Grow Your Workforce & Talent Pool Through Workforce-Specific Grants

Grow Your Workforce & Talent Pool Through Workforce-Specific Grants Main Photo

20 Feb 2023


News, Grants, Workforce

Talent recruitment and workforce development is top of mind for economic developers looking to meet the needs of growing companies, while ensuring their community can support additional business growth and attraction. Those who are fortunate to have strong partnerships with local community colleges may find that programs are already in place to facilitate low or no-cost workforce development programs. Still augmenting those programs with help from federal grants is a wise strategy when building a talent pipeline.

Economic developers can use these resources to encourage the success of workforce development.

Workforce-Specific Grants

2021-2023 Economic Development RNTA

The Department of Commerce is awarding organizations up to $1,500,000 that can provide cutting-edge ideas to promote job growth, private investment, and overall economic development in regions experiencing economic hardships. Currently, there is no closing date for this grant. However, applicants must submit a viable concept proposal and a fully completed application to be considered for this grant.

B2S Venture Challenge

The Build To Scale Venture Challenge promotes technology-based economic development to stimulate job growth and serve as a stepping stone for future industry leaders. Up to $1.5 million in awards are available to programs that support scalable startups, entrepreneurship, and accelerating company growth.  

On-Farm Labor Housing Loans

The USDA offers loans at a 1% per annum interest rate to farming-related businesses to build new housing or rehabilitate previous housing developments that have become unlivable. The tenants must be farm laborers, meaning this grant aims to stimulate the agricultural industry by offering its workers an ideal housing situation, which is hard to come by for people in this trade.

YouthBuild - FOA-ETA-23-17

YouthBuild offers funding so the Department of Labor can allocate resources to subsidize pre-apprenticeship opportunities for education, employment services, and occupational skills training to benefit local communities for young adults aged 16-24.

DOL Nursing Expansion Grant Program - FOA-ETA-22-16

Through this grant, the Department of Labor is attempting to remove the financial and institutional blockages limiting the number of qualified nurses in the medical sector by increasing the number of educators and actual frontline medical professionals. This grant allows applicants to choose whether to become a frontline nursing professional or a nursing instructor.

National Dislocated Worker Grants Program Guidance

The Department of Labor is offering states anywhere from $150,000-$100,000,000 to help provide dislocated workers with employment opportunities following natural and economic disasters. This includes creating temporary jobs related to recovery and clean–up efforts following destructive environmental phenomena and creating new jobs in areas experiencing massive economic contractions or recessions.

Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grants To Address The Opioid Crisis

The Department of Labor has earmarked $100,000,000 for states to provide training and employment to help address the aftermath of the opioid crisis. The aim is to provide opportunities to those affected by this public health epidemic by fostering connections with state and local organizations to create a skilled workforce in addiction therapy, mental health treatment, and pain management services.

Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP), Incarcerated Veterans’ Transition Program (IVTP), And The Homeless Female Veterans’ And Veterans’ With Children Program (HFVVWC) (Referred To Collectively As HVRP)

The HVRP aims to give back to military veterans who have fallen on hard times or are a part of historically marginalized populations. It intends to provide veterans who are experiencing homelessness, have been previously incarcerated, or those who have children, with opportunities to acquire prestigious careers that offer a level of economic opportunity that would otherwise be unattainable. 

Multifamily Housing Rental Assistance

The USDA is proud to announce its rental assistance program, which offers funds to owners of multifamily housing developments so that they can help low-income tenants pay their rent and utilities. More specifically, the Rental Assistance Program ensures tenants will not have to pay more than 30% of their income for housing costs.

Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants

The USDA’s Rural Development department is providing grants to non-profit organizations to fund residential construction projects where residents team up with construction professionals to build houses.  This allows low-income families to help construct their own homes, all while taking pride in helping other families do the same, fostering a stronger sense of community in rural areas.

Forecasted Opportunities

The following grants are still in the forecast stage, meaning that the funds are not yet officially available and are pending fiscal approval from the governing agency. These programs are intended to be rolled out in the near future and should be monitored until their official release.

DOL Building Pathways To Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program

  • Purpose - Training job-seekers in IT, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, transportation, and broadband infrastructure
  • Potential Award Amount - $5,000,000
  • Expected Number of Awards - 25

Department Of Labor Elizabeth Brandeis Unemployment Insurance Labor Research Center

  • Purpose - Research the Unemployment Insurance (UI) system by funding higher education institutions to further understand the effects of UI on employers, workers, and local communities
  • Potential Award Amount - $5,000,000
  • Expected Number of Awards - 1

Workforce Opportunities For Rural Communities (WORC) Round 5: A Grant Initiative For The Appalachian, Delta, And Northern Border Regions

  • Purpose - To promote sustainable job prospects that provide lasting economic prosperity by operating with local workforce development agencies in areas that have a population of marginalized residents
  • Potential Award Amount - $1,500,000
  • Expected Number of Awards - 35

Why Workforce Specific-Grants?

Grants help the economy by funding critical economic development projects, which help businesses grow and create jobs. They increase tax revenue and reduce the money local governments must spend on infrastructure through reduced need for roads and other public services.

Want to learn more? Download the Economic Developers Guide to Grants That Can Fund Key Initiatives whitepaper today!

For more information and assistance in applying for grants, contact Golden Shovel or visit our website to learn more about how these initiatives can help you.