division Street to complete the total replacement of the service lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;February 2- &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/02-02-metropolitan-council_tcm1045-611611.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Metropolitan Council&lt;/a&gt;, $42,000,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project consists of cash flow financing for the Metropolitan Council&apos;s wastewater capital improvement projects.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;January 25 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/01-25-ogilvie_tcm1045-611612.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Ogilvie&lt;/a&gt;, $4,129,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will improve a wastewater treatment facility, including advanced treatment for phosphorus and mercury.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;January 24 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/01-24-arden-hills_tcm1045-611613.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Arden Hills&lt;/a&gt;, $510,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will replace the water main and sanitary sewer, as well as improve the intersection of County Road E and Old Highway 10.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;January 11 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/01-11-amboy_tcm1045-608284.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Amboy&lt;/a&gt;, $2,027,744&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate the drinking water treatment plant, including installation of reverse osmosis membrane filters to reduce the discharge of chlorides.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;January 9 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/01-9-la-salle_tcm1045-608285.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;La Salle&lt;/a&gt;, $371,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will establish a connection to the Red Rock Rural Water System.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;January 2 – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/assets/01-2-owatonna_tcm1045-608286.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Owatonna&lt;/a&gt;, $65,000,000&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will rehabilitate and upgrade a wastewater plant to reduce phosphorus discharge to the Cannon River watershed, which is impaired.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>639597</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:14Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota business services firms expect improved profits, productivity and job growth over the next 12 months.</Description><Audience/><Title>New Survey Highlights Optimism for Minnesota Businesses </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>New Survey Highlights Optimism for Minnesota Businesses </Title><title>2024-08-02 Biz Conditions Survey</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-639522&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-08-02T15:51:21Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota business services firms expect improved profits, productivity and job growth over the next 12 months.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>August 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Minnesota business services firms expect improved profits, productivity and job growth over the next 12 months, according to a survey conducted by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;More than half of respondents expect sales revenue, profits, productivity and employment to increase or stay the same in Minnesota over the next year, according to the survey. Two-thirds of firms expect labor availability to stay about the same, while nearly 65% anticipate raising wages by at least 3% to attract workers during Minnesota&apos;s labor shortage.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;On inflation, 56% of respondents expect it to rise over the next year, but that figure is down from 65% in last year&apos;s survey, reflecting cautious optimism about slowing price increases.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Businesses are optimistic about Minnesota&apos;s economic outlook. Our employers have added jobs eight of the last 12 months and dozens of businesses have announced expansions in our state, including major companies like Meta, Polar Semiconductor and Solugen,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We&apos;re working hard to address businesses&apos; concerns about our economy, especially the labor shortage, as we aim to keep Minnesota among the top states for business.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;CNBC &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/11/americas-top-states-for-business-full-rankings.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;recently ranked&lt;/a&gt; Minnesota the 6th best state for business in the country.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This survey partnership with DEED provides us with on-the-ground intelligence about the business conditions and expectations for inflation and hiring that is key to our understanding of the national economy,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Joe Mahon, Regional Outreach Director for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Business Services Industry Conditions Survey gauges the sentiments of Minnesota business services firms concerning their own operations, as well as the state economy as a whole. Accounting firms, computer consultants, advertising and public relations agencies and other types of service companies support the activities of other businesses, and their performance is an indicator of overall business conditions and trends across industries and throughout the state. This year&apos;s survey included responses from 141 businesses.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis have conducted this survey annually since 2006. A detailed report of &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/biz-services-industry-conditions/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the 2024 Survey of Minnesota Business Services Firms&lt;/a&gt; is available on the DEED website.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>639522</id><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:13Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED today announced a $4.75 million grant round to support eligible Minnesota communities with power plants fueled by coal, natural gas or nuclear energy that are scheduled to close, have recently closed or are due to have their operating license expire soon.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces $4.75 Million in Community Energy Transition Funding </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces $4.75 Million in Community Energy Transition Funding </Title><title>2024-07-18 ETO Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-632412&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-07-18T15:33:56Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED announced a $4.75 million grant round to support eligible Minnesota communities with power plants fueled by coal, natural gas or nuclear energy.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>July 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced a $4.75 million grant round to support eligible Minnesota communities with power plants fueled by coal, natural gas or nuclear energy that are scheduled to close, have recently closed or are due to have their operating license expire soon.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Energy Transition Grant program helps the state&apos;s &quot;energy transition communities&quot; minimize the negative consequences from closures and maximize opportunities for future economic growth and community wellbeing. It provides funds for research, planning and implementation activities designed to:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;assist workers at the plant find new employment, including worker retraining and developing small business startup skills;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;increase the community&apos;s property tax base;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;develop alternative economic development strategies to attract new employers to the community; and&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;produce site readiness plans, land use studies and long-term economic planning and impact studies.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The grant program also activates Minnesota&apos;s Environmental Quality Board to reimburse some costs associated with helping communities address regulatory issues, provide consultation on technical and regulatory challenges and educate the community on transitions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;As the state works toward achieving its goal of 100% clean electricity by 2040, we realize energy transition communities will face initial economic uncertainties as legacy power plants close,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Empowering the growth of Minnesota&apos;s economy for everyone is DEED&apos;s mission. Our Energy Transition Office is dedicated to helping affected communities through transition as the state progresses toward a more sustainable energy system and a cleaner economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We&apos;re proud to partner with local governments and power companies in energy transition communities and provide support to help them not only weather the transition but also benefit from the state&apos;s long-term clean economy goals,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Carla Vita, Director of DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Eligible communities can apply for grants of up to $1 million for fiscal year 2025 projects. Grant applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis through June 30, 2025 or until available funds are expended. DEED has released an ongoing &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp&quot;&gt;call for applications&lt;/a&gt; for communities interested in the Energy Transition grant.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>632412</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:13Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The state’s unemployment rate ticked up one-tenth of a percentage point to 2.9% from May to June, according to numbers released today by DEED.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Jobs Metrics Tick Down, but Remain High </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Jobs Metrics Tick Down, but Remain High </Title><title>2024-07-18 June Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-632400&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-07-18T13:31:46Z</Date><ShortDescription>The state’s unemployment rate ticked up one-tenth of a percentage point to 2.9% from May to June, according to numbers released today by DEED.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>July 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The state&apos;s unemployment rate ticked up one-tenth of a percentage point to 2.9% from May to June, and the labor force participation rate ticked down two-tenths of a percentage point to 67.8% over the month, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota lost 3,200 jobs from May to June on a seasonally adjusted basis, with the private sector down 3,300 jobs. Even with June&apos;s losses, Minnesota has added jobs eight of the last 12 months. The state&apos;s labor force declined by more than 3,100 people. Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate remains low and its labor force participation rate continues to be among the highest in the country.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Nationally, the unemployment rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.1% and the labor force participation rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 62.6% over the month.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We closely monitor job and labor force growth and we continue to believe that job growth, particularly in certain sectors, is constrained by a lack of available workers with necessary skills,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;That&apos;s why DEED and our agency partners are focused on innovative initiatives to help connect Minnesotans looking for work with in-demand employment. DEED&apos;s Drive for 5, Targeted Populations, Clean Economy Equitable Workforce and other programs will help bring more Minnesotans into the labor force with high-demand skills.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month, four supersectors in Minnesota gained jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, including Education &amp;amp; Health Services, up 4,500 jobs, and Construction, up 300 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Six supersectors in Minnesota lost jobs over the month, including Professional &amp;amp; Business Services, which was down 3,000 jobs, Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality down 2,100 jobs, and Manufacturing down 1,600 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota has gained 29,711 payroll jobs, up 1.0%. The private sector gained 10,295 jobs, up 0.4%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Four supersectors posted positive annual growth in Minnesota, including Education &amp;amp; Health Services, up 39,265 jobs or 7.1%, outpacing the national rate of 4.2%. Government gained 19,416 jobs, up 4.6%, outpacing the U.S. growth rate of 2.6%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Seven supersectors lost jobs over the year in Minnesota. Most notably, Professional &amp;amp; Business Services lost 19,240 jobs, down 4.9%, while the U.S. grew 0.3%, and Manufacturing lost 8,436 jobs, down 2.6%, with the U.S. Manufacturing sector unchanged over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wages for Minnesota workers again outpaced inflation and national wage growth. Average hourly wages for all private sector workers increased $2.02, or 5.7%, over the year. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) a common measure of inflation, rose 3% over the year, meaning wages increased almost twice as fast as inflation. Nationally, private sector wages grew 4.7% over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Looking at the big picture, Minnesota&apos;s job growth is still growing over the year and wage growth has been generally higher than inflation over the same period,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyễn&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;and data. You can also find&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>632400</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:13Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Applications open through Aug. 30 for Minnesota businesses to join the delegation.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz to Lead November Trade Mission to the Netherlands and Ireland</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz to Lead November Trade Mission to the Netherlands and Ireland</Title><title>2024-07-15 GO Ireland Trade Mission Announcement</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-632020&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-07-15T16:29:58Z</Date><ShortDescription>Applications open through Aug. 30 for Minnesota businesses to join the delegation.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>July 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced he will lead a trade mission to the Netherlands and Ireland, November 16-22, 2024, with stops in the countries&apos; major business centers of Amsterdam and Dublin. The mission will focus on growing Minnesota&apos;s exports of goods and services, showcasing the state as a top destination for business investment, developing new partnership opportunities, and strengthening existing ties. This will be the first trade mission led by a Minnesota Governor to these two countries.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Governor Walz will lead a delegation comprised of representatives from approximately 35 businesses and organizations within Minnesota&apos;s medical technology, food and agriculture, environmental technology, and higher education sectors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Trade missions provide an opportunity to strengthen international economic ties and lead to direct investment in Minnesota. I am thrilled to lead a delegation to the Netherlands and Ireland to further strengthen the state&apos;s trade and investment relationships with these important international markets,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Both countries offer excellent opportunities for Minnesota companies to grow their business in Europe, as well as create new partnerships for the state.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota companies have a global marketplace, and DEED is committed to helping them find new customers and investment from around the world,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Visiting Ireland and the Netherlands will help us establish new ties, strengthen existing relationships and benefit Minnesota companies, workers and the state&apos;s economy.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;As the fourth largest agriculture exporting state, it&apos;s important we support Minnesota farmers as they feed and fuel the world by fostering global market development,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We look forward to building new relationships in Ireland and the Netherlands as we demonstrate the high-quality crops and livestock we grow and raise here at home.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Trade Office at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is organizing the trade mission and accepting &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/exporting/mission/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;applications to join the delegation&lt;/a&gt; through August 30, 2024.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Governor Walz, DEED Commissioner Varilek, Agriculture Commissioner Petersen, and Minnesota Trade Office leaders will facilitate a robust itinerary for the delegation as they meet with local elected leaders and Dutch and Irish companies looking to buy goods from North America. Delegation participants will also receive an extensive business agenda based on their industry sector, including market briefings, site visits, and networking events with business and government leaders.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Netherlands ($701 million in Minnesota exports in 2023) and Ireland ($688 million) rank seventh and eighth, respectively, among Minnesota export markets. The Netherlands occupies a strategic commercial location and is a key center within the global business network, with advanced infrastructure geared toward the transportation of goods, people, and data. Ireland is considered by many U.S. companies to be a natural location for distribution throughout the European Union. In addition to its advantage of sharing a common language, access to well-connected business partners is relatively easy in the country&apos;s pro-business and common law environment.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>632020</id><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>trade mission</Title><Id>230112</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:11Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>CNBC study ranks Minnesota sixth in the nation based on 128 indicators.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Minnesota Ranked as a Top State for Business</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Minnesota Ranked as a Top State for Business</Title><title>2024-07-12 GO CNBC Study</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-631860&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-07-12T16:01:51Z</Date><ShortDescription>CNBC study ranks Minnesota sixth in the nation based on 128 indicators.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>July 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced that Minnesota is ranked sixth in the nation for business, according to a recent &lt;a href=&quot;https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnbc.com%2F2024%2F07%2F11%2Famericas-top-states-for-business-full-rankings.html&amp;amp;data=05%7C02%7CSamantha.Caldwell%40state.mn.us%7C32df35a5f1924bcd254308dca2832572%7Ceb14b04624c445198f26b89c2159828c%7C0%7C0%7C638563931377912792%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;amp;sdata=mBdoAb0M0qpPw1JzQ7FCc9lKdiU4CQk7uSSumo3HFOM%3D&amp;amp;reserved=0&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CNBC study&lt;/a&gt;. Minnesota&apos;s ranking is based on 128 key indicators in 10 categories of competitiveness, including workforce, infrastructure, economy, quality of life, and business friendliness. Minnesota was also recently ranked the &lt;a href=&quot;https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.b2breviews.com%2Fbest-states-for-independent-retailers%2F&amp;amp;data=05%7C02%7CSamantha.Caldwell%40state.mn.us%7C32df35a5f1924bcd254308dca2832572%7Ceb14b04624c445198f26b89c2159828c%7C0%7C0%7C638563931377922332%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;amp;sdata=HWQCd7F8TF9LTGXyAvdnVI99XvwIJi8wndBhjZLMTJ4%3D&amp;amp;reserved=0&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;best state&lt;/a&gt; for independent retailers, according to a B2B Reviews study, and earlier this week, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was named the &lt;a href=&quot;https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelandleisure.com%2Fwba-2024-united-states-airports-8659765&amp;amp;data=05%7C02%7CSamantha.Caldwell%40state.mn.us%7C32df35a5f1924bcd254308dca2832572%7Ceb14b04624c445198f26b89c2159828c%7C0%7C0%7C638563931377929395%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;amp;sdata=W0Mr3Q96hHyLyLcBnWLT%2Fqwri%2BkmR4v56dM4PP4qkfA%3D&amp;amp;reserved=0&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;best U.S. airport&lt;/a&gt; in 2024 by Travel + Leisure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;These rankings are a testament to our focus on investing in key areas that make our businesses and economy strong: job training, workforce development, child care, and broadband access,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Businesses in top industries, from health care to renewable energy and manufacturing, understand the benefits of investing and growing in Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This ranking comes as the Governor recently celebrated a &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/630780&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$24 million investment&lt;/a&gt; in job training and economic development programs. Governor Walz also recently announced an &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/628030&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;over $12 million investment&lt;/a&gt; to train workers for high-demand employment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Businesses in high-growth industries choose to invest in Minnesota. In June, Minnesota &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/627639&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;secured $213 million&lt;/a&gt; to finance Bioforge Marshall LLC, a 500,000-square-foot sustainable biomanufacturing facility in Marshall, Minnesota. In May, Governor Walz celebrated Polar Semiconductor&apos;s historic &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/624025&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$525 million investment&lt;/a&gt; to expand their Bloomington facility. Last winter, the Governor celebrated Mayo Clinic&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/601720&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$5 billion expansion&lt;/a&gt; in downtown Rochester.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>631860</id><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:11Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grants will go to six communities statewide.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces Nearly $1 Million in Contamination Cleanup Grants </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces Nearly $1 Million in Contamination Cleanup Grants </Title><title>2024-07-08 Contamination Cleanup</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-631377&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-07-09T15:06:34Z</Date><ShortDescription>The Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grants will go to six communities statewide.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>July 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul&lt;/strong&gt; – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $977,381 in Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grants to six communities statewide. The grants will help the awarded communities fund the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites for private redevelopment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/cleanup/contamination.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Contamination Cleanup Grants&lt;/a&gt; cover up to 75% of the costs of removing contamination at approved polluted sites. The remaining costs are covered by cities and counties, other units of local government and private landowners and developers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This grant round will lead to the investigation or clean up of more than 12 acres of contaminated land and is expected to create 67 jobs, add more than $1 million to the local tax bases and create 353 housing units. More than $84 million in private investment is expected to be leveraged from the six projects.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The contamination cleanup and investigation grant program is one tool DEED relies on to ensure Minnesota&apos;s communities are able to continue to thrive,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The jobs created and private investment leveraged by these six projects will leave a positive lasting impact on the communities they serve.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its inception in 1993, the Contamination Cleanup and Investigation Grant Program has awarded over $207 million in grants, which helped assess and clean up 4,056 acres of land – contributing to the creation or retention of 51,418 jobs and clearing the way for 26,752 new housing units. The program has also leveraged over $10.1 billion in private investments and added more than $151 million to local tax bases.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details on individual projects below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Bloomington – Apartment and Daycare&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Bloomington $550,692 in cleanup funding for this 7.06-acre site contaminated with asbestos. Historically occupied by a commercial fitness facility, the site will be redeveloped into a four-story, 208-unit apartment building and an 11,000 square-foot commercial building to be operated as a daycare. It is anticipated this project will create a minimum of six jobs, increase the tax base by $661,041 and leverage $58 million in private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer and other grant sources.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Kenny Niemeyer (952) 563-4981&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Dundas – Phase Two Environmental Site Assessment&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Dundas $19,125 in investigation funding for this 1.5-acre site likely contaminated by agrichemicals. Historically used for agribusiness, this site may be redeveloped as multi-family housing or as mixed-use commercial and residential. Matching funds will be provided by the city. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Jennelle Teppen (507) 645-2852&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Mankato – Silos&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Mankato $76,770 in cleanup funding for this 0.33-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically occupied by a machine shop, auto repair garage, welder and food distributor, this site will be redeveloped into a four-story mixed-use building with 26 market-rate apartments and 1,400 square-feet of commercial space. It is anticipated this project will create four jobs, increase the tax base by $79,786 and leverage $6.4 million in private investment. Matching funds will be provided by tax increment financing and the developer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Courtney Kramlinger (507) 387-8711&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of St. Paul – 892 East 7th Street&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of St. Paul $138,944 in cleanup funding for this 2.2-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically developed for residential and commercial uses, including auto repair, this site will be redeveloped into a mixed-use site which includes 40,000-square-feet of commercial space with 60 affordable housing units. The project is anticipated to create 56 new jobs, increase the local tax base by $74,567 and leverage $16.6 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer and other grant sources. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Dan Bayers (651) 266-6685&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Wabasha – Allegheny Apartments&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Wabasha $16,650 in investigation funding for this 0.54-acre site. Historically used as a gas station and auto repair shop, the site will be redeveloped into an apartment building with 50 units. It is anticipated this project will create one job and increase the tax base by $135,767. Matching funds will be provided by the Wabasha Port Authority and other grant sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Caroline Gregerson (651) 560-4860 &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of White Bear Lake – Wildwood Rowhomes &lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of White Bear Lake $175,200 in cleanup funding for this 0.67-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Historically used as a gas station, this site will be redeveloped into two townhome buildings, consisting of nine residential units. The project is anticipated to increase the local tax base by $54,924 and leverage $3.1 million in private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer and other grant sources. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Tracy Shime&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;k (651) 762-4838&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>631377</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:11Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota is one of four states to receive this grant.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Secures Federal Grant to Provide Workforce Development Services for Young Minnesotans with Disabilities</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Secures Federal Grant to Provide Workforce Development Services for Young Minnesotans with Disabilities</Title><title>2024-07-02 DOL ETM</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-630909&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-07-02T16:21:23Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota is one of four states to receive this grant.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>July 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced it has received a federal grant to prepare low-income youth and young adults ages 16-24 who have disabilities to complete post-secondary education and successfully transition into the workforce. Minnesota is one of four states to receive this grant.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s $12 million Equitable Transitions Models (ETM) grant from the U.S. Department of Labor&apos;s Office of Disability Employment Policy will support a five-year program of intensive case management services, including career pathways programming that begins with career exploration activities and advances to credentials attainment, skills acquisition, work-based learning, paid work experiences and, ultimately, jobs in the adult labor force.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s program will include targeted outreach to young people participating in the Social Security Administration&apos;s Ticket to Work program. Available to people ages 18 and up who receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income benefits, the Ticket to Work program helps ensure participants continue to receive essential benefits and services as they explore opportunities toward financial independence and self-sufficiency.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;With near-record low unemployment, Minnesota employers are looking for new ways to find workers who can fill positions in high-growth industries,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Preparing young people with disabilities to thrive in the labor force is part of DEED&apos;s mission to empower the growth of Minnesota&apos;s economy, for everyone.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;For young people with disabilities in Minnesota, education and employment outcomes lag behind their counterparts who do not have disabilities. This is especially true for youth with disabilities from communities of color and Indigenous communities,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Marc Majors, DEED Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Post-secondary credentials are a gateway to economic stability, so innovative strategies are needed to support these young people in attaining equivalent outcomes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;For implementation, DEED is partnering with PACER Center in the Twin Cities metro area and four Greater Minnesota workforce development organizations– Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Programs, Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services, Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council and South Central Workforce Council – as the service providers. These five partners cover 53 Minnesota counties.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The program is projected to serve 237 case-managed youth in Greater Minnesota and 310 parents and families through PACER Center.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>630909</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:40:11Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The challenge process helps finalize broadband service maps defining eligibility for federally subsidized broadband infrastructure projects.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Office of Broadband Development to Host BEAD Challenge Process Information Sessions </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Office of Broadband Development to Host BEAD Challenge Process Information Sessions </Title><title>2024-06-21 OBD BEAD</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-628334&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-06-21T15:53:11Z</Date><ShortDescription>The challenge process helps finalize broadband service maps defining eligibility for federally subsidized broadband infrastructure projects.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced its Office of Broadband Development (OBD) will host informational sessions before the federal Broadband, Equity, Access &amp;amp; Deployment (BEAD) Program Location Challenge window opens. The challenge process helps finalize broadband service maps defining eligibility for federally subsidized broadband infrastructure projects. During the informational sessions, OBD will share resources with eligible challengers – tribal and local units of government, internet service providers (ISPs) and nonprofits – interested in participating in the BEAD Challenge Process.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Following are the in-person events:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;June 25 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in Detroit Lakes (at the CareerForce Center, 803 Roosevelt Ave.)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;June 26 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in Chisholm (at the State of MN Office Building on the Minnesota Discovery Center campus, 1003 Discovery Drive)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;July 10 from, 3:30-5:30 p.m. in Rochester (at the Wood Lake Meeting Center, 210 Wood Lake Drive SE)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;July 11 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in New Ulm (at the New Ulm Civic Center, 1212 N Franklin St., room 203).&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Planning for online webinars and recurring office hours is also underway; that information will be posted on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;OBD website&lt;/a&gt; as details are confirmed. Anyone who would like to learn about the process and eligibility for BEAD funding is invited to the in-person or online informational sessions. A closed information session for all tribal nations will be held in July and hosted by the Lower Sioux Indian Community.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Through BEAD, Minnesota was allocated $652 million in funding to achieve Internet for All as defined by National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Prior to beginning the Challenge Phase, OBD will publish a state map identifying current broadband service as:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unserved&lt;/strong&gt;: having broadband service with download speeds of less than 25 megabits per second and upload speeds of less than 3 megabits per second (25/3 Mbps)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Underserved&lt;/strong&gt;: having broadband service with speeds less than 100/20 Mbps but above 25/3 Mbps.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Served&lt;/strong&gt;: having broadband service with speed of at least 100/20 Mbps.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Broadband is an essential economic resource that supports business and community vitality,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;A robust statewide broadband infrastructure allows Minnesotans to connect to jobs, education, health care and their communities, which helps make Minnesota the best state for families, workers and businesses.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This mapping challenge process is a crucial step to help OBD ensure locations are accurately defined as unserved or underserved,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;OBD Executive Director Bree Maki&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We&apos;ll use these critical details to ensure federal broadband development funding is directed to those areas.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Areas identified as unserved and underserved are eligible for BEAD funding; served areas are not eligible. The BEAD Challenge Process is a period for eligible challengers to submit challenges on whether broadband service for a given location has been accurately defined. Once the Challenge Phase opens, eligible challengers have 30 calendar days to submit a challenge to OBD.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The federal BEAD funds supplement Minnesota&apos;s Border-to-Border program, established in 2014. To date, OBD has awarded nearly $350 million in &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/grant-program/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Border-to-Border, Lower Population Density&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/extension/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Line Extension&lt;/a&gt; grants through nine rounds of state-funded grants – expanding service to more than 112,000 homes and businesses statewide.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>628334</id><Tag><Description/><Title>broadband</Title><Id>443117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:30Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota wage growth is outpacing inflation as well as national wage growth.