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Beltrami County wins $183,000 SNAP E&T grant to expand job‑training for food‑support recipients
Summary
Beltrami County received an additional $183,000 for its SNAP Employment & Training program and has about 50 referrals in the queue; staff say building a caseload is required before the funds can be used.
Bryce Britton, economic assistance program manager with health and human services, told the work session that Beltrami County was approved in March 2026 for an additional $183,000 to expand its SNAP Employment & Training (E&T) program.
"It's a voluntary workforce development program connected to food support," Britton said, describing SNAP E&T as a pathway that provides job‑search support, career coaching, access to short‑term education and training, and paid or unpaid work experience opportunities. He said the county currently has about 50 referrals in the SNAP E&T queue, with 20 registered as of May 7.
The funding will support three program areas: noneducation/nonwork supports such as supervised job search and job retention; short‑term education and training (examples cited: ABE, GED, ESL and two‑year certificates); and work‑experience placements including on‑the‑job training and internships. Britton stressed that because participation is voluntary the county must first build a caseload before it can draw the grant funds.
Kurt Anderson, economic assistance division director, framed the award amid broader recognition for the department: three Beltrami County teams or individuals were honored at the state MFIP/TANF conference, including an eligibility‑worker‑of‑the‑year recognition for Melissa Mystic and a lifetime‑achievement award for Val Siberson.
County staff said outreach to recruit participants includes targeted case‑scrubbing by financial workers, a community article, a three‑week radio advertising buy with Paul Bunyan Broadcasting, and a newspaper run in the Bemidji Pioneer. Britton said the county schedules program overviews the first and third Thursday of each month.
Looking ahead, staff said they will use the grant to expand referrals and case management, but cautioned the voluntary nature of the program and the need for enrolled participants are key constraints on how quickly the county can spend the approved funds.
