2000 Minnesota Statutes

     116L.16 Distance-work grants. 

    The job skills partnership board may make grants-in-aid for 
 distance-work projects.  The purpose of the grants is to promote 
 distance-work projects involving technology in rural areas and 
 may include a consortium of organizations partnering in the 
 development of rural technology industry.  Grants may be used to 
 identify and train rural workers in technology and provide rural 
 workers with physical connections to telecommunications 
 infrastructure, where necessary, in order to be self-employed or 
 employed from their homes or satellite offices.  Grants must be 
 made according to sections 116L.02 and 116L.04, except that: 

    (1) the business match may include, but is not limited to, 
 additional management or technology staff costs; start-up 
 equipment costs such as telecommunications infrastructure, 
 additional software, or computer upgrades; consulting fees for 
 implementation of distance-work policies or identification and 
 skill assessment of potential employees; and the joint financial 
 contribution of two or more businesses acting as a consortium; 

    (2) cash or in-kind contributions by partnering 
 organizations may be used as a match; 

    (3) eligible grantees may be educational or nonprofit 
 educational training organizations; and 

    (4) grants-in-aid may be packaged with loans under section 
 116L.06, subdivision 6. 

    The board shall, to the extent there are sufficient 
 applications, make grant awards to as many parts of the state as 
 possible.  Subject to the requirement for geographic 
 distribution of grants, preference shall be given to grant 
 applications that provide the most cost-effective training 
 proposals, that provide the best prospects for high-paying jobs 
 with high retention rates, or that are from more economically 
 distressed rural areas or communities. 

    Grantees must meet reporting and evaluation requirements 
 established by the board. 

    HIST: 2000 c 488 art 2 s 7