April 2025
 CanTrain Request for Proposal
The Office of Adult Career Pathways is soliciting applications for the Cannabis Industry Training Program (CanTrain) to provide relevant training to individuals and/or to develop training programs specific to the legal cannabis industry. The request for proposal was published Monday March 24, 2025, and applications are due by Friday April 18th
We encourage you to review the RFP and apply if you fit the eligibility and are interested in the opportunity. The link to this RFP can be found at DEED’s Competitive Grants and Contracts webpage: https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp
Adult Career Pathways Updates
Congratulations to those who received awards for round two of Transformative Career Pathways Workforce grants as well as those who received quarter three awards for the Transformative Career Pathways Diversity & Inclusion and Capacity Building grants!
Quarterly Reports
Quarterly reports are due to your Grant Coordinator on April 30th. The quarterly report should reflect activities between January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025.
The Quarterly Report Training recording and instructions are now posted to our webpage.
Provider Meetings
Two Quarterly Provider Meetings are coming up this month! The Drive for 5 Provider Meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 8th from 2:00 – 3:30. The Competitive Grants Provider Meeting will be held on Monday, April 21st from 2:30 – 4:00.
The intention of these meetings is to share best practices and strategies, discuss challenges, and source solutions. DEED will also provide universal program updates during this time. Your first point of contact remains your ACP Grant Coordinator; however, these meetings will give us an opportunity to connect providers across the state and to ensure that DEED is providing consistent communication.
Webex invitations were sent to the ACP contact person on file, but please feel free to share upcoming events with any staff at your organization who oversee your ACP Drive for 5 and/or competitive grant/s. We kindly ask that each organization limit the number of staff to 2-3, ensuring we are able to have meaningful conversations.
Request for Proposals
The ACP team have received questions from grantees around the next cycle of Request for Proposals (RFPs) for SFY 26-27. We would like to remind everyone of a few items:
Adult Career Pathways Webpage
Quarterly Provider Meeting notes (Competitive and Drive for 5) are now posted on our webpage.
Check out the ACP home page for resources and tools to assist in the management of ACP Grants.
Grantee Spotlight
The Global Fatherhood Foundation (GFF), founded by Sam Mwangi in 2008, is a testament to the power of vision, resilience, and dedication to strengthening families and communities. What began as a humble initiative in Sam’s garage and basement has grown into a thriving organization that now operates from a dedicated office space, impacting countless lives through its programs and services.
GFF offers programs and services designed to empower individuals and families to become self-sustaining. Through partnerships with local banks, GFF provides financial literacy counseling, equipping families with the tools to manage their finances effectively. Monthly support groups for men foster fellowship and mutual support, while collaborations with housing organizations and school districts ensure that new families have access to critical resources and information.
At the heart of GFF’s work is the community Fatherhood Campaign, which promotes responsible fatherhood by helping men of all ages develop greater self-esteem and a deeper understanding of their roles within their families and communities. GFF achieves this by empowering fathers through life skills building, family reunification, education, career training, employment support, and child support compliance.
Sam’s vision for GFF was inspired by his own experiences growing up in Kenya. At the age of sixteen, his father encouraged him to join a men’s group at their church, imparting a crucial lesson: “It’s important for you to learn how to listen, because things in your time will be different. You need to prepare for what kind of narrative you will use to advise people in your community and the people you will be supporting.” This early guidance shaped Sam’s understanding of the importance of mentorship, community, and the transformative power of listening and learning.
Today, the Global Fatherhood Foundation stands as a safe space where participants can find support, guidance, and the tools they need to thrive. For Sam, this work is more than a profession—it is a calling that fills his heart and drives his unwavering commitment to empowering fathers and families. Through GFF, Sam continues to honor his father’s wisdom, creating a legacy of hope, resilience, and positive change for generations to come.
Please contact your Adult Career Pathways Grant Coordinator directly with any questions regarding Adult Career Pathways Programs.
