Employment Support Contracts with Community-Based Organizations
As part of the RISE program, Ramsey County has partnered with nearly 100 community-based organizations to provide employment support to workers impacted by COVID-19.
Note: Not all contracts are listed as those that have not been fully executed are excluded from the descriptions.
Learn, Earn and Lead
Partner with community youth (ages 14-19) employment providers to pivot programming that would fill existing service gaps for at-risk youth to ensure they are receiving critical opportunities this summer and fall despite COVID-19.
African American Leadership Forum
Contract Award: $218,000 | Website
Develop partnerships with community programs that train black youth to develop digital content for organizations forced to reduce programs due to COVID-19.
City Academy
Contract Award: $60,000 | Website
Career pathways exploration, including outdoor, paid work experience and virtual work experiences, for youth ages 16-19. Also provide technology and connectivity so participants can access virtual courses.
Cookie Cart
Contract Award: $175,000 | Website
Virtual training, workshops, employment opportunities, and employment for six low-income youth as bakery assistants.
Genesys Works
Contract Award: $55,970 | Website
Summer IT bootcamp, training, mentoring, internships and support for COVID-impacted BIPOC students to complete professional paid internships remotely.
High School for Recording Arts
Contract Award: $200,000 | Website
Tech-focused training and work opportunities for youth.
JL Griffis
Contract Award: $18,675 | Website
Summer and fall Youth Automotive Work Experience and Training program for COVID-impacted youth ages 16-19, including distance learning, employment opportunities and on the job training.
Keystone
Contract Award: $25,000 | Website
Work readiness training and paid apprenticeships for COVID-impacted, low-income youth.
Roots for the Home Team
Contract Award: $24,900 | Website
Youth driven leadership and entrepreneurial urban farm program where youth create and prepare salads for distribution to communities in need.
Saint Paul Urban Tennis
Contract Award: $63,550 | Website
Employing 47 youth to run summer tennis with virtual programming and small group activities.
Sanneh Foundation
Contract Award: $150,000 | Website
Leadership training program for COVID-impacted youth focusing on the five most essential skills for job readiness.
Spark Y
Contract Award: $60,140 | Website
Online learning for COVID-impacted youth, including hiring youth interns to assist in developing and distributing 750 hands-on educational skills for STEM and urban agriculture for younger students.
Tree Trust
Contract Award: $31,750 | Website
Subsidized summer work experiences for youth, including career exploration with arboriculture and green industry experts, field trips/tours in the green industry, and leadership skill development.
Urban Boatbuilders
Contract Award: $48,000 | Website
Technical woodworking skills training for youth while also learning about social-emotions and career/future readiness.
Urban Roots
Contract Award: $33,503 | Website
Paid employment and education opportunities for COVID-impacted youth ages 16-19 on the East Side of Saint Paul to create relevant program content on food and food insecurity in their communities and work at community work sites, including a kitchen and community garden.
Generation Future
Provide services and training to youth (ages 16-19) in areas of workforce development, learning and life skills including: career exploration and pathways (learning kits, virtual coaching, etc.), understanding about labor market information to assist youth in making informed career decisions. Focus on areas of development such as leadership, digital literacy, financial literacy, etc.
Afro American Development Association
Contract Amount: $100,000 | Website
Holistic career readiness program for Somali American youth ages 16-19, including paid internships, professional certification training through a culturally informed lens, and an eleven-module remote learning curriculum that focuses on employment and financial wellness skills building.
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Contract Amount: $52,000 | Website
Virtual career exploration and life skills workshops for COVID-impacted youth, including six virtual group workshops and six 1:1 virtual coaching sessions on financial awareness, goal setting, interest assessment, career research skills, resume writing, leadership development, self-advocacy, developing social capital, time management and critical thinking.
Center for Hmong Arts & Talent
Contract Amount: $20,000 | Website
Cohort-based career exploration programs for youth ages 16-19 in graphic design, photography and videography, including guest speakers, mentors and training sessions.
Change Inc.
Contract Amount: $111,791 | Website
Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP) pilot in partnership with Project for Pride in Living (PPL) for youth ages 16-19 to help them earn a high school diploma or GED and transition into a career with family-sustaining wages.
