1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to economic development; appropriating money for a grant to
1.3 WomenVenture; requiring a report.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. APPROPRIATION.
1.6 (a) $8,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the
1.7commissioner of employment and economic development for a grant to WomenVenture
1.8to:
1.9 (1) support child care providers through business training and shared services programs
1.10and to create materials that may be used, at no cost to child care providers, for start-up,
1.11expansion, and operation of child care businesses statewide, with the goal of helping new
1.12and existing child care businesses in underserved areas of the state become profitable and
1.13sustainable; and
1.14 (2) support business expansion for women food entrepreneurs throughout Minnesota's
1.15food supply chain to help stabilize and strengthen their business operations, create distribution
1.16networks, offer technical assistance and support to women entrepreneurs in agribusiness,
1.17develop business plans, develop a workforce, research expansion strategies, and for other
1.18related activities.
1.19 (b) Eligible uses of the money include but are not limited to:
1.20 (1) leasehold improvements;
1.21 (2) additions, alterations, remodeling, or renovations to rented space;
1Section 1.
REVISOR SS/VJ 25-0359802/14/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 2518
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Kotyza-Witthuhn, Baker, Greene, Gillman and Kozlowski03/20/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy 2.1 (3) emergency grant funding for damage caused by natural disasters;
2.2 (4) inventory or supplies;
2.3 (5) machinery or equipment purchases;
2.4 (6) working capital; and
2.5 (7) debt refinancing.
2.6 (c) Money distributed to entrepreneurs may be loans, forgivable loans, and grants. Of
2.7this amount, up to five percent may be used for WomenVenture's technical assistance and
2.8administrative costs. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2028.
2.9 (d) By December 15, 2028, WomenVenture must submit a report to the chairs and
2.10ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over agriculture
2.11and employment and economic development. The report must include a summary of the
2.12uses of the appropriation, including the amount of the appropriation used for administration.
2.13The report must also provide a breakdown of the amount of funding used for loans, forgivable
2.14loans, and grants; information about the terms of the loans issued; a discussion of how
2.15money from repaid loans will be used; the number of entrepreneurs assisted; and a breakdown
2.16of how many entrepreneurs received assistance in each county.
2Section 1.
REVISOR SS/VJ 25-0359802/14/25