Upskill: NJ Incumbent Worker Training Grant Program

The UPSKILL: NJ Incumbent Worker Training Grant Program is administered by the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The program is intended to help defray the cost of training current employees so they can retain employment or advance within their companies, while increasing the competitiveness of both employees and employers. For fiscal year 2027, NJDOL has made a total of $7,000,000 available from Workforce Development Partnership Funding, with two funding rounds of $3,500,000 each. Single employers and consortiums may qualify for a maximum award of $250,000 per round depending on the number of trainees. An applicant may submit no more than one application per round and no more than two applications during the fiscal year. The program provides New Jersey-based employers with reimbursement assistance of up to 50 percent of eligible costs for frontline incumbent worker training addressing current and future occupational skill requirements. Grantees must provide matching funds toward total program costs, with NJDOL providing up to 50 percent and the grantee providing a minimum 50 percent match. Wages paid to employees while they attend training may count toward the employer match. Eligible training includes Third-Party Classroom Training, On-the-Job Training, and Company In-House Training. OJT and Company In-House Training are available only to single employers and are reimbursed at 50 percent of trainees' base wages during training. Eligible expenses include tuition fees, textbooks, software, and examination or credentialing fees. Access fees for online training or learning are not reimbursable. Participants cannot be charged required training-related expenses, and funds cannot support company-required annual training, new-employee onboarding, or orientation. Training plans must be completed within the 12-month contract period. Eligible applicants include New Jersey single employers seeking to train existing employees in skills needed for jobs in any industry sector. Employees of single employers must have worked full-time for the employer for at least six months. Eligible consortium applicants include employer organizations, labor organizations, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, secondary schools, public and private post-secondary schools, colleges, universities, technical schools, vocational schools, and training providers seeking to meet the collective needs of an industry-specific consortium of employers. Government and public entities are also eligible. Seasonal, temporary, part-time, commission-based, 1099, and new-hire positions are not eligible. Individual and consortium employer grants require at least five trainees per class. Third-party training providers must be physically located in New Jersey. Consortium applicants must identify all participating companies before application submission, and companies cannot be added after the application deadline or during the contract. Applicants must complete a multi-step submission process. The first required gating step is the Letter of Intent, which must be emailed to upskill@dol.nj.gov. Consortium applicants must submit a Participating Companies List in Microsoft Excel format with FEIN numbers, contact persons, and contact information along with the LOI. Applicants must identify the industry sector and any third-party trainer. The Authorized Official must personally register or update the organization's information in the IGX Grant/Contract/ETPL Management System. After NJDOL processes the LOI and approves the IGX registration, the Authorized Official receives access to the application. The complete application is then submitted through IGX with information concerning the requested training, trainees, budget, and training plan. All applicants must also satisfy applicable tax clearance, NJDOL compliance, W-9 registration, and other pre-award requirements. Required application materials include a Long-Range Human Resource Development Plan, Narrative, Tax Clearance Certificate, Training Plan and Trainee List, and the applicable Program Conditions Form. Applicants requesting $25,000 or more must complete the Development Subsidy Job Goals Accountability Act Application. Previous recipients of customized training grant funds during the prior three fiscal years must provide the Non-Duplication Attestation Form. Applicants requesting ISO training must provide an International Organization for Standardization letter after consultation with an NJDOL Business Representative. Consortium applicants must provide their Participating Companies List. The Long-Range Human Resource Development Plan and Narrative are required in Microsoft Word format. Narrative questions address the specific business or industry need, how the proposed training addresses that need, how the training contributes to business growth or stabilization in New Jersey, and the measurable outcomes expected for trainees. UPSKILL grants are competitive. Completed applications received by the applicable deadline are reviewed and rated by a diverse panel of NJDOL representatives, which makes funding recommendations to the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Final awards are subject to the Commissioner's approval. Applications can receive up to 20 points for the Long-Range Human Resource Development Plan and up to 80 points for responses to the four Narrative questions, for a maximum score of 100 points. Desired measurable outcomes can include skill attainment that advances an employee's career pathway, employee pay increases, industry-valued credentials, and employee job retention. Applicants that do not pass panel review are advised to address identified issues and may reapply in a subsequent round. For Round 1, the announcement date is September 2, 2026, the Letter of Intent is due September 11, 2026 at 12:00 noon, IGX registration must be completed or updated by September 18, 2026 at 12:00 noon, and the complete application is due October 21, 2026 at 12:00 noon. Panel review is expected to begin the week of November 2, 2026. Round 2 has an LOI deadline of January 8, 2027 at 12:00 noon, an IGX registration deadline of January 22, 2027 at 12:00 noon, an application deadline of February 24, 2027 at 12:00 noon, and panel review is expected to begin the week of March 8, 2027. Awarded training must be completed within the 12-month contract period, trainees must be retained for at least six months after training, and participating businesses that leave New Jersey within three years after the contract concludes must refund monies received under the agreement. Monthly invoices and activity reports are required, and final expenditure and activity reporting is required after contract completion. Technical assistance information supplied with the opportunity identifies Robert M. Herrick of Workforce Development, Office of Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning, and the program LOI inbox is upskill@dol.nj.gov.

Prioritize the four Narrative responses because they account for 80 of 100 possible review points. Clearly identify the specific business or industry problem, show how the proposed training provides a solution, explain how training supports growth or stabilization in New Jersey, and identify measurable trainee outcomes. Develop a strong Long-Range Human Resource Development Plan because it accounts for the remaining 20 points. Connect training to current and future workforce needs, employee advancement, and measurable outcomes such as skill attainment, pay increases, industry-valued credentials, professional licenses, and job retention. Ensure all required information is complete, saved in IGX, and submitted by the applicable deadline.