New scholarship initiative will help students pursue education and training for high-demand careers in northwest Minnesota.
BEMIDJI, MN – Northwest Minnesota Foundation is launching a new Workforce Pathway Scholarship opportunity designed to help students pursue education and training for careers in fields experiencing workforce shortages across northwest Minnesota. Through this pilot program initiative, NMF will award scholarships to students from its service region who are pursuing eligible degrees, certificates, or other credentials at post-secondary institutions within the region.
“Strong communities depend on having skilled people ready to fill essential roles,” said Kelly Martinka, Senior Philanthropy Manager at Northwest Minnesota Foundation. “By reducing financial barriers for students pursuing high-demand careers, we can help create pathways to meaningful employment while strengthening the workforce our northwest Minnesota communities rely on.”
NMF’s service area includes Red Lake Nation, White Earth Nation and the 12 counties of Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau.
Investing in students and Northwest Minnesota’s workforce
The Workforce Pathway Scholarship is designed to support students preparing for careers where qualified employees are urgently needed.
Initial areas of study will include:
- Early Childhood Education, including degrees and certificates that prepare students for careers in child care and early learning.
- Health Care, including programs leading to credentials such as CNA, LPN, RN, and other health care careers.
- Additional high-demand workforce areas will also be considered, including construction trades such as electrical construction, HVAC, plumbing, carpentry, and welding, as well as automotive service and technology programs.
Scholarship funds may be used for eligible educational expenses such as tuition, books and supplies, certification costs, and other related fees.
Priority will be given to students who demonstrate financial need, are pursuing education aligned with regional workforce demand, and express an interest in living and working in northwest Minnesota following completion of their education or training.
Connecting education to regional opportunity
The initiative builds upon NMF’s existing scholarship infrastructure while testing a more intentional approach to connecting scholarship investments with regional workforce needs.
The program also creates opportunities to strengthen connections among students, area employers, post-secondary institutions, educators, and community partners. By helping students access education and training close to home, NMF hopes to support both individual economic opportunity and the long-term strength of northwest Minnesota communities.
The pilot will also provide an opportunity for NMF to learn more about the demand for workforce-focused scholarships, the financial and educational barriers facing students entering high-need professions. NMF will evaluate the program based on scholarship applications and awards, credentials pursued, student progress, and recipient feedback to help inform future scholarship and workforce strategies.
Applications for the scholarship will be accepted through December 11th.
Applications are completed online through the NMF website. Click on “Grants & Scholarships” on the home page and follow the prompts to reach the Scholarship Portal.