 WIOA Adult and DW
PY22 WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker Reallocated funds must be expended by June 30, 2025. Any remaining/unused funds will be sent back to DOL.
PY23 funds must be used by June 30, 2025.
- Submit any modifications or transfer requests by April 18th to allow time for processing.
- Cost category adjustment is allowed on the final Reimbursement Payment Request (RPR) if the total expended does not exceed the total approved budget. However, the Admin cost category must not exceed 10% of total reimbursed.
- Any remaining unused funds will be reallocated to Local Areas that have spent their PY23 funds.
PY25 funding information will be coming soon. As you may be aware, we usually have a limited turnaround time to plan, process, and execute agreements/workplans.
- To help us move contract paperwork forward quickly, please begin having conversations with staff and partners to complete as much of the planning document sections as possible (e.g. Narrative). Once the TEGL is released and allocations are available, you can finalize your paperwork and send it in.
Quarterly Progress Reports (QPRs) are due April 30th (for period Jan - Mar 2025). A QPR is required if the grant is active.
Carry Forward Requests - Providers may request a waiver to carry forward more than 20% of their allocated PY24 funds into the second year of the grant using the provided template (attached). Providers who expend or obligate at least 80% of their PY24 formula funds by the end of the 4th quarter do not need a waiver.
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Carry Forward Waiver Requests pertain to all formula grants: WIOA Adult, WIOA Dislocated Worker, and State Dislocated Worker
- Accepting Carry Forward Waiver Requests now through May; please submit early enough to allow more time for leadership approval and processing before the start of the fiscal.
CLIMB Listening Session Successful
The Converting Layoffs into Minnesota Businesses (CLIMB) Listening Session was held virtually on February 28. A total of 121 people registered, and 102 attended. Registrants were encouraged to submit questions prior to the event, which were answered and shared prior to the day. The session included an overview of the CLIMB activity and a series of surveys for attendees to provide feedback on upcoming changes and their experience working with program participants enrolled in the Dislocated Worker CLIMB activity. Feedback survey was overall positive, and we received some great suggestions to improve in the future! The updated CLIMB policy and resources is now posted for public comments through April 30. A huge thank you to the field for their interest, attendance, participation, and feedback! We really value your partnership!
Grant Fraud: Misuse of Allocated Funds
With fraud, waste, and abuse being a key priority at the Minnesota State Capitol this session, we want to ensure that we are all doing our part to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. Grant fraud is defined by the misuse of grant funds in ways that are not consistent with the grant's objectives. This often involves falsifying needs assessments, inflating costs, or misreporting the scope of funded projects. Important red flags include rapid depletion of grant funds, mismatch between reported activities and observed outcomes, and irregularities in grant reporting timelines and formats.
We are grateful to our grantees who have always been steadfast and responsible in managing program funding and serving Minnesotans across the state. We are appreciative of the work you do, and we are confident that you will continue to use grant funding as intended and in accordance with regulations.
As always, don’t hesitate to contact the grant team if you have any questions or need assistance.
Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
The New GPMS Alphabet Soup.
In our fast-paced work environment, it's easy to get lost in the alphabet soup of acronyms and abbreviations. We've all experienced that moment of confusion when someone mentions a string of letters that might as well be a foreign language. Whether you're new to the system or just need a refresher, this resource will serve as your handy reference guide, ensuring that you're never left wondering, "What does that mean?" Let's dive in and make sense of the soup together.
Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury/Illness Network (RETAIN):
Enrollment is ongoing for MN RETAIN, individuals with an illness/injury that need support to stay-at-work or return-to-work can contact MN RETAIN at worker@mnretain.com or through the contact form on www.mnretain.com.
Please email all requests, reports, and technical assistance questions to the Dislocated Worker Federal Adult Programs general email at dwfaprograms.deed@state.mn.us.
