The Minnesota Foundation for Student Organizations (MFSO) is the collective umbrella co-curricular Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) reside under in Minnesota. The MFSO was created in 1996 by the Minnesota State Legislature to ensure the stability of, provide collaborative leadership to, and bridge the public and private funding of Minnesota CTSOs.

The MFSO’s primary purpose is to support co-curricular career and technical student organizations. It is governed by a 23-member Board of Directors, half of which are appointed by the Minnesota State Governor and half which serve as representatives to the Student Organizations. The Board of Directors is designed to represent the following career areas: Agriculture, Business, Technology and Industrial, Marketing, Service Occupations, Family and Consumer Sciences and Health Occupations.

The MFSO acts in an advisory capacity to the MDE and to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities in allocating, managing and reporting on legislative funds awarded to the CTSOs for basic operations. In addition, the MFSO provides assistance to the Career and Technical Student Organizations it serves in the following areas: Leadership Training, Conference Support, Board Development and Special Projects.

The Minnesota Foundation for Student Organizations (MFSO) has made it a priority to focus on ensuring nontraditional, underserved, and special populations have an opportunity to engage in meaningful participation in CTSOs, part of that effort has been addressing poverty in the classroom.

Each year a select group of student leaders representing each of the CTSOs is invited to attend a “Day at the Capitol”. This event provides the students the opportunity to learn about advocacy and share the impact career and technical education has had on their life with their state Representative or Senator.