Workforce Development Grants

The Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity is offering the Rural Communities Opportunity Grant (RCOG) to empower rural communities in Utah to drive their economic development. This grant aligns with the office's mission to foster economic growth and opportunity across the state, particularly in areas identified as rural. The program is designed to enable these communities to take responsibility for economic development planning, project implementation, and managing their unique opportunities, reflecting a strategic priority to build local capacity and self-sufficiency. The primary beneficiaries of the RCOG are various rural entities within Utah, including counties of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth class, cities, towns, and metro townships located within those counties, municipalities with a population of 10,000 or less in counties of the second class, and Associations of Governments. The grant's impact goals are to address critical economic development needs, ultimately leading to improved economic vitality and quality of life in these rural areas. This includes enhancing business environments, strengthening workforces, and upgrading essential infrastructure. The grant prioritizes several key areas to achieve its objectives. These include business recruitment, development, and expansion; workforce training and development; and infrastructure, industrial building development, and capital facilities improvements for business development. These focus areas are designed to create a comprehensive approach to economic development, tackling various facets from job creation to foundational support for businesses, which aligns with a theory of change that posits strategic investment in these areas will lead to sustainable economic growth. Expected outcomes from the RCOG include increased business activity, a more skilled and adaptable workforce, and modern infrastructure capable of supporting economic expansion. While specific measurable results such as the number of new businesses created, jobs retained or added, or the value of infrastructure improvements are not explicitly detailed as quantitative targets, the competitive nature of the funding and the requirement for matching funds suggest an expectation of tangible, high-impact projects that demonstrate effective use of state resources and strong local commitment. The funding structure, with varying limits for different types of entities, also indicates a tailored approach to maximizing impact based on community size and need.

The Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley is offering grants between $1000 to $10,000 to tax-exempt organizations in Dutchess County, New York, focusing on arts, culture, and education, particularly those making facilities and events accessible to young people and seniors, with the exclusion of certain expenses like debt reduction, equipment, and fundraising campaigns.

This grant provides over $1 million to local nonprofit organizations in specific Massachusetts counties to support a wide range of community-focused initiatives, including human services, social justice, education, healthcare, and environmental efforts.

The Springfield Foundation's Competitive Grant Program aims to support the entire Clark County community through six focus areas: Arts & Culture, Civic Affairs, Education, Environment, Conservation & Animal Welfare, Health, and Human Services. This grant program is aligned with the foundation's mission to foster a community with strong cultural vitality, engaged citizens, improved environmental awareness, quality education, better health outcomes, and a strong safety net for human needs. The foundation emphasizes a holistic approach, addressing various facets of community well-being and growth. The program targets a wide range of beneficiaries, including individuals of all ages experiencing art and culture, Clark County citizens for civic engagement, residents for environmental appreciation, children for early education and college readiness, individuals at risk of unintended pregnancies and STIs, those with mental health issues or chronic diseases, and families/individuals needing human services. The impact goals are to increase diversity and attendance at arts and culture events, improve civic knowledge and participation, increase environmental awareness and pet welfare, boost kindergarten readiness and college/career preparedness, improve reproductive and mental health, better manage chronic diseases, and achieve financial stability and positive outcomes for all people, especially youth and seniors. The foundation prioritizes increasing opportunities for artists and audiences, educating and engaging active citizens, fostering environmental appreciation and reducing homeless pets, increasing enrollment in early childhood programs and post-secondary preparation, impacting community health by addressing unintended pregnancies and STIs, improving mental health and chronic disease management, and assisting families and individuals with emergency needs, family breakdown prevention, economic self-sufficiency, and independent living. A key strategic priority is also promoting positive outcomes for all people, with specific attention to youth and seniors. The expected outcomes and measurable results include increased diversity and attendance at arts and culture events, improved civic knowledge and participation, increased citizen participation in environmental activities, a decrease in homeless pets, more children enrolling in early childhood programs, increased parental involvement in education, more students in post-secondary preparation, improved mental health outcomes, decreased incidence of unintended pregnancies and STIs, better management of chronic diseases, and increased financial independence and overall quality of life for individuals and families. The foundation's theory of change appears to be that by investing in these diverse focus areas, they can create a more vibrant, engaged, educated, healthy, and supportive community for all residents of Clark County.