</Description><Audience/><Title>Labor Force Participation Rate Steady; Unemployment Rate Ticks Up</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Labor Force Participation Rate Steady; Unemployment Rate Ticks Up</Title><title>2024-06-21 May Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-628312&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-06-21T13:47:16Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota wage growth is outpacing inflation as well as national wage growth.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s labor force participation rate remained at 68.0% in May, one of the highest in the country, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate ticked up one-tenth of a percent to 2.8%, which denotes a small loosening of the state&apos;s extremely tight labor market. Nationally, the unemployment rate ticked up one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.0% and the labor force participation rate fell two-tenths of a percentage point to 62.5% over the month.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Additionally, after several months of job growth, Minnesota employers pulled back last month with the state losing 8,600 jobs from April to May on a seasonally adjusted basis, a 0.3% decline. Minnesota&apos;s private sector lost 9,800 jobs, down 0.4% over the month. Minnesota has gained jobs nine out of the last 12 months. The U.S. total nonfarm employment increased by 0.2%, with the U.S. private sector also up 0.2%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We&apos;ll be keeping a close eye on job and labor force growth. We continue to believe that job growth, particularly in certain sectors, is constrained by a lack of available workers with necessary skills,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;DEED and our agency partners continue to reach out to Minnesotans looking for work to help them prepare for in-demand employment. Earlier this week, Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan announced grantees who will help prepare 2,100 Minnesotans from underserved communities for employment in construction, health care and manufacturing, among other sectors.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month, seven supersectors in Minnesota gained jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, most notably, Education &amp;amp; Health Services up 2,800 jobs and Government up 1,200 jobs. Four supersectors in Minnesota lost jobs over the month, with Professional &amp;amp; Business Services down 9,300 jobs and Manufacturing down 3,700 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The bulk of May&apos;s over-the-month job decline was in the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services subsector of Professional &amp;amp; Business Services, which saw a loss of 8,100 jobs from the month prior. It&apos;s a broad subsector that includes temporary employment services,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyễn&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;At this point the large decline is a single data point, not a trend.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota gained 34,950 payroll jobs, up 1.2%. Minnesota&apos;s private sector gained 12,079 jobs, up 0.5%. Overall U.S. employment grew 1.8% over the year with the private sector up 1.6%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Five supersectors posted positive annual growth in Minnesota, led by Education &amp;amp; Health Services, which gained 31,270 jobs. Six supersectors lost jobs over the year in Minnesota, led by Professional &amp;amp; Business Services, which lost 16,308 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota wage growth is outpacing inflation as well as national wage growth. Average hourly wages for all private sector workers in Minnesota increased 14 cents, to $37.12, in May 2024 over the month. Over the year average hourly earnings increased $1.92, up 5.5%. For the U.S., private sector wages decreased 4 cents over the month and grew 4.0% over the year. The Consumer Price Index, a common measure of inflation, rose 3.3% over the year in May, meaning that wage growth in Minnesota has outpaced inflation over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Regionally, job growth in the Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area continued its strong streak, with over the year growth of 4,707 jobs, up 3.8%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;and data. You can also find&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>628312</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:29Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced over $12 million for job skills training, work readiness, internships, work experience, on-the-job training, and job placement for Minnesotans.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Funding to Train Workers for High-Demand Employment</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Funding to Train Workers for High-Demand Employment</Title><title>2024-06-18 GO Targeted Populations</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-628055&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-06-18T19:39:27Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz today announced over $12 million for job skills training, work readiness, internships, work experience, on-the-job training, and job placement for Minnesotans.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced over $12 million for job skills training, work readiness, internships, work experience, on-the-job training and job placement for Minnesotans. This is the funding awarded under the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Targeted Populations Workforce Competitive Grant Program, and will allow organizations to serve an estimated 2,100 Minnesotans.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Anyone who has submitted a job application knows the difficulty and frustration that can come with finding work,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;For underserved communities, those challenges are compounded. Lack of opportunities for continued education, training and work experience can hurt job prospects. These grants directly address those disparities to help Minnesotans find fulfilling careers and earn sustaining wages while ensuring businesses fill open positions with skilled workers – it&apos;s a win for workers, businesses and the economy.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Race, gender and zip code should not be barriers to work. Yet, for many individuals this is a reality,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Historically marginalized communities continue to face disparities that prohibit workforce entry and career growth. These grants are a vital step in increasing accessibility for those who have consistently faced such barriers. This investment in job training, work readiness and job placement is an investment in economic equity.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;This is a strong group of grantees with specific experience reaching out to underserved communities across Minnesota,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;These organizations will provide technical and work-readiness skills training along with the support needed to help more Minnesotans secure in-demand jobs with opportunities for career growth and assist Minnesota employers in hiring the workers they need.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Legislature passed $50 million during the 2023 session for the Targeted Populations Workforce Programs initiative, which focuses on populations of workers who have been historically overlooked and often face multiple barriers to employment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Welcoming people from diverse backgrounds builds stronger workplaces and will create a more equitable Minnesota economy,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota employers need trained and work-ready candidates to meet hiring demands. These grantees will help Minnesotans overcome barriers to employment and provide them with the support needed to help ensure employment success. Targeted Populations grant-funded programs are one way DEED delivers for workers and employers, and we believe this focused approach utilizing trusted community organizations will be transformative.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;It&apos;s an exciting opportunity to engage underserved and under-resourced communities and support and empower those communities to make the transition into the green economy – not just the skills training for people to move into clean energy jobs but also to help communities adopt clean energy practices and make other green economy transitions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Robert Blake, Executive Director of Native Sun, about the Targeted Populations grant his organization is receiving.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Native Sun is a Native-led nonprofit organization that promotes energy efficiency, renewable energy, and an equitable energy transition through education and workforce training. Native Sun will introduce underserved communities across Minnesota to the many employment opportunities in clean energy-related fields and help them earn initial certifications, as well as focus on preparing people to manufacture solar modules at a soon-to-be-built facility in Minnesota. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Targeted Populations grants are part of a slate of historic workforce development investments at DEED. The state is investing more than $216 million through June 30, 2025, including $50 million through Targeted Populations; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=1045-614713&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$20 million for Drive for 5&lt;/a&gt;, which is focused on training for employment in the caring professions, education, manufacturing, technology and the trades; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=425890#/detail/appId/1/id/627246&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;$2.7 million in Clean Economy Equitable Workforce grants&lt;/a&gt; to help prepare Minnesotans for good-paying union trade jobs in the high-demand fields of construction, clean energy and energy efficiency. This significant investment will help Minnesota address its ongoing tight labor market as well as achieve a more equitable economy. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Targeted Populations Grantees include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Asian American Business Resilience Network, serving the Twin Cities Metro – $600,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Community Integration Center, serving the Willmar area – $420,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Community Resource Center, serving the Twin Cities Metro – $600,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Friends of Career Solutions, serving Central Minnesota – $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Global Fatherhood Foundation, serving the Twin Cities Metro – $375,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Horn Of Africa Development and Education Foundation (HADEF), serving the Twin Cities Metro – $350,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Immigrant Development Center, serving Clay and Moorhead Counties – $700,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Latino Chamber of Commerce, serving the Twin Cities Metro and Greater MN – $350,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;MADDADS, serving the Twin Cities Metro – $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Training Partnerships serving the Twin Cities Metro – $490,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Native Sun Community Power Development, serving the Twin Cities Metro and Greater MN – $600,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Neighborhood Hub, serving the Twin Cities Metro – $1,000,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Organization of Liberians in Minnesota, serving the Twin Cities Metro – $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Push for Prosperity, serving the Twin Cities Metro and Greater MN – $650,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;River Bend Nature Center, serving the Faribault Region – $600,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Sierra Leone Community in Minnesota, serving the Twin Cities Metro – $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Smart North, serving the Twin Cities Metro and Greater MN – $700,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Somali American Social Service Association, serving the Twin Cities Metro, SE MN and Olmsted County – $1,000,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Somali Medical Association of America serving Greater MN – $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Somali Parent Academy, serving the Twin Cities Metro – $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;TechFluent, serving the Twin Cities Metro and Greater MN – $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Wellspring Second Chance Center, serving the Twin Cities Metro – $800,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Two additional Targeted Populations grant opportunities are currently available. Minnesota community-based organizations are encouraged to apply for &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp#10&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Targeted Populations Capacity Building Competitive Grants&lt;/a&gt; to increase their capacity to provide workforce services and training to historically underserved communities of color or low-income communities. Eligible small Minnesota businesses are encouraged to apply for &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp#11&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Targeted Populations - Diversity and Inclusion for Small Employers Competitive Grants&lt;/a&gt; to obtain diversity and inclusion training resulting in their ability to engage, hire and retain people of color in a variety of roles.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>628055</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:28Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The plant, owned by Solugen, a climate technology company focused on minimizing carbon emissions, will utilize Minnesota grown corn to manufacture chemicals usually made from oil, resulting in significantly lower carbon emissions.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $213 Million to Build Sustainable Biomanufacturing Facility in Marshall Minnesota</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $213 Million to Build Sustainable Biomanufacturing Facility in Marshall Minnesota</Title><title>2024-06-13 GO Solugen Plant Announcement</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-627710&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-06-13T15:19:47Z</Date><ShortDescription>The plant, owned by Solugen, a climate technology company focused on minimizing carbon emissions, will utilize Minnesota grown corn to manufacture chemicals usually made from oil, resulting in significantly lower carbon emissions.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced Minnesota has secured funding that will finance Bioforge Marshall LLC, a 500,000-square-foot biomanufacturing facility in Marshall, Minnesota. The plant, owned by Solugen, a climate technology company focused on minimizing carbon emissions, will utilize Minnesota grown corn to manufacture chemicals usually made from oil, resulting in significantly lower carbon emissions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;This investment in sustainable manufacturing is a major win for Minnesota and a big step towards our goal of carbon free electricity by 2040,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Solugen&apos;s expansion will help reduce greenhouse gasses while creating jobs and placing Minnesota at the forefront of biotechnology and biomanufacturing. With this partnership we&apos;re ensuring a greener future and putting Minnesota on the map as a great place to live, work, and raise a family.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The project will be funded by a $213.6 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy&apos;s (DOE) Loan Programs Office, the largest U.S. government investment in bioindustrial manufacturing since an Executive Order advancing biotechnology and biomanufacturing. An additional $15 million will come from the Minnesota Forward Fund, a new Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) program Governor Walz signed into law last year. The fund will invest $400 million in business growth in Minnesota and will provide matching funds for companies seeking federal resources like CHIPS Act, IRA and IIJA. This is the Minnesota Forward Fund&apos;s second award.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The facility will manufacture various organic acids for use in concrete, cleaning, agriculture, and energy industries. Current operations at Bioforge Houston have demonstrated an over 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional petroleum-based methods. Operations in Marshall are expected to reduce emissions equivalent to powering 3500 American homes annually. This project is expected to create up to 100 jobs during construction and 56 highly skilled, full-time manufacturing jobs once fully operational.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Bioforge Marshall LLC represents the first major Solugen expansion and the largest of their operations. Their expansion will include the development and implementation of a comprehensive community benefits plan including curriculum advisors for local students to provide training opportunities and internships.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Construction is expected to be completed by 2025.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>627710</id><Tag><Description/><Title>business expansion</Title><Id>230099</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:28Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced $2.7 million in grants to build career pathways for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and low-income Minnesotans into good-paying union trade jobs in the high-demand fields of construction, clean energy and energy efficiency.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Funding to Train Underrepresented Workers for Clean Energy Careers</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Funding to Train Underrepresented Workers for Clean Energy Careers</Title><title>2024-06-11 GO Clean Economy Equitable Workforce</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-627246&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-06-11T19:49:10Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz today announced $2.7 million in grants to build career pathways for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and low-income Minnesotans into good-paying union trade jobs in the high-demand fields of construction, clean energy and energy efficiency.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced $2.7 million in grants to build career pathways for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and low-income Minnesotans into good-paying union trade jobs in the high-demand fields of construction, clean energy and energy efficiency.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;A green economy sets us up for a healthier future while ensuring that all Minnesotans share the benefits of clean and renewable energy. This includes equal opportunity to fill cutting edge&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt; jobs that will become available&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;These grants are helping us build the skilled, diverse workforce we need to achieve 100% clean energy by 2040.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Climate change has disproportionately impacted the people who are least responsible for the problem, namely low-income communities and communities of color,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;That&apos;s why these grants are so important. They&apos;re helping us ensure that those who have continually dealt with the negative impacts of climate change are given an opportunity to fill the good-paying jobs that are part of a more sustainable economy. These grants represent a small step towards climate justice.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Nine workforce development organizations around Minnesota will receive funding from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development&apos;s (DEED) Clean Economy Equitable Workforce initiative, a new program to develop a skilled, diverse workforce to support the state&apos;s transition to a green economy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Clean Economy Equitable Workforce program invests in historically overlooked workers to provide rewarding career opportunities for BIPOC communities,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota needs workers with the right skills to build and deploy climate solutions that promote energy efficiency, advance resiliency and support the state&apos;s transition to clean energy. DEED is helping prepare Minnesota&apos;s workforce to fill the growing number of good-paying new jobs as the state moves toward a cleaner, more sustainable, more equitable and climate-ready economy.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota&apos;s clean energy businesses employ tens of thousands of workers and will add many more clean energy and energy efficiency jobs as the state works toward achieving its commitment to 100% clean electricity by 2040,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;This initiative helps eliminate workforce barriers and invests in career readiness and skills development for BIPOC workers looking to join the rapidly growing clean energy field. Additionally, we&apos;re excited to partner on this initiative with the Wilson Foundation and another private foundation as they offer an opportunity for additional funding to DEED grantees in this critical sector.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s clean energy businesses added more than 1,900 workers in 2022 – a 3.4% increase over 2021 – now employing almost 60,000 Minnesotans, according to a &lt;a href=&quot;https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cleanenergyeconomymn.org%2Fpress-releases%2F2023-clean-jobs-midwest&amp;amp;data=05%7C02%7CSamantha.Caldwell%40state.mn.us%7Cbcc48c3c933141d4a3d608dc8a4d8363%7Ceb14b04624c445198f26b89c2159828c%7C0%7C0%7C638537312744613540%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;amp;sdata=hSyYaPz8DFEOYhbVrfrXGOasctYBenioQJyCRUcferU%3D&amp;amp;reserved=0&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;recent analysis&lt;/a&gt; from Clean Energy Economy MN.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;All grant recipients will provide the following services for program participants:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Workforce training, case management services and support to achieve certification or credentials.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Career development support that includes career setting goals based on the individual&apos;s personal strengths and addressing potential barriers to achieving goals.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Workers&apos; rights training including labor organization introduction, legal advocacy and wage recovery.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Employment placement and advancement with employer partners that offer self-sustaining wages and/or entry into registered apprenticeships.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Culturally appropriate and linguistically relevant job readiness training curricula.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Summit Academy OIC is looking forward to contributing to this impactful initiative, preparing a diverse talent pool for current and emerging careers in clean energy and energy efficiency,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Leroy West, Summit Academy OIC President and CEO. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are deeply committed to building a climate-ready workforce and partnering with organizations to support a clean &lt;u&gt;AND&lt;/u&gt; equitable economy.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The following organizations were awarded Clean Economy Equitable Workforce grants:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$400,000 to Avivo for an HVAC training. The organization is headquartered in Minneapolis and with 10 locations around the Greater Twin Cities metro including Buffalo, Milaca and St. Cloud.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$400,000 to Summit Academy OIC for electrician and carpentry training. The organization has two locations in Minneapolis.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$400,000 to Workforce Development, Inc. for construction industry pathways. The organization is based in Rochester, with nine locations across Southeastern Minnesota.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$340,000 to the Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council for power line, solar energy, wind turbine and electric vehicle technician training and home energy efficiency training. The organization has offices in Marshall, Montevideo and Worthington and serves 14 counties in Southwestern Minnesota.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$310,000 to HIRED for home energy audit and home insulation training. The organization is based in Minneapolis and serves the Twin Cities metro area.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$300,000 to Minnesota Training Partnerships for wind energy installation/millwright training. Headquartered in St. Paul, this non-profit organization was founded by the Minnesota AFL-CIO.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$200,000 to Community Action Duluth for green building and home energy reduction training.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$200,000 to Unidos Minnesota for pre-apprenticeship training. The Latino-led organization is based in Minneapolis.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$150,000 to the Initiative Foundation for energy efficiency training. The organization is based in Little Falls and serves Central Minnesota.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Wilson Foundation and another private foundation have issued a joint Request for Proposals to the nine DEED grantees in order to strategically align private support with the state&apos;s funding. The goal of the private support is to enable grantees to provide participants with flexible financial resources that go above and beyond standard wrap-around support, further enabling their success. Up to $600,000 in private funding will be awarded to DEED grantees in July.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>627246</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:27Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Job vacancies in Minnesota have declined by nearly one-quarter over last year, with employers reporting a total of 139,059 open positions in 2023.</Description><Audience/><Title>Job Vacancies Decline in Minnesota; Labor Market Remains Tight</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Job Vacancies Decline in Minnesota; Labor Market Remains Tight</Title><title>2024-06-07 Job Vacancy Survey</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-626909&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-06-07T15:44:48Z</Date><ShortDescription>Job vacancies in Minnesota have declined by nearly one-quarter over last year, with employers reporting a total of 139,059 open positions in 2023.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Job vacancies in Minnesota have declined by nearly one-quarter over last year, with employers reporting a total of 139,059 open positions in 2023, according to annual Job Vacancy Survey (JVS) results released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Overall, job vacancies have declined by 24.7%, driven by a return to more normal hiring levels after rapid employment growth coming out of the Pandemic Recession and more people joining the labor force. This is the fifth highest number of vacancies on record in Minnesota dating back to 2002, but significantly lower than the numbers of vacancies reported during the previous two years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s labor market remains tight, with nearly two job openings for each unemployed person in the state. Compared to 2022, the number of vacancies decreased and the number of unemployed individuals increased slightly. With 87,000 unemployed workers statewide in 2023, there were 0.6 unemployed persons for each vacancy, up slightly over the last two years and just below levels prior to the Pandemic Recession.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The Walz-Flanagan Administration is making historic investments that both increase equity in our economy and create work-ready employees to meet the needs of employers in high-demand sectors,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Brand-new initiatives at DEED like Drive for Five, Targeted Populations Workforce Programs and Clean Economy Equitable Workforce are focused, high-impact strategies to help more Minnesotans enter the workforce and meet the meet the demand of our state&apos;s employers.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/job-vacancy-survey-chart_tcm1045-626910.png&quot; title=&quot;Chart depicting the number of unemployed compared to the number of job vacancies.&quot; alt=&quot;Chart depicting the number of unemployed compared to the number of job vacancies.&quot; style=&quot;width: 80%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;job-vacancy-survey-chart&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Statewide, the Health Care &amp;amp; Social Assistance industry had the most job vacancies with more than 36,000 openings (down from a record of 45,000 in 2022), followed by Retail Trade with almost 24,000 vacancies (compared to 28,500 in 2022), Accommodation &amp;amp; Food Services with 18,600 vacancies (compared to 26,000 in 2022) and Manufacturing with almost 11,800 vacancies (down from 19,000 in 2022). Combined, those four industries accounted for almost two-thirds of the total openings in the state.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The five occupations with the most job vacancies during 2023 were Retail Salespersons with 7,599 vacancies, Personal Care Aides with 5,669 vacancies, Fast Food &amp;amp; Counter Workers with 5,648 vacancies, Registered Nurses with 4,382 vacancies, and First-Line Supervisors of Food Prep and Serving Workers with 4,156 vacancies.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Regionally, 56.3% of all job vacancies were located in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area. Compared to one year ago, the number of job vacancies decreased by 20.3% in the Twin Cities and 29.6% in Greater Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the Job Vacancy Survey:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Employers provide information on their job vacancies to DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information (LMI) Office so that LMI analysts can estimate hiring demand and job vacancy characteristics by industry, occupation and firm size in Minnesota and compile information about wage, hours, educational requirements and other characteristics of vacancies. These 2023 findings are based on results from a survey of 6,996 firms, 20 industry sectors and four firm size classes. The 2023 survey had a response rate of 92.4%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;These data provide job seekers and counselors with information on occupations showing hiring demand within their region. The information also helps employment, training and education providers understand current labor market conditions in their region and tailor services to better meet customer and employer needs. JVS results provide more detail into Minnesota-specific job vacancy data than does the monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For more information on &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends/june-2023/comparison.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;how JVS differs from JOLTS please read this Minnesota Economic Trends article from DEED&apos;s LMI Office&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;For more detail on vacancy numbers and rates by industry and occupation, as well as regional analysis, educational and experience requirements, wage offer trends and historical information, visit the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/job-vacancy/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Job Vacancy Survey page&lt;/a&gt; on the DEED website.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;and data. You can also find&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>626909</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:27Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>State exports rebound after last year, showing growth in the first quarter of 2023.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Exports Grow 2% in First Quarter to $6.7 Billion</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Exports Grow 2% in First Quarter to $6.7 Billion</Title><title>2024-06-06 Q1 State Exports</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-626763&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-06-06T16:58:13Z</Date><ShortDescription>State exports rebound after last year, showing growth in the first quarter of 2023.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul&lt;/strong&gt; – Minnesota exports of goods were valued at $6.7 billion in the first quarter of 2024, a 2% increase since the first quarter of 2023, according to data released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Minnesota outpaced the nation as a whole, with U.S. exports of goods unchanged over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over half of the state&apos;s top 10 exported products had moderate-to-strong performances in the first quarter. Optic and medical (up 12%), plastics (up 18%), aircraft and spacecraft (up 33%) as well as vehicles (up 26%) led in gains. Vehicle and vehicle parts sales surged in core markets like Mexico (up 38%), as well as in emerging markets such as Australia (up 202%), South Africa (up 317%) and Poland (up 318%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The growth we&apos;ve seen in the first quarter compared to 2023 is a promising start to the year,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We&apos;re excited to see strong growth with some of our most important trading partners and from our biggest industries. Increasing global trade can help us create good jobs, help businesses expand and keep our economy growing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Sales of Minnesota goods to North America increased by 1%, where surging exports to Mexico (up 20%) were offset by continued declines to Canada.  Export losses to Canada that were driven by mineral fuel and oil (down 16%) were partially mitigated by solid growth in aircraft (up 112%) and vehicle (up 17%) products. Other notable growth segments were cereal grains ($70 million, up 11%) and food by-products ($62 million, up 15%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Trade Office at DEED is organizing a business development mission to Canada next week, where a delegation of state agencies and Minnesota economic development and agricultural leaders will promote Minnesota as a destination for trade and business investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Growth performance in many other global regions was robust. The state&apos;s exports grew to Asia (up 7%), the Caribbean, Central and South America (up 12%), Australia-Pacific (up 27%) and the Middle East (up 9%). Exports fell 6% to the EU — despite notable growth markets such as Ireland (up 22%) and France (up 25%)—as well as 13% to Africa.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The export rebound is great news after declines in the past year,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Trade Office Executive Director Gabrielle Gerbaud&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We continue to focus on international growth opportunities and work with Minnesota companies to expand their reach and make new connections in foreign markets.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The full first quarter 2024 report is available on DEED&apos;s website in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/export-stats/current-past/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Export and Trade Statistics section.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>626763</id><Tag><Description/><Title>exports</Title><Id>230103</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>manufacturing</Title><Id>230118</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:26Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Walz travels to France, attending 80th Anniversary D-Day Presidential Ceremony; also travels to Canada, leading business delegation.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz to Travel to France, Canada for Business Development Mission and Commemoration of 80th Anniversary of D-Day</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz to Travel to France, Canada for Business Development Mission and Commemoration of 80th Anniversary of D-Day</Title><title>2024-06-03 GO France-Canada Announcement</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-626303&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-06-03T20:47:39Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Walz travels to France, attending 80th Anniversary D-Day Presidential Ceremony; also travels to Canada, leading business delegation.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – On Tuesday, Governor Tim Walz will travel to France, where he will attend the 80th Anniversary D-Day Presidential Ceremony and recognize the Minnesotans who fought in World War II. He will also travel to Canada, where he will lead a business delegation focused on strengthening economic ties and promoting Minnesota as a trade destination.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota has many connections to World War II. Throughout the war, Minnesota soldiers distinguished themselves, showcasing bravery, heroism, and sacrifice in combat, aiding soldiers, and providing communication support.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Those who stormed the shores of Normandy on D-Day demonstrated a fierce commitment to our country and to the ideals of freedom, courage, and sacrifice. Minnesota holds strong ties to this historic day, represented by the many soldiers who courageously risked their lives in the name of liberty,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;I am honored to have the opportunity to stand next to them in commemoration of their dedication and service.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The D-Day Presidential Ceremony honors the troops who landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944. Several world leaders and dozens of World War II veterans are expected to attend.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In addition to the D-Day commemoration, Governor Walz will meet with leadership from Saint-Gobain and Cargill, two companies with operations in both Minnesota and France. Saint-Gobain, based in France, is one of the world&apos;s largest building and materials companies. It is in the process of investing $7 million to relocate the headquarters of Vetrotech Saint-Gobain, a glass manufacturing subsidiary, to Minnesota, an investment that will create 40 new jobs. Cargill is a key Minnesota company and a major player in the supply of starch, industrial chocolate, and other food ingredients.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Governor Walz will then travel to Canada, leading a delegation of state agencies and Minnesota economic development and agricultural leaders to promote Minnesota as a destination for trade and business investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Our close relationship with Canada is based on more than just proximity. Our trade and investment ties are strong and expanding, and this trip will help both Minnesota and Canada drive economic growth and create jobs&lt;/strong&gt;,&quot; said Governor Walz.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Trade Office at the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is organizing the mission. Officials with DEED and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are joining Governor Walz in Canada.