Minnesota Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP)
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
$5,000–$9,000 per new job
MN trains your new rural hires for free
JTIP provides training grants of $5,000–$9,000 per new job to new or expanding businesses in Greater Minnesota (outside the Twin Cities metro). Businesses creating 3+ permanent new jobs at 120%+ of federal poverty wage can receive reimbursement for customized employee training costs over a two-year period. Applications are rolling and first-come, first-served.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $5,000 – $200,000
- Realistic amount
- Most JTIP awards range from $30,000–$100,000. A business creating 10 new jobs at median wages would receive approximatel…
- Deadline
- Rolling — applications accepted year-round on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.
- Status
- active
- States
- MN
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Business must be located in Greater Minnesota (outside the 7-county Twin Cities metropolitan area)
- Must be a new business OR an existing business that is expanding
- Must create at least 3 new permanent full-time jobs (minimum 32 hours/week for at least 9 months/year)
- New jobs must pay wages equal to at least 120% of federal poverty guidelines for a family of four by end of training period
- Training must be directly related to the new jobs created
- For-profit businesses only
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Location restriction: Greater Minnesota (outside 7-county Twin Cities metro)
- Requires creating at least 3 new jobs
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Tuition and fees paid to accredited educational institutions or training providers
- Instructor/trainer costs for customized company training
- Training materials and supplies directly related to the training
- Travel for employees to off-site training (limited)
- Costs of on-the-job training by qualified instructors
Ineligible expenses
- Training costs for existing employees not tied to new job creation
- General HR or management development unrelated to new production roles
- Employee wages or benefits during training
- Equipment purchases (even if used in training)
- Training conducted outside Minnesota
How to apply
-
1
Contact DEED regional business development representative
Reach out to the appropriate DEED regional representative for Greater Minnesota before applying. They will confirm eligibility, review the business expansion plan, and help frame the training project.
-
2
Develop training plan and budget
Document the specific training needed for each new position, the training providers (community colleges, technical schools, private trainers), and the estimated costs. JTIP reimburses actual training costs — build a detailed cost breakdown.
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3
Submit JTIP application to DEED
File the formal JTIP application with DEED. Application includes: company background, new jobs description (titles, wages, hours), training plan, budget, and evidence of business expansion (lease, equipment orders, permits, etc.).
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4
Execute training grant agreement
If approved, DEED issues a grant agreement specifying the number of qualifying jobs, training scope, budget, and timeline (up to 2 years). All training expenses must occur after the agreement is signed.
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5
Complete training, hire employees, submit reimbursement
Execute the training plan and hire qualifying employees. Submit reimbursement requests with documentation: invoices from training providers, employee records confirming new hires, and payroll records confirming qualifying wages.
Apply at the start of the state fiscal year (July) — JTIP is first-come, first-served and funds can be exhausted by late spring. A phone call to the DEED regional rep before submitting avoids common documentation gaps.
Deadline & timing
JTIP is always open for applications on a rolling basis. Grants are awarded by the Commissioner of DEED on a first-come, first-served basis. Apply early in the state fiscal year (July–August) when funds are fresh.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.