Grant Questions and Answers

Below are questions and answers about the Youth Skills Training (YST@DLI) grant.

Question:  Could you please provide some clarification for Exhibits A, B, C and D? 
Answer:  Exhibit B1 is asking for specifics around the programming that will be funded by the grant in terms of staffing and organizational capacity. Do you have multiple departments on board to successfully administer the grant on both the fiscal side and the performance side demonstrating capacity to administer and run a grant of the size you are requesting?  If you have current YST programming, describe who has been running that and how you budget for that programming. Do you have systems in place as it relates to YST activities and systems in place to manage grant funding?  Question 2 is asking for specific grant awards that would demonstrate ability to manage a large grant.  Question 3 is asking specifically about grants from the state of Minnesota (any agency).

Question:  If I submit the YST grant with a request that $X is designated to cover part of the salary of the YST coordinator for the time they are devoting to the YST activities, and the district decides they would rather hire a new person to be the YST coordinator for the designated $X, would that be ok?
Answer:  You are submitting a well thought out preliminary budget in your application – we know that things can change between application and contracting. As long as that dollar amount and the position duties for the YST coordinator are similar and any adjustments don’t drastically change the scope of your programming, making a change regarding who is in that position would be okay at contracting time. 

Question:  Can the application be submitted as a Google Doc, or must it be in Microsoft? 
Answer:  We are unable to accept Google Docs. Please export the docs from Google into a Word document or PDF for submission. 

Question:  We are going to include in the application the Grant-funded personnel (wages and benefits).  We have not had a new approved contract yet and our district and union are going to mediation after the application deadline.  How might we go about filling that portion out knowing that there will probably be a pay increase, but we won't know that number for a while yet.
Answer:  We understand that some changes can happen from grant application deadline to contracting date, so some small budget modifications can occur and are allowed. You will want to do the best math you can do and note in your budget narrative that you are undergoing contract negotiations and that could impact personnel budget.
 
Question:  What is the difference between what you are looking for in question 2 vs. question 4? The second part of question 4 asks about employers, which is a new question, but the first part asks again about recruiting students. 
Answer:  Question 2 is asking you to address how you are intentionally providing access to student populations who are underrepresented in industry and opportunities – specific strategies that you are using to promote and engage them in the program. Who are you trying to reach? What is the context for equity in your program? What are your equity strategies for promotion and engagement?

Question 4 is about your marketing strategies – what are your specific marketing techniques/plans for your YST program? This includes marketing to students, families, employers and community orgs.

Question:  Would grant money be available to strengthen a Certified Nursing Assistant program? 
Answer:  Yes, YST funds can be used for development and expansion of YST programs in the healthcare industry. CNA coursework would qualify.

Question:  Would welding and diesel mechanics be considered part of Advanced Manufacturing?
Answer:  Diesel mechanic would be part of an automotive pathway, not Advanced Manufacturing. Welding can be approved as part of an Advanced Manufacturing pathway.

Question:  Can I add an additional industry from what I checked on the survey of intent?
Answer:  Yes, you can.

Question:  Can students be placed in paid work experiences through a temp agency?
Answer:  No. Students must be hired and paid directly by a YST-approved industry employer.

Question:  What are some challenges that employers might have when considering becoming YST-approved?
Answer:  

• Concern about existing age restrictions – Federal and state child labor laws protect young people under the age of 18. YST can allow younger students to work in more hazardous industries safety through completing our Employer Approval process.

• Paperwork for approval – There is minimal required paperwork to submit in the approval process, but YST staff at DLI and YST coordinators in schools can help with the completion of these forms.

• Supervision – Schools can assure employers that the school partner is a resource for/supportive of both the student and the employer for the duration of the student’s paid work experience. Schools will provide additional supervision of their YST student learners.

Question:  Is the maximum YST grant award of $100,000 over a two year cycle?
Answer:  Yes that is the maximum TOTAL amount a partnership can be awarded for the two-year grant.

Question:  Are grants ever partially funded?
Answer:  Yes, it does occasionally happen where an applicant is funded for less than they requested.

