Businesses Can Apply to Receive Summer Internship Wage Reimbursement

The Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has been awarded a grant to help cover the wages of youth interns in 2025. The Chamber will receive up to $35,556 from the Future Ready Workforce Grant, a program funded by the Greater Twin Cities United Way and the Minnesota Chamber Foundation. In addition to this grant, the Fergus Falls Chamber will also be working with STEM grant funds through Lakes Country Service Cooperative, which will specifically cover jobs related to science, technology, engineering, and math. (Watch for more information coming soon.)

The grant program is designed to support businesses that offer paid internships in high-demand career areas like nursing, commercial driver's licenses (CDL), manufacturing, construction, and others.

In 2024, the Chamber supported 66 youth intern wages at 24 employers. The funds were distributed as reimbursements to businesses for wages paid to interns.

Businesses interested in applying for the 2025 grant can use the link on the Chamber home page to register (FergusFalls.com). The funds will be given away until all of the funds are depleted, so please register! A $500 maximum is allowed per intern at each business.

For more information on these funds, contact Lisa Workman at the Chamber (218-736-6951).