Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest

Our state and federal teams worked with the Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest (FTI-UM) to secure grant funding for remote learning technology from the Governor’s office in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Utilizing our team’s deep relationships with Minnesota lawmakers and officials in the state’s Executive Branch, we were able to craft an effective message and build a coalition of support for the funding, in part by underscoring the importance of career and technical education in Minnesota’s recovering economy.

Our team was able to secure a large grant from the Governor’s Emergency Educational Relief Fund to help FTI-UM invest in the training and technology that are essential to improving student outcomes during the pandemic. With a coordinated effort from our state and federal teams, we were able to tell a clear story on behalf of the client, convey the urgency of the moment, and engage with policymakers until our desired outcome was achieved.