 Program Year (PY) 2024 Quarter Two (Q2) Performance Outcomes Compared to Negotiated Goals
Attached you will find the performance outcome spreadsheets for WIOA Dislocated Worker, DWG, State Dislocated Worker, and WIOA Adult programs. These are best when printed landscape, in color, and on 11x17 size paper.
 If needed in an alternative format, please contact performanceap.deed@state.mn.us
- Performance goals are based on negotiated standards for PY2024.
- Color Key:
- Blue are the negotiated performance standards.
- Green means the set goal was met or exceeded.
- Yellow means at least 50% of the goal was met.
- Red means less than 50% of the goal was met.
- Served are all participants accessing the program during the actual program year (real-time).
- Getting a Job results based on participant exits July 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, except those exited with exclusion. This indicator measures each participant’s employment status during the 2nd quarter after exiting the program. Formula: Percent of employed exits divided by all exits during the reporting period.
- Keeping a Job results based on participant exits January 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023, except those exited with exclusion. This indicator measures each participant’s employment status during the 4th quarter after exiting the program. Formula: Percent of employed exits divided by all exits during the reporting period.
- 2nd Quarter Median Earnings results based on participant exits July 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, except those exited with exclusionary reason and those showing zero earnings. This indicator measures the median earning during the 2nd quarter after exiting the program.
- Credential Attainment results based on participant exits January 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023, except those exited with exclusionary reason and those who did not attend credential type training. This indicator measures the percent of participants who received a credential after attending training.
Technical Assistance
Topic One: Adult and Dislocated Worker Support Services and allowed Timeframes
Topic Two: Foundations of Case management: Building Connections and Understanding
Request for TA Event Topics and other technical assistance needs:
Please email the performance team’s general email address with your technical assistance needs: performanceap.deed@state.mn.us
Should you have any performance or data entry questions, please contact the State Program Administrator Coordinator for ETP Adult programs, Amy Carlson, at amy.carlson@state.mn.us.
 Gratitude:
Thank you for your work and collaboration with the TAA team! We value your partnership and appreciate your continued work to help TAA eligible individuals to access services and obtain their educational/employment goals.
Reminder:
Should you need assistance from the TAA Supervisor, please contact Amy Carlson at amy.carlson@state.mn.us.
The Great 2025 TAA Outreach Project:
Starting this Spring through late Summer, the TAA team will be facilitating in-person meetings at 15 local areas within 12 Workforce Development Areas (WDAs) across the state. Leadership teams for the following WDAs will receive email communication from TAA leadership regarding these events:
- WDA 02 Rural MN CEP Inc
- WDA 03 NE MN Office of Job Training (JET)
- WDA 04 City of Duluth
- WDA 05 Central MN Jobs and Training
- WDA 06 SW MN PIC Inc
- WDA 07 S Central Workforce Council
- WDA 08 SE MN Workforce Development
- WDA 10 Minneapolis Employment and Training
- WDA 14 Dakota/Scott Counties
- WDA 15 Ramsey County Workforce Solutions
- WDA 16 Washington County
- WDA 17 Stearns/Benton E&T (Career Solutions)
Please note, the above locations were selected based on the location of the 13,000+ eligible individuals invited. If you are interested in these technical assistance opportunities, but your agency is not listed above, please email deed.taa@state.mn.us to initiate scheduling for your agency.
Promotional activities for these events:
- Each of the 13,000+ individuals will receive an invitation through the U.S. Postal Service. These invitations will be specific to the individual and invite them to an event based on the distance between the hosting CareerForce location and their home address.
- Social Media Campaign: We will be launching a Social Media Campaign to promote these events.
During these events: TAA is inviting over 13,000 eligible individuals (separated by location) to informational meetings in hopes of enrolling those who are in need of services. The length of time for these events will be dependent on the CareerForce location’s availability and the number of invites mailed for that location.
- TAA staff along with Dislocated Worker Case Managers (housed within the CareerForce location) will work to inform attendees of the services they may be eligible to receive and to assist with enrollment procedures.
