Funding to Support Partnerships Between Community Colleges and Employers Announced

The U.S. Departments of Labor and Education have announced the availability of $474.5 million in funding for the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training program.

In its third round of funding, this program aims to create and expand partnerships between community colleges and the workforce in an effort to train workers with key skills that employers need. These partnerships ensure that community college curricula are aligned with practical skills and competencies that workers – particularly those that have lost their jobs or are threatened by job loss - need to obtain high-wage, high-skill employment opportunities. This year’s funding focuses on evidence-based workforce training models that can be completed in two years or less, including online and technology-based job training tools. In addition, funding can be used to help community colleges better track data on the employment and earnings of students after graduation.

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, as defined in the Higher Education Act of 1965. Applicants may apply as a single institution or a consortia of three or more institutions. The U.S. Department of Labor intends to award 54-63 grants to single institutions, with funds ranging from $2,372,500 to $2.75 million. Additionally, the Department will award grants up to $25 million to single-state or multi-state consortium applicants, up to approximately $324 million in total awards, that propose programs that will impact workers across a state, region or regions, industry sector or cluster of related industries.

Recognizing that workforce training needs vary regionally, all applicants are required demonstrate their commitment to using labor market information to focus training on local economic needs. In addition, single-state consortium applicants are required to develop employment results scorecards that track outcomes for students by program, and multi-state consortium applicants are required to develop employment results scorecard continuous improvement plans.

Application due dates are as follows: 

• Single institution applications are due June 18, 2013
• Consortium applications are July 3, 2013

The U.S. Department of Labor encourages applicants to read Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants before applying.

To learn more about previous grantees, click here.