The Service to Success Grant seeks to fund programs that support the transition of individuals from public service, including AmeriCorps, VISTA, NCCC, etc. into sustainable career pathways.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/01/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The purposes of this opportunity, is defined as a public service program that provides sustained service opportunities to members/participants while also providing training, support, and exposure to a specific career opportunity. These opportunities may include a low or no cost way for members/participants to earn credits, credentials, certifications, or license in a specific career field that public service members can earn through the course of their service.
Programs are intended to align service-based experience with industry-recognized careers by building intentional bridges from service programs into the workforce. Funds may be used to expand access to public service to career pathways (e.g. recruit more public service participants, add additional certifications to existing pathways, more career placements, etc.) and to fund innovations that create new education or workforce partnerships and/or create innovative service to career pathways (e.g. establish new pathways from service to careers, engaging new sectors in service to career). Where possible, programs will align with one of the following workforce priority areas: health/elder care, education, civil or public service, climate and environmental careers, food security/agriculture.
Priorities
Grantees must meet one or more of theoutcomes listed below, with priority given to those that meet multiple grant outcomes
- Increasing the number of Minnesotans who participate in public service to career pathways.
- Increasing the number of public service members who attain a credential, certification, or license through the course of their service.
- Increasing the number of workers who join the labor force in a public service to career pathway.
- Diversifying the number of public service members who obtain a credential, certification, credits, or license through the course of their service.
- Increasing the number of public service members who obtain employment directly related to their service experience.
- Establishing or strengthening partnerships, programs, and pathways leading to recruitment, retention, and career attainment for overlooked workers.
- Establishing or strengthening partnerships between service organizations, workforce organizations, and/or employers.
- In addition, priority will be given to projects that demonstrate:
- Partnerships leading to recruitment, retention, and credentialing of overlooked workers.
- Partnerships between service organizations and workforce development organizations and/or employers.
- Alignment to one of the following workforce priority areas: health/elder care, education, civil or public service, climate and environmental careers, food security/agriculture.
Funding Information
- Estimated Amount to Grant: $712,500
- Estimated Award Maximum: $100,000
- Estimated Award Minimum: $50,000
Grant Period
The performance period for this grant is expected to be 12 months.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must meet the minimum requirements in order to be considered for this grant opportunity.
- Applicants must be an organization in good standing as non-profit organization with a 501(c)3 status, school district, charter school, tribal contract or grant school, tribal organization, institution of higher education, or local workforce development board.
- Applicants should have a proven track record of implementing public service and/or workforce development programs that demonstrate consistent performance in program outcomes, program retention, completion, and/or placement rates. To be eligible, organizations will be required to have a
budget that exceeds the grant amount. - Applicant organizations and their partners must have a registration in good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State if required to do so. Nonprofit organizations must have 501(c)(3) status or other recognized tax-exempt designation and be in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These requirements must be met at the time of application and throughout the term of the grant.
- Applicants must expand or create a program innovation in public service with an aligned service to career pathway that includes:
- At least service members participating in the service to career pathway
- Recruitment pipelines that intentionally include one more overlooked worker population
- Recurring service opportunities (e.g. a term of service, recurring service opportunity, etc.)
- Sector specific training, credits, credential, certification, or license in a specific career field with a priority for training or credentials in health/elder care, education, civil or public sector service, climate, or food insecurity/agriculture
- Career development skills (e.g. resume building, interviewing skills, direct introductions to employment partners, etc.)
- Eligibility may differ for the two types of grant priorities as enumerated below.
- Expansion Grants: Expansion grants are intended for grantees that seek to expand, scale, or add additional service to career pathways, or expand the opportunity to obtain credits, credentials, certifications, or licenses to existing programs. Existing public service organizations, including nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 status, volunteer coordination organizations, education and training providers, institutions of higher education, may be eligible for Service to Success Expansion Grants.
- Innovation Grants Existing public service organizations, including nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 status, volunteer coordination organizations, school districts, institutions of higher education, and workforce development organizations that want to forge new partnerships and/or create new service to career pathways may be eligible for Service to Success Innovation Grants.
For more information, visit DEED.
