S.F. No. 4253 Summary

• Appropriates $61,428,000 in fiscal year 2023 from the general fund to the Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development for workforce training and entrepreneurship programs targeting communities of color.

• Distributes funding to 21 organizations and programs including grants to White Earth Nation ($500,000), Minneapolis Foundation ($1,500,000), Latino Economic Development Center ($1,250,000), and Northside Economic Opportunity Network ($15,000,000) for business development, job training, and lending services.

• Allocates $15,200,000 for a statewide "Minnesota Strong" campaign to attract new workers, retain graduates, and promote workers from communities of color, with results due to legislature by January 15, 2025.

• Requires at least 50 percent of certain grants to serve communities outside the seven-county metropolitan area and targets high-unemployment communities with concentrated East African, Hispanic, Southeast Asian, and Black populations.

• All appropriations are one-time only, with most funding available through fiscal year 2024.