RFP Closes in One Week for DEED Grant to Help Internationally Trained Health Care Professionals Become Certified in Minnesota

St. Paul - The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is highlighting an upcoming deadline for organizations to apply for a grant to provide services that assist internationally trained health care professionals in earning the professional licenses required to do similar work in Minnesota. DEED reissued its Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Internationally Trained Professionals Competitive Grant Program on February 8. The RFP will remain open until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 28.

The Internationally Trained Professionals Competitive Grant Program makes grants up to $400,000 over two years to qualified organizations to assist internationally trained health care professionals in gaining licensure. Eligible organizations are state or local government units, including two or four-year post-secondary institutions, nonprofit/community-based organizations, community action agencies, or labor organizations physically located in Minnesota and with experience serving immigrant and refugee populations.

"We need to engage every available skilled health care worker in the state to help address critical staffing needs at hospitals, long-term care facilities and other health care employers in Minnesota," said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. "This grant program will help organizations who can prepare internationally trained health care workers for licensure, so we can bring those greatly needed workers into our health care workforce."

"Internationally trained workers already fill critical roles in our health care system. We need to make sure that more New Americans with such in-demand skills are provided a path to employment in Minnesota," said Vice President, Workforce Partnerships for M Health Fairview Laura Beeth. "This grant program will help provide that path while ensuring all licensure requirements are met."

Additional details about the RFP for the Internationally Trained Professionals Competitive Grant Program can be found on the Competitive Grants and Contracts page on the DEED website. Resources on that page include a link to a recording of an informational webinar and the PowerPoint presentation from that webinar, along with the required proposal documents.

DEED is the state's principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and its services, visit the DEED website, the JoinUsMn.com website, or follow us on Twitter.