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;DEED is leading Minnesota&apos;s coordinated strategy to grow our trade relationship with Canada,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Canada is Minnesota&apos;s largest trading partner and foreign direct investor. On this trip, we will not only highlight and work to grow those ties, but reaffirm our friendly relationship with our neighbors to the north.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Canada has long been one of Minnesota&apos;s top agricultural trading partners,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We have a strong working relationship with our neighbors, and we look forward to strengthening our partnerships so that farmers on both sides of the border can benefit.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Total trade in goods between Minnesota and Canada was valued at $21 billion in 2023. Minnesota&apos;s exports to the country were worth $7 billion, making Canada the largest single buyer in Minnesota&apos;s $25 billion export portfolio. Exports of mineral fuels, vehicles, machinery and iron ore make up about half of all Minnesota product exports to Canada.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;More than 60 Canadian companies operate at about 450 business locations in Minnesota, employing 28,400 Minnesotans and investing $13.2 billion in plant, property and equipment. Canada has the highest investment level and employment level in Minnesota of any country. About 60 Minnesota companies operate at about 1,600 business locations in Canada.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Canada is a leading trade partner for Minnesota&apos;s agricultural products, with exports totaling $1.24 billion in 2023. Top ag products exported to the country include corn ($311 million); ethanol ($154 million); and bakery goods, cereals, and pasta ($117 million).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;During the three-day business development mission, the delegation will attend two major economic development and diplomatic gatherings: the US Canada Summit in Toronto and the Conference of Montreal in Quebec. Governor Walz will speak at both conferences. He and delegation members will also meet with civic, business, and agricultural leaders in both cities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Members of Governor Walz&apos;s delegation to Canada includes representatives from Destination Medical Center, GREATER MSP, and the Medical Alley Association.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>626303</id><Tag><Description/><Title>trade mission</Title><Id>230112</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:25Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Developers expect the projects to create or retain 96 jobs in St. James and Delano.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $1.6 Million to Two Greater Minnesota Infrastructure Projects</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $1.6 Million to Two Greater Minnesota Infrastructure Projects</Title><title>2024-06-03 BDPI</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-626207&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-06-03T14:51:33Z</Date><ShortDescription>Developers expect the projects to create or retain 96 jobs in St. James and Delano.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>June 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ST. PAUL&lt;/strong&gt; – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced today that it has awarded nearly $1.6 million in grants to infrastructure projects in Greater Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The funding, awarded from DEED&apos;s Greater Minnesota &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/business-funding/infrastructure/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Business Development Public Infrastructure&lt;/a&gt; (BDPI) Grant Program, is for projects in St. James and Delano. Developers expect to use the funding to retain or create 96 jobs and prepare these cities for future growth.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED is committed to helping cities across the state grow and thrive economically,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Our Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure grant program is one of the many ways we do that.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The BDPI grant program supports communities outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Under the program, DEED awards 50% of eligible capital costs for qualifying public infrastructure projects that support economic development. These projects include wastewater collection and treatment, drinking water, storm sewers, streets and more.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The following is a breakdown of the latest funding:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. James - $259,956&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded $259,956 to the city of St. James to assist with constructing a street and extending utilities in the St. James Industrial Park as part of Great River Energy&apos;s expansion. Great River Energy will be investing $4 million in their expansion and creating or retaining 10 jobs. The infrastructure will also provide an additional 1.4-acre lot for a future business. The total cost of the infrastructure project is $574,914. The city is providing the remaining project funding.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Delano - $1,334,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED awarded the city of Delano $1,334,000 to assist with constructing two streets and extending utilities for the Northwest Industrial Park expansion. The primary beneficiary of the project will be a Cemstone expansion. Cemstone will be investing $10 million and the project will create or retain 26 jobs. The project will also provide two additional lots, one of which is planned for West End Business Condos. The company developing the space is investing $8 million to construct a business incubator to be leased out. In total, the project is expected to attract $20 million in private investment and create or retain 86 jobs. The total cost of the public infrastructure project is $2,869,000. The city is providing the remaining funding.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>626207</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:25Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Expansion projects will create or retain 225 jobs and leverage more than $56.4 million in outside investment. </Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces $3.9 Million for Business Expansion </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces $3.9 Million for Business Expansion</Title><title>2024-05-29 Q1 JCF-MIF</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-625763&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-05-29T14:56:15Z</Date><ShortDescription>Expansion projects will create or retain 225 jobs and leverage more than $56.4 million in outside investment. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $3.9 million in Job Creation Fund and Minnesota Investment Fund awards for nine business expansion projects statewide. The projects are expected to create or retain 225 jobs, and leverage nearly $56.3 million in outside investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota is one of the best places in the country to start and grow a business,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;The Minnesota Investment Fund and Job Creation Fund are just two of many programs DEED offers to help businesses expand and offer well-paying jobs for skilled Minnesotans.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mn-jcf/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Job Creation Fund&lt;/a&gt; (JCF) provides financial incentives to new and expanding businesses that meet certain job creation and capital investment targets. Eligible companies may receive up to $2 million for creating or retaining high-paying jobs and for constructing or renovating facilities or making other property improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mif/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Investment Fund&lt;/a&gt; (MIF) provides financing to help add new workers and retain high-quality jobs – with a focus on industrial, manufacturing and technology-related industries – increasing the local and state tax base and improving Minnesota&apos;s economic vitality. Funds are awarded to local units of government, which provide loans to assist expanding businesses. Some of the loans may be forgiven if specific goals are met.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details on individual projects below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Chandler Industries, Blaine – MIF $304,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Chandler Industries is a multi-site manufacturer of precision machines and fabricated sheet metal components and assemblies. Chandler serves customers in the aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, semiconductor and electronic connector markets. The total project cost is expected to be $743,988 and consists of the purchase and installation of machinery at the company&apos;s existing, 100,000-square-foot Blaine facility. The project is expected to create 14 new jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;J&amp;amp;L Wire Cloth LLC, St. Paul – JCF $175,000, MIF $250,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;J&amp;amp;L Wire Cloth LLC manufactures galvanized wire decking and shelving used in the warehouse, storage and material handling industries. J&amp;amp;L also produces galvanized woven wire flooring and confinement hardware for agriculture applications. The proposed project is a new, 30,000-square-foot building along with new manufacturing, handling and assorted ancillary equipment. The expected total project cost is $9.5 million. J&amp;amp;L expects to create 15 jobs within the first three years. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Kato Engineering Inc., North Mankato – JCF $175,000, MIF $300,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Kato Engineering – a Nidec company – designs and manufactures products that provide prime and backup power for critical infrastructure applications like defense, data centers and hospitals, as well as for the commercial sector, including retail and manufacturing. The DEED funding is part of an overall $7.2 million project, which will expand the testing capabilities at the company&apos;s existing 350,000-square-foot North Mankato facility to improve efficiency and production capacity. The project is expected to create 42 jobs within two years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;LISI Medical Remmele, Inc., Big Lake – JCF $450,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;LISI Medical — a division of LISI Group — is a medical device manufacturer that specializes in implants and instruments for minimally invasive surgery, as well as orthopedic, spinal and trauma surgery. The proposed project will expand the existing Big Lake facility by approximately 45,000 square feet, bringing it to a total of 152,000 square feet. The total project cost is $23.5 million and is expected create 30 jobs within the first three years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;North Woods Finishing, Princeton – MIF $350,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;North Woods Finishing is a residential and commercial cabinet finisher that works with cabinet makers and home builders and handles all aspects of pre-finishing, spray finishing, sanding, assembly and packaging. The proposed project includes purchasing new equipment, computers and furniture, as well as renovating a newly acquired facility. The total project cost is $1.65 million and is expected to create 12 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;NVE Corporation, Eden Prairie – MIF $400,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;NVE Corporation develops and sells devices that use spintronics, a nanotechnology that relies on electron spin rather than electron charge to acquire, store and transmit information. It manufactures spintronic products including sensors and couplers used to acquire and transmit data. The MIF funding will be used to buy new equipment that will provide smaller, lower power, more precise Wafer Level Chip Scale Package magnetic sensors, enhance domestic sensor manufacturing and strengthen magnetic sensor technology. The total project cost is approximately $4.7 million and is expected to create up to 15 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Pace Analytical Life Sciences, LLC, Oakdale – JCF $539,236, MIF $450,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Pace Analytical Life Sciences is a contract analytical testing laboratory that offers commercial product release and stability testing for raw materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients, finished pharmaceuticals and biologics using a full spectrum of chemistry, biopharmaceutical and microbiological techniques. The proposed project involves leasing and renovating a 7,864-square-foot office space in the Oakdale office park where the existing facility is located. The total project cost is $3.6 million and is expected to create 59 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;SOMIC Packaging Inc., Inver Grove Heights – MIF $175,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;SOMIC Packaging, Inc. manufactures compact and versatile end-of-line automated case packaging equipment for various industries with complex packaging demands. SOMIC is expanding by building a new, 48,000-square-foot facility in Inver Grove Heights. The proposed project involves adding restrooms, lunchroom facilities and a commissioning hall, and is projected to cost $8.1 million dollars. The project is expected to create 23 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Yoyo Donuts, Walker – MIF $190,000, JCF $175,000&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Epic Real Estate Ventures LLC dba Yoyo Donuts is a nut-free bakery specializing in donuts that distributes across the United States. Yoyo Donuts has a production facility in Minnetonka that provides product for the current Walker store front. As the Walker facility undergoes renovations to include production and expand storage and shipping capacity, MIF funds will be used to purchase new production equipment. The total project cost is $991,812 and is expected to create 15 new jobs.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>625763</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:23Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota employers added jobs for the fourth straight month, up 3,900 jobs from March to April on a seasonally adjusted basis, with the private sector gaining 5,500 jobs, according to DEED.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Posts Fourth Straight Month of Job Growth; Labor Force Also Grows </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Posts Fourth Straight Month of Job Growth; Labor Force Also Grows</Title><title>2024-05-16 April Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-624466&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-05-16T13:49:56Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota employers added jobs for the fourth straight month, up 3,900 jobs from March to April on a seasonally adjusted basis, with the private sector gaining 5,500 jobs, according to DEED.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota employers added jobs for the fourth straight month, up 3,900 jobs from March to April on a seasonally adjusted basis, with the private sector gaining 5,500 jobs, according to information released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Minnesota has gained jobs 10 out of the last 12 months.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s labor force increased by 3,710 people over the month and the labor force participation rate stayed at 68.0%. Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate also remained steady at 2.7%, where it&apos;s held for six months. Nationally, the unemployment rate ticked up one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.9% and the labor force participation rate stayed at 62.7%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The numbers released today reinforce that Minnesota&apos;s economy remains strong,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Continued job growth and labor force growth are excellent indicators for Minnesota. We&apos;ll continue to focus on making Minnesota a great place to work, live and raise a family.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota outpaced the nation in private sector job growth over the month. Minnesota was up 0.1% over the month in overall job growth and up 0.2% in private sector job growth. The U.S. total nonfarm employment increased by 0.1% and the U.S. private sector was also up 0.1%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month, seven supersectors in Minnesota gained jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis. The top gainers were Financial Activities up 1,800 jobs, Manufacturing up 1,300 jobs and Construction up 1,100 jobs. Four supersectors lost jobs over the month, with the biggest decline in Government, down 1,600 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We usually see about half of Minnesota&apos;s supersectors lose jobs and the other half gains jobs each month,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyễn&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;It&apos;s a positive indicator that in April we saw more supersectors gain rather than lose jobs.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota gained 44,507 payroll jobs, up 1.5%. The private sector gained 23,889 jobs, up 0.9% over the year. Seven supersectors posted positive annual growth, with Education &amp;amp; Health Services seeing the biggest growth, up 25,018 jobs and Government next, up 20,618 jobs. Four supersectors lost jobs over the year, with Professional &amp;amp; Business Services seeing the biggest decline, down 10,196 jobs. Overall U.S. employment grew 1.8% over the year with the private sector up 1.7%. All U.S. supersectors saw job growth over the year except Information.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Regionally, job growth in the Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) continued its strong streak, with over the year growth of 4,357 jobs, up 3.5%. The Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA had the biggest job growth by numbers, up 21,168 jobs or 1.1% over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Average hourly wages for all private sector workers in Minnesota increased 33 cents over the month to $37.13 in April. Over the year average hourly earnings increased $1.25, up 3.5%, slightly outpacing inflation. The Consumer Price Index, a common measure of inflation, was up 3.4% over the year in April.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/a&gt; and data. You can also find &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/a&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/a&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>624466</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:24Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Funding expected to create over 2,200 child care slots across the state.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $6 Million in Child Care Grants</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $6 Million in Child Care Grants</Title><title>2024-05-15 Child Care Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-624429&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-05-15T18:39:36Z</Date><ShortDescription>Funding expected to create over 2,200 child care slots across the state.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/gov-office-announcement-banner_tcm1045-624622.jpg&quot; title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; alt=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;gov-office-announcement-banner&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced $6.2 million in new grants to expand child care across the state. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded 21 organizations with Child Care Economic Development Grants – the state&apos;s largest-ever round of funding for this program. The funding is expected to increase child care program capacity by 2,241 slots.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Making Minnesota the best state for children and families starts with child care,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Accessible, quality child care is critical not only for strong child development, but also for the economic wellbeing of the families in our state. These grants will increase access to child care and help more Minnesotans enter the workforce, growing our labor force and economy.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Child care businesses and professionals are essential to our economy – they&apos;re the workforce behind the workforce,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;I&apos;m proud of the historic investments we made in child care last session and our continued efforts to build on these wins. We want to ensure families across the state have access to high quality, affordable child care and that child care businesses have the supports they need to succeed.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s Child Care Economic Development Grant program provides funding to communities to invest in new or expanding child care businesses, including facility improvements, worker training, attraction, retention and licensing, and other strategies to reduce the child care shortage. The program is administered by the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/child-care/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Office of Child Care Community Partnerships&lt;/a&gt;, a new DEED office to coordinate the efforts of state government, communities, businesses, and non-profit organizations that are working to provide child care. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-working-moms/3565&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;WalletHub recently ranked&lt;/a&gt; Minnesota a top-five state for moms, due in part to high rankings for child care.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We regularly hear from businesses and communities of all sizes throughout the state about the need for accessible, affordable child care – it&apos;s key to their success and stability because child care removes one barrier parents and guardians of young children face in the workforce,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Through today&apos;s new investments in child care we&apos;re delivering for more families and communities around Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Child Care Economic Development grants are community-driven to provide unique solutions for each community or region,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Director of Child Care Community Partnerships Tammy Wickstrom. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re excited to work with our partners around Minnesota to expand child care access to more families.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since 2017, DEED has issued more than $6.5 million in Child Care Economic Development grants to 56 local governments and non-profit organizations across the state. DEED will issue a second grant round, also worth $6.2 million, later this year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Fifteen of the grants announced today are going to Greater Minnesota, where child care needs are most acute.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Access to quality child care is a fundamental community asset that is essential for the well-being of not just our families, but for the economic health of our region and state,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Northland Foundation President Tony Sertich. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We leveraged our previous DEED grant to support 12 licensed child program startup and expansion projects including the development and renovation of a new center in Floodwood that will serve 69 children. This resulted in 459 new slots being opened: 81 infant, 90 toddler, 199 preschool and nine school age.  We are grateful for the support DEED has given to support the growth of child care availability in Northeast Minnesota and are thrilled with this opportunity to continue our results-driven work with a new round of funding.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Brainerd Family YMCA, a 2022 Child Care Economic Development grantee, used its funding to purchase a 7,500-square-foot building and renovate it into a center licensed to serve 24 infants and 42 toddlers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;At the Y, we are committed to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Our ability to develop strong, healthy, and resilient youth is reliant on having access to the space to run programs, including affordable and quality day care. Our community has consistently identified the child care supply as one of the top critical issues that parents and employers face,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Shane Riffle, CEO of the Brainerd Family YMCA. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;While not a complete community solution, it is a step forward and highlights a successful model which can be replicated. This would not have been possible without the initial funding from DEED to acquire the footprint.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The following organizations were awarded Child Care Economic Development Grants in this funding round:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Alexandria Community Learning Center, Alexandria, $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Austin Community Charitable Fund, Austin, $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Centro Tyrone Guzman, Minneapolis, $245,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;City of Alexandria, $280,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;City of Luverne, $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County, $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Comunidades Latinas Unidades En Servicio (CLUES), St. Paul, $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Cook County Public Health and Human Services, Grand Marais, $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Glacier Hills Elementary School, Starbuck, $240,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Healthy Community Initiative, Northfield, $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Center, $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Lutheran Social Services, St. Paul, $100,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Northland Foundation, Duluth (serving the Northeast Minnesota region), $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Northwest Minnesota Foundation, (serving the Northwest Minnesota region), $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Parkers Prairie ISD 547, $100,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Parents in Community Action, Minneapolis (runs Head Start programs in Minneapolis, Brooklyn Center, Richfield, Bloomington and Golden Valley), $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Pine County, $500,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Prairie Five Community Action Council, Montevideo (serves Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Swift and Yellow Medicine counties) $380,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Prairie Pines Childcare Center, Fosston, $75,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;St. David Center, Minneapolis, $270,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Warroad Community Childcare Center, Warroad, $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>624429</id><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:23Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The project will receive $75 million from the State of Minnesota and $120 million as part of the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Historic Investment in Minnesota Semiconductor Manufacturing</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Historic Investment in Minnesota Semiconductor Manufacturing</Title><title>2024-05-13 CHIPS</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-623963&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-05-13T14:31:07Z</Date><ShortDescription>The project will receive $75 million from the State of Minnesota and $120 million as part of the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/office-governor_tcm1045-540131.png&quot; title=&quot;office-governor&quot; alt=&quot;office-governor&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;office-governor&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz, the U.S. Department of Commerce, state and regional economic development officials and company leaders today announced Polar Semiconductor will invest $525 million to expand its Bloomington manufacturing facility, leveraging $120 million in direct funding as part of the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act and a $75 million investment from the Minnesota Forward Fund, a State of Minnesota initiative to fuel business expansion.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Polar&apos;s federal funding is the first award in Minnesota from the 2022 U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, a $53 billion initiative by President Biden to grow U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research and development, and workforce.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s $75 million investment comes from the Minnesota Forward Fund, a new Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) program Governor Walz signed into law last year to invest $400 million in business growth in Minnesota. It also provides matching funds for companies seeking federal resources like CHIPS Act funding. This is the Minnesota Forward Fund&apos;s first award.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;As a top state for innovation in manufacturing, education, and workforce training, Minnesota has an established reputation as a leader in the growing high-tech economy,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We have been consistent and creative in our support for companies like Polar Semiconductor that want to establish and grow their businesses here in Minnesota. We&apos;re grateful to the Commerce Department for its commitment to Minnesota&apos;s future and its partnership with our state.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota continues to lead the way in business expansion. Through this expansion we are opening doors, bringing people to the state, and working towards our goal of making Minnesota the best state in the nation for kids,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;This investment highlights DEED&apos;s commitment to supporting the growth and operation of businesses in Minnesota, and I am grateful for their work and our strong partnership with the Commerce Department. Together, we are ensuring high-growth, high-demand, good-paying jobs, and building a more prosperous Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Thanks to President Biden&apos;s leadership, with this announcement we are making taxpayer dollars go as far as possible to create jobs, secure our supply chains, and bolster manufacturing in Minnesota,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;This proposed investment in Polar will crowd in private capital, which will help make Polar a U.S.-based, independent foundry. They will be able to expand their customer base and create a stable domestic supply of critical chips, made in America&apos;s heartland.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are very pleased to announce this historic investment in Minnesota semiconductor manufacturing. Our expanded manufacturing facility will allow us to increase capacity and branch into innovative technologies to serve new customers and markets,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; Surya Iyer, President and COO of Polar Semiconductor, said. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Polar and its employees are grateful to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the State of Minnesota for their commitment to the future of American semiconductor manufacturing and appreciate the strong collaboration with the CHIPS Program Office, DEED, and the City of Bloomington, Minnesota, throughout this process. Polar is also pleased to welcome a significant equity investment from Niobrara Capital and Prysm Capital, which will allow the Company to become U.S.-owned, and for the continued support of our long-term partners, Sanken Electric and Allegro MicroSystems.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Polar produces high-voltage semiconductors for use in automotive, commercial and industrial applications at its 310,000-square-foot facility in Bloomington, employing 540 workers. The company produces around 20,000 wafer semiconductors per month. Polar&apos;s $525 million expansion will allow the company to expand the facility, which could double its monthly output and lead to 160 new jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Expanding the semiconductor sector is a priority for both Minnesota and the U.S. as a whole. More domestic semiconductor manufacturing will help cement U.S. national security by reducing American dependency on foreign producers like China. Semiconductors are also a core component of the supply chain for high-tech industries like computing and clean energy, meaning the sector has strong growth potential in the years ahead.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Minnesota Forward Fund is one of the ways the Walz-Flanagan Administration supports innovative companies like Polar Semiconductor that are helping build Minnesota&apos;s cutting-edge economy,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota is home to a growing number of semiconductor companies that are creating hundreds of new, high-paying jobs every year. I appreciate the U.S. Commerce Department&apos;s support as we make this innovative industry even stronger.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;More than 150 semiconductor manufacturing companies operate in Minnesota, a figure that grew by 13.5% between 2021 and 2023. Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturers employ 10,800 workers in Minnesota with average wages around $85,000 per year, which is 18.2% above the average across all industries. These companies added nearly 1,900 jobs in Minnesota from over the last two years, a massive 21.3% increase – more than four times as fast as the overall economy grew.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Polar Semiconductor is a leader of the Minnesota CHIPS Coalition, formed by the GREATER Minneapolis–Saint Paul Partnership, the economic development partnership for the 15-county region, in late 2022 after the passage of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/09/fact-sheet-chips-and-science-act-will-lower-costs-create-jobs-strengthen-supply-chains-and-counter-china/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CHIPS and Science Act&lt;/a&gt;. Composed of more than 70 organizations, including manufacturers, supply-chain partners, education and training providers, labor organizations and state and local governments, the coalition is determined to reinvigorate the region&apos;s legacy in technology and establish the Midwest&apos;s semiconductor industry as a national leader.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The federal government&apos;s significant investment in Polar Semiconductor is key to building the digital infrastructure in the Greater MSP region to meet the needs of a diversity of industries, including medical device, consumer electronics, automobiles, data centers, and space and military systems, and fuel the nation&apos;s next economy,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Peter Frosch, President and CEO of the GREATER MSP Partnership. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Thanks to dedicated state matching funds through the Minnesota Forward Fund, the region&apos;s semiconductor industry is ready to scale. Federal investments like this one are key to the growth of our regional and state economy, driving technology development and building prosperity for all Minnesotans.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Bloomington has always been a place where innovation thrives. Polar Semiconductor&apos;s significant private investment in expanding its facilities, with direct funding from the CHIPS and Science Act and a substantial investment by the State of Minnesota, will boost our local economy and will contribute to the growth and vibrancy of semiconductor manufacturing in Bloomington,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Bloomington Mayor Tim Busse. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re excited to see the tangible benefits of these investments right here in our city, bringing jobs and new opportunities for our workforce and community.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Extensive state and federal support helped secure today&apos;s expansion announcement:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Last April, DEED awarded Polar $4.8 million in funding from the Minnesota Investment Fund and Job Creation Fund to support the company&apos;s expansion. It has also received nearly $415,000 in Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership awards from DEED to development training programs for semiconductor workers.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;In June, Secretary Raimondo joined a roundtable in Bloomington with the Minnesota CHIPS Coalition, which includes Polar and is led by GREATER MSP. The roundtable focused on opportunities to grow the semiconductor industry in Minnesota.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;In September, Governor Walz, Commissioner Varilek, and members of the delegation on the Governor&apos;s Business Development Mission to Japan met with executives from Sanken Electric. The discussion focused on the company&apos;s investments in Minnesota and the outlook for high-tech manufacturing in the state.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>623963</id><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:21Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>61 students graduated from the Xcel Energy Power Up Program.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED, Xcel Energy and Partners Celebrate Graduation of Energy and Construction Trainees</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED, Xcel Energy and Partners Celebrate Graduation of Energy and Construction Trainees</Title><title>2024-05-03 Power Up</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-622947&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-05-03T14:48:18Z</Date><ShortDescription>61 students graduated from the Xcel Energy Power Up Program.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – This morning, 61 students graduated from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/adult-career-pathways/grants/xcel-powerup/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Xcel Energy Power Up Program&lt;/a&gt;, a public and private partnership to prepare workers for in-demand career-path employment in fields related to energy and construction trades.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Xcel Energy and Minnesota&apos;s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) are working with seven community-based organizations to train and provide job placement for Minnesotans who are underrepresented in energy- and construction trades-related fields.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The first cohort of graduates – trained this spring by Building Strong Communities (BSC) – graduated on Friday morning at North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park. The 61 Power Up program participants are among 105 students who graduated from various BSC workforce training programs on Friday, BSC&apos;s largest graduating class ever.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Xcel Energy has invested $4 million in the Xcel Energy Power Up program with the goal of preparing 150 program participants to enter energy-related jobs or union apprenticeships by June 30, 2025.