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Senate committee adds workforce grants and Ignite Business Women grant to omnibus supplemental bill
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Summary
The Senate Finance Committee added A48 to House File 24-33, inserting workforce development appropriations (totaling about $4.93 million in one-time FY2027 grants), a $100,000 grant for the Ignite Business Women Investment Group, and an extension for the Rural/Bridal Cancer Institute pilot to June 30, 2028; an effort to require more vetting of the Ignite recipient was withdrawn after a committee commitment to follow up.
The Senate Finance Committee on April 27 adopted the A48 amendment to the omnibus supplemental bill (House File 24-33), inserting targeted workforce and grant provisions, including a $100,000 general fund appropriation for the Ignite Business Women Investment Group and an extension of the Bridal Cancer Institute pilot program through June 30, 2028.
Carlin Doyle Fontaine, counsel to the jobs committee, described A48 as adding a new article with workforce development fund appropriations. Fiscal staff said the workforce items are one-time FY2027 appropriations totaling $4,930,000, with grants listed on the spreadsheet including funding for Enterprise Minnesota (Made in Minnesota), Wallen Educational Partners ($100,000), new pathways job readiness ($130,000), People Serving People ($250,000), New Media Institute ($250,000), Appetite for Change, 180 Degrees ($250,000), Cookie Cart ($300,000), Hmong American Partnership ($500,000) and a $1,000,000 Getting to Work grant program.
The A48 package cancels $100,000 of a 2023 Forward Fund appropriation and transfers that amount to the general fund to support the Ignite Business Women Investment Group grant. Sen. Draheim said he could not find sufficient public information on the Ignite organization and offered an A50 amendment requiring more vetting and a current 990; Sen. Champion committed to convene with the bill's author to address vetting questions, and Draheim withdrew A50.
Sen. Champion noted many grant recipients and program provisions are geographically distributed to ensure statewide coverage and said committee staff will provide members with supporting 990s and background documents. After discussion the committee adopted A48 by voice vote and laid HF24-33 over for later consideration.
Next steps: HF24-33 now incorporates these workforce and pilot provisions and will be considered later in the session; committee staff will follow up on vetting documentation for the Ignite recipient.