Question:  Can funds be designated for a staff member to get their Work Based Learning certification?
Answer:  No, YST grant funding cannot be used to pay for a staff member to get their Work Based Learning certification

Question:  Can I apply for the new YST grant round if I am the fiscal agent for a current YST grant?
Answer:  No. This grant does not allow for overlapping grant contracts. Any open grants must be closed/finished by the start date of the next round. “Programs that received YST grant funding in the immediately preceding grant round are ineligible to apply for additional funding to avoid overlapping grant contracts.”

Question:  Does the partnership between the school and business already need to exist to apply for funds? 
Answer:  Partnerships on the YST grant application may include existing partnerships and partnerships that are in development. Listed employers do not need to be officially YST employer approved, but need to be partners that you are actively working with, not just a list of employers in your community. 

Question:  We have a licensed teacher who teaches/monitors and places students at various work/internship locations. If we apply for and receive a grant, could the award dollars pay for a part of their salary?
Answer:  You would be able to use some of the YST grant funding to support a staff position to coordinate/oversee the YST specific programming for your school. The position that YST dollars could be utilized for needs to be targeted toward developing YST programming in one or more of the YST industry areas - Advanced Manufacturing, Agriculture, Automotive, Health Care and Information Technology. 

Question:  Can YST grant funding be used to pay student wages or buy incentives as payment for student work experiences? 
Answer:  No, based on YST statute, grant funding cannot be used to pay or supplement student wages in any form for a paid work experience.

Question:  Are the YST grant funds reimbursed in equal payments on a quarterly basis? How should the proposed grant budget form be completed?
Answer:  No, the grant funds are reimbursed based on program spending during each quarter. There is no requirement to spend the money in equal amounts based on a quarterly or yearly basis. The proposed grant budget form should be completed using the total dollar amount requested over the two-year grant period.

Question:  Can we use YST grant funding to pay employer partners a stipend for participating?
Answer:  No, YST grant funding cannot be used to pay employer partners for participating in the program.

Question:  Does our partnership need to receive a grant before applying for YST program approval?
Answer:  No, you do not need to be a YST grant recipient to apply for YST program approval. The YST@DLI grant process and YST@DLI program approval are two independent components of the program.

Question:  Which industries are currently approved for YST grant funding and YST program approval?
Answer:  YST@DLI has approved the following industries for both the grant process and program approval – advanced manufacturing, agriculture, automotive, information technology and health care.

Question:  Do YST employer partners have to pay wages or can another program fund the wages through an eligibility based program?
Answer:  YST employer partners need to be the employer of record, which includes paying the wages and covering workers' compensation insurance for student learners.

Question:  What are the expected outcomes based on YST statute?
Answer:  At least 80% of the student learners who participate in a YST program should receive a high school diploma; and at least 60% of the student learners who participate in a YST program should receive a recognized credential upon completion of the YST program.

Question:  Why is construction not one of the industries included for the YST grant and YST program approval?
Answer:  Minnesota child labor law does not allow for minors under 18 years of age on construction and building sites. Youth Skills Training programs include 16- and 17-year-old students and require paid work experience.

Question:  Can grant money be used to purchase equipment and supplies for classrooms?
Answer:  Yes, grant money may be used to purchase equipment and supplies for classrooms as long as the employer partners agree the purchases are important to the program and a good use of the grant funds. The YST grant funding is designed to create and implement YST programs and is not designed to become an educational funding source. Equipment expenses that exceed $5,000 in total during the course of the grant and have an expected useful life of more than two years are considered capital expenses and require approval prior to purchase.

Question:  Is there a target or minimum number of hours required for paid work experience for a YST grant?
Answer:  No, there are no target or minimum hours required. The number of hours for a YST paid work experience are determined by the school and employer partnership. It is also up to school and employer partnership to determine the paid work schedule (during school, after school, weekends, summers) as long as they abide by child labor laws. YST students must have a school staff supervisor available for contact should any issues arise. 