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED is honored to partner with Xcel Energy, Building Strong Communities and community-based organizations around Minnesota to make the Xcel Energy Power Up Program a success,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Partnering with employers, industry associations and unions is a great way to ensure we are preparing people with the right skills for in-demand jobs. Thank you to Xcel Energy and every Power Up partner.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The Power Up program is a reflection of Xcel Energy&apos;s priorities and the communities we serve. As we lead the clean energy transition, we need a skilled workforce to build the new generation and transmission infrastructure that&apos;s required to deliver 100% carbon-free electricity to our customers,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Patricia Correa, Xcel Energy senior vice president and chief human resources officer.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;We thank DEED and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for helping to shape the Power Up program. We share the Commission&apos;s goal to broaden participation in the energy transition. We believe a diverse workforce is a key element to deliver value in the way we conduct business, connect with our customers and build relationships in our communities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This program changes lives,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Building Strong Communities Executive Director Rick Martagon&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;It provides people with the education and skills to make informed career choices that will benefit themselves and their families.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Building Strong Communities serves as the provider of apprenticeship preparatory training for the Xcel Energy Power Up Program and facilitates the direct placement of students into registered apprenticeships in construction trades. Community-based organizations play a vital role in recruitment, workforce readiness and providing supportive services. This network includes Avivo, Career Solutions, Central Minnesota Jobs and Training, Inc., EMERGE Community Development, Native Sun Community Power Development and Summit Academy OIC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;DEED is the state&apos;s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about how DEED delivers for Minnesota, visit the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;DEED website&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://joinusmn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;JoinUsMn.com&lt;/a&gt; website, or follow us on &lt;a href=&quot;https://twitter.com/mndeed&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;X&lt;/a&gt;. You can view resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now, including thousands of open positions throughout Minnesota, at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.xcelenergy.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;xcelenergy.com&lt;/a&gt; or follow us on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.twitter.com/xcelenergy&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;X&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.facebook.com/xcelenergy&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>622947</id><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:21Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Today. DEED announced 19 workforce development grants totaling over $2.9 million to eight Minnesota educational institutions that are partnering with Minnesota businesses to develop and deliver customized workforce training programs.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards More Than $2.9 million in Grants to Minnesota Colleges and Universities for Employer Workforce Development Projects</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards More Than $2.9 million in Grants to Minnesota Colleges and Universities for Employer Workforce Development Projects</Title><title>2024-05-02 MJSP</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-622815&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-05-02T15:55:41Z</Date><ShortDescription>19 grants awarded to eight Minnesota educational institutions, partnering with businesses to develop and deliver customized workforce training programs.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>May 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced 19 workforce development grants totaling over $2.9 million to eight Minnesota educational institutions that are partnering with Minnesota businesses to develop and deliver customized workforce training programs. Grantees expect to train more than 4,000 workers through these programs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Workforce training programs help Minnesota workers develop new skills, while also helping employers build employee engagement and ensure workers have necessary skills for personal and organizational success,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Minnesota&apos;s higher education institutions are excellent training program partners with proven track records in delivering effective, customized training programs for Minnesota businesses.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Participating businesses must partner with an accredited educational institution for these Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership (MJSP) grants, awarded to the educational institution to develop and deliver custom training for the business. Programming covered by the grants includes onboarding and training new workers, upskilling current workers, promoting workforce diversity, defining career pathways, developing communication and leadership skills and more.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since 2019, MJSP has awarded $32.2 million to train more than 34,000 workers and has leveraged $68.2 million in private funding. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grants announced today include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$399,827 to Minnesota State College Southeast for partnership with 3M Fall Protection, Ardent Mills, Food Service Specialties, Gemini, Hearth &amp;amp; Home Technologies, Intek Plastics and Red Wing Shoes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The seven partnering &lt;strong&gt;Red Wing&lt;/strong&gt;-area manufacturing companies identified a common need for advanced mechatronics and automation training as their operations incorporate more automation and robotics technologies. Minnesota State College Southeast will build upon its existing foundational mechatronics program with advanced curriculum to develop a new, 20-credit Automation Essentials Certificate program, a nine-credit Computer Aided Drafting Technologies Certificate program and a three-credit welding course for 71 employees.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$300,000 to Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) for partnership with United States Distilled Products&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;United States Distilled Products/Phillips Distilling Company, a spirits, cordials and crème products producer with locations in &lt;strong&gt;St. Paul&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Princeton&lt;/strong&gt;, is partnering with ARCC to develop a training program for 250 employees to help the company adapt to recent market shifts, reposition its approach in the marketplace and enhance its work environment. ARCC will develop a training program focusing on business, technical, wellness and personal/professional development skills.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$298,804 to Century College for partnership with Russ Davis Wholesale&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Russ Davis Wholesale, a fresh produce processor and distributor with locations in &lt;strong&gt;Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, St. Paul&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Wadena&lt;/strong&gt;, is partnering with Century College for training in food safety, technological advancements, quality assurance and compliance, sustainable production practices, workforce development and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Century College will provide training for 735 employees in various manufacturing processes and translate training materials into Spanish; the company&apos;s leadership, administrative and support staff will also receive training in computer skills, lean manufacturing and leadership; and maintenance employees will receive training leading to Manufacturing Skills Standards Council Certified Production Technician certification.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$279,443 to Century College for partnership with J&amp;amp;B Group&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;J&amp;amp;B Group, a meat products producer and distributor in &lt;strong&gt;St. Michael&lt;/strong&gt;, is partnering with Century College to develop a training program to meet new regulatory safety requirements and improve workforce skills, engagement and efficiency for 398 employees. The safety training content will also be translated into Spanish.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$226,729 to Hennepin Technical College for partnership with Upsher-Smith Laboratories&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Upsher-Smith Laboratories, a pharmaceuticals company with locations in &lt;strong&gt;Plymouth&lt;/strong&gt; and a new 270,000-square-foot facility that opened last year in &lt;strong&gt;Maple Grove&lt;/strong&gt;, is partnering with Hennepin Technical College to train 153 production employees on new automated equipment and robotics. The 10-week, two-credit manufacturing associate course will be customized for the pharmaceutical industry. Intermediate and advanced levels of occupational English training will also be provided for 25 employees from across the company who speak English as a second or third language.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$224,080 to Minnesota State University, Mankato for partnership with Industrial Fabrication Services&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Industrial Fabrication Services, a custom metal products fabricator in &lt;strong&gt;Lake Crystal&lt;/strong&gt;, is partnering with Minnesota State University, Mankato for training on lean manufacturing principles and tools. The advanced training program will be developed for and delivered to 96 employees.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$205,485 to St. Cloud State University for partnership with Central McGowan&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Central McGowan – a &lt;strong&gt;St. Cloud&lt;/strong&gt;-based welding supplies and specialty gases distributor and FANUC-certified robotics and automation solutions integrator that also has locations in &lt;strong&gt;Little Falls&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;St. Paul&lt;/strong&gt; – is partnering with St. Cloud State University for a training program to develop team managers and emerging leaders, retain employees and upskill current workers into advanced positions. Professional development training for 135 employees will cover leadership, management, sales/marketing, customer service, financial/accounting and technical skills topics.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$194,153 to Minnesota State University, Mankato for partnership with Mayo Clinic Health System&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Mayo Clinic Health System is partnering with Minnesota State University, Mankato to develop a training program that enables emergency department physicians and advanced practice providers to practice critical procedures in safe, controlled environments. Training for 296 employees will be held in simulation labs resembling actual hospital and home settings, using high-fidelity mannequins that interact with the trainees throughout the sequence.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$140,845 to University of Minnesota Technological Leadership Institute for partnership with Polaris, Toro, Thermo King, Design Ready Controls&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This partnership project is a follow-up to a June 2023 MJSP Pre-Development grant awarded to the University of Minnesota Technological Leadership Institute to explore ways for private sector, public sector, nonprofits and academia to work together to address workforce development needs spurred by the rapid migration to electrification technologies. Through this grant, the university and partnering businesses will focus on technology policy, electrification safety and management best practices, including a daylong training program for hundreds of electrification stakeholders from across Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$123,434 to Hennepin Technical College for partnership with Japs-Olson Company&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Japs-Olson Company, a full-service, custom print and direct mail provider located in &lt;strong&gt;St. Louis Park&lt;/strong&gt;, is partnering with Hennepin Technical College and The Lean Way to develop and deliver a training program to develop new and emerging leaders, increase operational efficiency, improve workflow and optimize processes. All 568 Japs-Olson employees will participate in one or more training topics that will include waste management and reduction; DEI; conflict management; leadership; and Microsoft Office.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$95,004 to Hennepin Technical College for partnership with Apple Tree Dental&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Apple Tree Dental – a dental services provider with clinic locations in &lt;strong&gt;Coon Rapids, Fairmont, Fergus Falls, Hawley, Little Falls, Madelia, Minneapolis, Mounds View&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Rochester&lt;/strong&gt; – is partnering with Hennepin Technical College to develop a clinical assistant onboarding and training program for individuals with no dental experience. The customized, eight-week, 40-hour program is designed to advance career opportunities for 30 new and existing clinical assistants in the organization.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$49,983 to University of Minnesota, College of Continuing and Professional Studies for partnership with Monarch Healthcare Management&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Monarch Healthcare Management, an &lt;strong&gt;Eagan&lt;/strong&gt;-headquartered short-term rehabilitation and long-term care services provider with 50 locations throughout Minnesota, is partnering with the University of Minnesota to develop a custom training program for 50 new and emerging leaders.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$49,969 to ARCC for partnership with Interscapes Inc.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Interscapes, a custom architectural woodwork builder and installer headquartered in &lt;strong&gt;Brooklyn Center&lt;/strong&gt;, is partnering with ARCC to support workforce adoption of the company&apos;s business management platform. ARCC will develop and deliver training for all 47 Interscapes employees.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$49,583 to ARCC for partnership with Mate Precision Technologies&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Mate Precision Technologies, a metalworking machinery manufacturer headquartered in &lt;strong&gt;Anoka&lt;/strong&gt; and with global sales and operations, is partnering with ARCC to develop a training program for 65 employees to optimize the company&apos;s internal software system capabilities and enhance employee leadership skills.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$48,277 to University of Minnesota Technological Leadership Institute for partnership with Ryan Companies&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Ryan Companies, a &lt;strong&gt;Minneapolis&lt;/strong&gt;-based national commercial real estate services company with offices in 12 states, is partnering with the University of Minnesota to design an AI training program, which will be piloted with 30 employees at their Minneapolis headquarters, to meet the commercial real estate industry&apos;s unique and evolving requirements. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$48,277 to University of Minnesota Technological Leadership Institute for partnership with Target Corporation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Recognizing the impact machine learning engineering (MLE) is poised to have on the retail industry and the necessary technology skills of the future, Target Corporation is partnering with the University of Minnesota&apos;s Technological Leadership Institute to enrich its current learning programs by incorporating MLE training modules for its software engineers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$48,023 to Minnesota State University, Mankato, for partnership with Mankato Clinic&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Mankato Clinic, a health care services provider with 15 locations in &lt;strong&gt;Mankato&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;St. Peter&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Mapleton&lt;/strong&gt;, is partnering with Minnesota State University, Mankato to develop a comprehensive customer service training program designed to enhance patient experience, improve communication and ensure health care professionals deliver compassionate, effective services. All employees will receive 4-5 hours of training in patient care and care team skills.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$44,261 to University of Minnesota Technological Leadership Institute for partnership with Essentia Health&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Essentia Health, a &lt;strong&gt;Duluth&lt;/strong&gt;-headquartered health system serving patients in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, is partnering with the University of Minnesota&apos;s Technological Leadership Institute to develop a training program for 50 mid-level IT professionals and decision-makers addressing coordinated, integrated security covering the latest government guidance and requirements, techniques for reducing risk and mitigating threats and structured opportunities for internal sharing of information.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$30,654 Pre-development grant to Fond du Lac Tribal &amp;amp; Community College for a partnership with Fond du Lac Band Cannabis Corp.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Fond du Lac Band Cannabis Corp. in &lt;strong&gt;Cloquet&lt;/strong&gt; is a startup company opening a cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility, located on the tribe&apos;s reservation, that will supply medical and adult-use cannabis products ranging from flower to edibles and concentrates. Training programs to address the newly emerging industry&apos;s specific needs are limited in Minnesota. The college and company will collaborate with national and state cannabis industry partners and private agriculture industry partners to identify the industry&apos;s specific training needs and begin developing a curriculum that will initially focus on agricultural and manufacturing operations, including preparing employees to operate industry-specific equipment such as fluid systems, trim machines and drying racks. Additional training needs areas will also be explored.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Partnership Project Contacts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Matthew Salo, 763-422-6116&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Century College, Eric Riedel, 651-779-3310&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Fond du Lac Tribal &amp;amp; Community College, Jeannie Kermeen, 218-879-0790&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Hennepin Technical College, Leslie Price, 763-488-3705&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota State University, Mankato, Tammy Bohlke, 507-389-2572&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota State College Southeast, Calvin Clemons, 507-450-0683&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;St. Cloud State University, Ileana Merten, 320-308-6160&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;University of Minnesota, College of Continuing and Professional Studies, Helen Weber, 612-301-8637
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Monarch Health Management partnership&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;University of Minnesota, Technological Leadership Institute, Allison Hubel, 612-626-4451
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Essentia Health partnership&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;University of Minnesota, Technological Leadership Institute, David Nguyen, 612-281-3573
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Ryan Companies and Target Corporation partnerships&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;University of Minnesota, Technological Leadership Institute, Travis Thul, 651-399-6826
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Polaris, Toro, Thermo King and Design Ready Controls partnership&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>622815</id><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:21Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Awards Highlight Successes in Foreign Markets by Minnesota Companies and Foreign Investment in Minnesota; Nomination Deadline is July 19.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Now Accepting Nominations for the Governor’s International Trade Awards </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Now Accepting Nominations for the Governor’s International Trade Awards</Title><title>2024-04-26 GITA</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-621951&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-04-26T19:12:36Z</Date><ShortDescription>Awards Highlight Successes in Foreign Markets by Minnesota Companies and Foreign Investment in Minnesota; Nomination Deadline is July 19.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>April 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul, Minn. –&lt;/strong&gt; The Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is now accepting nominations for the 39th Annual Governor&apos;s International Trade Awards until Friday, July 19, 2024.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;These prestigious awards honor Minnesota companies that have shown exceptional growth and success in foreign markets. In addition to honoring the individual recipients, the awards serve as a tribute to the importance and tremendous positive impact that exports and trade have on the state&apos;s overall economy. &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/exporting/about/trade-award.jsp&quot;&gt;Past winners can be found here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;International trade contributes billions of dollars to Minnesota&apos;s economy and directly supports nearly 118,000 jobs. It&apos;s important to celebrate this impact and the companies that are driving it,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Governor Tim Walz&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We&apos;re committed to growing Minnesota&apos;s trade ties and sharing our story of innovation with countries around the world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Exports from many important Minnesota industries grew in 2023, and we continue to see high-impact foreign direct investment in our state,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We are excited to celebrate this success and double down on our work to expand Minnesota trade across the globe.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Thanks to our exporting power as a state, Minnesota farmers and our agriculture and food companies feed the world,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We look forward to recognizing businesses that help bring Minnesota&apos;s ag products to a global audience and boost our economy here at home.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We are excited to once again open the nominations for the Governor&apos;s International Trade Awards and encourage companies across the state to apply,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;MTO Executive Director Gabrielle Gerbaud.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;It is always a privilege to recognize the hard work and outstanding accomplishments of Minnesota exporters. We look forward to honoring the recipients later this this year.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Nominations for the Governor&apos;s International Trade Awards will be accepted until Friday, July 19, 2024. Recipients will be recognized at an awards ceremony to be scheduled toward the end of this year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Additional information, as well as nomination instructions, can be found on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/exporting/about/trade-award.jsp&quot;&gt;Governor&apos;s International Trade Awards website here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the Minnesota Trade Office&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) supports small- and medium-sized Minnesota businesses through technical assistance, export education and training programs, trade promotion activities, services by offices in strategic overseas locations, and export expansion grants. State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grants – 50% matching, up to $7,500 – support a range of export development activities, including participation in trade shows and missions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In addition, the MTO attracts Foreign Direct Investment by helping foreign companies explore the advantages of expanding or relocating in Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The MTO also serves as Minnesota&apos;s Office of Protocol, ensuring that the state&apos;s interactions with foreign delegations and dignitaries are conducted with appropriate diplomatic etiquette and cultural practices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;For staff contact information, please visit our &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/exporting/about/contact-us.jsp&quot;&gt;&quot;Contact the Minnesota Trade Office&quot; page here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>621951</id><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:20Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota posted strong job and labor force growth in March.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Gains 11,000 Jobs and 3,000 Workers in March</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Gains 11,000 Jobs and 3,000 Workers in March</Title><title>2024-04-18 March Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-620895&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-04-18T13:49:56Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota posted strong job and labor force growth in March.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>April 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota posted strong job and labor force growth in March, according to information released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The state gained an estimated 11,000 jobs in the last month on a seasonally adjusted basis, up 0.4%, with the private sector up roughly 8,000 jobs, up 0.3%. Minnesota&apos;s labor force increased by an estimated 3,000 people over the month, bumping the labor force participation rate up one-tenth of a percent to 68.0%. The unemployment rate remained steady at 2.7%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;March was a great month all around for Minnesota employers and workers,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Our strong job and labor force growth shows that Minnesota&apos;s economy continues to provide great opportunities for Minnesota residents as well as those who would like to call Minnesota home.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Five supersectors in Minnesota gained jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis since the prior month, including, most notably, Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality up 5,000 jobs, Government up 3,000 jobs, Education &amp;amp; Health Services up 2,800 jobs and Construction up 2,700 jobs. Six supersectors stayed steady or lost jobs but the losses were small in comparison to the large gains in other sectors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Key labor market indicators are trending positive,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyễn.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;In short, more people are employed, and wage growth is outpacing inflation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota gained 47,508 jobs, up 1.6%, with the private sector up 23,161 jobs or 0.9%.
&lt;br /&gt;
In Minnesota six supersectors posted annual growth, including Education &amp;amp; Health Services up 24,552 jobs, Government up 24,347 jobs, Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality up 10,990 jobs and Trade, Transportation &amp;amp; Utilities up 8,153 jobs. Five supersectors lost jobs over the year in Minnesota including Professional &amp;amp; Business Services, down 13,900 jobs, Financial Activities down 5,579 jobs and Manufacturing down 3,195 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, U.S. employment grew 1.9% with the private sector up 1.7%. Over the month, U.S. employment increased by 0.2%, with the U.S. private sector also up 0.2%. Over the month, the national unemployment rate ticked down one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.8% and the labor force participation rate increased two-tenths of a percentage point to 62.7%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Regionally, job growth in the Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) continued its strong streak, with over the year growth of 3,984 jobs or 3.3%. The Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA had the biggest job growth by numbers, up 22,337 jobs or 1.2% over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;and data. You can also find&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>620895</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:18Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Today, DEED announced $673,280 in Launch Minnesota Business Operation Innovation Grants to 26 startups statewide.</Description><Audience/><Title>Launch Minnesota Awards Nearly $674,000 in Innovation Grants to 26 Startup Businesses Around the State</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Launch Minnesota Awards Nearly $674,000 in Innovation Grants to 26 Startup Businesses Around the State</Title><title>2024-04-16 Innovation Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-620622&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-04-16T16:28:00Z</Date><ShortDescription>Today, DEED announced $673,280 in Launch Minnesota Business Operation Innovation Grants to 26 startups statewide.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>April 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $673,280 in Launch Minnesota Business Operation Innovation Grants to 26 startups statewide; 16 of these grantees are led by entrepreneurs of color, veterans, women, persons with disabilities or are startups located in Greater Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Launch Minnesota is a statewide collaborative effort spearheaded by DEED to support startups and grow Minnesota&apos;s innovation ecosystem. Innovation Grants are awarded to promising, innovative and scalable technology businesses, providing up to $35,000 to use toward operational costs such as research and development, direct business expenses and technical assistance. Since its inception in 2019, Launch Minnesota has awarded $8.2 million in grant funding and 62% has been awarded to targeted founders. Innovation grantees have gone on to raise more than $150 million in additional post-award funding.
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&quot;These startups focus on developing technologies that improve lives and help individuals and businesses solve problems,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Launch Minnesota is dedicated to supporting innovators statewide, not only with grant funding but also consulting services and networking opportunities to help them grow and thrive.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;It&apos;s great to see the continued growth and impact of Launch Minnesota in communities across the state,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Neela Mollgaard, DEED Office of Small Business and Innovation Executive Director&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We&apos;re excited to support these companies&apos; efforts to launch, grow and contribute to Minnesota&apos;s vital small business economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;This grant round includes a diverse range of startups – from state-of-the-art medical technology to sustainability innovations to consumer-focused technologies that simplify and improve our daily lives,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Rob Cimperman, Launch Minnesota Director&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The following companies received Business Operations Innovation Grants:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.anumio.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Anumio, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – A veterinary science company that manufactures novel sustained-release drug products to aid in the treatment of diseases with high prevalence in animal health.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.camperoni.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Camperoni, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – A woman-owned company offering a web-based app that helps parents automate the process of finding and registering kids for camps, sports and activities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://correnmedical.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CorRen Medical, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – A medical device company specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral artery disease and cardiorenal disease. The company is developing an accurate, easy-to-use Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) test for early peripheral artery disease diagnosis.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://daisypet.ai/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Daisy Pet, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – The company&apos;s AI-powered dog health and wellness smartphone app provides personalized wellness advice, on-demand training solutions, nutrition education and behavior insights for dog owners.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://diytrees.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;DIY Trees, LLC&lt;/a&gt; – The Hermantown-based company is developing an app-based tutorial and user-friendly tree kits that provide personalized tree growing experiences.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Energy ReLeaf, LLC – The company is an accredited solar shingle installer with energy and roofing experience for both traditional roofing and solar array installations.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Epiblock, LLC – The company&apos;s mouth-inserted medical device restricts blood flow to the nasal cavity and surrounding area to help stop nosebleeds. The product was developed by three University of St. Thomas students.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fersktech.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;FerskTech, LLC&lt;/a&gt; – A woman-owned technology company offering a suite of solutions that streamline operations for travel managers, providing insights for small and medium-sized businesses.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.myimpacks.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Impacks, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – A woman-owned, St. Cloud-based company that simplifies back-to-school supply shopping for parents, schools and administrators, the company&apos;s offerings include customized school supply kits, business and non-profit school supply drives and bulk school supply orders.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.just-housing.org&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Just Housing SBC&lt;/a&gt; – A Duluth-based, woman-owned company that designs and sells ready-to-build, zero energy-capable house plans promoting sustainable housing and green building practices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Kommodo Holdings Corp. – A biotechnology company developing therapies for rare diseases that use engineered T cells to secrete therapeutic molecules.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://marginbio.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;MarginBio, LLC&lt;/a&gt; – A biologics company developing and commercializing an antibody discovery platform to overcome challenges in early-stage drug discovery.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mombadgeapp.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Mom Badge, LLC&lt;/a&gt; – A smartphone app that allows users to send and receive digital badges acknowledging, supporting and celebrating motherhood achievements, moments and milestones. The woman-owned company&apos;s badges are based on hand-crafted designs and senders have options to attach personal notes and gift cards.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mozrt.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Mozrt, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – A fintech banking startup located in East Gull Lake, its technology platform bridges the gap between traditional banking and contemporary technology.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Paxos Medical, Inc. – A medical device company developing an implantable neuromodulation system for pelvic health disorders.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://alv.io/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;QoL Devices, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – Grant funding targets the Rochester company&apos;s Alvio gamified mobile technology solution, which functions as a respiratory muscle trainer and symptom tracker for individuals with respiratory conditions such as asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis and Parkinson&apos;s.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Riptide Therapeutics, LLC – This pharmaceuticals company researches and develops cancer drugs that aim to render tumors more susceptible to existing treatments.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sportsvision.ai/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Sports Vision, Inc.&lt;/a&gt;– A developer of an AI-powered sports analytics platform for athlete and team sports performance enhancement and optimization. This is a BIPOC-owned information technology company headquartered in Minneapolis.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.swinergy.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Swinergy, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – The veteran-led company&apos;s anaerobic digestion process transforms agricultural manure into renewable natural gas faster than current offerings, enabling scalability to make the process a more accessible option for farms to implement.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.truetoform.fit/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Tam Technologies, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – A BIPOC woman-owned information software startup located in Rochester, its platform generates highly-accurate personal 3D avatars from a scan on a smartphone to help shoppers find clothes that fit.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Tanner Mobile Health, LLC – This woman-owned company is developing a proprietary enterprise software application aimed at improving rehabilitation services in children, adolescents and young adults.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.trunkdrop.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Trunkdrop, LLC&lt;/a&gt; – The company&apos;s mobile app functions like a rideshare platform that consumers and SMBs can use for on-demand courier/delivery services.
