The Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has released a grant opportunity notice to support occupation skills training, education and other employment services. The grants may be of particular interest to Highway Construction Workforce Partnership (HCWP) Working Groups or as an incentive to form HCWP Working Groups as a partnership of highway industry organization and State or local workforce development board representatives. Attached is a description of the HCWP. More information including an HCWP Playbook is available on the HCWP website at: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovativeprograms/centers/workforce_dev/hcwp/
The ETA notice is titled “Grant Opportunity for Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC): A Grant Initiative for the Appalachian and Delta Regions.” It is available only to the Appalachian and Mississippi Delta Region states. The full release can be found at: https://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/FOA-ETA-19-08.pdf
Highlights of the grant notice are:
Proposals are due by July 15, 2019, 4:00 p.m. EST and can be submitted by mail as described on page 1 or online on at Grants.Gov or ETA as described on page 14.The purpose is to prepare dislocated workers, new entrants, and incumbent workers for good jobs in high-demand occupations;Eligible recipients must be located in the Appalachian and Mississippi Delta Region states;Total funding is $29.2 million with individual grants awards to range from $150,000 to $2.5 million;There is no cost share or matching funds requirement, however grantee resources will be considered as leveraged resources and considered favorably in the award decision process; The period of performance is 36 months from the October 1, 2019 start date;Support services are eligible expenses including transportation assistance; drug screening for trainees; work attire and work-related tools, protective gear; child care, and other support services.Eligible applicants include State/County/City Governments; Institutions of Higher Education, Tribal Governments; Non-Profit Organizations and a number of other organizations.
This notice has been sent to key transportation and workforce organizations in the Appalachian and Mississippi Delta Region states that may have an interest in highway construction workforce development. Recipients include executives and workforce coordinators for the Associated General Contractors of America, the American Road Transportation Builders Association, Federal Highway Administration Divisions, and State and selected local workforce development boards.
Overview – HCWP June 2019