CLUES
Contract Amount: $84,452 | Website
Program for Latinx youth ages 16-19 who face multiple barriers to employment to support existing program redesigns to virtual platforms and professional development/technology training.
Construction Career Pathways
Contract Amount: $14,520 | Website
Paid summer construction internship experiences, in partnership with the MN Trades Academy, to help youth develop skills and gain access to good jobs with benefits in the construction industry.
Cookie Cart
Contract Amount: $140,400 | Website
Provide remote versions of Cookie Cart training, workshops, and other activities in a virtual format.
Generation 2 Generation
Contract Amount: $50,000 | Website
Work readiness training for young adults ages 18-24 to engage in sessions on pre-job readiness, soft skills, and career exploration in the service industry.
Goodwill - Easter Seals
Contract Amount: $138,053 | Website
Career services for youth, including interactive work readiness classes, individualized career counseling, and completion of work products such as job applications, resumes, reference lists, career exploration and informational interviews.
Isuroon
Contract Amount: $53,553 | Website
Education and training for COVID-impacted Somali youth through virtual coaching and on-line life and employment skill training, including digital literacy, personal and professional skill development, and industry speakers.
JK Movement
Contract Amount: $99,855 | Website
Interpersonal skill development and community service participation for COVID- impacted, underserved youth with a focus on healthy living during the pandemic and how to be competitive in the new job market.
Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest
Contract Amount: $149,450 | Website
Three-week virtual experiences for students to develop personal money management skills, acquire personal finance knowledge, develop a career plan and prepare for adult financial decisions and challenges. Also experience the JA Finance Park Simulation where students assume scenarios and visit virtual businesses to gather financial decision making information.
New Vision Foundation
Contract Amount: $70,000 | Website
Coding and digital literacy classes for youth ages 16-19 as well as certification in Fundamental in Software Development, a Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) entry level certification exam. Upon completion, youth will start an internship/apprenticeship.
Oromo Community of Minnesota
Contract Amount: $50,000 | Website
Programs for COVID-impacted students or recent graduate ages 16-19 to help them with career search, training program applications, entrepreneurship and financial management skills.
Spark-Y
Contract Amount: $50,000 | Website
Generation Future: Youth Life Skills (CFYLS) provides COVID-impacted youth opportunities to assist Spark-Y’s staff through paid work experience, with sustainability projects and urban agriculture, as well as developing online learning opportunities.
Street Therapy
Contract Amount: $60,000
Academic and career supports for COVID-impacted youth ages 16-19 who are interested in learning employment skills through a Google classroom.
The Anika Foundation
Contract Amount: $43,345 | Website
TEXTURE: a youth social enterprise program that includes financial wellness workshops and career training in beauty, sewing, graphic design, social enterprise development, marketing/promotions, event management, communications and health coaching; careers that allow for more flexibility with scheduling, telework and/or consulting.
Young Adult Transitions
Provide summer or fall employment and career transition services in Ramsey County to young adults (ages 18-24, culturally specific) impacted by COVID-19 in areas such as work experience, mentorship. financial literacy, leadership, entrepreneurship, career exploration, etc.
Catalyst Music
Contract Amount: $25,775 | Website
Virtual employment opportunities for youth ages 18-24 in East Saint Paul through a paid Youth Advisory Board and live event presentations. The Board will construct their vision for the venue’s focus and commitment to the community, then develop, implement and offer live streamed performance opportunities for young artists.
Change Inc.
Contract Amount: $100,454 | Website
Adapted programming to meet the needs of young adults through basic skills education and training, hands-on training in specific occupational fields, job search and placement, and job keeping support.
City Academy
Contract Amount: $45,000 | Website
Support and services needed for students to be successful in education and careers. Courses for high school diploma and other life skills including leadership, money management and problem solving.
Confederation of Somali Community
Contract Amount: $51,701 | Website
One-on-one assistance with COVID-impacted youth on resume writing, job search, completing applications, interviewing skills, mock interviews, business communication, and workplace behaviors. A workforce support group will allow participants to actively discuss work stressors.