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.venstramedical.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Venstramedical US, Inc.&lt;/a&gt; – A medical device company that is developing percutaneous circulatory support systems for temporary use by cardiologists in the treatment of patients requiring cardiac support without surgical intervention.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Vista BioMedical, Inc. – A Rochester-based company that is developing a urinalysis kit and a proprietary mobile app for preventative health screening of chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Waypoint Forward, LLC – A female-led, Duluth-based business that is developing an energy-efficient textile recycling machine that pulls the fibers apart rather than cutting them like existing textile recycling machines, which keeps the fibers longer and easier to be re-spun into usable yarns.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://wugsvending.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Wugs Vending, LLC&lt;/a&gt; – This BIPOC veteran-led, technology-driven, unattended retail micro-market and vending company provides its business customers with an affordable and convenient way to offer multicultural snack and beverage options for their employees, visitors and customers.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>620622</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>social media</Title><Id>230120</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:18Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The Minnesota Senate voted to confirm Matt Varilek as Commissioner of DEED for Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan&apos;s second term.</Description><Audience/><Title>Matt Varilek Confirmed as DEED Commissioner During Second Walz-Flanagan Term</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Matt Varilek Confirmed as DEED Commissioner During Second Walz-Flanagan Term</Title><title>2024-04-11 Commissioner Confirmation</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-620128&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-04-11T21:47:03Z</Date><ShortDescription>The Minnesota Senate voted to confirm Matt Varilek as Commissioner of DEED for Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan&apos;s second term.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>April 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul&lt;/strong&gt; – Today, the Minnesota Senate voted to confirm Matt Varilek as Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan&apos;s second term. Varilek has served as DEED commissioner since June 2023. Before joining DEED, Commissioner Varilek was president of the Little Falls-based Initiative Foundation, and prior to that served as a senior leader at the Small Business Administration both in Washington D.C. and in Denver. Additionally, his business experience includes five years with a New York-based energy commodities brokerage.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Matt Varilek brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to economic and community development,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Governor Walz&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;From strengthening economies in Greater Minnesota to advocating for businesses, workers and families across the state, his knowledge will allow us to continue building a more equitable economy for all Minnesotans.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Matt Varilek has demonstrated a continued commitment to ensuring economic development and prosperity for all Minnesotans, from all backgrounds and in every corner of the state,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Lieutenant Governor Flanagan&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;I look forward to working with him to continue growing a strong, vibrant and diverse economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;As a member of the Governor&apos;s Cabinet, Varilek has been a strong leader in carrying out DEED programs that help make Minnesota the best state for families, workers, businesses and communities. DEED has historic funding and new initiatives that will improve broadband access, increase the supply of child care, address the workforce shortage in high-demand fields including clean energy and in historically underserved communities, and support economic development and business expansion that leverages federal resources and supports vibrant small businesses.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED is also building and preparing to implement Paid Leave, a major new program that will support Minnesota&apos;s families and workers by providing paid time off after life-changing events, helping them stay in or reenter the workforce and keeping our labor pool strong.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;During the last several years, DEED directed funding – with a deliberate focus on businesses, communities and entrepreneurs from Black, brown, Indigenous and communities of color – and launched several new programs to build the next chapter of workforce and economic development in Minnesota. Under Commissioner Varilek, DEED is investing in Minnesota&apos;s historically-underserved communities through programs including:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$125M - &lt;strong&gt;The PROMISE Act&lt;/strong&gt; to help businesses recover from financial and social upheaval since 2020.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$50M - &lt;strong&gt;Targeted Populations&lt;/strong&gt; to bring workers who have been overlooked for employment – particularly people of color – into the workforce at family-sustaining wages.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$20M - &lt;strong&gt;Drive for 5&lt;/strong&gt; to prepare the workforce to enter five of the most critical occupational categories.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$20M – &lt;strong&gt;At-risk youth employment programs&lt;/strong&gt; to prepare more Minnesota young people to enter the workforce focused and work-ready.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$4M - &lt;strong&gt;Employer Reasonable Accommodation Program&lt;/strong&gt; to help businesses provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Establishing a &lt;strong&gt;permanent Office of New Americans&lt;/strong&gt; to help immigrants and refugees navigate the employment and business services available to them.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Having grown up in a lower-income family, I&apos;m passionate about the work we do at DEED to help make Minnesota an even more prosperous place, for everyone,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Commissioner Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Minnesota&apos;s economy is at a critical point, and by partnering with community leaders, businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofits to make the transformational change we need, our state will remain the best place to live, raise a family and start and grow a business.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Varilek was born and raised in Yankton, South Dakota. Prior to joining DEED in June 2023, he served for seven years as president of the Initiative Foundation, which supports economic and community development in the 14 counties and two sovereign tribal nations of Central Minnesota. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), regional administrator for U.S. SBA Region VIII and a candidate for Congress in South Dakota. He also served as an Economic Development Director and Speechwriter for the offices of U.S. Senators Tom Daschle and Tim Johnson, and Director of Policy and Research for Natsource LLC, an energy brokerage based in New York. Commissioner Varilek earned a B.A. from Carleton College, a M.Phil. in Economic Development from the University of Glasgow and a M.Phil. in Environment and Development from the University of Cambridge. He lives in rural Benton County near Rice with his wife and three children.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>620128</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:18Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED announced more than $2.2 million in land redevelopment funding to eight communities statewide.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $2.2 Million in Redevelopment Funding</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $2.2 Million in Redevelopment Funding</Title><title>2024-04-01 Redevelopment Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-616108&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-04-01T15:09:46Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED announced more than $2.2 million in land redevelopment funding to eight communities statewide.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>April 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced more than $2.2 million in land redevelopment funding to eight communities statewide – creating or retaining 91 jobs, collectively increasing local tax bases by $3.1 million and leveraging more than $228.7 million in private investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The seven grants from DEED&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/cleanup/redevelopmentgrantprogram.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Redevelopment Grant Program&lt;/a&gt; and one loan from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/cleanup/demolition.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Demolition Loan Program&lt;/a&gt; are expected to redevelop 20.84 acres and establish 571 units of housing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Redevelopment Grant Program helps communities with the costs of redeveloping blighted industrial, residential or commercial sites and putting land back into productive use. The Demolition Loan Program helps communities with the removal of dilapidated or unsafe structures to prep sites for future development.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Redevelopment funding is a great resource that communities can use to invest in themselves,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Redeveloping unusable land produces significant economic growth, attracts investment and revitalizes neighborhoods in communities around Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its inception in 1998, the Redevelopment Grant Program has made 247 awards worth $84.8 million in grant funds. This funding has created or retained 31,107 jobs, attracted nearly $3.9 billion in private investment and created 9,409 housing units, 2,985 of which are affordable.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Redevelopment grants pay up to half of the redevelopment costs for qualifying sites, with a 50% local match. They can assist with the cost of public land acquisition, building and site demolition, infrastructure improvements, soil stabilization and ponding or other environmental infrastructure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Details on the Redevelopment Grant projects are below:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Albert Lea: Convenience Store and Filling Station&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Albert Lea was awarded $189,205 in Redevelopment Grant funds for public infrastructure improvements on this 3.66-acre site. A meat-packing facility for nearly 100 years, the plant — located in Albert Lea&apos;s Blazing Star Landing redevelopment district — burned down in 2001. It remained primarily vacant due to soil contamination costs and other related remediation costs but has since been used as an auto repair shop, a concrete plant and a dry cleaner. The site will be redeveloped into a 9,100-square-foot convenience store that includes an associated car wash and filling pumps. It is anticipated this project will create six jobs, retain 13 jobs, increase the tax base by $54,824 and leverage $9.1 million of private investment. Matching funds will be paid by the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Steven Jahnke, (507) 377-4325&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Cloquet: Hotel Solem Reuse&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Cloquet was awarded $87,659 in Redevelopment Grant funds for asbestos and mold abatement on this 0.23-acre site. Located in the heart of downtown Cloquet, the former hotel, apartment building and restaurant will be renovated into an 18-unit apartment building in the once-vacant Hotel Solem building. It is anticipated this project will increase the tax base by $37,550 and leverage $2.5 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by tax increment financing and the city.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Holly Hansen, (218) 879-2507&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Hutchinson: Jorgensen Hotel&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Hutchinson was awarded $150,000 in Redevelopment Grant funds for demolition on this 0.26-acre site. Built in 1916, the existing Jorgenson Hotel has been home to a bank, restaurant, drug store, bowling alley and apartments. After the original hotel burned down, it was rebuilt using large amounts of concrete, which has proven to be costly for past redevelopment attempts. The current plan is to demolish the site and redevelop it into a new hotel. It is anticipated this project will create six jobs, increase the property tax base by $121,200 and leverage $8 million of private investment. Matching funds will be paid by tax increment financing and the developer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Miles Seppelt, (320) 234-4223&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;La Crescent: 31 S Walnut Redevelopment&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of La Crescent was awarded $19,051 in Redevelopment Grant funds for demolition and public infrastructure improvements on this 0.06-acre site. In 2017, work to revitalize Walnut Street in downtown La Crescent began, and the city is now ready to move forward with the redevelopment of 31 S Walnut. Historically used as a dry cleaner and a laundromat, the site will be redeveloped into a mixed-use residential and commercial building. This project is anticipated to create 10 jobs, increase the tax base by $14,212 and leverage $712,493 of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by tax increment financing and the developer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Larry Kirch, (507) 895-4096&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Moorhead: Downtown MCM Redevelopment&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Moorhead was awarded $1 million in Redevelopment Grant funds for demolition on this 14‑acre site. Opened in 1973, the former shopping mall was innovative for its time, but now requires significant renovations to meet contemporary needs. The site will be redeveloped into a 55,400-square-foot library and two apartment buildings with a combined 484 units, and 36,000 square feet of commercial space. It is anticipated this phase of the project will create three jobs, retain 23 jobs, increase the tax base by $2,831,878 and leverage $204.4 million of private investment. Matching funds will be paid by tax increment financing, the developer and other funding sources.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Amy Thorpe, (218) 299-5442&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Scott County Community Development Agency (CDA): Senior Housing and Office&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Scott County CDA was awarded $545,000 in Redevelopment Grant funds for geotechnical soil stabilization and public infrastructure improvements on this 1.96-acre site. Formerly used by Shakopee&apos;s Central School, this site is located in the heart of Shakopee — near the Scott County Government Center, the downtown business district and adjacent to a church and residential properties — and located alongside a transit route, providing access to the greater community. The site will be redeveloped into a three-story, 60-unit senior housing apartment building and a one-story, 17,000 square foot office building for the Scott County CDA. It is anticipated this project will create two jobs and retain 28 jobs. A $40,000 payment in lieu of taxes will be paid annually on the project. Matching funds will be paid by the Scott County CDA and Shakopee School District (ISD 720).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Julie Siegert, (952) 641-5185&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;White Bear Lake: Wildwood Rowhomes&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of White Bear Lake was awarded $115,253 in Redevelopment Grant funds for demolition and public infrastructure improvements on this 0.67‑acre site. Formerly a gas station, the site will be redeveloped into two townhome buildings consisting of nine residential units. Removing the blight from the area will also significantly help redevelopment efforts on other sites at the intersection and throughout the County Road E corridor. It is anticipated this project will increase the tax base by $42,280 and leverage $4 million of private investment. Matching funds will be provided by the developer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Local contact: Tracy Shimek, (651) 762-4838&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Details on the Demolition Loan project are below:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Deer River: 13 MAIN&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Deer River was awarded $130,000 in Demolition Loan funds for the demolition of a building on this 0.25-acre site. The site, formerly used as a furniture and appliance store, was destroyed by a tornado in May of 2022. The site has redevelopment potential as commercial, healthcare or office space.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>616108</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:35:18Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The acceptance means the state is now eligible for federal grants to implement the plan, which will help reduce gaps in internet adoption, and expand digital skills and digital technology access.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces Federal Approval of Digital Opportunity Plan</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces Federal Approval of Digital Opportunity Plan</Title><title>2024-03-28 OBD Digital Opportunity Plan</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-615741&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-28T15:09:46Z</Date><ShortDescription>The state is eligible for federal grants to implement the plan, which helps reduce gaps in internet adoption, &amp; expand digital skills and technology access.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced Minnesota&apos;s Digital Opportunity Plan has been accepted by the U.S. Department of Commerce&apos;s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The acceptance means the state is now eligible for federal grants to implement the plan, which will help reduce gaps in internet adoption, and expand digital skills and digital technology access.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota is a leader in delivering broadband, and we continue to expand service to underserved and unserved areas throughout the state,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;As our Digital Opportunity Plan illustrates, we are equally committed to ensuring every Minnesotan has the tools and skills needed to harness the full power of broadband and reap the benefits of a digital economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Broadband is an essential economic development tool that helps Minnesota communities grow and thrive, gain workers and support business vitality,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Deputy Commissioner for Economic Development Kevin McKinnon&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The Digital Opportunity Plan complements the state&apos;s ambitious broadband connectivity plans to ensure digital equity statewide.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Digital Equity Act, part of the Internet for All initiative and a key piece of President Biden&apos;s Investing in America Agenda, provides $2.75 billion to establish three federal grant programs – the State Digital Equity Planning Grant, Digital Equity Capacity Grant and Digital Equity Competitive Grant – that promote digital equity and inclusion.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s Digital Opportunity Plan, produced by the Office of Broadband Development (OBD), details how Minnesota will use its Internet for All grant funding to expand digital access. &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/adoption/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota identified the following objectives&lt;/a&gt;:
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Establish a Digital Opportunity Leaders Network to coordinate and support digital opportunity initiatives regionally and statewide;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Expand OBD&apos;s public data and mapping tools to include digital opportunity measures;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Prepare reports exploring models for: (1) a statewide tech helpline; (2) state-level broadband affordability programs; and (3) a state-managed system for loaning large-screen devices long-term to Minnesotans with low vision;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Partner with state offices serving people at high risk for digital exclusion;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Coordinate with Internet Service Providers to support newly-connected households needing education and resources; and&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Administer targeted grants to support: (1) local and tribal governments preparing their own digital opportunity plans; (2) community partners piloting positions focused on trust-based digital opportunity work; (3) small businesses improving technology access; and (4) local and tribal governments improving web accessibility.
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Last year, OBD spent several months developing its initial Digital Opportunity Plan to submit to NTIA. OBD held &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/590253&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;public meetings&lt;/a&gt; in 16 cities across Minnesota and two online meetings to gather public feedback on its plan to reduce gaps in broadband access, digital technology ownership and digital skills.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;We are thrilled and honored to have our plan accepted by NTIA and we are extremely grateful to the state and community leaders and countless Minnesotans who supported the plan&apos;s development and provided feedback at our statewide public meetings or online,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;OBD Executive Director Bree Maki.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;The feedback and support were essential not only to ensure our plan would be approved, but also that it would provide Minnesotans with the tools, resources and skills needed to achieve their digital technology goals. We are pleased that we can now move forward on implementing this plan as we work to connect people to people, connect people to information and connect people to resources.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Earlier this month, DEED &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/611916&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;announced $53 million in grants&lt;/a&gt; to expand broadband to 8,900 Minnesota homes and businesses. DEED is now accepting applications for &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/613669&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;another $50 million grant round&lt;/a&gt; for broadband infrastructure expansion.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;In addition to federal digital equity grants, DEED will also manage $652 million in federal &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/583127&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Broadband Equity, Access and Development (BEAD) Program&lt;/a&gt; funding to expand broadband to the most unserved and underserved Minnesotans.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>615741</id><Tag><Description/><Title>broadband</Title><Id>443117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:39Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The grants will support eight programs around the state with over half of the funds awarded to programs for students in Greater Minnesota.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces $2.7 Million in Grants for Robotics Teams and STEM Internship Programs </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces $2.7 Million in Grants for Robotics Teams and STEM Internship Programs</Title><title>2024-03-25 Robotics</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-615253&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-25T15:09:46Z</Date><ShortDescription>The grants will support eight programs around the state with over half of the funds awarded to programs for students in Greater Minnesota.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $2.7 million in &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/office-youth-development/special/robotics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Robotics Teams and STEM Internships Program&lt;/a&gt; grant awards to eight nonprofit organizations and education institutions across the state.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This competitive grant program, offered through DEED&apos;s Office of Youth Development, provides grants to organizations to support high school robotics teams, help prepare youth for STEM careers and create internships for high school students to work at private companies in STEM fields.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;STEM careers remain in high demand and these skills have applications in many areas – from medical technology companies to manufacturing organizations that are increasingly turning to robotics and automation technology that require skilled workers to operate high-tech machinery,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Robotics programs provide our future workforce with hands-on opportunities to gain skills and comfort with technology, and early internship opportunities help students set goals and establish plans for their future education and careers.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s Office of Youth Development supports youth employment, training and education programs that provide vital experience and guidance to help young people – especially low-income and at-risk youth – succeed and acquire critical skills for current and future workplace needs,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development Marc Majors&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Robotics team programs not only expose youth to technology and design in a purposeful and engaging way, but also help young people develop valuable teamwork, planning and strategic skills that are essential to their future career development.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Robotics Teams and STEM Internships Program grant award recipients are:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES) – $100,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This project will establish a robotics team at Johnson High School in St. Paul, which serves primarily Latino and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) students and a high percentage of first-generation students. Student will design, build and learn about robotics and participate in robotics competitions. The program will also equip students with employment readiness and financial literacy skills and support them in obtaining summer internships in STEM fields. Contact: Ruby Lee, &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:Rlee@clues.org&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Rlee@clues.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;High Tech Kids – $730,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;An Eagan-headquartered nonprofit organization serving thousands of students across the state each year, this project will support existing and new high school FIRST Tech Challenge robotics programs. This includes providing training for new FIRST Tech Challenge teams and offering team scholarships to low-income high school student FIRST Tech Challenge teams and teams comprised of students of color. The project also includes a STEM internship program consisting of micro-internships, immersive summer internships and project-based learning opportunities in partnership with private sector technology companies. Contact: Cheryl Moeller, &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:cheryl@hightechkids.org&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;cheryl@hightechkids.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota STEM Partnership – $240,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This program, headquartered in St. Paul and offering robotics hub locations near St. Paul Central High School and in North Minneapolis, will leverage its existing partnerships with schools serving BIPOC students in the Twin Cities metro area and Rochester to provide training and support for up to 15 high school robotics teams. The project will also establish an internship program, including identifying STEM companies to host high school-aged interns and provide those students with professional development, training and stipends. Contact: Michael Wulf, &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:execdir@mnstempartners.org&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;execdir@mnstempartners.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Owatonna Robotics Booster Club – $80,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This project will support opportunities for students in the Owatonna area to participate in robotics teams and competitions. Students will also be offered computer programming and Computer Aided Design (CAD) classes and one-on-one mentoring from STEM professionals. The project will also partner with local STEM businesses to create student internships.
&lt;br /&gt;
Contact: Eric Krueger, &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:owatonnaroboticsbooster@gmail.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;owatonnaroboticsbooster@gmail.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Pequot Lakes Public Schools – $120,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Serving students in Crow Wing County, these funds will help the Pequot Lakes High School robotics team purchase equipment and supplies required for robotics competitions and cover team travel expenses for those events. Pequot Lakes Public Schools will also expand internships for high school students to work in STEM fields, including the payment of student stipends. Contact: Kurt Stumpf, &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:kstumpf@isd186.org&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;kstumpf@isd186.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council, Inc. – $220,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;With locations in Marshall, Montevideo and Worthington serving surrounding counties, this project will help high school robotics teams participate in competitions and prepare students for STEM careers through hands-on career exploration, mentorship, career guidance and work-based learning opportunities. High school students will receive career assessments, career guidance, labor market information, interview preparation, work-readiness training and up to a 150-hour paid STEM-related internship with a private company. Contact: Carrie Bendix, &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:cbendix@swmnpic.org&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;cbendix@swmnpic.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Cloud Technical &amp;amp; Community College – $230,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This project will provide financial support to new and existing robotics teams across Minnesota. It will also provide opportunities for students to complete STEM career explorations and create internship opportunities for high school students at established employer partners in the manufacturing sector. Contact: Katie Frank, &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:katarina.frank@sctcc.edu&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;katarina.frank@sctcc.edu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Cloud State University – $980,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This project will support 40 high school robotics teams, comprising approximately 800 students, in Greater Minnesota through direct team funding support, including access to practice fields and advanced equipment through SCSU&apos;s Technology, Engineering &amp;amp; Career Network. The project also includes career awareness workshops and events for teams and students. The project&apos;s student internships component includes mentorship training and support for both the students and their company mentors. Contact: Kurt Helgeson, &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:krhelgeson@stcloudstate.edu&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;krhelgeson@stcloudstate.edu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>615253</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>education</Title><Id>230102</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:40Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The state’s unemployment rate remained at 2.7% in February, according to numbers released today by DEED.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Unemployment Rate and Job Numbers Hold Steady in February</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Unemployment Rate and Job Numbers Hold Steady in February</Title><title>2024-03-21 February Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-614892&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-21T13:20:50Z</Date><ShortDescription>The state’s unemployment rate remained at 2.7% in February, according to numbers released today by DEED.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul - The state&apos;s unemployment rate remained at 2.7% in February, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Nationally, the unemployment rate ticked up two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.9%. Minnesota&apos;s labor force participation rate is at 67.9% while the national labor force participation rate stayed at 62.5%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;From January to February, Minnesota added just over 1,000 people to its labor force and gained 100 jobs. The private sector lost 1,600 jobs, down 0.1%. The U.S. total nonfarm employment and private sector jobs were both up 0.2%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Job growth held steady in February, part of a larger trend after the dramatic gains early in the pandemic recession recovery,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Deputy Commissioner Kevin McKinnon&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;There are many job openings in the state and we&apos;re focused on connecting people who need work with openings that match their skills. Job growth only happens when there are workers to fill open jobs. Our Drive for 5 initiative announced earlier this week will help prepare people for open positions in key fields: caring professions, education, manufacturing, technology and the trades.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month in Minnesota, six supersectors gained jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, including:  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Government gained 1,700 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Professional &amp;amp; Business Services gained 1,200 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Manufacturing gained 800 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Five supersectors lost jobs over the month in Minnesota, with the largest losses in Construction, which lost 3,000 jobs, Trade, Transportation &amp;amp; Utilities, which lost 600 jobs and Financial Activities, which lost 500 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota gained 37,565 payroll jobs (up 1.3%). The private sector gained 15,274 jobs, up 0.6% over the year. Overall U.S. employment grew 1.8% over the year with the private sector up 1.6%. All national supersectors grew except Information. Six supersectors gained jobs over the year in Minnesota, including Government, which was up 22,291 jobs and Education &amp;amp; Health Services, which gained 19,841 jobs. Five supersectors lost jobs over the year in Minnesota, including Professional &amp;amp; Business Services, which lost 11,643 jobs, and Financial Activities, which lost 4,494 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Job growth in the Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) remains very strong, with over the year growth of 4,341 jobs or 3.6%. The Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA had the biggest job growth by numbers, up 20,392 jobs or 1.1% over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;and data. You can also find&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>614892</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:36Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Funding will train and place 1,200 Minnesotans over the next 15 months; benefit 3,000 businesses</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Recipients of $20 Million in Training for Five High-Demand Career Areas</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Recipients of $20 Million in Training for Five High-Demand Career Areas</Title><title>2024-03-19 GO Drive For Five</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-614713&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-19T18:38:21Z</Date><ShortDescription>Funding will train and place 1,200 Minnesotans over the next 15 months; benefit 3,000 businesses</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/office-governor_tcm1045-540131.png&quot; title=&quot;office-governor&quot; alt=&quot;office-governor&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;office-governor&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced the recipients of nearly $20 million in grants to grow Minnesota&apos;s workforce through the Drive for 5 Workforce initiative, a new effort to prepare more Minnesotans for high-demand jobs in five occupational categories: technology, the trades, caring professions, manufacturing and education.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re partnering with organizations across the state to expand job training programs and grow the workforce for the future,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;By investing in career training, we&apos;re helping businesses find the skilled workers they need while helping Minnesotans find fulfilling careers and earn family-sustaining wages. This is good for our workers, our businesses and our economy.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Department of Employment and Economic Development&apos;s (DEED) Drive for 5 program provides grants to workforce training and business organizations. The grant recipients will train and place an estimated 1,200 Minnesotans over the next 15 months in high-demand jobs, benefiting an estimated 3,000 Minnesota businesses.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Today is a big day for Minnesota workers and Minnesota employers. The grantees announced today will engage together in a holistic approach that will closely align training with sector skills needs – while targeting family-sustaining, high-demand, career-path employment,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;The breadth of the initiative&apos;s geographic and industry reach, coupled with the depth of experience and the dedication of our partners, will provide program participants throughout the state with life-changing opportunities and help Minnesota employers hire the skilled employees they need now. It&apos;s one of the ways DEED is delivering for Minnesota&apos;s workers.&quot; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The industries selected to be part of Drive for 5 are projected to be high-growth in the years ahead and provide family-sustaining wages for workers, defined as having a median hourly wage at or above $19.46. Drive for 5 will benefit Minnesotans who want to join the labor force in these in-demand fields and who need training and employment assistance. It will benefit Minnesota&apos;s economy by preparing people for in-demand careers and meeting the needs of employers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re excited to announce this great slate of Drive for 5 grantees. I&apos;m looking forward to the work we&apos;ll do together over the coming years&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors. &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Workforce training institutions that receive Drive for 5 funding will launch or expand job training programs in high-growth industries that will lead to moving Minnesotans into family sustainable wage careers in caring professions, education, manufacturing, technology and the trades.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;While workforce training grantees will prepare people with in-demand career skills, trade associations and chambers of commerce that receive Drive for Five funding will provide job placement to training program graduates and/or diversity, inclusion, and retention services to businesses in their communities. This will help connect Drive for Five training participants with employment in a high-demand industry, breaking down barriers to good jobs for Minnesotans who have long faced higher unemployment, lower wages, and more tenuous connections to work.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Localized sector partnerships between training providers and employers are essential to ensure training programs are reflective of employers’ needs in their local labor markets, facilitating faster job placement for program participants and helping to create a reliable talent pipeline for in-demand positions in communities across the state.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Drive for 5 initiative is part of a slate of historic workforce development investments at DEED. The state is investing more than $216 million in DEED&apos;s Employment and Training Programs through June 30, 2025, including $20 million for Drive for 5 and $50 million to support workforce development in historically overlooked communities through the Targeted Populations Workforce Development Programs initiative. This significant investment will help Minnesota address its ongoing tight labor market as well as achieve a more equitable economy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Drive for 5 Workforce Training Grantees&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;table border=&quot;1&quot; summary=&quot;Drive for 5 Training Grantees&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;thead&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Grantee&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Amount awarded&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Drive for 5 areas covered&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Part of state served&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/thead&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;African Community Services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$325,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions, Technology&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Alexandria Technical &amp;amp; Community College&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$750,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Technology, Trades&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Anoka County Job Training Center&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$400,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Augsburg University&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$240,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Education&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Bemidji State University/MN State Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$750,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Manufacturing&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Black Men Teach&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$200,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Education&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Career Solutions&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$700,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Manufacturing&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Center for African Immigrant and Refugee Organization&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$400,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;City of Duluth Workforce Development&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$390,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Education, Trades&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Faribault Public Schools&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$300,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions, Education&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Hennepin Technical College&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$250,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Manufacturing&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;HIRED&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$500,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Manufacturing&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Intermediate School District 917&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$550,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Education&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Karen Organization of Minnesota&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$500,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Trades&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Lutheran Social Services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$750,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Education&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;MinnPoly&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$740,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Manufacturing&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;North Memorial Health Care&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$740,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Otter Tail County&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$250,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions, Manufacturing, Trades&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Pine Tech&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$725,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions, Manufacturing&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Project for Pride in Living&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$300,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions, Technology&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Regents of the University of Minnesota&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$740,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Rural Minnesota CEP&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$750,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions, Manufacturing, Technology, Trades&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Southwest Metro Intermediate District #288&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$750,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions, Education, Technology, Trades&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$600,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Caring Professions, Education, Manufacturing, Technology, Trades&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Drive for 5 Job Placement and Diversity, Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention Grantees&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;table border=&quot;1&quot; summary=&quot;Drive for 5 Job Placement and Diversity, Inclusion and Retention Grantees&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;thead&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Grantee&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Amount awarded&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Service provided&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Part of state served&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/thead&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Chinese American Chamber of Commerce&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$300,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Job Placement, Diversity Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$145,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Diversity, Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention Services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$190,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Diversity, Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention Services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater Mankato Growth&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$155,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Job Placement, Diversity Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Latino Chamber of Commerce&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$300,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Job Placement, Diversity Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Marshall Chamber of Commerce&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$145,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Job Placement, Diversity Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Greater MN&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$800,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Job Placement, Diversity Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Minnesota Technology Association&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$285,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Job Placement &lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Shakopee Area Chamber of Commerce&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$450,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Job Placement, Diversity Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;St. Paul Area Chamber&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$800,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Job Placement, Diversity Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$30,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Job Placement, Diversity Inclusion &amp;amp; Retention services&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities Metro&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>614713</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:37Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota exports of goods to nearly 200 countries totaled $25 billion in 2023, down 8% from 2022 – a drop that was largely driven by decreased demand for mineral oil and fuel.