Question:  Can YST programs include PSEO courses? 
Answer:  YST programs must provide industry-related courses for high school credit. Post-secondary institutions and courses can also be a part of the program design, but are not required.

Question:  Should applicants type on the application provided or create a new document? Can they print, sign, and scan to YST staff as a PDF?
Answer:  Please type on the application document and submit this form for consideration. Applications can be submitted as PDFs or Word documents. The 250-word limit is only applicable to question 1 (program summary). The application page limit for the entire narrative is 10 pages, which does not include cover pages, exhibits and financial documents. Applicants can print, sign and scan the application if that works best for your organization.

Question: Is there a list of current YST approved employers? 
Answer: Yes. Please see the main YST webpage to reference the document titled “Report to the Minnesota Legislature, Feb 1, 2025.” YST employers are listed in this document.

Question:  Do we need to add a new industry to apply for another round of YST funding?
Answer:  YST grant priorities are for new YST program development and for the expansion of existing YST programs into new YST industry area in schools. Existing YST industry areas can still be named on applications for funding use, but strong applications will center new YST industry areas for development.

Exhibits listed in the application for schools/municipalities:

• Question:  Who should complete Exhibit B (performance capacity) from our organization? 

• Answer:  Your finance person or grants person would be appropriate to complete this section.

• Question:  Who should we identify in Exhibit D as “a principal?”

• Answer:  Please refer to the definition in the exhibit: A principal is defined as a public official, a board member, or staff (paid or volunteer) with the authority to access funds provided by this grant opportunity or to determine how those funds are used. This does not only refer to a school principal, but rather any individual who will facilitate procurement, request grant reimbursement, and authority to make financial decisions regarding YST funds. This might be your finance person, your YST coordinator a school principal or an Executive Director – any number of people may qualify. Your HR staff should be able to complete this form.

Question:  Do you need to wait to apply after doing the intent survey? 
Answer:  No, you do not. Please complete the application after submitting the survey intent.

Question:  Can an organization apply as a fiscal agent and be named in another application as a key partner?
Answer:  Yes, but keep in mind that a priority for YST is to support organizations across the entire state, so it is unlikely more than one grant would be awarded to essentially support a single organization. 

Question:  As we will fill out the expense report section of the grant is there a recommendation regarding the percentages that we should stay within for the different categories?
Answer:  Applicants tend to submit a variety of budget configurations depending on what their needs are and where they are in terms of program development. The only line that we have clear guidelines for is capital expenses, which fall in the curriculum/supplies/training line. “Capital expenses cannot comprise the majority of the proposed grant expenditures.” We recommend that applicants keep capital expenses below 30% of the award amount requested.

Question:  Are there examples of certifications that schools have paid for with YST grant funding as a way to improve student employability?
Answer:  The tables in our most recent Legislative Report provide some examples of certificates that schools have incorporated into their YST program design, and have paid for with YST grant funds. Often employer/industry partner input is instrumental in identifying what certificates are most relevant to employability. 

Question:  What if our budget estimates in the application end up being not quite right? For example – we estimate $10,000 for a YST coordinator but then need more funds to cover that position.
Answer:  We allow for budget revisions during the lifetime of the grant to ensure that money is in the correct lines for spending. However, please submit a well-planned budget with your application to minimize significant revisions. We cannot approve revisions that change the scope of the program design in your grant application.

Question:  As a prior grantee do I need to provide a synopsis of my prior YST grant work in the new application?
Answer:  No, you do not need to do so explicitly but provide that prior experience as context in your new grant application.

Question:  The RFP states that capital expenses cannot comprise the majority of the budget in the grant application, but the webinar stated that the cap is actually 1/3 of the grant. Can you please advise?
Answer:  We advise keeping capital expenses to 1/3 of your grant budget to ensure that funds being used to support comprehensive programming elements for YST students in addition to equipment purchase. 

Question:  What grant information needs to be included in Exhibit B?
Answer:  Please briefly list any/all grants that are state grants or that are not state grants but that are either for similar work and/or are of a similar amount.