Face 2 Face
Contract Amount: $175,180.82 | Website
Employment, training, one on one coaching and short-term paid internships for two cohorts of COVID-impacted youth ages 18-24 with barriers. Internship placements include developing youth-focused media and training to be peer health specialists.
Fortune Relief and Youth Empowerment Organization
Contract Amount: $42,075 | Website
East African youth ages 18-24 obtain work skills, set and achieve education goals and gain work experience in a culturally specific way. Weekly workshops focus on workplace readiness, life skills, independent living skills and career training in IT, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, transportation/logistics/distribution and/or construction.
Generation 2 Generation
Contract Amount: $75,000 | Website
Comprehensive personal and professional etiquette, career development and essential life-skills training for COVID-impacted youth, in partnership with Life Etiquette Institute LLC.
Hack the Gap
Contract Amount: $280,100 | Website
Four virtual hackathons; a unique model for addressing gender, racial and socioeconomic disparities in youth employment and education attainment for the purpose of supporting small businesses problems that arose during civil uprising and COVID-19.
HIRED
Contract Amount: $61,776 | Website
Expanded work-readiness preparation for new COVID-impacted participants and increased capacity to offer new resources to select existing participants.
J.L. Griffis
Contract Amount: $36,750 | Website
Convert automotive, aviation and arts training services to virtual and develop a new five-week youth construction work experience.
Project Empowerment Academy ADOS
Contract Amount: $300,000 | Website
Workforce, personal and professional development support to African Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) youth through a paid, 16-week training and development program that addresses obstacles and provides resources to alleviate barriers.
Right Track- City of St Paul
Contract Value: $250,562 | Website
Right Track will hire youth interns to support multiple COVID-19 related projects including digital small business support, public health awareness campaign and local public art projects and installations.
Spark Y
Contract Amount: $50,000 | Website
Annual summer internship program with Hmong American Partnership to serve COVID-impacted youth ages 18-24 on virtual victory gardens, community-based sustainability projects and urban agriculture initiatives.
Saint Paul College - Manufacturing
Contract Amount: $6,895.86 | Website
Two cohorts of Advanced Manufacturing Career Exploration Academy for COVID-impacted young adults. Sessions will be delivered virtually and include exploration, demonstrations and career introductions.
Saint Paul Police Department
Contract Amount: $57,913 | Website
Law Enforcement Career Path Academy supporting COVID-impacted young adults in their progression along a law enforcement career pathway, including outreach, recruitment screening and industry orientation, career navigation, foundational skills training, service-learning, and community service hours.
Saint Paul Public Schools
Contract Value: 115,000 | Website
SPPS will offer their students the ability to take online credentialed and certification courses while earning a stipend for their completion of these trainings.
Street Therapy
Contract Amount: $60,000
Academic and career supports to youth ages 18-24 via online google classroom so students can access homework, assignments and live video chats. Students will learn about Important Tools, Resources and Passwords, Contact Information, Process Lists, Projects and Responsibilities.
The Man Up Club
Contract Amount: $30,000 | Website
Regular mentorship and programming for COVID-impacted young black men ages 18-24, including peer group meetings and mentorships by adult black men.
Urban Roots
Contract Amount: $91,107 | Website
Pilot program to assist COVID-impacted youth with post-secondary education/training and/or employment. Trainings include emotional regulation, financial literacy, technological literacy, cultural competency, conflict resolutions and confidence in building a support network.
YMCA
Contract Amount: $262,650 | Website
Four-week employment program for COVID-impacted young adults ages 18-24 who are at risk of or who have experienced trauma and/or violence and have barriers to maintaining equitable employment. Youth will receive a 100-hour paid internship at a YMCA branch or community partner upon completion.
Community CARES Employment Services
Provide employment and career services targeting specific populations impacted by COVID-19 including justice involved, seniors, culturally specific, veterans and people with disabilities. Funding will be provided for the areas of curriculum, coaching, career tools, engagement, job placement and training referrals.