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Exports Drop In 2023, Driven by Decrease in Mineral Oil and Fuel</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Exports Drop In 2023, Driven by Decrease in Mineral Oil and Fuel</Title><title>2024-03-15 State Exports</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-614234&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-15T17:40:05Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota exports of goods to nearly 200 countries totaled $25 billion in 2023, down 8% from 2022 – a drop that was largely driven by decreased demand for mineral oil and fuel.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul&lt;/strong&gt; – Minnesota exports of goods to nearly 200 countries totaled $25 billion in 2023, down 8% from 2022 – a drop that was largely driven by decreased demand for mineral oil and fuel, according to a report released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Removing those products&apos; impact, Minnesota&apos;s annual exports would have been flat over the year. U.S. exports were also down, by 2%, between 2022 and 2023.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;While we always hope to see an overall increase in exports, the growth we saw in certain industries is impressive,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Nearly 118,000 Minnesotans work in goods and services industries that contribute to exports, we applaud their massive contribution to our economy. DEED will continue to showcase Minnesota&apos;s companies on a global scale.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Despite continuing global economic concerns and geopolitical disruptions, it is encouraging to see positive inroads made last year in key markets such as Mexico, Ireland and Australia,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Gabrielle Gerbaud, Executive Director of the Minnesota Trade Office (MTO). &lt;/strong&gt;&quot;We are eager to help companies overcome their export challenges. Our foreign office network provides extensive support to the state&apos;s exporters with timely market insights and assistance with sales expansion around the world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota exports of vehicles (up $634 million), optic and medical goods (up $291 million) and aircraft and spacecraft (up $92 million) saw the largest gains. Vehicles exports grew 45% to over $2 billion, largely fueled by Canada (up 45%) and Mexico (up 30%). Exports of optical and medical goods increased 7%, led by Ireland, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica and South Korea, while those of aircraft and spacecraft were lifted by Germany, Japan and Canada. The 65% decline in mineral fuel and oil exports that was the underlying source of the state&apos;s annual decrease was driven by a decline in demand from buyers in Canada, a key Minnesota trade partner.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Although Minnesota exports fell to North America (down 12%), Asia (down 13%) and the European Union (down 7%), multiple regions showed promising growth in 2023. Exports increased to Africa (up 41%), the Caribbean, Central America and South America (up 14%) and the Australia-Pacific region (up 26%).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Governor Tim Walz led the state&apos;s first-ever trade mission to Australia in November. The MTO organized the mission, which included a 35-member delegation from four key Minnesota sectors – medical technology, clean technology, higher education and agriculture.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Additional export details can be found in the 2023 annual report, which is posted on DEED&apos;s website in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/export-stats/current-past/&quot;&gt;Export and Trade Statistics&lt;/a&gt; section.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The MTO supports small- and medium-sized Minnesota businesses through technical assistance, export education and training programs, trade promotion activities, services by offices in strategic overseas locations and export expansion grants. State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grants – 50% matching, up to $7,500 – support a range of export development activities, including participation in virtual and in-person trade shows and missions. The MTO also helps foreign companies explore the advantages of expanding or relocating in Minnesota, and serves as Minnesota&apos;s Office of Protocol, ensuring that the state&apos;s interactions with foreign delegations and dignitaries are conducted with appropriate diplomatic etiquette and cultural practices.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>614234</id><Tag><Description/><Title>exports</Title><Id>230103</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>manufacturing</Title><Id>230118</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:36Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The $800 million project is expected to support hundreds of jobs and bring new renewable energy to the grid</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Meta Will Build New Data Center in Rosemount</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Meta Will Build New Data Center in Rosemount</Title><title>2024-03-14 GO Meta Announcement</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-614051&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-14T16:07:26Z</Date><ShortDescription>The $800 million project is expected to support hundreds of jobs and bring new renewable energy to the grid.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/office-governor_tcm1045-540131.png&quot; title=&quot;office-governor&quot; alt=&quot;office-governor&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;office-governor&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced that Meta will build an $800 million, 715,000-square-foot data center in Rosemount, supporting approximately 100 operational jobs and at least 1,000 skilled trade jobs at peak construction.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota is excited to welcome Meta to Rosemount – a win for our state that will bring dozens of jobs and invigorate the local economy,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Today&apos;s announcement is a testament to our commitment to making Minnesota a top state for business, innovation, and investment in our workforce.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are extremely happy to make Minnesota and Rosemount our new home. We are committed to playing a positive role here and investing in the community&apos;s long-term vitality,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Brad Davis, director of data center community and economic development at Meta. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Rosemount stood out as an outstanding location for our newest data center thanks to its great access to infrastructure, deep pool of talent, and amazing community partners. Our thanks go to all of our partners that have helped get us here.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;This $800 million investment will undoubtedly shape the future of our city and bring about positive change and opportunities to our community. Beyond Meta&apos;s investment, its commitment to our schools, nonprofits, and STEM education programs will undoubtedly make a great impact,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Rosemount Mayor Jeff Weisensel. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;As we welcome Meta to Rosemount, let us embrace this opportunity for progress, innovation, and community enrichment.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Located on a 280-acre parcel of land in UMore Park, the project will contribute millions in tax revenue through local property taxes, fees, and other indirect revenue streams. Like all of Meta&apos;s data centers, the Rosemount Data Center will be supported by 100% renewable energy, and Meta will work with partners to add new renewable energy resources to the grid. The campus will also achieve LEED Gold certification after commencing operations in 2026.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The new facility will be Meta&apos;s 19th data center in the U.S. and 23rd in the world. Once operational, the Rosemount Data Center will be optimized for Meta&apos;s AI workloads as part of the highly-advanced infrastructure that helps bring Meta&apos;s technologies, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, to life.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Meta&apos;s decision to invest in Rosemount illustrates the story we&apos;re sharing with businesses everywhere: we have world-class infrastructure, a tech-savvy workforce and an innovative and creative spirit that makes Minnesota the perfect place to do business,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Matt Varilek. &quot;&lt;strong&gt;We are excited to welcome Meta to Minnesota, and to continue encouraging companies everywhere to join us here.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;As a leader in the energy transition, we share Meta&apos;s commitment to clean energy,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Ryan Long, president of Xcel Energy–Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are excited to work with Meta to bring energy upgrades to UMore Park, including new transmission lines, that will provide the reliable energy supply needed to power this data center.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We are proud to partner with Meta as they build a next-generation data center in our region,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Peter Frosch, president and CEO of GREATER MSP. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;This facility is part of the cutting-edge industries we&apos;re creating in the Greater MSP region that will power the AI tools we need for problem-solving in med tech, regenerative agriculture, sustainable aviation fuel and others. With this and other soon-to-be announced investments, we are on the path to recapturing Minnesota&apos;s national leadership in advanced technology.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>614051</id><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:36Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED today announced it is accepting applications for another $50 million in broadband development grants.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Opens New $50 Million Broadband Expansion Grant Round</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Opens New $50 Million Broadband Expansion Grant Round</Title><title>2024-03-12 Broadband Round Ten</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-613669&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-12T18:30:21Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED today announced it is accepting applications for another $50 million in broadband development grants.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul, MN – One week after &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/611916&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;funding 24 projects to expand broadband infrastructure in Minnesota&lt;/a&gt;, the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced it is accepting applications for another $50 million in broadband development grants.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;As a resident of Greater Minnesota, I know how important broadband is to our businesses, families and communities – and how difficult it is when internet is neither high-speed nor reliable,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The State of Minnesota and our partners continue to methodically expand broadband service everywhere, and our new $50 million grant round will benefit thousands of Minnesotans who don&apos;t have service.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This grant round is the 10th time DEED has released funding through the Border-to-Border Broadband Program. Bree Maki, Executive Director of DEED&apos;s Office of Broadband Development (OBD), announced the new grant round at a conference celebrating the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/social-media/deed-developments/?id=613668&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;10th anniversary of OBD&lt;/a&gt; on Tuesday, March 12.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its creation in 2014, OBD&apos;s flagship Border-to-Border Grant Program and Low Population Density Grant Program have awarded nearly $350 million in grants to expand service to more than 112,000 homes and businesses statewide.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Today we&apos;re marking 10 grant rounds in 10 years and celebrating the Minnesotans who have access to high-speed broadband service thanks to these grant programs,&quot; &lt;strong&gt;Maki&lt;/strong&gt; said. &quot;We&apos;re grateful to our partners across Minnesota who have helped us build one of the county&apos;s most expansive broadband networks, and who are committed to helping us get broadband to everyone who still needs it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Today&apos;s grant round includes $30 million for the Border-to-Border program, through which broadband provider grantees are reimbursed for up to half the eligible cost of deploying broadband infrastructure, with funding for a single project capped at $10 million. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Another $20 million will be for the Low Population Density program, which offers grants to providers building broadband service to areas of Minnesota with particularly low population densities and high broadband deployment costs. Grants can be worth up to $10 million and cover up to 75% the total cost of a project. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;All projects must offer speeds of at least 100 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 20 Mbps upload.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Requirements and application materials for this competitive grant program are available on &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s website&lt;/a&gt;. A webinar for interested applicants will be held on Thursday, March 21 at 11:00 A.M. &lt;a href=&quot;https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/1f81c49f-9363-48f0-9448-1aed3890c32b@eb14b046-24c4-4519-8f26-b89c2159828c&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Register here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>613669</id><Tag><Description/><Title>small businesses</Title><Id>230110</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>broadband</Title><Id>443117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:34Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>As Minnesota continues to face record-high winter temperatures, Governor Walz announced Minnesota has unlocked federal funding for small businesses impacted by this winter’s historic drought conditions.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Urges Small Businesses Impacted by Lack of Snow to Apply for Business Assistance </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Urges Small Businesses Impacted by Lack of Snow to Apply for Business Assistance </Title><title>2024-03-07 Lack of Snow EIDL ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-612227&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-07T19:11:31Z</Date><ShortDescription>As Minnesota continues to face record-high winter temperatures, Governor Walz announced Minnesota has unlocked federal funding for small businesses impacted by this winter’s historic drought conditions.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/office-governor_tcm1045-540131.png&quot; title=&quot;office-governor&quot; alt=&quot;office-governor&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;office-governor&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – As Minnesota continues to face record-high winter temperatures, Governor Tim Walz today announced that Minnesota has unlocked federal funding for small businesses impacted by this winter&apos;s historic drought conditions. Amid the warmest winter on record, federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available because of ongoing federal drought declarations affecting 81 Minnesota counties. Governor Walz urges small business owners to apply for assistance as soon as possible.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;From skiing and snowshoeing to winter festivals, snowy winters are part of our way of life in Minnesota. The low precipitation we&apos;ve experienced this winter has had a real economic impact on small businesses that rely on snow and winter tourism to grow and survive,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;I encourage all impacted business owners to apply for assistance as soon as possible.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;From December to February, Minnesota experienced the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/warmest-winter-minnesota-weather-record-hottest-climate-change/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;warmest meteorological winter&lt;/a&gt; on record. Through February 29th, there has only been 14.3&quot; of snow in the Twin Cities, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.weather.gov/media/mpx/Climate/What%20Winter%20MSP.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;second-lowest season total&lt;/a&gt; on record. In Duluth, only 15.7&quot; snow has fallen, with an average snow depth of 1.8&quot; – both among the &lt;a href=&quot;https://twitter.com/NWSduluth/status/1763521431395278860&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;five lowest measures&lt;/a&gt; on record. This lack of precipitation has exacerbated an ongoing drought. Eighty one counties in Minnesota are currently covered by U.S. Department of Agriculture disaster declarations for drought.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Impacted businesses in counties with a drought declaration can apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) through the Small Business Administration (SBA). The loans are designed to help businesses get through emergency situations that have impacted their economic well-being. Under the EIDL program, businesses can borrow up to $2 million to cover their actual losses. Businesses pay no interest on the loan for the first year and a maximum rate of four percent for the rest of the loan period. In order to take advantage of the program, businesses must apply by the application deadline for their county, listed below.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;There are 81 counties in Minnesota covered by 13 disaster declarations. Business owners can learn more about eligibility, find an application, and learn more about application deadlines for their county at the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;SBA&apos;s disaster assistance page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Businesses impacted by a lack of precipitation will enter their county&apos;s name and see a list of all open disasters for their county. They should pick one where the incident includes &quot;drought.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Submit applications and find additional disaster assistance information at &lt;a href=&quot;https://lending.sba.gov/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;https://lending.sba.gov&lt;/a&gt;. Applicants may also contact Minnesota&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/help/sbdc/overview/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Small Business Development Centers&lt;/a&gt; and SBA&apos;s Customer Service Center at &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:disastercustomerservice@sba.gov&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;disastercustomerservice@sba.gov&lt;/a&gt;. You can also call 800-659-2955 from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>612227</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>broadband</Title><Id>443117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:34Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota gained 3,000 jobs from December to January, meaning the state has seen job growth for nine out of the past 12 months, according to numbers released by DEED.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Posts Solid Job Growth in January; Wage Growth Outpaces Inflation</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Posts Solid Job Growth in January; Wage Growth Outpaces Inflation</Title><title>2024-03-07 January Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-612141&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-07T14:36:43Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota gained 3,000 jobs from December to January, meaning the state has seen job growth for nine out of the past 12 months, according to numbers released by DEED.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota gained 3,000 jobs from December to January, meaning the state has seen job growth for nine out of the past 12 months, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Average hourly wages for all private sector workers in Minnesota increased 56 cents to $37.46 in January 2024 over the month and they were up $1.78, or 5.0%, over the year. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a common inflation measure, rose 3.1% over the year in January, meaning wage increases were 1.9 points higher than inflation over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota continues to see healthy job growth and wages are outpacing inflation, both of which are great news for workers,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;During our tight labor market, DEED&apos;s workforce development programs help prepare more Minnesotans to enter high-demand employment with family-sustaining wages.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Later this month, DEED will announce the grantees that will implement the Drive for 5. This innovative job training and placement initiative is grounded in industry sector partnerships to align employer needs with training programs in five high-growth career fields: technology, the trades, caring professions, manufacturing and education.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate remained at 2.7% in January 2024, the same as the revised December 2023 rate. The labor force decreased by 1,981 people over the month, nudging the labor force participation rate down one-tenth of a percentage point to 67.9%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota posted 0.1% monthly job growth overall in January, with the private sector up 0.2%. The U.S. total nonfarm employment and private sector employment were both up 0.2%. The U.S. unemployment rate stayed at 3.7% and the national labor force participation rate remained at 62.5%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month, five supersectors in Minnesota gained jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Education &amp;amp; Health Services gained 2,600 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Trade, Transportation &amp;amp; Utilities gained 1,100 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality gained 800 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Professional &amp;amp; Business Services gained 600 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Information gained 100 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Over the year, Minnesota gained over 29,000 payroll jobs,&quot; said DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyễn. &quot;Most notably, Education and Health Services gained 23,649 jobs, up 4.3%. This growth was propelled by the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector, especially Nursing and Residential Care Facilities, and Social Assistance.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Among Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) headquartered in Minnesota, the Rochester MSA was the biggest job gainer by percentage over the year, with 3,890 added jobs, up 3.2%. The Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA was the biggest job gainer by number, up 6,010 jobs over the year, or 0.3%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Every March, DEED and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics release revised employment numbers for the past several years. These annual benchmarking revisions always result in minor shifts for some months of data for the unemployment rate, the labor force participation rate and the job count. This year&apos;s revisions did not result in substantial shifts in the labor market situation. Any time data has been revised from previous reports, this is noted as revised. The revisions happen annually because of new population controls, new seasonal adjustment factors, and more comprehensive employment counts becoming available.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;and data. You can also find&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;on the DEED website. In addition, see related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;CareerForceMN.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>612141</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:34Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Governor Tim Walz today announced over $50 million in grants to expand broadband access to an estimated 8,900 homes and businesses throughout Minnesota.</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces $53 Million to Expand Broadband to 8,900 Minnesota Homes and Businesses</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces $53 Million to Expand Broadband to 8,900 Minnesota Homes and Businesses</Title><title>2024-03-05 Broadband Round 9</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-611916&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-05T17:26:44Z</Date><ShortDescription>Governor Tim Walz today announced over $50 million in grants to expand broadband access to an estimated 8,900 homes and businesses throughout Minnesota.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/office-governor_tcm1045-540131.png&quot; title=&quot;office-governor&quot; alt=&quot;office-governor&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;office-governor&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced over $50 million in grants to expand broadband access to an estimated 8,900 homes and businesses throughout Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&apos;re investing in broadband infrastructure statewide to help thousands of Minnesotans connect to jobs, education, healthcare, and their communities,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Helping more Minnesotans get online at high speeds is one of the ways we&apos;re making Minnesota the best state for families, workers, and businesses.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Twenty four broadband expansion projects will receive grants from the Department of Employment and Economic Development&apos;s (DEED) Office of Broadband Development, helping deploy new broadband infrastructure around Minnesota. Using the grant funding, providers plan to expand high-speed broadband – offering speeds of at least 100 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 20 Mbps upload – in 25 counties across Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grant awards by project can be found below and on DEED&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/grant-program/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Multiple rounds of historic grant funding have dramatically improved high-speed broadband access for thousands of Minnesotans,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Broadband is a significant equity issue, and as a Greater Minnesota resident in rural Benton County, I hear firsthand from local businesses, students and neighbors about the impact broadband access has on their lives and livelihoods.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The grants come from &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/grant-program/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;two DEED programs&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$33.3 million from DEED&apos;s flagship Border-to-Border Broadband Program, through which broadband provider grantees are reimbursed for up to half the eligible cost of deploying broadband infrastructure, with funding for a single project capped at $10 million.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;$19.7 million from the Low Population Density Program, which offers grants to providers building broadband service to areas of Minnesota with particularly low population densities and high broadband deployment costs. The grants can be worth up to $10 million and cover up to 75% the total cost of a project.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED will open another $50 million grant round for broadband infrastructure development later this month.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Broadband is an essential resource that not only helps Minnesota communities attract new business and help existing ones grow and thrive, but also gain and retain the workforce that supports business and community vitality,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Economic Development Kevin McKinnon. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Broadband use across nearly all industries and sectors – from high-tech manufacturing to agriculture – continues to grow, and a robust infrastructure gives our state a competitive economic edge.&quot; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;As the Office of Broadband Development enters its 10th year, I&apos;m inspired by – and grateful for – our ongoing partnership with broadband providers as we work together to deploy reliable, high-speed broadband to the Minnesotans who need it,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Office of Broadband Development Executive Director Bree Maki. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Congratulations to today&apos;s grantees and thank you for your commitment to Minnesota&apos;s communities.&quot; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Minnesota Telecom Alliance (MTA) is very excited about this latest grant round award,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Brent Christensen, president and CEO of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance.&lt;strong&gt; &quot;MTA members have an established track record, since the beginning of the program, of leveraging Border-to-Border Broadband Grant dollars to further the deployment of quality high-speed internet service to all corners of our State.  We share the State&apos;s goal of deploying quality broadband to all Minnesotans and applaud the foresight of the Governor and Legislature for securing the funds to keep this program moving forward.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota Cable&apos;s member companies are committed to delivering essential high-speed broadband connections in every corner of our state,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Melissa Wolf, executive director of MN Cable. &quot;&lt;strong&gt;My members are proud to partner with the State of Minnesota&apos;s Office of Broadband Development and local communities to help close the digital divide by bringing reliable and affordable broadband into the most difficult areas to serve.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Today&apos;s grant announcement is one of several initiatives underway to expand broadband access in Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the last ten years, DEED has provided nearly $350 million in Border-to-Border or Low Population Density grants, providing broadband access to nearly 112,000 homes and businesses. In addition to these programs, DEED is implementing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/extension/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Line Extension Program&lt;/a&gt;, which expands broadband service to individual homes and businesses that lack it. So far, that program will connect 840 customers to broadband through partnerships with 20 broadband providers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED will also manage $652 million in federal &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/583127&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (or BEAD) Program&lt;/a&gt; funding to expand broadband to the most unserved and underserved Minnesotans. DEED also recently finalized the state&apos;s draft &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/adoption/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Digital Opportunity Plan&lt;/a&gt;, detailing how Minnesota proposes to reduce gaps in broadband access, digital technology ownership and digital skills using an upcoming grant from the federal government.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;List of Border-to-Border Grantees by County:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anoka, Chisago&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Midco
&lt;br /&gt;
$801,700&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Blue Earth, Faribault&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Easton Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$435,838&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Brown, Cottonwood&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hanson Communications
&lt;br /&gt;
$395,138&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Chippewa, Renville&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hanson Communications
&lt;br /&gt;
$2,081,494&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Clay&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Red River Communications
&lt;br /&gt;
$970,411&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Douglas&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Gardonville Cooperative Telephone
&lt;br /&gt;
$223,521&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fillmore&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Mediacom LLC
&lt;br /&gt;
$33,863&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Isanti, Mille Lacs&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
East Central Energy
&lt;br /&gt;
$4,885,809&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kandiyohi&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Federated Telephone Cooperative
&lt;br /&gt;
$8,202,000
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;Meeker Cooperative Light &amp;amp; Power Association
&lt;br /&gt;
$590,709&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mahnomen&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arvig
&lt;br /&gt;
$326,111&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mower&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Spectrum Mid-America, LLC
&lt;br /&gt;
$414,699&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pine, Aitkin&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Savage Communications Inc
&lt;br /&gt;
$3,563,817&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Louis&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Consolidated Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$2,292,790
&lt;br /&gt;
Mediacom LLC
&lt;br /&gt;
$961,102&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stearns&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albany Mutual Telephone Association
&lt;br /&gt;
$7,123,175
&lt;br /&gt;
 
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Total:&lt;/strong&gt; $33,302,177&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;List of Low Population Density Grantees by County&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Goodhue&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Nuvera Communications, Inc
&lt;br /&gt;
$1,884,429&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kittson&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Wikstrom Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$3,066,630&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Morrison&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Upsala Cooperative Telephone Assoc. dba Sytek
&lt;br /&gt;
$3,689,967&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mower&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arvig
&lt;br /&gt;
$3,129,412&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pipestone&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Woodstock Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$1,612,932&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Polk&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Garden Valley Telephone Company
&lt;br /&gt;
$1,050,465&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stearns&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arvig
&lt;br /&gt;
$910,537&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Waseca&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bevcomm Inc
&lt;br /&gt;
$4,385,444&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Total:&lt;/strong&gt; $19,729,816&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>611916</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>broadband</Title><Id>443117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:32Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Experienced leaders will focus on services for jobseekers statewide.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces Two New Workforce Development Directors </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces Two New Workforce Development Directors </Title><title>2024-03-01 New WFD Directors</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-611614&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-03-01T15:10:31Z</Date><ShortDescription>Experienced leaders will focus on services for jobseekers statewide.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>March 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has named two new workforce development leaders: Ama Eli Akakpo as Employment and Training Programs (ETP) Director and Mitzi Hobot as CareerOneStop Director.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Akakpo will oversee the following grantmaking initiatives: State Adult Career Pathways, Youth, Dislocated Worker program, Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I Formula, Senior Community Employment Programs, Federal Demonstration, Federal Rapid Response, Trade Adjustment Assistance, a workforce public private initiative and Capital Improvement projects. Hobot will oversee and direct the CareerOneStop (COS) program, funded by a U.S. Department of Labor grant. CareerOneStop provides a host of tools, information, and guidance on career exploration, education and training resources, and job search help.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Both Ama and Mitzi have a strong understanding of workforce development and a demonstrated commitment to equity,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;We continue to hear from partners and employers around the state that workforce is a critical issue. These talented new colleagues will help us move the needle on supporting workers in finding jobs and employers in finding the workforce they need to thrive.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Both of these amazing leaders have exceptional work experience and impeccable credentials,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Marc Majors, Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Ama and Mitzi both have noteworthy commitments to community engagement and collaborative partnership building, and they share the similar goal of creating workforce opportunities so all Minnesotans can thrive in our state&apos;s economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Prior to joining DEED, Akakpo was the Director of Housing and Support Services with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). She has served in a variety of leadership roles at DHS for the past 21 years – directing statewide operational and administrative functions for community assistance and self-sufficiency programs, child support, housing stabilization, repatriation of American citizens stranded overseas, refugee student success, substance abuse prevention and other initiatives, and coordinating strategic partnerships at the federal, state and local level. She possesses deep knowledge of grantmaking and organizational development through an equity lens that will be instrumental in advancing ETP&apos;s key objectives.
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Akakpo is pursuing a doctorate in education and holds a master&apos;s degree in international law and a bachelor&apos;s degree in public administration from the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (France) and the University of Lomé (Togo). She is a 2010 graduate of Minnesota Management and Budget&apos;s Emerging Leaders Institute and the recipient of a degree of advanced studies in Leadership and Organizational Development from St. Catherine University in St. Paul.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Hobot has extensive workforce development and public relations experience including 15 years of executive leadership. She has a background in developing career pathways, employer relations, social enterprises and training programs – earning national recognition for innovative workforce programming. She also has a track record of expanding connections by building community relationships, creating industry partnerships and increasing visibility through communications and marketing. Hobot will play a critical role in integrating and building alignment between CareerOneStop and DEED&apos;s other workforce development programs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Hobot earned a master&apos;s degree in both Public and Business Administration from Hamline University.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>611614</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:32Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED&apos;s Office of Small Business and Innovation is working with partners to host a series of events to help entrepreneurs and small businesses start and succeed.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED to Convene Regional Event Series Highlighting Local and State Resources for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED to Convene Regional Event Series Highlighting Local and State Resources for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses</Title><title>2024-02-16 Small Business Resource Connection</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-610054&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-02-16T20:40:17Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED&apos;s Office of Small Business and Innovation is working with partners to host a series of events to help entrepreneurs and small businesses start and succeed.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/small-business-resource-connection-graphic_tcm1045-610057.jpg&quot; title=&quot;Small Business Connection regional tours graphic&quot; alt=&quot;Small Business Connection regional tours graphic&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;small-business-resource-connection-graphic&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul -- The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Office of Small Business and Innovation is working with partners across the state to host a series of events to highlight the many organizations and resources available to help entrepreneurs and small businesses start and succeed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The events are opportunities for entrepreneurs to meet one-on-one with local, regional and state economic development experts who serve small businesses, main streets and start-ups. At the events, DEED is convening &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/launchmn/community/network/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Launch Minnesota partners&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/help/sbdc/find-sbdcs/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Small Business Development Center consultants&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/joinusmn/doing-business-here/grow-your-business/support/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;other local partners&lt;/a&gt; that provide services to entrepreneurs in their areas of Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Supporting the vital contributions small businesses provide for state and local economies is a core priority at DEED, and these events are among the many ways we&apos;re delivering for entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout Minnesota,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We are thrilled to offer this new event series showcasing regional experts and resources that are eager to help existing and new small businesses to launch, grow and thrive.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Small businesses not only have a big impact on the state&apos;s economy -- comprising 99.4% of businesses in Minnesota and employing about 75% of the state&apos;s workers – they also contribute to the vibrancy of their communities,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Office of Small Business and Innovation Director Neela Mollgaard&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We developed this event series to help make it easier for small businesses throughout Minnesota to learn how our state serves them and to showcase local, regional and statewide resources available to support businesses.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;All of the events are free and open to the public. To register, visit &lt;a href=&quot;https://deedmn.formstack.com/forms/small_business_resource_connection_registration&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Small Business Resource Connection Registration&lt;/a&gt;. Event dates, locations and details are outlined below and can also be found on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/joinusmn/doing-business-here/grow-your-business/connectivity/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;JoinUsMN.com website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table border=&quot;1&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Date/time&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Region/location&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Wednesday, Feb. 21
&lt;br /&gt;
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Twin Cities region
&lt;br /&gt;
Bloomington Civic Plaza Center for the Arts – Black Box Theater
&lt;br /&gt;
1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd.
&lt;br /&gt;
Bloomington&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Thursday, Feb. 29
&lt;br /&gt;
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Southeast region
&lt;br /&gt;
St. Mary&apos;s University – Rochester at Cascade Meadow Wetlands and Environmental Science Center
&lt;br /&gt;
2900 19th St. N.W.
