Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation grant funding provided for the Carts to Careers initiative, and money appropriated.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ben Bakeberg and 7 co-sponsors

Provides a one-time $1.5 million grant to the Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation to fund the Carts to Careers program, expanding outreach, training, scholarships, and certifi

Author added Rymer

#employmentandeconomicdevelopmentdepartment #foodandnutrition

Purpose and Intent

HF 1439 proposes a one-time appropriation to support the Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation’s Carts to Careers initiative.

The program aims to promote careers in the food industry, enhance outreach, provide job skills training, and award scholarships to students pursuing food-industry careers.

It also allows funding to cover training and development costs, certifications, and other activities that strengthen the workforce pipeline in the food retail sector.

Source of funds: from the Workforce Development Fund via the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Key Provisions

Appropriation Amounts:

$750,000 in fiscal year 2026
$750,000 in fiscal year 2027

Purpose of Funds:

Grants to the Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation for the Carts to Careers initiative.
Activities funded include:
Outreach related to careers in the food industry
Job skills training
Scholarships for students pursuing food-industry careers
Training and development costs
Industry certifications
Other activities designed to strengthen the workforce pipeline in the food retail sector

Nature of Funding:

One-time appropriation (non-recurring)
Funds are transferred from the workforce development fund to DEED, which administers the grants to the foundation

Affected Entities and Beneficiaries

Primary recipient: Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation

Indirect beneficiaries:

Individuals pursuing careers in the food industry (students receiving scholarships)
Current and prospective workers in the food retail sector receiving training, certifications, and skill development
Employers in the grocery/food retail sector that benefit from a stronger workforce pipeline

Procedural and Timeline Details

Funding timeline:

Fiscal year 2026: $750,000
Fiscal year 2027: $750,000

Nature of appropriation:

Explicit one-time funding; no ongoing annual appropriation specified beyond FY2027

Governing body actions:

The bill was introduced in the 94th Legislature (2025-2026) and referred to relevant committees (Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy) for consideration

Sponsors:

Primary and co-sponsors include representatives Rymer, Johnson, Greene, Perryman, Rehrauer, Reyer, Frazier, Bakeberg, and others

Potential Impact

Short-term:

Provides a concrete funding stream to expand outreach, training, and scholarships in the food industry through the Carts to Careers program
May accelerate entry of students and workers into food retail jobs and related careers

Long-term (within funding period):

Strengthens the workforce pipeline in Minnesota’s food retail sector
May influence broader industry partnerships and future workforce development initiatives

Fiscal impact:

Increases state investments in workforce development specifically targeting the food industry for two consecutive fiscal years (2026 and 2027)

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to a particular audience (e.g., policymakers, community advocates) or add a brief comparison with related workforce development programs.

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