American Indian Family Center Contract
Contract amount: $112,425 | Website
Provide career access and development case management services to 20 American Indian COVID impacted adults. In addition, provide 150 TechPaks to COVID impacted Ramsey County residents.
Center for Hmong Arts and Talent
Contract Amount: $40,000 | Website
Three-month program for young Hmong adults to gain job skills, networking and mentoring opportunities.
Goodwill - Easter Seals
Contract Amount: $224,116 | Website
Automotive and construction training and job search assistance for COVID-impacted residents.
Hmong American Partnership
Contract Amount: $75,000 | Website
Culturally specific services for COVID-impacted job seekers from the Hmong and Southeast Asian community through monthly virtual job fairs and adding job skills classes for English Language Learners.
HIRED
Contract Amount: $97,500 | Website
Enhanced career advancement and support services for COVID-impacted participants and expanded capacity to support residents whose employment status and/or prospects have been severely impacted.
International Institute of Minnesota
Contract Amount: $45,556.15 | Website
Certified Nursing Assistant training for COVID-impacted residents.
Jobs Foundation
Contract Amount: $43,120
Paid IT training for COVID-impacted residents and 1:1 job skills training.
MN Job Partners
Contract Amount: $94,939 | Website
Enhanced job readiness services for BIPOC COVID-impacted residents, including mental and physical wellbeing workshops, life skills training and coaching workshops.
Network Training Institute
Contract Amount: $95,120 | Website
Computer programming training and support services for BIPOC COVID-impacted residents.
Ujamaa Place
Contract Amount: $425,000 | Website
Modify virtual programming/tools and address increased mental pain for African American males to participate in job search and job training programs.
Virtualization of Training
Provide employment and career services targeting specific populations impacted by COVID-19 including justice involved, seniors, culturally specific, veterans and people with disabilities. Funding will be provided for the areas of curriculum, coaching, career tools, engagement, job placement and training referrals.
Genesys Works
Funded Amount: $67,700 | Website
Seminars focusing on specific postsecondary education and career tracks will be added to the College and Careers Connections (CCC) program. One-on-one coaching for COVID-impacted high school students to explore aptitudes, interests and develop personalized college and career plans.
Goodwill - Easter Seals
Funded Amount: $74,450 | Website
Successfully shift GWES-MN’s Automotive Service and Construction Training to a hybrid model that utilizes both remote learning and socially distanced, hands-on-training.
Hmong American Partnership
Funded Amount: $75,000 | Website
Develop online learning platforms intended to reskill unemployed workers to enter the workforce. Specific course offerings that benefit the target population and support participation will be identified, including computer and financial literacy, IT and healthcare.
HIRED
Funded Amount: $63,250 | Website
Create equitable and inclusive virtual learning experiences and tailored programming for residents whose employment status and prospects have changed by ensuring digital services and content are tailored to cultural backgrounds, educational experiences and learning styles of COVID-impacted populations.
International Institute of Minnesota
Funded Amount: $59,200 | Website
Transition healthcare training programs for COVID-impacted new Americans to virtual learning platforms.
TranscendIT
Funded Amount: $75,000 | Website
No-cost access to training for traditionally underserved populations in manufacturing, healthcare and education.
Vietnamese Social Services
Funded Amount: $55,066 | Website
Adapted online model to provide job skills training, Adult Basic Education, counseling and other essential services.
Community Innovation Inclusion Fund
Projects which promote and accelerate racial healing, equity and inclusion; and reduction of racial inequities and bias against racial and ethnic communities through developing and leveraging workforce and career readiness programming using inclusive tactics via new and advancing partnerships.
360 Impact
Funded Amount: $111,500 | Website
Virtual workshops to provide Black and Latino youth with mentorship, entrepreneurship and financial literacy training.
ARTS-U
Contract amount: $153,500.00 | Website
ARTS-Us will support digital creatives whose livelihoods have been impacted by COVID-19 with consulting and technology resources to produce educational digital content for Afrocentric organizations and to learn how to monetize content for ongoing revenue streams.
African Economic Development Solutions
Funded Amount: $86,956 | Website
Workforce programs for low-income, COVID-impacted African immigrants and connections to jobs in African immigrant-owned small businesses.
