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Grant Funding

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Through partnerships and education, we support relevant and engaging opportunities for students in grades 5-12 to discover, pursue, and achieve the career path that best fits them. Launch Your Future Today (LYFT) Career Pathways believes potential is limitless when we know our strengths.

Since launching in 2018, LYFT Career Pathways has fueled hundreds of innovative projects—reaching and inspiring more than 20,000 students. Over half of these projects have sparked the creation of brand-new CTE courses, opening doors to fresh opportunities and career exploration. Want to see the impact in action? Click here to explore our LYFT Projects page.

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Career and Technical Education (CTE) Impact Grants help schools expand equitable access to high-quality career and technical education for students across the region. Funds support projects that strengthen career pathways by investing in industry-level equipment, reducing transportation barriers, and building teacher skill through targeted professional development aligned to consortium-identified focus areas. We prioritize proposals tied to local and regional careers, supported by partners, and designed with clear, measurable benefits for students.

CTE Impact Grants support Minn. Stat. §124D.4536 by funding projects that advance high‑quality, equitable Career & Technical Education opportunities and is one strategy LYFT Career Pathways uses to advance Minn. Stat. § 124D.4536. Each funded project must align to at least one of the following statutory objectives:
  • Provide students with industry-level equipment and technologies supporting skill development as identified by CTE consortium partners. (Minn. §124D.4536.2.A.6)
  • Provide student transportation reimbursement grants to provide equitable opportunities throughout the region to participate in CTE. (Minn. §124D.4536.2.B.3)
  • Provide teacher professional development in curriculum and skill development in focus areas identified by CTE consortium partners. (Minn. §124D.4536.2.B.2)
*WE DEFINE ROBUST CTE AS:
  • ACCESSIBLE, EQUITABLE, AND INCLUSIVE – Student-centered opportunities that are accessible to ALL students and value our diverse human experience.
  • ALIGNED AND INTEGRATED – Education and work-based experiences that are relevant, aligned and integrated with industry needs through advanced business/community engagement and higher education partnerships.
  • INNOVATIVE AND CAREER-CONNECTED – Innovative, career-connected learning that exposes students to local/regional career opportunities through hands-on, work-based and out-of-school learning in partnership with businesses.
  • ENGAGING AND RELEVANT– Sequenced courses that are taught by instructors who are highly trained, supported, and deeply engaged in providing relevant instruction.
  • SUSTAINABLE AND NEED-BASED – Sustained and leveraged resources through community partnerships that address barriers to quality CTE.

Grant Timeline

1.     Grant Announcement and Application Period
  • Ongoing until funds are exhausted: Letter of Intent (first step) and LYFT applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, starting immediately and reviewed continuously as described in #2-#4.
  • ALL GRANTED FUNDS MUST BE SPENT AND CLAIMS SUBMITTED BY MAY 31, 2027.
  • FINAL REPORT DUE JUNE 15, 2027, or 30 days following the end of your project, whichever is sooner. (Final reports detailing the use of funds and outcomes of the project must be submitted no later than June 15, 2027).  
2.     Priority Review Dates
  • Monthly Review: Letter of Intent (first step) and LYFT applications will be prioritized as they are received and reviewed during the LYFT monthly check-in meetings. These meetings occur on the third Thursday of each month at 3 p.m.
  • Priority Consideration: Applications submitted before each monthly meeting will be given priority in that month’s review cycle.
3.     Letter of Intent Submission
  • Instructions: Letters of Intent may be submitted at any time.
  • Send an email to lyft@swwc.org, using the Subject Line: LYFT Impact Letter of Intent, briefly describing your project and the partners involved.
  • Applicants will be notified immediately following the monthly review meetings held during LYFT monthly check-in meetings. These meetings occur on the 3rd Thursday of each month.
4.     Application Submission
  • Instructions: Upon review and approval of your Letter of Intent as described in #3, LYFT Applications may be submitted at any time.
5.     Applications Notified
  • Applicants will be notified of funding decisions within 10 days following the monthly review meetings held during LYFT monthly check-in meetings. These meetings occur on the 3rd Thursday of each month.

Project Forms