Workforce Innovation Grant
PROGRAM GOAL:
The goal of the Workforce Innovation Grant Program is to help the regions of Wisconsin solve their most pressing workforce challenges by financially supporting collaborative, sustainable and innovative pandemic-recovery plans developed by regional organizations.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The Workforce Innovation Grant Program is a collaboration between the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the Department of Workforce Development (DWD). The program provides up to $10 million grants to regional organizations to design and implement innovative plans that help solve the workforce challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has caused in their regions. This program encourages the development of leading-edge, long-term solutions that enable businesses to more easily find workers and empower those workers to more successfully prepare for and connect to the family-supporting careers in their regions.
Governmental entities, non-profits and tribal governments are eligible to apply for the grants. Approximately $40.5 million is available in Round 2. Applications for Round 2 opened on February 22, 2022 and closed on April 18, 2022. Award announcements will be made in Summer 2022. Round 1 awards totaling up to $59.5 million were announced in December for 12 recipients. Read more about the projects funded by the first round of grants.
Applications must address a region’s most pressing pandemic-related workforce challenge and offer an innovative solution specific to the region’s need. These may include, but are not limited to:
- Training and/or reskilling initiatives for in-demand jobs
- Career counseling or coaching services
- Access to transit or broadband solutions
- Childcare solutions or supportive services
Among the projects funded in the first round of grants are public-private partnerships to train and attract healthcare workers throughout rural Wisconsin; develop next-generation advanced manufacturing employees in west-central and southeast Wisconsin; expand affordable, high-quality childcare in northeast, south, and south-central Wisconsin; create pipelines of young, educated workers in Milwaukee; train construction and skilled craft workers throughout the state; foster a culture of entrepreneurship in southeast Wisconsin; and enable incarcerated individuals to earn undergraduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin.
The Workforce Innovation Grant Program rewards creativity, promote sustainable regional collaboration and fosters local accountability and participation to address the regional workforce challenges resulting from the pandemic’s extended period of labor disruption.
Workforce Innovation Grant
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More Grants
The Chippewa Valley Correctional Treatment Facility Job Center AND Individuals at Stanley Correctional Institution assist incarcerated individuals prepare and search for employment. They apply current program knowledge, performance goals, labor market information, internet‐based tools, wage and trend information; high growth and high wage information, workplace needs, worker skills, qualifications, and interests, career assessment, development, and planning strategies, and knowledge of the local, regional, and statewide labor market and business community needs to provide assisted self‐service, case management, one on one, and group services to individuals incarcerated.
To find out more information on Stanley Correctional Institution job help contact:
Anthony Mouw
amouw@wdbwcw.org
715-235-8393 ext 105
Background and Purpose
On July 14, 2018, the United States Department of Labor issued TEGL 04-18 providing guidance whereby eligible applicants can obtain National Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grants (NDWGs) to create disaster-relief employment as well as to provide employment and training activities, including supportive services, to address economic and workforce impacts related to widespread opioid use, addiction, and overdose.
Interested in entering the childcare industry? The State of Wisconsin needs you! The QUEST grant provides support and training needed to get individuals back to or working in the early childcare field in the State of Wisconsin.
To find out more information or to apply for this grant please contact:
Jack Schaefer
jschaefer@wdbwcw.org
715-235-8393 ext. 106.
The Worker Advancement Initiative serves people whose previous employment has not come back from the pandemic, as well as those who were not attached to or were not successful in the labor market prior to the pandemic, by offering subsidized employment and skills training opportunities with local employers. This program builds on the success of current transitional jobs programs in the state by launching a new, statewide effort to provide subsidized work opportunities.
If you are a business wanting more information, contact:
Amanda Soltau
asoltau@nwwib.com
715-235-8393 ext. 106
Windows to Work is a program that helps inmates who are about to be released into the West Central Wisconsin workforce development area search for and secure employment to ensure successful reintegration into the community after release.
To find out more information or to apply for this grant please contact:
Anthony Mouw
amouw@wdbwcw.org
&15-235-8393 ext 105
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act strengthens and improves our nation's public workforce system and helps get Americans, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. At Workforce Development we separate these into four areas:
- Youth
- Adult
- Dislocated Workers
- Rapid Response
The objective of the Wisconsin Fast Forward (WFF) standard grant program is to award funds to businesses from all Wisconsin industry sectors that reimburse the costs of customized occupational training for unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers. The customized, business-driven training will qualify workers for full-time employment, higher level employment, or increased wages.
The Worker Advancement Initiative serves people whose jobs have not come back since the pandemic, as well as those who were not attached to or were not successful in the labor market prior to the pandemic, by offering subsidized employment and skills training opportunities with local employers. The program builds on the success of current transitional job programs in the state by launching a new, statewide effort to provide subsidized work opportunities to approximately 2,000 individuals.
