Diversity & Inclusion Grant

The Minnesota Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA-MN) in partnership with the Minnesota Surveyors and Engineers Society (MSES) annually offers a Diversity & Inclusion Grant.

Applications are accepted in November of each year, with a deadline of early January. Funds are distributed in Q1 to the grant recipient; there are no requirements related to when grant-related work must begin.

In 2025, the grant amount awarded was $6,000.

Funding is intended to foster a diverse workforce within the field of public works through education, training and awareness initiatives oriented toward underrepresented populations.

The organization must provide service to residents of the state of Minnesota. Applicant organizations must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization or a government instrumentality such as a municipality or public school district.  The organization must directly or indirectly support students or job seekers interested in advancing their career in Civil Engineering, Public Works or a closely related field. Consideration will be given to experience related to the field of public works, stated goals of the organization, financial need, ability to introduce new individuals to the field of public works and its opportunities, and overall effectiveness of the organization to achieve the Diversity Grant objective.

Check back in November for details on the next grant opportunity.

Grant Recipients

2025 - National Society of Black Engineers Twin Cities Professional Chapter
2024 - Metro Blooms
2023 - No award given
2022 - Bloomington, MN Public Works
2021 - No award given
2020 - CAPI USA
2019 - Burnsville Eagan Savage Public Schools, ISD 191
2018 - University of Minnesota Dept. of Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering
2017 - University of St. Thomas