$43 million in grant funding to support reemployment: conditions and how to apply
The US Department of Labor will hand out $43 million in grants to help train dislocated workers most affected by the pandemic reenter the workforce.
The application process for CAREER National Dislocated Worker Grants is under way. Eligible entities will have until 31 August 2021 to submit their proposal to help dislocated workers who were most impacted by the economic and employment fallout of the covid-19 pandemic.
Comprehensive and Accessible Reemployment through Equitable Employment Recovery (CAREER) National Dislocated Worker Grants will be targeted at workers from historically marginalized communities or groups, as well as recipients of state or pandemic unemployment benefits who have exhausted their assistance along with the long-term unemployed.
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What can the funds be used for?
The $43 million in CAREER grants will be administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA), through the National Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs). These are flexible grants that provide resources to states and other qualifying applicants “to respond to large, unexpected layoff events causing significant job losses,” such as the coronavirus pandemic.
The grants are awarded by the Secretary of Labor under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Applicants will submit proposals to compete for an estimated 15 grants with a ceiling of $3 million per grant. Applications need to be received by 31 August 2021, before 4 pm ET.
Applicants can choose from one of two types of activities required to receive a grant. They could use funds to focus on assisting participants find a job through career, training and supportive services. The other option is to expand IT solutions or services for job search, career guidance and training among other allowable activities.
Who can apply for the CAREER Grants?
Although multiple entities can submit applications for a grant within the same state, only one grant will be given when there is duplication of applications. Duplicate applications are those that serve the same population in the same geographical area. The Department urges those applying to coordinate with other potential applicants in their state. Only the first application that fulfills the requirement of the grant will receive the funds.
Eligible applicants are states, workforce development boards or consortiums of them. Other entities could include those approved by a state governor or by the Indian and Native American program. These entities, including nonprofits and unions, must demonstrate to the Secretary their capabilities and effectiveness at responding to circumstances relating to specific dislocations according to the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) guidelines for the grant found on page 4.
How to apply?
The first step to applying for any government grant, or funding opportunity, is to go to Grants.gov to register one account, more profiles to that account can be added later. The registration process takes just a matter of minutes according to the site.
You will then to check your eligibility which can be done in two ways. You can register to apply through the Grants.gov page or you already understand the legal eligibility of the funding opportunity.
According to the CAREER grant opportunity:
“In carrying out the required activities, grantees will design and implement a strategy in line with this guidance and Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 12-19, National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Guidance, including carrying out extensive outreach to ensure that eligible participants are aware of the employment and training opportunities provided by the grant.”
The Department of Labor is providing help through a Webinar
For those that would like more information about the CAREER grants, officials from the Department of Labor will hold a webinar to discuss the application requirements.
The virtual seminar will be held Thursday 8 July, 2021 between 2:30 and 3:30 pm ET.