Helping Students Build Their Futures

The Minneapolis Foundation has awarded $874,000 in funding to 10 schools and nonprofit organizations working to develop and strengthen youth career pathways. Our 2026 Reimagine Education grants will support programs that help students in grades 9–12 transition to college and the workforce through career exploration and skill development.

“Strong K-12 career pathways are essential to preparing Minnesota’s young people for the future and building the skilled, versatile workforce our state needs to thrive,” said Patrice Relerford, Vice President of Collective Impact and Giving at the Minneapolis Foundation. “We’re proud to invest in programs that connect students to meaningful coursework, work-based learning, and career opportunities that prepare them for success.”

These grants focus on programs in Minneapolis and Hennepin County that offer academic credit and paid work experience. They support a range of approaches to career-connected learning, including dual-credit opportunities, paid internships, and training toward industry-recognized credentials. Recognizing the critical role of K-12 schools in this work, all the funded projects are led by or in partnership with local schools.

Photos courtesy of Eden Prairie Public Schools and Richfield Public Schools

Five of the grants provide two-year funding to organizations that already offer career pathways. These include the Eden Prairie school district, which will use its funding to increase access to its Certified Nursing Assistant career pathway and launch skilled trades programming in welding, plumbing, small gas engines, and electrical work. “Eden Prairie Schools is excited to provide authentic learning experiences to our students and expand our career pathways,” said Ethan Dado, the school district’s Director of Inspired Journey and Career and Technical Education. “The investment from the Minneapolis Foundation expands offerings for our students and opens doors to options after high school.”

An additional five partners, including Richfield Public Schools, received one-year grants to plan new programs. “This grant will help Richfield High School expand opportunities for students to explore career pathways and develop skills that connect their learning to their futures,” said Dr. Steven Unowsky, the school district’s superintendent. “We’re grateful to the Minneapolis Foundation for investing in our students and helping us provide more opportunities to prepare them for high-demand trades and careers.”

These grants are part of the Foundation’s Reimagine Education strategy, which turns research into collective action to make Minnesota schools better for all. Since launching this work six years ago, the Foundation has invested more than $9.5 million in Reimagine funding with local schools, including $2.2 million to support literacy in Minneapolis Public Schools.

Two-Year Implementation Grants

• American Indian OIC received $150,000 to better align its Youth Employment Services (YES) program with Takoda Prep, a South Minneapolis alternative high school it operates in partnership with Minneapolis Public Schools for students ages 14 to 21. American Indian OIC will integrate career exploration, workforce credential opportunities, internships, and academic credit into the school-year program.
• Bloomington Public Schools received $150,000 to strengthen existing career pathways by creating clearer, earlier entry points for 9th and 10th grade students and stronger connections to paid work experiences for 11th and 12th grade students. Funding will also increase the district’s capacity to work with industry partners, particularly in STEM fields, expand students’ access to paid work opportunities, and embed those partnerships in the district’s career pathway system.
• Eden Prairie Public Schools received $150,000 to expand access to its Certified Nursing Assistant career pathway by bringing the program in-house and to launch skilled trades programming in welding, plumbing, small gas engines, and electrical work. The district plans to offer students opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials, paid work experience, and post-secondary credit in partnership with Hennepin Technical College.
• Minneapolis Public Schools received $150,000 to expand recruitment at Camden and South high schools for the Future Educator Pathways program, which is designed to reduce barriers for talented students from diverse backgrounds to explore teaching careers. The pathway offers students paid internships and work-based learning opportunities as teaching assistants. The district plans to partner with Minneapolis College to offer dual-credit coursework.
• Project for Pride in Living received $150,000 for the LEAP (Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential) program to partner with 11 alternative high schools and education programs in Minneapolis and Hennepin County suburbs. The grant supports implementation of an updated career readiness curriculum, stronger integration of career readiness into classroom instruction, work-based learning opportunities, and improved data tracking for student and employer engagement. PPL has spent more than a decade strengthening LEAP, which offers paid work experience and serves youth ages 14 to 24 who have faced barriers related to housing instability, foster care involvement, or juvenile justice system involvement.

One-Year Planning Grants

• Brooklyn Center Community Schools received $24,750 to collaborate with the Brooklyn Bridge Alliance for Youth and hire a cohort of youth researchers. The researchers will partner with educators and other adult leaders to develop recommendations for increasing student participation in career pathway programming offered by the district.
• The Freshwater Society received $25,000 to partner with the All Nations Program at South High School in Minneapolis to identify relevant program partners and build relationships that support co-design of a pathway focused on water-related careers in public utilities, tribal government, and the private sector.
• Islamic Civic Society of America (MN) received $25,000 to partner with Metro Schools College Prep, a Minneapolis-based public charter high school, and Open Path Resources, a civic health, wellness, education, and leadership development organization. Together, they will create a career pathway program that provides students with academic credit, paid work experience, and credentials in healthcare and education.
• Plymouth Christian Youth Center received $24,287 to partner with students, employers, the Minnesota Department of Education, Project for Pride in Living, and Hennepin Technical College to build a formal career pathway program for students attending PYC Arts and Technology, a contract alternative high school in North Minneapolis operated in partnership with Minneapolis Public Schools.
• Richfield Public Schools received $25,000 to develop a career-connected learning sequence for students in grades 9 to 12, including career exploration, career and technical education, dual-credit coursework, and opportunities to earn industry credentials. The district also plans to create paid internship and work-based learning opportunities.