&lt;br /&gt;
Rochester&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Wednesday, March 6
&lt;br /&gt;
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;West Central region
&lt;br /&gt;
Iron Street Distillery
&lt;br /&gt;
539 E. St. Germain St.
&lt;br /&gt;
St. Cloud&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Thursday, March 14
&lt;br /&gt;
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Northwest region
&lt;br /&gt;
LaunchPad
&lt;br /&gt;
102 First. St. W.
&lt;br /&gt;
Bemidji&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Tuesday, April 2
&lt;br /&gt;
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Northeast region
&lt;br /&gt;
Clyde Iron Works
&lt;br /&gt;
2920 W. Michigan St.
&lt;br /&gt;
Duluth&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Tuesday, April 9
&lt;br /&gt;
3:00 p.m. - 5:00  p.m.&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Southwest region
&lt;br /&gt;
Pioneer Bank of Mankato
&lt;br /&gt;
1450 Adams St.
&lt;br /&gt;
Mankato&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>610054</id><Tag><Description/><Title>small businesses</Title><Id>230110</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:31Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Projects expected to retain or create 211 jobs in Lester Prairie and Austin.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards More Than $3.1 Million in Infrastructure Grants to Two Greater Minnesota Cities</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards More Than $3.1 Million in Infrastructure Grants to Two Greater Minnesota Cities</Title><title>2024-02-08 BDPI</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-609153&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-02-08T16:24:11Z</Date><ShortDescription>Projects expected to retain or create 211 jobs in Lester Prairie and Austin.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ST. PAUL&lt;/strong&gt; – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced today that it has awarded more than $3.1 million in infrastructure grants to projects in Austin and Lester Prairie. The funding, awarded from DEED&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/government/financial-assistance/business-funding/infrastructure/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program&lt;/a&gt; (BDPI), is expected to retain or create 211 full-time jobs and leverage $182.5 million in private investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED is dedicated to economic development in all cities across Minnesota,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Our Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program is one of the many ways we invest in our growing local economies.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The BDPI program awards grants worth up to 50% of eligible capital costs for qualifying public infrastructure projects in communities outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area. These projects include streets, wastewater collection and treatment, drinking water, storm sewers and more.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details on the individual projects below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Lester Prairie - $1,459,522&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Lester Prairie was awarded $1,459,522 to construct a new industrial park that will create five lots over 17 acres. The city estimates the industrial park — the first in the city and the fourth in McLeod County — will attract $2.5 million in private investment and create 105 jobs over five years. The total project cost is $2,899,044.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Austin - $1,650,175&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Austin was awarded $1,650,175 to construct street and sewer systems for the Creekside Business Park Extension Project that will add 57 acres to the park, as well as provide space for additional businesses to locate in the park. The project is expected to create 106 jobs and pull $180 million in private investment from NuTek and Smyth. The project is also receiving a $2.2 million federal grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) as a part of the American Rescue Plan and EDA&apos;s $300 million Coal Communities Commitment. The total project cost is $4,375,350.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>609153</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:31Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Seven projects will create over 700 jobs with support from DEED’s Job Creation Fund and Minnesota Investment Fund  </Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz Announces Over $7.8 Million for Business Expansion Statewide</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz Announces Over $7.8 Million for Business Expansion Statewide</Title><title>2024-02-07 Q4 JCF-MIF</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-609085&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-02-07T21:24:41Z</Date><ShortDescription>Seven projects will create over 700 jobs with support from DEED’s Job Creation Fund and Minnesota Investment Fund  </ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/office-governor_tcm1045-540131.png&quot; title=&quot;office-governor&quot; alt=&quot;office-governor&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;office-governor&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced more than $7.8 million in funding for seven business expansion projects statewide. The projects are expected to support 719 jobs and leverage more than $169 million in outside investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota is proud to be a top state to start and grow a business,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;By supporting business expansion, we&apos;re helping businesses create good-paying jobs for Minnesotans. We are committed to supporting our businesses and investing in communities across the state, whether through business expansion, grants for entrepreneurs, or child care.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s economy continues to grow, with six straight months of net job growth and businesses investing and expanding,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s Job Creation and Minnesota Investment funds are just two examples of how DEED is delivering for Minnesotans and supporting the growth of the businesses that operate here.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Job Creation Fund and Minnesota Investment Fund are important programs that stimulate economic investment across the state,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Deputy Commissioner Kevin McKinnon. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;By awarding funding that supports job creation and retention and increases local tax bases, these tools provide necessary support for the economic vitality and prosperity of Minnesota&apos;s communities.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mn-jcf/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Job Creation Fund&lt;/a&gt; provides financial incentives to new and expanding businesses that meet certain job creation and capital investment targets. Eligible companies may receive up to $2 million for creating or retaining high-paying jobs and for constructing or renovating facilities or making other property improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/mif/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Minnesota Investment Fund&lt;/a&gt; provides financing to help add new workers and retain high-quality jobs – with a focus on industrial, manufacturing, and technology-related industries – increasing the local and state tax base and improving Minnesota&apos;s economic vitality. Funds are awarded to local units of government, which provide loans to assist expanding businesses. Some of the loans may be forgiven if specific goals are met.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details on individual projects below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;George Modular Innovation Solutions LLC, Minneapolis — JCF $756,816, MIF $3,000,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;George Modular Innovation Solutions, LLC is a volumetric modular manufacturing company that utilizes an advanced design and engineered approach to produce precise-built, steel modular units for on-site assembly of permanent, multi-story buildings. The total project cost is $30.2 million and will cover the expansion and site improvement of its building, as well as additional machinery, equipment, and property acquisition costs. The project is expected to create 166 jobs over three years at an average wage of $33.13 per hour.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;L&amp;amp;M Supply, Inc., Grand Rapids — JCF $790,000, MIF $2,000,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;L&amp;amp;M Supply, Inc., is a retail company specializing in farm and home products with 12 stores located across northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. This project will constitute a new 210,000-square-foot distribution center in Grand Rapids, with the ability to add additional space in years to come. The total project cost is $55.6 million and is expected to create 31 new jobs over the next three years, at an average wage of $21.42 per hour.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Northstar Lime LLC, Crookston — MIF $430,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Northstar Lime LLC converts spent lime produced by American Crystal Sugar Company (ACSC) into pellets, with the goal to improve the ability to transport and apply the product as a soil amendment to low-PH soils more readily. This process also works to eliminate ACSC&apos;s need to build additional landfill space. The proposed project will finance the purchase of a reactor that burns biomass into sequestered carbon called Biochar. The project is expected to cost more than $10 million and will create 21 jobs over the next two years at an average hourly wage of $28.33.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;nVent, Anoka — JCF $175,000, MIF $450,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;nVent is a global provider of electrical connection and protection solutions. Under the nVent HOFFMAN brand, nVent manufactures, markets, installs, and services a wide range of products, including steel enclosures, air and liquid cooling solutions, server racks, steel enclosures, monitoring and sensors, electronic access control, and more. The proposed project will add 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space to their existing warehouse in Anoka. The estimated project cost is $27 million and is expected to create 141 jobs within three years at an average wage of $34.96.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rion Inc., Rochester — JCF $440,000, MIF $175,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Rion Inc. reimagined regenerative biotherapies and scaled their production for their flagship innovation called Platelet Exosome Product—a potent and accessible regenerative technology used to heal a variety of hard-to-treat body tissues. The proposed project will lease approximately 10,000 square feet of additional space at a new location, with a total estimated project cost of $7.3 million. The project is expected to create 22 jobs within the first three years at an average cash wage of $48.30 per hour.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;SOMIC Packaging Inc., Inver Grove Heights — JCF $345,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;SOMIC Packaging, Inc. manufactures compact and versatile end-of-line automated case packaging equipment for various industries with complex packaging demands. The company&apos;s newly-constructed 48,000 square foot building allows for assembly, commissioning, and office space. The total project cost is $8.3 million and is expected to create 23 jobs, at an average wage of $33.37 within the first three years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;USG Interiors, LLC Cloquet — MIF $300,000&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;USG Interiors, LLC produces wall, ceiling, flooring, sheathing, and roofing products. The Cloquet plant is USG&apos;s largest production facility for ceiling tiles in North America, manufacturing products for customers—hotels, hospitals, offices, etc.—across the U.S. and internationally. The proposed project will replace an existing dryer with a state-of-the-art dryer that will include a heat recovery system and other design efficiencies that will reduce natural gas consumption at nominal output by approximately 21%. The anticipated total project cost is $38.5 million and is expected to retain the 315 full-time employees in Cloquet.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>609085</id><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:30Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Respondents to the survey reported a cautiously optimistic outlook in their business indicators for 2024 compared to how their businesses performed against those indicators in 2023.</Description><Audience/><Title>Manufacturers Report Improved Outlook for Business in 2024</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Manufacturers Report Improved Outlook for Business in 2024</Title><title>2024-02-02 Business Conditions Survey</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-608647&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-02-02T19:56:34Z</Date><ShortDescription>Respondents to the survey reported a cautiously optimistic outlook in their business indicators for 2024 compared to how their businesses performed against those indicators in 2023.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>February 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul&lt;/strong&gt; – Respondents to the annual Minnesota Manufacturing Business Conditions Survey, conducted by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, reported a cautiously optimistic outlook in their business indicators for 2024 compared to how their businesses performed against those indicators in 2023.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Conducted between November and December, the random sample survey of Minnesota manufacturers asked respondents to rate the outlook for their business in 2024 compared to performance in 2023 in terms of number of orders, product/service production level, employment level, labor availability, investment in plant/equipment, selling prices, profits, productivity and exports.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Comparing their 2023 performance to 2022, manufacturers experienced declining or unchanged conditions with the exception of selling prices and investment. For 2024, respondents indicated they expect to see modest expansion in profits, number of orders, productivity and product/service production levels. Labor availability remains a concern, although the outlook shows improvement compared to their previous year&apos;s performance. Expectations for employment levels and exports in 2024 are slightly higher, and the outlook for selling prices, while still strong, fell over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Last fall, DEED launched Drive for Five, a major new initiative to prepare more Minnesotans for high-demand jobs in five occupational categories, including manufacturing,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We also provide grant support to manufacturers for numerous job skills training partnership programs – including the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, Job Training Incentive Program and Automation Training Incentive Program – which help ensure new and current workers have the necessary skills for new and emerging manufacturing and operations technology.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The significant changes for respondents&apos; outlook for 2024 compared to actual indicators for 2023 include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;77% expect profits to be the same or higher in 2024, compared to 48% in 2023;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;71% expect number of orders to be same or higher in 2024, compared to 46% in 2023;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;83% expect product/service production levels to be the same or higher in 2024, compared to 69% in 2023; and&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;86% expect productivity to be the same or higher in 2024, compared to 76% in 2023.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Manufacturing accounted for $53.7 billion or 12% of the state&apos;s gross domestic product and provided more than 323,000 jobs or 11.3% of statewide employment in 2022. Workers took home $24.9 billion in wages from Minnesota manufacturing jobs in 2022, the second-largest total payroll among private sector industries. Average annual wages for workers in manufacturing are $76,491, 10% higher than across all industries in Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The full survey and methodology can be found on DEED&apos;s &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/biz-conditions-survey/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Manufacturing Business Conditions Survey&lt;/a&gt; page.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>608647</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>manufacturing</Title><Id>230118</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:29Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED announced nearly $13.6 million in workforce grants, its latest effort to help grow Minnesota’s workforce and connect people to good jobs.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Invests $13.6 Million in Training to Prepare Minnesotans to Enter High-Growth Industries</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Invests $13.6 Million in Training to Prepare Minnesotans to Enter High-Growth Industries</Title><title>2024-01-31 P2P Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-608015&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-01-31T15:52:14Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED announced nearly $13.6 million in workforce grants, its latest effort to help grow Minnesota’s workforce and connect people to good jobs.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul — Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced nearly $13.6 million in workforce grants, its latest effort to help grow Minnesota&apos;s workforce and connect people to good jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED is awarding &lt;strong&gt;Pathways to Prosperity&lt;/strong&gt; grant funding to 43 organizations across the state. This Pathways to Prosperity funding is expected to serve 2,779 Minnesotans through three programs focused on providing clear career pathways to people who face systemic barriers to employment: On-Ramp to Career Pathways, Bridge to Career Pathways and Individualized Training Pathways.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Each program provides skills training and support services to help trainees increase employability and preparedness for family-sustaining careers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Helping Minnesotans get onto a career pathway benefits workers, businesses and families, which is why DEED is proud to partner with these Pathways to Prosperity grantees,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;By investing in the success of Minnesotans, especially those who face systemic barriers to employment, we&apos;re helping build sustainable economic growth for everyone in our state.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The grant funding announced today is an investment in preparing Minnesotans to enter career pathways that pay family-sustainable wages through participation in high-quality skills training programs and attainment of industry-recognized certifications,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Deputy Commissioner Marc Majors&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This funding is critical to expanding opportunity for all Minnesotans, helping Minnesota employers hire the skilled employees they need and growing our economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Hired is honored to be counted among the grantees of DEED&apos;s Pathways to Prosperity program,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Julie Brekke, Executive Director of Hired&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;For the past six years, funding through this program has provided the resources for Hired to help hundreds of the Twin Cities jobseekers upskill and find a job. With support for the next two years, we&apos;ll be able to train an additional 140 people for careers in office administration and medical call centers.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Hired staff provided this example of a past participant overcoming barriers and achieving career success: A Hired employment counselor referred a participant to Pathways to Prosperity-funded medical call center training. The participant was not confident when applying and interviewing for jobs because of a large gap in her work history and out-of-date job skills. The participant worked with Hired&apos;s trainer to update her computer skills, gain customer service skills, learn health care terminology, develop a resume and practice interviewing. Upon completing the medical call center training, the participant quickly landed a job she loves as a recovery navigator at a local employer. She is excited to utilize her employer&apos;s tuition reimbursement program to go back to college to advance her career.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grantees receiving these funds connect with participants in various ways. People interested in Pathways to Prosperity and other programs to help them prepare for good jobs should contact a CareerForce location near them. CareerForce location contact information can be found at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/locations&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN.com/locations&lt;/a&gt; or by calling 651-259-7500.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Pathways to Prosperity grantees include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Pathways to Prosperity - &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/adult-career-pathways/grants/p2p/on-ramp/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;On Ramp to Career Pathways&lt;/a&gt; Grantees&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;AccessAbility, Inc., Minneapolis- $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;City of Duluth Workforce Development - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;CLUES, St. Paul - $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;East Side Neighborhood Services, Minneapolis - $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Faribault Public Schools - $160,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Lutheran Social Service of MN, St. Paul - $75,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Valley Action Council Inc, Mankato - $275,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;MN Tech for Success, Minneapolis - $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Northwest Indian Community Development Center, Bemidji - $275,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Red Wing Public Schools/Hiawatha Valley Adult Basic Education (ABE) - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Roseville Area Schools Adult Learning Center - $190,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;St. Paul Public Schools - $325,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Summit Academy OIC, Minneapolis - $200,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Pathways to Prosperity – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/adult-career-pathways/grants/p2p/bridge/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Bridges to Career Pathways&lt;/a&gt; Grantees&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;American Indian OIC, Minneapolis - $200,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Avivo, Minneapolis - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;CAPI USA, Minneapolis - $275,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;City of Duluth Workforce Development - $325,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;County Of Anoka - $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Emerge Community Development (Commercial Driver&apos;s License), Minneapolis - $200,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Emerge Community Development (Health Care), Minneapolis - $200,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Goodwill Industries, Inc., St. Paul - $330,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Hired (Medical Call Center Pathway), Minneapolis - $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Hired (Office Admin Pathway), Minneapolis - $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;International Institute of Minnesota, St. Paul - $325,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Jewish Family and Children&apos;s Service of Minneapolis, Golden Valley - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Karen Organization of Minnesota, Roseville - $200,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Lakes &amp;amp; Prairies Community Action Partnership, Moorhead - $150,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Northfield Healthy Community Initiative, Northfield - $212,500&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Project for Pride in Living, Inc., Minneapolis - $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Red Wing Public Schools/Hiawatha Valley ABE - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Repowered, St. Paul - $200,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Roseville Area Schools Adult Learning Center - $150,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council, Marshall - $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Stearns Benton Employment &amp;amp; Training, St. Cloud - $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;St. Paul Public Schools - $200,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Twin Cities R!SE (Laborer/Construction), Minneapolis - $120,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;White Earth Tribal and Community College, Mahnomen - $340,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Workforce Development, Inc. (Bridges to Public Sector), Rochester - $350,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Workforce Development, Inc. (Road to Careers), Rochester - $275,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;YWCA of St. Paul - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;YWCA of Minneapolis - $225,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h2 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Pathways to Prosperity – &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/adult-career-pathways/grants/p2p/individualized/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Individual Training Pathways&lt;/a&gt; Grantees&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;CAPI USA, Minneapolis - $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;City of Duluth Workforce Development - $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park - $300,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;International Institute of Minnesota, St. Paul - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Jewish Family and Children&apos;s Service of Minneapolis, Golden Valley - $250,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Minnesota Valley Action Council Inc., Mankato - $375,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Red Wing Public Schools - $150,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Rural MN CEP, Inc., Detroit Lakes - $400,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Somali Medical Association of America, Minneapolis - $207,500&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;White Earth Tribal and Community College, Mahnomen - $375,000&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>608015</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:29Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Over $6 million to be awarded to communities across the state</Description><Audience/><Title>Governor Walz, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan Open DEED’s Largest-Ever Round of Child Care Grants and new Office of Child Care Community Partnerships</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Governor Walz, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan Open DEED’s Largest-Ever Round of Child Care Grants and new Office of Child Care Community Partnerships</Title><title>2024-01-30 Child Care Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-608257&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-01-30T20:14:40Z</Date><ShortDescription>Over $6 million to be awarded to communities across the state</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/office-governor_tcm1045-540131.png&quot; title=&quot;office-governor&quot; alt=&quot;office-governor&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;office-governor&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan announced today that over $6 million in Child Care Economic Development Grants – the state&apos;s largest-ever round of these grants – are now open. These grants are aimed at expanding access to child care and meeting the needs of working families.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is also launching a new office to coordinate the efforts of state government, communities, businesses, and non-profit organizations that are working to provide child care in Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Affordable, accessible child care allows Minnesotans to work and allows our economy to thrive,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Governor Walz. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;With the largest-ever round of child care grants, we&apos;re ramping up our efforts to increase child care slots and invest in our child care providers and middleclass families across the state.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;As a mom and a lifelong child advocate, I know child care isn&apos;t a nice to have – it&apos;s a need to have. Affordable, accessible child care should be available to every family who needs it, and we&apos;re working to make that a reality in Minnesota,&quot; &lt;/strong&gt;said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;We took action to expand affordable, quality child care to make sure our child care providers and working families have the support they need to thrive.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Accessible, quality child care is critical, not only for strong child development, but also the economic stability of families and communities and the future growth of our workforce&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Through our new Office of Child Care Community Partnerships, we&apos;re helping child care businesses access the support they need to succeed. With our Child Care Economic Development Grants, we&apos;re aiming to create more child care slots so families have better access to the high-quality, affordable child care they deserve.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s largest-ever Child Care Economic Development Grant round&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Child Care Economic Development grants for local units of government and other eligible communities and non-profit organizations to create new child care slots to meet the needs of working families. This program provides funding to communities to invest in new or expanding child care businesses, including facility improvements, worker training, attraction, retention, and licensing, among other strategies to reduce the child care shortage.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This round of Child Care Economic Development grants will be the largest so far at $6.2 million —nearly as much as has been distributed during all previous such grant rounds combined. Grants will be available up to $600,000, which DEED expects to deliver to dozens of communities across Minnesota, impacting thousands of the new child care slots in communities in which access is needed most.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since 2017, DEED has issued more than $6.5 million in Child Care Economic Development grants to 56 local governments and non-profit organizations across the state, helping create up to 9,300 child care slots.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED will issue a second grant round, also worth $6.2 million, later this year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota communities or organizations interested in submitting a proposal for a Child Care Economic Development grant are invited to attend a &lt;a href=&quot;https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2Fdl%2Flauncher%2Flauncher.html%3Furl%3D%252F_%2523%252Fl%252Fmeetup-join%252F19%253Ameeting_MzdmODJiZjktNWM2Ni00YWE4LThmMzktOTg5YTMxZTgzNTE0%2540thread.v2%252F0%253Fcontext%253D%25257b%252522Tid%252522%25253a%252522eb14b046-24c4-4519-8f26-b89c2159828c%252522%25252c%252522Oid%252522%25253a%2525226fc05b7d-f6b6-4b28-bf21-c64efb67b199%252522%25257d%2526anon%253Dtrue%26type%3Dmeetup-join%26deeplinkId%3D19ca83ff-2033-499d-8881-c43653fa5e15%26directDl%3Dtrue%26msLaunch%3Dtrue%26enableMobilePage%3Dtrue%26suppressPrompt%3Dtrue&amp;amp;data=05%7C02%7CSamantha.Caldwell%40state.mn.us%7Ce1060567f32a4da92ffa08dc21cf175f%7Ceb14b04624c445198f26b89c2159828c%7C0%7C0%7C638422420530982678%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;amp;sdata=CEWSHlt55ge%2Biym9H40gISITSyXa4qZVAFSyilGRpaY%3D&amp;amp;reserved=0&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;virtual informational meeting on Feb. 8 at 11 a.m.&lt;/a&gt; The RFP application and additional information &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;can be found here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Launching the new Office of Child Care Community Partnerships&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s new &lt;a href=&quot;http://mn.gov/deed/childcare&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Office of Child Care Community Partnerships&lt;/a&gt; will provide leadership, leverage existing community relationships and coordinate small business assistance, economic development grants, labor data, and other DEED resources to increase access to child care.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The office will serve as a front door for communities, businesses, and other organizations that provide child care by communicating about existing child care programs at DEED, planning for future opportunities to address the child care shortage and coordinating with other state agencies and offices that oversee or fund child care and early education, including the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s new Office of Child Care Community Partnerships will work with local units of government, organizations and employers to help find solutions that work best for each community,&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said DEED Director of Child Care Community Partnerships Tammy Wickstrom, who will lead the office. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;I think of the Office as a hub for communities, businesses, providers and non-profit organizations focused on working together to provide more affordable, quality child care in their areas of Minnesota.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s Office of Child Care Community Partnerships elevates the visibility of child care as an economic and workforce development issue, and our team is excited by this new opportunity for strengthened partnership within community.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; said Erin Bailey, Executive Director of the Governor&apos;s Children&apos;s Cabinet. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;This new office brings unique expertise and value to the other interagency child care and early education efforts already in place.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Office of Child Care Community Partnerships will administer DEED&apos;s Child Care Economic Development Grants, as well as direct appropriation funding to Minnesota Initiative Foundations and Women Venture, which are working to address the child care shortage statewide. The office will also oversee DEED&apos;s new Greater Minnesota Child Care Facility Grants, which DEED will soon launch for communities or non-profit child care providers to build or expand child care facilities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Those interested in learning more about the Office of Child Care Community Partnerships can find out more about the office and what it does by visiting mn.gov/deed/childcare.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>608257</id><Tag><Description/><Title>small businesses</Title><Id>230110</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:28Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED announced nearly $2.4 million in workforce grants for 24 organizations to help adults facing barriers to employment find and keep in-demand, career-path employment.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces $2.4 Million in Job Training Grants for Women Entering Non-Traditional Occupations and Underserved Adults</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces $2.4 Million in Job Training Grants for Women Entering Non-Traditional Occupations and Underserved Adults</Title><title>2024-01-25 WESA Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-607730&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-01-25T14:47:17Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED announced nearly $2.4 million in workforce grants for 24 organizations to help adults facing barriers to employment find and keep in-demand, career-path employment.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced nearly $2.4 million in workforce grants for 24 organizations to help adults facing barriers to employment find and keep in-demand, career-path employment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Women&apos;s Economic Security Act (WESA) Grants&lt;/strong&gt; – totaling $1.4 million – provide services that encourage and assist women to enter high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations including but not limited to those in the skilled trades and Information Technology occupations. &lt;strong&gt;Adult Support Services Competitive Grants&lt;/strong&gt; – totaling $950,000 – fund new or enhanced services such as job training, employment preparation, internships, job assistance to parents, financial literacy and academic and behavioral interventions for adults. Grants under this program must focus on low-income communities, adults from families with a history of intergenerational poverty and communities of color. Together, grantees expect to serve more than 830 Minnesotans through these programs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;WESA and Adult Support Services are two of DEED&apos;s high-impact workforce development programs to provide specialized training to Minnesotans looking for work,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;In partnership with organizations around the state, we&apos;re helping Minnesotans gain work-ready skills and find new jobs – strengthening Minnesota families, communities and the entire economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Creating opportunities for all Minnesotans to reach their full employment potential helps individuals and their families establish economic stability and build generational wealth, and it helps our entire state economy by utilizing our state&apos;s greatest economic resource: our workers,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Deputy Commissioner Marc Majors&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Encouraging women who face barriers to employment in finding fulfilling work in high-demand, high-wage, non-traditional occupations or industries will help individuals and families thrive. Providing support services to people to help them prepare for and find family-sustaining employment makes a positive difference for communities throughout the state.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota Training Partnership is honored to again receive WESA grant funding to help prepare encourage and support women in entering non-traditional, high-demand and high-paying employment,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Training Partnership (MTP)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Executive Director Jerome Balsimo&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Achieving union employment in the trades can completely change a person&apos;s life by providing family-sustaining wages on a strong career path.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Here&apos;s one example of how WESA has helped a Minnesotan facing barriers to employment: A person who had earned a heavy equipment operator certification while incarcerated enrolled in the Minnesota Training Partnership (MTP) WESA program after her release, with the goal of becoming a heavy equipment operator through an apprenticeship with the Operating Engineers Local 49. MTP helped the participant find part-time employment, participate in additional training and get necessary work clothing. She was able to then obtain full-time employment with a local non-profit organization at $18.00 per hour driving a large truck to pick up mattresses for recycling. Within two weeks, she was leading her own route. She continues to strive toward her goal of becoming a union heavy equipment operator.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grantees receiving these funds connect with participants in various ways. People interested in WESA, Adult Support Services, and other programs to help them prepare for good jobs should contact a CareerForce location near them. CareerForce location contact information can be found at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/locations&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CareerForceMN.com/locations&lt;/a&gt; or by calling 651-259-7500.