DEPARTMENT: Employment and Economic Assistance
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Accept Minnesota Youth Program State Fiscal Year 2027 And Workforce Innovation And Opportunity Act Youth Program Year 2026 Funds, Execute Minnesota Department Of Employment And Economic Development Grant Agreements, And Execute Related Contracts
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize acceptance of the Minnesota Youth Program (MYP) State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2027 and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Program Year 2026 funds, execution of the grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Employment And Economic Development (DEED), and execute related contracts with HIRED and Tree Trust.
SUMMARY
The Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 requires local areas to provide services to low-income, at-risk youth to promote educational and employment success. This requirement is fulfilled by DEED through grants to local governments for the WIOA Youth Program and MYP.
The MYP grant is Dakota County specific, and funding is based on a DEED formula. The WIOA Youth Program grant is allocated between Dakota and Scott Counties based on a DEED formula and anticipated needs.
By Resolution No. 25-297 (June 24, 2025), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized execution of a contract with Tree Trust to provide MYP services for the SFY 2026 period of July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $426,540. The contracted amount was less ten percent for administrative expenses. Residual SFY 2026 MYP funding was tied to a solicitation for services issued on June 2, 2025, in which the Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board selected Tree Trust to continue as the Dakota County MYP services provider.
Notification of SFY 2027 MYP funding in the amount of $167,756 for Dakota County was received on December 15, 2025. Ten percent of funding will be retained for administrative expenses. Staff requests to accept the funding, and to contract with Tree Trust in an amount not to exceed $150,981. (Attachment: Dakota MYP Allocation)
By Resolution No. 25-297 (June 24, 2025), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized execution of a contract with HIRED to provide WIOA Youth Program services for the PY 2025 period of April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $468,922. The contracted amount was less ten percent for administrative expenses.
A solicitation for WIOA Youth services was issued on November 7, 2025, in which the Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board selected HIRED to continue as the Dakota County WIOA Youth Program services provider. In March 2026, an amendment was executed to extend the Program Year (PY) 2025 contract term to March 31, 2027.
Notification of PY 2026 WIOA Youth funding in the amount of $442,476 for Dakota and Scott Counties was received on May 29, 2026. Of the allocated amount, Dakota County’s funding is $353,981 and Scott County’s funding is $88,495. Ten percent will be retained for administrative expenses (Attachment: Dakota-Scott WIOA Youth Allocation).
OUTCOMES
The Dakota County MYP provided services to youth ages 14-24 who had low family income, special needs and/or other risk factors. During the summer of 2025, Tree Trust served 34 youth. See Attachment: MYP Performance Outcomes, for additional outcome measures.
In 2025, 130 total youth were served in the Dakota County WIOA Youth Program. See Attachment: Dakota-Scott WIOA Youth Performance Outcomes PY24, for additional outcome measures.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends authorization to accept MYP and WIOA Youth Program funds, execution of the grant agreements with DEED, and execute related contracts with HIRED to provide WIOA Youth Program services in the not to exceed amount of $318,582 for the period of April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027, and with Tree Trust in the amount not to exceed $150,981 for the period of July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
These costs are included in the 2026 Employment and Economic Assistance Budget. Any unspent 2026 funds will be requested to be carried over to the 2027 Budget. Successful execution of WIOA Youth services and the amended contract with HIRED relies on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) administering and allocating funds to states and local areas. The contracts shall contain a provision that allows the County to immediately terminate the contracts in the event sufficient funds from county, state, and federal sources are not appropriated at the level sufficient to allow payment of the amounts due.
Both WIOA Youth and MYP grants fund 100% of program expenses and supply Dakota County with an additional 10% administrative fee to offset cost of maintaining the program. All grant funds unspent on December 31, 2026, will be carried forward into future years.
|
Program Name |
2026 Budget |
|
WIOA Youth |
230,862 |
|
MYP |
150,981 |
☐ None ☒ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 requires local areas to provide services to low-income, at-risk youth to promote educational and employment success; and
WHEREAS, this requirement is fulfilled by the Minnesota Department of Employment And Economic Development (DEED) through grants to local governments for the WIOA Youth Program and the Minnesota Youth Program (MYP); and
WHEREAS, MYP grant is Dakota County specific, and funding is based on a DEED formula; and
WHEREAS, the WIOA Youth Program grant is allocated between Dakota and Scott Counties based on a DEED formula and anticipated needs; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 25-297 (June 24, 2025), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized execution of a contract with Tree Trust to provide MYP services for the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026 period of July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $426,540; and
WHEREAS, the contracted amount was less ten percent for administrative expenses; and
WHEREAS, residual SFY 2026 MYP funding was tied to a solicitation for services issued on June 2, 2025, in which the Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board selected Tree Trust to continue as the Dakota County MYP services provider; and
WHEREAS, notification of SFY 2027 MYP funding in the amount of $167,756 for Dakota County was received on December 15, 2025; and
WHEREAS, ten percent of funding will be retained for administrative expenses; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 25-297 (June 24, 2025), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized execution of a contract with HIRED to provide WIOA Youth Program services for the Program Year (PY) 2025 period of April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $468,922; and
WHEREAS, the contracted amount was less ten percent for administrative expenses; and
WHEREAS, a solicitation for WIOA Youth services issued on November 7, 2025, in which the Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board selected HIRED to continue as the Dakota County WIOA Youth Program services provider; and
WHEREAS, in March 2026, an amendment was executed to extend the PY 2025 contract term to March 31, 2027; and
WHEREAS, notification of PY 2026 WIOA Youth funding in the amount of $442,476 for Dakota and Scott Counties was received on May 29, 2026; and
WHEREAS, of the allocated amount, Dakota County’s funding is $353,981 and Scott County’s funding is $88,495; and
WHEREAS, ten percent will be retained for administrative expenses.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes an Assistant County Manager, Community Services, to accept the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Minnesota Youth Program (MYP) grant funds in an amount not to exceed $167,756 for the period of July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, and execute the grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Assistance (DEED), subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes an Assistant County Manager, Community Services, to accept the WIOA Youth Program funding in an amount not to exceed $442,476 for the period of April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028, and execute the grant agreement with DEED, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes an Assistant County Manager, Community Services, to execute a contract with Tree Trust to provide MYP services for a not to exceed amount of $150,981 for the term of July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes an Assistant County Manager, Community Services, to execute a contract with HIRED to provide WIOA Youth Program services for a not to exceed amount of $318,582 for the term of April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
25-297; 6/24/25
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Dakota-Scott WIOA Youth Allocation
Attachment: MYP Allocation
Attachment: MYP Performance Outcomes
Attachment: Dakota-Scott WIOA Youth Performance Outcomes PY24
BOARD GOALS
☐ Thriving People ☐ A Healthy Environment with Quality Natural Resources
☒ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACTS
Department Head: Dana DeMaster
Author: Amber Higgins