Empower Your Workforce with Grants & Training Opportunities
By Staff Report | March 4, 2025
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Attracting, developing, and engaging a skilled workforce is essential for businesses, organizations, and individuals looking to succeed in today’s competitive job market. A variety of funding opportunities, internships, apprenticeships, and training programs are now available to support career growth and workforce development across multiple industries.
Who Can Benefit?
- Employers – Access funding to train and upskill your workforce.
- Educators & Workforce Organizations – Secure grants to support career development initiatives.
- Students & Job Seekers – Find internship and apprenticeship programs to gain real-world experience.
Kentucky
Grant-in-Aid (GIA) program – Next Application Submission Deadline: June 15, 2025
The GIA provides reimbursements dollars to companies/consortia. The maximum funding amount for qualified companies during a BSSC fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) is the LESSER of the following: 50% of approved costs/eligible costs; $75,000; $2,000 x number of trainees. The following properly documented training costs are eligible: In-House Training ($25 per hour permitted); Educational Institution and Consultant Training; Instructional Materials and Supplies; Employee/Trainee Wages; Registered Apprenticeship. Safety, mandated, and regulatory training is eligible if it totals no more than 25% of the overall eligible training. Retroactive training, pro/con union training, employee assessments/evaluations and training provided.
Skilled Training Investment Credit (STIC) – Next Application Submission Deadline: June 15, 2025
The STIC provides a tax credit against Kentucky income taxes to companies for company specific training activities. The maximum tax credit amount for qualified companies during a BSSC fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) is the LESSER of the following: 50% of approved costs/eligible costs; $75,000; $2,000 x number of trainees. The following properly documented training costs are eligible: In-House Training ($25 per hour permitted); Educational Institution and Consultant Training; Instructional Materials and Supplies; Employee/Trainee Wages; Registered Apprenticeship. Safety, mandated, and regulatory training is eligible if it totals no more than 25% of the overall eligible training. Retroactive training, pro/con union training, employee assessments/evaluations and training provided.
Michigan
Going PRO Talent Fund – Applications for Employer-Led Collaboratives will open on March 24, 2025 until funding is exhausted and applications for Cycle 2 will open April 14 until May 2, 2025.
The Going PRO Talent Fund (Talent Fund), formerly known as the Skilled Trades Training Fund, makes awards to employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. Training funded by the Talent Fund must be short-term and fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer. Training must lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry.
Minnesota
Clean Economy Occupations Grant – Applications will be accepted on a continual basis until all funds have been awarded.
This grant seeks to support registered apprenticeship programs to upgrade their capacity to train registered apprentices and upskill incumbent workers in clean economy occupations.
Labor Education Advancement Program (LEAP) – Applications will be accepted on a continual basis until all funds have been awarded.
This grant funding is to facilitate the participation and/or retention of people of color, Indigenous people, and women in registered apprenticeship programs through various means including outreach, education, assessment, preparation, support services, instruction, training, placement and retention activities.
New and Expanded Registered Apprenticeship Program Grant – Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all funds have been awarded, or April 30, 2026, whichever comes first.
This grant program seeks to aid employers with the development of new registered apprenticeship programs (RAP) or to expand existing programs in apprenticeable occupations, with priority given to programs in these targeted industries: education, semiconductors, information technology, advanced manufacturing, health care, hospitality, the public sector, and construction. Incentive funding will assist with the costs of starting or expanding a registered apprenticeship program and may be used to cover the costs of employer staff time to operationalize program logistics, develop and instruct related instruction or recruit apprentices. Grant funds may also be used to purchase tools and supplies or pay for tuition for related instruction.
New Jersey
Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) – LOI Due April 4, 2025; Application Due April 11, 2025
The GAINS program will provide New Jersey businesses/organizations or current registered apprenticeship sponsor in targeted sectors with support for new Registered Apprenticeship (RA) program development, or existing RA programs who seek to expand into new USDOL approved occupations. The GAINS program will encourage participation by providing a 50% wage reimbursement for up to 12 months of newly hired apprentices’ employment, offset costs incurred for training the new apprentice, and to incentivize employers for hiring registered apprentices from pre-apprenticeship programs. Examples of training costs include: related classroom instructor costs, materials and supplies, supervision by a journey worker, etc.
Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) – LOI Due April 10, 2025; Application Due April 17, 2025
Grant funds will be awarded to successful applicants responding to this competitive NGO. The purpose of the PACE Program is to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in Registered Apprenticeship programs. These pre-apprenticeship programs have a documented partnership with at least one Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor and together, they expand the participant’s career pathway opportunities with industry-based training coupled with classroom instruction. The program will drive economic development through skills and educational attainment and create pathways to better-paying careers and advanced credentials. Competitive proposals will have a cost per head range between $4,000 and $8,000 (divide total number served by the grant amount).
Texas
Texas Talent Connection Grant – Application period opens on April 1 and closes on April 30, 2025
The Texas Talent Connection grant program, funded by Wagner-Peyser 7(b) funds, is established to support workforce training and job placement services, with outcomes intended to increase wages and job retention, through: labor exchange services; special needs populations; youth programs; and training.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Fast Forward – Industry Sectors Worker Training Grants – Applications Deadline Extended to April 2, 2025
The Wisconsin Fast Forward program is a state-funded grant program that provides employer-led worker training grants. This grant opportunity is for employers who can demonstrate a critical need for skilled workers and are seeking training grants to develop and implement a business-led skills training program. Grants are available to all industry sectors and companies of any size to provide industry sector worker training grant awards that target unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers to qualify them for full-time employment, higher-level employment, wage increases, and/or industry-recognized credentials.
Federal
Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Technical Assistance Grant Program – FORECASTED – Estimated Post Date: April 15, 2025; Estimated Application Due Date: June 29, 2025
The WANTO program is intended to provide technical assistance (TA) to employers and labor unions to encourage employment of women in apprenticeable occupations and nontraditional occupations (A/NTO), specifically by: 1) Developing (establishing, expanding, and/or enhancing) pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, or other nontraditional skills training programs designed to prepare women for careers in A/NTO; 2) Providing ongoing orientations or other resources for employers, unions, and workers on creating a successful environment for women in A/NTO; and/or 3) Setting up support groups, facilitating networks, and/or providing supportive services for women in A/NTO to improve their retention. Applicants may propose to provide technical assistance to support women’s participation and success in the full range of industries in which women are historically underrepresented or where women are disproportionately concentrated in the lower-wage occupations. Such industries include but are not limited to advanced manufacturing, construction, energy, health care, information technology, finance, and transportation.
Cybersecurity Upskilling Initiative – FORECASTED – Estimated Post Date: April 15, 2025; Estimated Application Due Date: June 29, 2025
The Cybersecurity Upskilling Initiative will fund job training programs that upskill incumbent and dislocated workers who already have Information Technology (IT) credentials and experience but need additional qualifications and specialization to meet employer demand for high-skill cybersecurity occupations. Grants will be awarded to sector partnerships to design and implement cybersecurity training programs.
About the Author
Staff Report
The Fabricators and Manufacturers Association is where thousands of manufacturing professionals unite — individuals, businesses, students — under a common purpose: grow the metal processing, forming, and fabricating industries. To do it, we've built a workforce lifecycle that supports individuals and businesses at every point in their development. Ensure they flourish. Get better at what we do, give back to our community. Expand our skills, our businesses, and our careers. Pave the way forward, with fresh ideas and technologies.
Side by side, we move metal fabrication forward.
FMA unites thousands of metal fabrication and manufacturing professionals around a common purpose: to shape the future of our industry, and in turn shape the world.
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