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grantees include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Women&apos;s Economic Security Act (WESA) Grantees:&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Community Action Duluth - $100,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Dunwoody College, Minneapolis - $140,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;EMERGE, Minneapolis - $160,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota Training Partnership (MTP), St. Paul - $200,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;National Able Network, Minneapolis - $200,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Northwest Indian Community Development Center (NWICDC), Bemidji - $200,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Somali Community Resettlement Services (SCRS), Minneapolis - $175,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council (SWMN PIC), Marshall - $150,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Washington County - $100,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Adult Support Services Grantees:&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Accessibility, Minneapolis - $90,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;African Community Services, Minneapolis - $60,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Community Action Duluth - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Global Fatherhood Foundation, Brooklyn Park - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Hired, Minneapolis - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;International Institute of Minnesota, St. Paul - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership, Moorhead - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Lutheran Social Services, St. Paul - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota Valley Action Council, Mankato - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Neighbors Inc., South St. Paul - $60,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Northwest Indian Community Development Center (NWICDC), Bemidji - $60,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Somali Community Resettlement Services (SCRS), Minneapolis - $60,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;South Sudanese Foundation, Moorhead - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Summit Academy, Minneapolis - $60,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Tasks Unlimited, Minneapolis - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Twin Cities Rise, Minneapolis - $60,000&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Winona County - $50,000&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>607730</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:27Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED launches the Clean Economy Equitable Workforce initiative, a workforce development program focused on preparing workers who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color for good-paying construction-related jobs.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Launches Clean Economy Equitable Workforce Initiative</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Launches Clean Economy Equitable Workforce Initiative</Title><title>2024-01-24 Clean Economy Workforce Initiative</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-607639&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-01-24T19:19:06Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED launches the Clean Economy Equitable Workforce initiative, a workforce development program focused on preparing workers who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color for good-paying construction-related jobs.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul –&lt;/strong&gt;The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today launched the new Clean Economy Equitable Workforce initiative, a workforce development program focused on preparing workers who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color for good-paying construction-related jobs in the growing clean energy and energy efficiency fields.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Clean Economy Equitable Workforce initiative will invest $3 million to connect community organizations that have deep networks within BIPOC and immigrant communities statewide with union construction apprenticeship programs in clean energy and efficiency businesses. The goals are to build pathways for BIPOC Minnesota workers into union construction trades in the growing clean economy sector and to develop a skilled workforce to support the state&apos;s transition to a green economy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;request for proposals&lt;/a&gt; is open through 5:00 p.m. CST on March 4.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota&apos;s energy sector transformation goals and its significant current and planned investments in green technologies and energy present a tremendous opportunity to invest in historically overlooked workers and create a more equitable employment future for BIPOC communities,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Our new Clean Economy Equitable Workforce program will help more Minnesotans of color enter into this sector and take advantage of its lucrative, rewarding and diverse career opportunities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;With clean energy jobs on the rise, this is the perfect opportunity for Minnesota to invest in career readiness and skills development for Black, Indigenous or People of Color looking to join this exciting field,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This new initiative is a unique opportunity for DEED, workforce development partners and union apprenticeship programs to work together and invest in a more sustainable, more diverse economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s clean energy businesses added more than 1,900 workers in 2022 – a 3.4% increase over 2021 – now employing almost 60,000 Minnesotans, according to a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.cleanenergyeconomymn.org/press-releases/2023-clean-jobs-midwest&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;recent analysis from&lt;/a&gt; Clean Energy Economy MN. Thousands of additional jobs in this sector may be added in the coming years as the state works toward achieving its commitment to 100% clean electricity by 2040. As an example of one clean energy sector&apos;s growth in Minnesota, DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information team &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/locallook/southwest/southwest-blog.jsp#/detail/appId/1/id/604483&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;analyzed wind electric power generation industry jobs and wages&lt;/a&gt; for the state&apos;s southwest region in December.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Clean Economy Equitable Workforce program will help more people of color pursue these types of careers in Minnesota. According to U.S. Census data, between 69.5% and 88.3% of Minnesota workers in the utilities, construction and trade industries are male, and 93.2% to 95.3% are white. This includes fields like electric power generation, residential and non-residential building construction, utility systems construction and building equipment contractors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Skilled and well-trained construction workers are essential to build and deploy the solutions needed to achieve a clean energy future,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Gregg Mast, Executive Director of Clean Energy Economy Minnesota&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;As we work to achieve our vision of 100,000 clean energy jobs in Minnesota by 2030, this exciting initiative will expand and diversify the clean energy workforce across our state.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>607639</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>economy</Title><Id>230101</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:26Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Experienced leader will deliver strong workforce development services for jobseekers and employers in Minnesota.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces New CareerForce Director</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces New CareerForce Director</Title><title>2024-01-23 CareerForce Director Announcement</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-607553&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-01-23T19:11:46Z</Date><ShortDescription>Experienced leader will deliver strong workforce development services for jobseekers and employers in Minnesota.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/deed/assets/jeanna-fortney-headshot_tcm1045-607555.jpg&quot; title=&quot;Headshot of Jeanna Fortney, CareerForce&apos;s new director.&quot; alt=&quot;Headshot of Jeanna Fortney, CareerForce&apos;s new director.&quot; style=&quot;width: 50%;&quot; xlink:title=&quot;jeanna-fortney-headshot&quot; xmlns:xlink=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has named Jeanna Fortney as its next CareerForce Director, a key leader in the Agency&apos;s Workforce Development Division. Fortney will have administrative and operational oversight of more than 50 CareerForce locations across Minnesota, and will work in partnership with the 16 local workforce development boards.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Previously, Fortney was executive director of the Minnesota Association of Workforce Development Boards, where she led the overall strategic and operational work for the association, which represents Minnesota&apos;s 16 local workforce development boards. Before that, she was a CareerForce Integration Project Manager at DEED, during which time she led the rebranding of Minnesota&apos;s workforce system as CareerForce, facilitated engagement with stakeholders, and coordinated public outreach.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Jeanna is an innovative and strategic leader with a strong understanding of workforce development and a demonstrated commitment to equity,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;She will lead a vital statewide program that helps guide jobseekers toward opportunities in rewarding careers and helps employers find the workers they need to grow and thrive. She&apos;ll also be a key leader in helping DEED fulfill our mission to empower the growth of the Minnesota economy, for everyone.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Minnesota needs a leader with significant workforce development experience and vision to maximize workforce participation and support business growth,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Marc Majors, Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Jeanna has a long career in workforce development at the local, state, and national levels, including national work in partnership with the Department of Labor. Her strong statewide perspective, knowledge from working with the workforce development boards and her experience working with Minnesota employers will help to strengthen Minnesota&apos;s workforce development system.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;A Minnesota native, Fortney began her career in the Washington D.C. area, where she worked for 15 years in various workforce roles, including leading career pathways programming for Washington D.C.&apos;s workforce board, directing employment and training programs for youth and adults, and managing an American Job Center in Washington D.C. She also previously served as director of workforce development for the National Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs, where she provided technical assistance and training to National Farmworker Jobs Program grantees across the country in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;I&apos;m thrilled to return to DEED as CareerForce director, and for this opportunity to work with the talented CareerForce staff across the state,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Fortney&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Workforce development is a top issue for employers statewide, and I look forward to collaborating with the many partners who make up our CareerForce system. We&apos;ll work together to help connect Minnesotans with quality jobs and meet employers&apos; staffing needs so they can grow and thrive.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Fortney earned a bachelor&apos;s degree in sociology from American University and a master&apos;s degree in social work from George Mason University.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>607553</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:27Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>Minnesota gained 800 jobs from November to December on a seasonally adjusted basis according to numbers released today by DEED.</Description><Audience/><Title>Minnesota Gains 800 Jobs in December for Sixth Straight Month of Job Growth</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>Minnesota Gains 800 Jobs in December for Sixth Straight Month of Job Growth</Title><title>2024-01-18 December Jobs ARTICLE</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-606922&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-01-18T14:56:23Z</Date><ShortDescription>Minnesota gained 800 jobs from November to December on a seasonally adjusted basis according to numbers released today by DEED.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul – Minnesota gained 800 jobs from November to December on a seasonally adjusted basis according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). This is the sixth straight month of job growth in the state. Minnesota&apos;s private sector gained 2,500 jobs over the month, up 0.1%, while Government lost 1,700 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Continued job growth is great news – and sharing the story of employment opportunities will help us bring more people into the state&apos;s labor force,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Deputy Commissioner Kevin McKinnon&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Our tight labor market is creating ongoing challenges for employers – but it also creates many opportunities for workers.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Minnesota&apos;s unemployment rate ticked down two-tenths of a percentage point to 2.9% in December 2023 from November; the U.S. unemployment rate remained at 3.7%. Minnesota&apos;s labor force decreased by 6,590 people over the month, the third straight month of labor force declines. The labor force participation rate ticked down two-tenths of a percentage point to 68.1%. The U.S. labor force also declined, with the national labor force participation rate decreasing three-tenths of a percentage point to 62.5%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the month in Minnesota, five supersectors gained jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Leisure &amp;amp; Hospitality gained 1,800 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Trade, Transportation &amp;amp; Utilities gained 1,500 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Construction gained 1,200 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Mining &amp;amp; Logging gained 300 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Financial Activities gained 100 jobs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Over the year, Minnesota gained 50,809 payroll jobs, up 1.7%, while the U.S. was up 1.9% over the year. All but four supersectors posted positive annual growth in Minnesota. The Construction sector in Minnesota is greatly outperforming the national Construction sector: it gained 10,792 jobs, up 8.8% compared to 3.0% growth nationally over the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Construction is continuing its job growth streak in Minnesota – with a job growth rate nearly triple that of Construction jobs nationally,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED&apos;s Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyễn&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The strongest growth in Minnesota continues to be in Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, which is up an impressive 33.1% over the year. Part of this growth is due to robust infrastructure investment from the federal and state government, part of it is due to warmer weather this winter.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s CareerForce can help connect people with construction jobs – as well as training programs to help prepare people for construction employment. One example is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/ConstructionTrainingProgram&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;MnDOT/DEED Heavy Highway Construction Training Program&lt;/a&gt; for Minnesotans who are underrepresented in the industry. Other training programs are available, too. People are encouraged to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/locations&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;contact a CareerForce location near them&lt;/a&gt; to find out more about a range of employment and training opportunities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s next employment numbers release will take place on March 7, when January 2024 employment numbers and benchmarked data for 2023 are released. The annual benchmarking revisions always result in shifts for some months of data for the unemployment rate, the labor force participation rate and the job count.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visit the DEED website to view&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/state-national-employment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;state and national employment statistics&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/current-employment-statistics/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;monthly jobs numbers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;and data. You can also find&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;alternative measures of unemployment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;on the DEED website. In addition, see related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.careerforcemn.com/GoodJobsNow&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;CareerForceMN.com/GoodJobsNow&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>606922</id><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment</Title><Id>230114</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>jobs</Title><Id>230105</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>unemployment insurance</Title><Id>230115</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>labor market information</Title><Id>544356</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:24Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED today announced nearly $1.4 million in grant funding to support economic development in two Minnesota towns where fossil fuel power plants recently closed.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards $1.4 Million in Energy Transition Grants to Granite Falls, Fergus Falls</Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards $1.4 Million in Energy Transition Grants to Granite Falls, Fergus Falls</Title><title>2024-01-11 Energy Transition Grants</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-606406&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-01-11T15:15:45Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED today announced nearly $1.4 million in grant funding to support economic development in two Minnesota towns where fossil fuel power plants recently closed.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul&lt;/strong&gt; – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced nearly $1.4 million in grant funding to support economic development in two Minnesota towns where fossil fuel power plants recently closed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Granite Falls ($750,000) and Fergus Falls ($640,250) received the grants from DEED&apos;s Community Energy Transition Grant program, which helps communities around Minnesota plan for and manage the economic and social impact of a local power plant&apos;s closure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The Community Energy Transition Grant program is one of the ways DEED is delivering support and financial resources to Minnesota communities when they need it most – including when local power plants close,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;DEED is proud to partner with Granite Falls and Fergus Falls as they craft economic development strategies to increase their tax bases, create new jobs and build housing in the wake of their power plant closures.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Granite Falls&lt;/strong&gt; plans to use grant funding to improve local water main access, a project that will help the town provide a stable water utility to 25 new housing development lots and a new community hospital, and support businesses in the city&apos;s industrial park. DEED&apos;s grant will support the city&apos;s long-term economic development strategy to grow the tax base and create new jobs after a power plant closed there in 2009.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The Community Energy Transition Grant is critical for helping communities such as ours move forward after energy plant closure impacts,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Granite Falls City Manager Crystal Johnson&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Specifically with Granite Falls, this funding will assist the city by installing much needed utility infrastructure to help new and existing businesses within our community. The City of Granite Falls values the partnership with DEED and the award from the Community Energy Transition Grant program.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fergus Falls&lt;/strong&gt; plans to use grant funding to purchase an industrial site along the Otter Tail River near downtown Fergus Falls in order to demolish the existing buildings and remediate the site for redevelopment as multi-phased workforce housing. Over the years, and despite its location in a dense residential neighborhood, the 8-acre site has been a foundry, lumber yard and retail center. It now sits as industrial storage. A coal-fired power plant further east down the Otter Tail River closed in 2021, changing the city&apos;s economic landscape and necessitating a shift in development priorities to include support for workforce housing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The City of Fergus Falls appreciates partnering with the State to support communities that are navigating the loss of fossil fuel power plants,&quot; &lt;strong&gt;Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer&lt;/strong&gt; said. &quot;With the closing of a coal-fired power plant in Fergus Falls in 2021, we are doing our best to fill the lost revenue through other development. Access to funds like those offered through the Community Energy Transition Grant program has given us here in Fergus Falls a unique opportunity to implement creative development techniques to fill the economic gaps that are the result of our local energy company&apos;s shift to new energy sources.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;As Minnesota increasingly moves to cleaner forms of power, local communities with fossil fuel power plants can rely on DEED to help them weather this energy transition,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Carla Vita, Director of DEED&apos;s Energy Transition Office.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;State and local partnerships like these are a model for making sure communities around Minnesota have strong and growing economies, no matter the circumstances.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The Energy Transition Grant Program helps communities address the impact of a power plant&apos;s closure as the state moves toward renewable energy sources. The program provides funding for towns to research, plan and implement activities designed to: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;assist workers at the plant find new employment, including worker retraining and developing small business startup skills;  &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;increase the community&apos;s property tax base; &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;develop alternative economic development strategies to attract new employers to the community; and/or&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;produce site readiness plans, land use studies and long-term economic planning and impact studies.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;It also activates Minnesota&apos;s Environmental Quality Board to reimburse some costs associated with helping communities address regulatory issues, provide consultation on technical and regulatory challenges and educate the community on transitions. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Lawmakers provided DEED with $10 million for the Energy Transition Grant program over the 2024-25 biennium. DEED will open additional grant rounds in the months ahead.&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>606406</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:24Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>The grants are expected to create or retain more than 100 jobs in six Minnesota communities.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Announces $2.15 Million in Contamination Cleanup Grants </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Announces $2.15 Million in Contamination Cleanup Grants</Title><title>2024-01-09 Contamination Cleanup</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-606186&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-01-09T20:10:23Z</Date><ShortDescription>The grants are expected to create or retain more than 100 jobs in six Minnesota communities. </ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;St. Paul –&lt;/strong&gt; Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced nearly $2.15 million in Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grants awarded to six communities statewide. The grants will help the awarded communities assess and clean up contaminated sites for private or public redevelopment and create or retain more than 100 jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;DEED&apos;s Contamination Cleanup Grants cover up to 75% of the costs of removing contamination at approved polluted sites. The remaining costs are covered by cities and counties, other units of local government and private landowners and developers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;This round of grants will lead to the investigation or clean up of nearly 27 acres and is expected to add almost $2 million to the local tax bases, create 461 housing units and leverage more than $169 million in private investment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;Assessing and cleaning up blighted land for redevelopment are catalysts for further growth and prosperity in our communities,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;This grant program is just one way DEED supports and uplifts Minnesota communities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Since its inception in 1993, the Contamination Cleanup and Investigation Grant Program has awarded over $207 million in grants, which helped assess and clean up 4,065 acres of land – contributing to the creation or retention of 52,030 jobs and clearing the way for 26,660 new housing units. The program has also leveraged over $10 billion in private investments and added over $150 million to local tax bases.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Details for individual projects below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Albert Lea – Convenience Store and Filling Station&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Albert Lea is awarded $130,527 for a 3.66-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants.  Located in a central area of Albert Lea in the city&apos;s Blazing Star Landing redevelopment district, the site previously was the location of a meat-packing facility for almost 100 years. That plant burned down in 2001 and the Blazing Star area has remained mostly vacant for decades due to soil contamination costs and related remediation costs. This site, the fourth phase of projects in the Farmland Foods area, will be redeveloped into a 9,100-square-foot convenience store with multiple filling pumps and a car wash. This project is anticipated to create or retain 19 jobs, increase the local tax base by $54,824 and leverage $8.7 million of private investment. The city will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Steven Jahnke, City of Albert Lea 507-377-4325&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Maplewood – Gladstone Village&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Maplewood is awarded $402,603 for a 1.58-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Previous site occupants have included a gas station, a power equipment business and a funeral home.  The site -- located adjacent to a high-traffic Metro Transit bus route that facilitates access to downtown St. Paul, many large employers and nearby hospitals parks and shopping -- will be cleaned up and redeveloped into a four-story, 65-unit, affordable apartment building that will help increase the city&apos;s affordable housing availability. This project is anticipated to create five jobs, increase the local tax base by $27,102, and leverage $18.9 million of private investment. The developer and other grant sources will provide matching funds.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Michael Martin, City of Maplewood 651-249-2303&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Minneapolis – O&apos;Shaughnessy Distillery Expansion&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Minneapolis is awarded $394,411 for a 1.2-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants from previous occupants, which have included railroad tracks, a blacksmith, automotive repair and outdoor storage. This site will be redeveloped into a 24,242-square-foot warehouse with offices for business expansion. The project is anticipated to create or retain 26 jobs, increase the local tax base by $120,268 and leverage $4 million of private investment. The developer and other grant sources will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Kevin Carroll, City of Minneapolis 651-983-6384&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Newport – Red Rock Villas&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Newport is awarded $418,500 for a 8.42-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Located along Seventh Avenue near the Glen Road interchange, the site was historically occupied with a mix of residential and commercial/industrial uses, and most recently has been used for office and semi-truck/trailer parking. It will be redeveloped into four multi-unit apartment buildings with a total of 143 units. This project is anticipated to create 11 jobs, increase the local tax base by $683,334 and leverage $56.6 million of private investment. The developer and other grant sources will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Joe Hatch, City of Newport 651-566-4600&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul Port Authority – Wire Mill Expansion and Upgrade&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The St. Paul Port Authority is awarded $178,075 for a 1-acre site contaminated with heavy metals. Located in the organization&apos;s Riverview Business Center, the site was historically occupied by a mix of residential and industrial uses. It will be redeveloped into a 30,000 square-foot industrial building as an expansion for a long-time nearby business. The project is anticipated to create or retain 24 jobs, increase the local tax base by $71,875 and leverage nearly $8.5 million of private investment. The developer and other grant sources will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Rick Howden, St. Paul Port Authority 651-204-6223&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;City of Shoreview – Rice Street Crossing&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The city of Shoreview is awarded $624,693 for a 10.99-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants. Located at the southwest quadrant of I-694 and Rice Street and the confluence of Little Canada, Shoreview and Vadnais Heights, the property previously was a Ramsey County Public Works facility. The three cities have planned and implemented redevelopment around the interchange to replace obsolete or blighted commercial properties with higher density housing and newer retail services. The Rice Street Crossing site will be redeveloped into a four-story, 253-unit apartment building (51 affordable units) and a 10,000 square-foot commercial/retail building. This project is anticipated to create 20 jobs, increase the local tax base by $1,007,234 and leverage nearly $72.4 million of private investment. The developer and other grant sources will provide matching funds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local contact – Niki Hill, City of Shoreview 651-490-4658&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>606186</id><Tag><Description/><Title>communities</Title><Id>443119</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:25Z</pubdate></list><list><metadata><Type><Description>News</Description><Title>Press Releases</Title><Id>135220</Id><Key/></Type><DublinCore><Description>DEED today announced nearly $4 million in grants to 16 community and nonprofit organizations, the latest in the agency&apos;s broader effort to help grow Minnesota&apos;s workforce.</Description><Audience/><Title>DEED Awards Nearly $4 Million for Local Workforce Development Programs </Title><Publisher/><Source/><Rights/><Identifier/><Format/><Language>eng</Language><SubjectControlled/></DublinCore></metadata><Title>DEED Awards Nearly $4 Million for Local Workforce Development Programs </Title><title>2024-01-04 SE Asian Economic Disparities Relief</title><url>&lt;custom:Link urlOnly=&quot;true&quot; type=&quot;Component&quot; destination=&quot;tcm:1045-605790&quot; templateURI=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot; origin=&quot;tcm:0-0-0&quot;  /&gt;</url><Date>2024-01-04T15:41:13Z</Date><ShortDescription>DEED today announced nearly $4 million in grants to 16 community and nonprofit organizations, the latest in the agency&apos;s broader effort to help grow Minnesota&apos;s workforce.</ShortDescription><Subtitle>January 2024</Subtitle><publication>1045</publication><BodyText>&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;St. Paul -- The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced nearly $4 million in grants to 16 community and nonprofit organizations, the latest in the agency&apos;s broader effort to help grow Minnesota&apos;s workforce.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The grants are for two funding programs, Southeast Asian Economic Disparities Relief and Getting to Work, that help remove barriers Minnesota workers may face on their path to finding and retaining good-paying jobs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED is working hard to grow the state&apos;s labor force and help more Minnesotans secure good jobs with livable wages. The Southeast Asian Economic Disparities Relief and Getting to Work programs are two of the ways we&apos;re tackling barriers Minnesotans may face in pursuit of good jobs,&quot; &lt;strong&gt;said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;These programs address factors many take for granted – like reliable transportation or basic training for high-demand job skills – which can help to elevate those who are struggling or stuck on the sidelines into good jobs that enable them to support themselves and their families.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED works collaboratively with community organizations to understand their specific participants&apos; strengths and needs, and partners with them to deliver programs and services to support Minnesotans statewide. The grantees announced today are vital to training and preparing Minnesotans to access employment with family-sustaining wages,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;DEED Workforce Development Deputy Commissioner Marc Majors&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Southeast Asian Economic Disparities Relief&lt;/strong&gt; fund program awarded $475,000 competitive grants to help four nonprofit organizations increase training capacity within the communities they serve. The grants will fund training programs that provide workforce recruitment and development, job creation and community outreach.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;The following organizations were each awarded a $475,000 grant for specific workforce development training programs:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Workforce Development Inc.&lt;/strong&gt; (Rochester) will provide training and support in the following job and functions: forklift operation, welding, manufacturing, food and beverage service safety, and Certified Nursing Assistants.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CAPI USA&lt;/strong&gt; (Minneapolis) will provide training for the following jobs and job functions: nursing assistants, property maintenance (boiler operator and pool operator licensing), and Information Technology support training.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karen Organization of Minnesota&lt;/strong&gt; (Roseville) will partner with Adult Basic Education and local employers to provide incumbent workers with tailored literacy development, resulting in promotion and wage increases.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hmong American Partnership&lt;/strong&gt; (St. Paul) will provide health care-related training in medical terminology, medical office procedures, CPR/first aid and basic life support, and Information Technology-related training.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;DEED&apos;s grant enables the Hmong American Partnership to empower low-income Southeast Asians in the seven-county metro area with skills and opportunities for economic advancement that can transform their lives,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Hmong American Partnership President and CEO May yer Thao&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;We are honored to steward these funds in developing our clients&apos; talents and helping employers access this valuable, skilled workforce. Together, we are creating professional opportunities that strengthen both Southeast Asian communities and our overall economy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Getting to Work&lt;/strong&gt; grants are awarded to organizations to establish and operate programs that provide, repair or maintain motor vehicles to assist economically disadvantaged individuals ages 22 and older in obtaining or maintaining employment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grant recipients must also offer workshops or counseling services covering topics such as financial literacy, credit counseling, budgeting for vehicle ownership, vehicle maintenance and repair training.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;&quot;The Getting to Work program covers a significant gap by providing vehicle repair support for those with financial needs, and the results are quickly felt by the Minnesotans we serve,&quot; &lt;strong&gt;said Theresa Flinck, Tri-County Action program director of family resources.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;The program helps people who have jobs to maintain their employment without lengthy disruptions when they need vehicle repairs, makes the search process more effective for job seekers who need reliable transportation for interviews, and helps many households remain connected with their communities through family activities that would otherwise be on hold due to vehicle repair needs.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;Grants were awarded as follows:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table border=&quot;1&quot; xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml&quot;&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Organization&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Location&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Amount&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th&gt;Services Provided&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Northwest Community Action&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Badger&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$68,100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, budgeting training&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Meta 5 Central Lake College Foundation&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Brainerd&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$214,400&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, budgeting, car maintenance/repair training&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Brooklyn Park&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$287,500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, car maintenance/repair training&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Detroit Lakes&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$100,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, car maintenance/repair&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Community Action Duluth&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Duluth&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$88,500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, budgeting, car maintenance/repair, credit counseling training&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Tri-County Community Action Partnership&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Little Falls&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$100,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, car maintenance, credit counseling&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Minnesota Valley Action Council&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Mankato&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$186,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, budgeting, car maintenance, credit counseling, vehicle lease program&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;United Community Action Partnership&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Marshall&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$200,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, budgeting, car maintenance/repair training&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Community Action Center&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Northfield&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$168,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Car maintenance/repair, credit counseling, job training&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Virginia&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$200,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, budgeting, car maintenance/repair, credit counseling training&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Tri-County Action Program&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Waite Park&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$167,500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, car maintenance/repair training&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Three Rivers Community Action, Inc.&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Zumbrota&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;$120,000&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;Financial literacy, budgeting, car maintenance, credit counseling, job training&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;</BodyText><Author/><id>605790</id><Tag><Description/><Title>workforce</Title><Id>230117</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>job training</Title><Id>230107</Id><Key/></Tag><Tag><Description/><Title>grants</Title><Id>230104</Id><Key/></Tag><pubdate>2025-08-15T14:32:25Z</pubdate></list></results>