Minnesota AFL-CIO

Minnesota AFL-CIO supports union-affiliated learners in Minnesota through education funding tied directly to membership in unions affiliated with the organization. Its scholarship activity serves both adult learners and younger students connected to affiliated unions, showing a sustained focus on helping union families pursue postsecondary education within the state. A clear example is the Martin Duffy Adult Learner Scholarship, which opens on 4/17/2026 and closes on 6/17/2026. That program offers up to $500 to adult union members in Minnesota who plan to attend a college or university in the state. Eligibility extends to members in good standing of a Minnesota union affiliated with the Minnesota AFL-CIO, and it also includes members on layoff, disabled, or retirement status when they can show proof of membership for the 6 months before layoff. The scholarship is aimed at adult learners age 25 and older pursuing a bachelor’s degree, and recipients are selected by lottery rather than by academic performance, financial need, or merit. The organization’s education support also reaches graduating high school seniors in Minnesota who are members or dependents of members of affiliated unions. Through the Minnesota AFL-CIO Scholarship, it assists students planning to attend a college, university, or vocational or technical school in Minnesota. That program uses a 3.0 GPA threshold and also selects winners by lottery. Taken together, these programs show Minnesota AFL-CIO’s role in serving union members and their families across different life stages, with a statewide emphasis on access to higher education and training in Minnesota.