- Concurrent 1:1 and virtual Technical Assistance (TA) available for local area staff:
- TA from the Adult Programs’ Performance team for case managers and their leaders on WIOA Dislocated Worker, State Dislocated Worker, and WIOA Adult programs.
- TA from the Adult Programs’ Grant team for bookkeepers and their leaders.
- TA from the Adult Programs’ Performance and Accountability Supervisor and Analysts for those interested in discussing performance topics.
Petitions
Petitions can still be filed, but DOL’s investigation is paused until program restoration or reauthorization. Here’s the link to check the status of petitions with U.S. Department of Labor.
Please email all questions and customer applications to the Trade Adjustment Assistance general email at deed.taa@state.mn.us.
 Key Tips for Grant Compliance
Each month, the Compliance Unit will feature common monitoring questions from the field.
Question: Does the FSR/RPR have to reflect the expenditures to the penny?
Answer: Yes, it is contractually required that the actual costs be reflected to the penny on the FSR/RPR. During monitoring, your General Ledger will be reviewed and compared to your FSR/RPRs. The table below illustrates what happens when a grantee rounds up, rounds down, or reports with the exact amount of costs incurred.
- Rounding Down: You are leaving money on the table.
- Rounding Up: You are requesting reimbursement for costs not incurred.
- Exact Reporting: Accurate representation of costs incurred.
 If needed in an alternative format, please contact shannon.rolf@state.mn.us
If you have questions about Monitoring content, please email shannon.rolf@state.mn.us.
  Change is coming: Soon CareerForceMN.com will be CareerForce.MN.gov
CareerForceMN.com will be changing to CareerForce.MN.gov on June 3. A redirect will be in place for all pages on the old site to the new site for some time, but if you have links on your site to CareerForceMN.com make plans to update them as soon as possible after the change on June 3. The change to CareerForce.MN.gov is being made to make the site more secure and is in line with best practices for websites maintained by government agencies. More information will be shared in multiple ways leading up to and following the change to CareerForce.MN.gov.
Do you offer a training program that is free for eligible participants? Share it with thousands of job seekers via the CareerForce Training Program Finder!
Boost your program enrollments by listing your free employment training opportunities on the Training Program Finder on CareerForceMN.com, which got nearly 10,000 pageviews last month. Visit this web page with general info as well as a link to a step-by-step guide to list your training opportunities on the Training Program Finder. Contact the CareerForce Information and Assistance line at 651-259-7500 or careerforce@state.mn.us if you have questions.
Contact the CareerForce Information and Assistance line at 651-259-7500 or careerforce@state.mn.us if you have questions.
 While things will continue to change, "Minnesota'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," said Angelina Nguyen, director of DEED's Labor Market Information Office. In our first release of the year, data show that Minnesota employers added 9,600 jobs in January, which is the largest monthly gain since March 2024, and the labor force grew by 4,800 people. Minnesota's 0.3% job growth in January was three times faster than the nation as a whole. In fact, Minnesota has added jobs for six straight months and nine months out of the last 12.
Other indicators of economic health includes the state's unemployment rate, which was down to 3.0% in January 2025, which was well below the national unemployment rate of 4.0%. Minnesota's labor force participation rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 68.1% in January, compared to 62.2% nationally. Our Economic Recovery Dashboard shows that the state’s unemployment rate remains below it’s pre-pandemic level, while jobs are now up by 49,000 from February 2020, and our labor force is now up by nearly 20,000 workers compared to 2020. New data from the Job Openings & Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) show there were just over 180,000 job vacancies in Minnesota, meaning there was still about 2 job openings for every unemployed jobseeker in the state. As we spring forward into the new year, we will continue to provide new data and insights each month.
If you have questions about Labor Market Information, please email deed.lmi@state.mn.us.
This newsletter is meant for DEED Grantees, Providers, and Employment Counselors. We want this e-Newsletter to meet your needs! We encourage you to send your comments and suggestions to deed.taa@state.mn.us.
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