CLUES
Funded Amount: $75,000 | Website
Virtual employment counseling, job search assistance, digital literacy training, and wraparound services for COVID-impacted job seekers, primarily from the Latino community.
Council for Black Male Success
Funded Amount: $200,000
Workforce training, mentorship, job search assistance, and project-based internships for COVID-impacted Black males ages 16-32.
Elpis
Funded Amount: $17,000 | Website
COVID-impacted youth transitioning from homelessness will learn building skills and build Adirondack chairs to sell. For every two chairs sold, one will be donated to Ain Dah Yung.
Isuroon
Funded Amount: $38,610 | Website
Partnership with Masjid Dawad to offer hands-on, practical assistance for COVID-impacted Somali job seekers to create a job search portfolio, conduct job search, meet with recruiters, and apply for jobs.
JL Griffis
Funded Amount: $34,307 | Website
Technology access, workforce and entrepreneurial skills training, mentoring, work experience, leadership development and career exploration for COVID-impacted Black youth and young adults interested in the automotive, aviation, recording arts, and construction industries.
Network for the Development of Children of African Descent
Funded Amount: $125,000 | Website
Develop a three-part series of culturally based and family centered home learning curricular kits and activities for COVID-impacted families that focus on African American inventions and contributions to the world, history and legacy, and cultural practices.
Restoration for All
Funded Amount: $10,000
Financial literacy training, Essential Skills for Emerging Entrepreneur and interviewing workshops, job readiness and IT training, life coaching, art therapy and job search for COVID-impacted African immigrant and refugee girls.
Somali American Parent Association
Funded Amount: $52,160 | Website
Classes and workshops on creating resumes, job search skills, job applications, how to dress for work, workplace communication and behavior, and wraparound support services for COVID-impacted Somali immigrants and refugees.
Somali American Women Action Center
Funded Amount: $42,670 | Website
Workforce development, job search assistance, emotional counseling, and wraparound support services for COVID-impacted East African women and women with disabilities.
Southeast Asian Diaspora Project
Funded Amount: $50,000 | Website
Social empowerment, leadership development, and career readiness for COVID-impacted youth ages 16-25 from Southeast Asian diaspora communities.
The ANIKA Foundation
Funded Amount: $87,000 | Website
Career counseling, placement and support; technical development; access to accelerated certification programs; and culturally specific wrap-around services for COVID-impacted job seekers, primarily people of color.
The Cultural Wellness Center
Funded Amount: $91,100 | Website
Skills progression training and certifications in outdoor adventure skills for COVID-impacted youth of color, including jobs with organizations committed to achieving equity in outdoors active and environmentally focused, culturally specific programming.
Transcend IT
Funded Amount: $150,000 | Website
Technology bundles for COVID-impacted BIPOC residents who are underemployed or under skilled. Addresses both racial inequalities in the IT field and assists with removing barriers created by lack of access.
Twin Cities R!SE
Funded Amount: $99,120 | Website
Workforce development, support services, internships, and job placements for primarily African American COVID-impacted residents.
UpTurnships
Funded Amount: $60,000 | Website
Employment coaching, work readiness training, financial literacy education, and introductory employment experience with high-wage employers for COVID-impacted college students of color.
Vietnamese Social Services
Funded Amount: $50,000 | Website
Adult basic education, citizenship education, computer training, soft skills, and job skills programs for COVID-impacted immigrants and refugees. Assistance finding living wage jobs in customer service, hospitality and carpenter apprenticeships.
Future Today
The CARES Future Today Internship Program is for chamber, economic development, business incubator and accelerator organizations that will provide a cohort internship experience with their member businesses for recent graduates that are COVID-19 impacted and reside in Ramsey County.
Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce
Contract Award: $146,060 | Website
Creating an internship cohort experience for college graduates having difficulty gaining work experience due to COVID-19 by providing them with three pre-designated professional experiences, in addition to interning with local businesses.
University Enterprise Labs
Contract Award: $120,585.00 | Website
Internship opportunities for COVID-impacted college graduates placing them with early-stage science and technology businesses in an incubator environment.