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DEED Awards $9.8 Million in Small Business Partnership Grants

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has announced the recipients of the Small Business Partnership Grant Program.

37 non-profit and public entities were awarded a total of $9.8 million (up from a previous total of $7 million) to enable efforts to, “provide and facilitate business development and technical assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses.” DEED also says more than half of the funding is directed to organizations and project that focus on BIPOC business owners and entrepreneurs.

“This period of disruption in our economy is fertile ground to start a new business – evidenced by the big surge in new business starts we’re seeing in Minnesota,” Steve Grove, DEED Commissioner, said in a release. “Over the next few months, winners of these grants will be setting up and executing programs that will provide support for entrepreneurs, particularly those run by BIPOC leaders.”

Check out the full list of Small Business Partnership Grant Program recipients below.

4-Directions Development, Red Lake, $120,000

African Career, Education & Resource, Brooklyn Center, $120,000

African Development Center, Minneapolis, $393,750

African Economic Development Solutions, Saint Paul, $198,000

Asian Economic Development Association, Saint Paul, $348,000

Austin Community Charitable Fund, Austin, $65,000

BETA Group, Minneapolis, $150,000

Clues, Minneapolis, $231,052

Concordia College Small Business Development Center, Moorhead, $73,114

Entrepreneur Fund, Duluth, $600,000

Greater Bemidji, Bemidji, $379,100

Hmong American Partnerships, Saint Paul, $300,000

Initiative Foundation, Little Falls, $200,000

Kadiyohi County & City of Wilmar Economic Development Commission, Willmar, $76,000

Lake Street Council, Minneapolis, $200,000

Latino Economic Development Center, Saint Paul, $600,000

Leech Lake Financial Services, Cass Lake $120,000

Lunar Inc, Saint Paul, $120,000

Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, Minneapolis, $480,000

Metropolitan Economic Development Association, Minneapolis, $600,000

Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce, Roseville, $120,000

MNSBIR, Minneapolis, $120,000

New American Development Center, Minneapolis, $350,991

NextStage, Minneapolis, $221,250

North Central Small Business Development Central Lakes College, Brainerd, $400,000

Northland Foundation Small Business Development Center, Duluth, $350,000

Northside Economic Opportunity Network, Minneapolis, $300,000

Redwing Ignite, Redwing, $352,154

Scott County CDA-CFE, Shakopee, $105,075

Seward Redesign Inc, Minneapolis, $120,000

South Central Small Business Development Center Mankato State University, Mankato, $296,000

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Owatonna, $150,000

Southwest State University Small Business Development Center, Marshall, $200,000

Springboard for the Arts, Saint Paul, $112,047

St Cloud State University Small Business Development Center, St Cloud, $120,000

University of Minnesota Crookston Small Business Development Center, Crookston, $237,217

WomenVenture, Minneapolis, $600,000

St. Paul – Today, the Department of Employment and Economic Development is announcing recipients of the Small Business Partnership Grant Program: non-profits and public entities who will provide and facilitate business development and technical assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses. This program was increased by $7M to $9.8M by the legislature and signed by Governor Walz to provide resources to businesses across Minnesota who have faced unprecedented challenges over the past two years.

The purpose of this grant is to support the start-up, growth, and success of Minnesota’s entrepreneurs and small business owners through the delivery of high quality free or low-cost professional business development and technical assistance services.

The successful implementation of these grant funded projects will help facilitate an economic environment that produces job growth and supports the economic success of Minnesota individuals, businesses, and communities by providing opportunities for growth. Over half this funding is being directed towards organizations and projects that will focus almost exclusively on Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) business owners and entrepreneurs.

“This period of disruption in our economy is fertile ground to start a new business – evidenced by the big surge in new business starts we’re seeing in Minnesota,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “Over the next few months, winners of these grants will be setting up and executing programs that will provide support for entrepreneurs, particularly those run by BIPOC leaders.”

The recipients of the grants include:

4-Directions Development, Red Lake, $120,000

African Career, Education & Resource, Brooklyn Center, $120,000

African Development Center, Minneapolis, $393,750

African Economic Development Solutions, Saint Paul, $198,000

Asian Economic Development Association, Saint Paul, $348,000

Austin Community Charitable Fund, Austin, $65,000

BETA Group, Minneapolis, $150,000

Clues, Minneapolis, $231,052

Concordia College Small Business Development Center, Moorhead, $73,114

Entrepreneur Fund, Duluth, $600,000

Greater Bemidji, Bemidji, $379,100

Hmong American Partnerships, Saint Paul, $300,000

Initiative Foundation, Little Falls, $200,000

Kadiyohi County & City of Wilmar Economic Development Commission, Willmar, $76,000

Lake Street Council, Minneapolis, $200,000

Latino Economic Development Center, Saint Paul, $600,000

Leech Lake Financial Services, Cass Lake $120,000

Lunar Inc, Saint Paul, $120,000

Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, Minneapolis, $480,000

Metropolitan Economic Development Association, Minneapolis, $600,000

Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce, Roseville, $120,000

MNSBIR, Minneapolis, $120,000

New American Development Center, Minneapolis, $350,991

NextStage, Minneapolis, $221,250

North Central Small Business Development Central Lakes College, Brainerd, $400,000

Northland Foundation Small Business Development Center, Duluth, $350,000

Northside Economic Opportunity Network, Minneapolis, $300,000

Redwing Ignite, Redwing, $352,154

Scott County CDA-CFE, Shakopee, $105,075

Seward Redesign Inc, Minneapolis, $120,000

South Central Small Business Development Center Mankato State University, Mankato, $296,000

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Owatonna, $150,000

Southwest State University Small Business Development Center, Marshall, $200,000

Springboard for the Arts, Saint Paul, $112,047

St Cloud State University Small Business Development Center, St Cloud, $120,000

University of Minnesota Crookston Small Business Development Center, Crookston, $237,217

WomenVenture, Minneapolis, $600,000

Earlier this fall, DEED opened the competitive process to receive applications. We held several webinars and outreach sessions regarding the grant opportunity. Once grant contracts are completed later this year, these organizations can begin work serving businesses.

DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and its services, visit the DEED website, the JoinUsMn.com website, or follow us on Twitter.

Alex Skjong
Alex oversees the content produced for BETA, Twin Cities Startup Week, and tech.mn. When he’s not writing or editing, there’s a good chance he’s enjoying a refreshing brew and explaining the merits of heavy metal (of which there are many).