Minnesota Department of Economic Development

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is distributing more than $11-million in grants.

Hundreds turn out seeking answers to new paid leave program in Minnesota

St. Cloud State University is using a state grant to develop a training program for a St. Cloud iron foundry. The $335,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development will be used to train workers at Grede Foundry.

St. Cloud State University will use a $147,000 state grant to develop a training program for Netgain, a healthcare information technology provider headquartered in St. Cloud.

A 17-million dollar grant has been awarded to 35 cities throughout Minnesota. The city of Sartell will receive $395,000 dollars in grant money.

Brazil and South Korea will have an extra Minnesota presence starting next year. The Department of Employment and Economic Development announced Tuesday that those countries would be home to two new foreign trade offices.

Minnesota' unemployment rate held steady at 7.1 percent in November, remaining nearly 3 percentage points lower than the national rate.