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County accepts $20,000 childcare support award and $96,000 DEED workforce grant for agricultural training
Summary
Otter Tail County accepted a $20,000 award from West Central Initiative to keep contracted child‑care project managers and a $96,000 state workforce grant to expand the county’s empowered worker program into agricultural credentials; the board authorized grant acceptance, contract signatures and an RFQ for a part‑time contractor to deploy funds.
County staff on Oct. 14 told commissioners they had been awarded two grants to support child care and workforce initiatives.
Land and Resource staff said West Central Initiative granted $20,000 to continue part‑time contracted child‑care project managers who support provider recruitment, retention, training and a lending library. Staff noted the West Central funding pool has been reduced in recent legislative actions and this may be the last similar round of support.
Separately, the county applied for and received $96,000 from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to expand the "empowered worker" program into agricultural career training. The award will fund outreach, employer connections and short‑term credentialing (CDL welding, chemical applicator licenses, agronomy credentials and similar programs) and was approved in full.
The board authorized acceptance of both awards, signature authority for the grant agreements and permission to release a request for qualifications (RFQ) for a part‑time contractor to administer the workforce portion of the funding for approximately 18 months.