The California Clean Air Day Microgrant Program invites applicants to secure funding for local projects that promote clean air initiatives. While the text does not explicitly state the "foundation mission alignment" or "foundation's strategic priorities and theory of change" in terms of a specific foundation, it clearly outlines the goals and priorities of the Clean Air Day initiative. The program's core mission is to raise awareness of Clean Air Day and encourage actions that contribute to cleaning the air. The target beneficiaries of this program are diverse organizations across California, including cities, counties, schools, government agencies, healthcare providers, community organizations (including Indigenous Tribes), business organizations (such as chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, and business improvement districts), small businesses, and labor unions. The program seeks to engage a broad spectrum of these entities to foster collaborative efforts in improving air quality. The program's priorities and focuses are centered on local projects that occur on or within seven days prior to California Clean Air Day. These projects must demonstrably raise awareness of Clean Air Day and actively contribute to cleaning the air or encourage participants to take actions that will lead to cleaner air. Projects are also required to successfully engage at least 100 participants or attendees, emphasizing community involvement and broad impact. The expected outcomes and measurable results include increased awareness of clean air issues, tangible contributions to air quality improvement, and significant community engagement as evidenced by participant numbers. The grant funding, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, supports various uses such as supplies for events, marketing expenses, city permit costs, and materials for activities like shovels/tools, giveaways, and educational materials, all geared towards achieving these measurable outcomes. The program encourages collaborative efforts by requiring at least two organizations from different categories to partner on an application, enhancing the potential for diverse and impactful projects.

The Jeannette F. Schlobach grant program, funded by the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, offers $10,000 to $100,000 to nonprofit organizations in Dutchess, Putnam, or Ulster Counties, New York, that provide services such as case management, housing, education, job training, and health services to residents impacted by poverty, with a focus on historically marginalized and under-funded communities.

The Community Economic Development (CED) Planning Grants program, forecasted under the new NOFO HHS-2024-ACF-OCS-EE-0152, is administered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Community Services (OCS). OCS plans to award approximately $1.5 million in discretionary funds to Community Development Corporations (CDCs). The fundamental objective is to stimulate the development of new CED projects by providing crucial financial assistance for administrative capacity building within these CDCs. This initiative directly aligns with OCS's core mission to reduce poverty and catalyze economic growth in local communities by facilitating social and revenue reinvestment, laying the groundwork for sustainable community self-sufficiency. The direct beneficiaries of this funding are Community Development Corporations (CDCs) that serve under-resourced, underserved, and persistent high-poverty areas with struggling economies. The ultimate beneficiaries are the residents of these target communities, including those with low incomes in both urban and rural settings. The immediate impact goal is to strengthen the administrative and planning capacity of CDCs that have historically struggled to put forth a viable CED project. The broader impact goals include stimulating the creation of new, viable CED projects, fostering localized economic growth, and ultimately reducing poverty through comprehensive community support and reinvestment. OCS has established three key strategic priorities for this funding opportunity, centering the approach on equity. The first priority aligns the grants with national climate and equity initiatives, specifically Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and the Justice40 Initiative, by underscoring funding support for energy communities. The second focus is on increasing equity in the geographic distribution of CED funds, ensuring resources reach areas previously overlooked, as mandated by the CED statute. Finally, the third priority emphasizes breaking down service silos by encouraging CDCs to leverage existing partnerships across OCS programs, thereby promoting a holistic, wraparound services model to address poverty. The strategic priority and theory of change for OCS is rooted in the belief that administrative capacity is the critical barrier to entry for effective community-led development in high-poverty areas. By providing financial assistance for capacity building, the awards serve as a crucial step to connect CDCs with the larger CED resources required for impactful social and revenue reinvestment. Expected outcomes include an increase in the number of CDCs capable of developing fundable projects, leading to the stimulation of new CED projects in persistent high-poverty areas. Measurable results will focus on the successful leveraging of the initial administrative capacity building funds into tangible new projects, demonstrating a clear path from planning support to demonstrable local economic growth and sustainable poverty reduction.

This program provides financial support to innovative housing manufacturing businesses in Colorado to help alleviate the housing shortage by reimbursing operating expenses and offering incentives for each unit produced and installed in the state.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations and small businesses in Michigan to enhance training and education for the clean energy workforce while improving access to support services for participants.

SisterFund, a women-led giving circle in Richmond, focuses on empowering Black women and girls in the community through grants awarded annually to nonprofits. These grants target improvements in education, workforce, leadership development, and health for African American women and girls. Members contribute $1,100 each year, and grants are awarded based on member votes. The mission is to transform local nonprofits supporting Black women and girls through significant financial investments, fostering long-term positive change. Grant awards will be announced and celebrated at an event on December 12, 2024.

This funding initiative provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Huntsville, Alabama, that enhance community quality of life through projects in various focus areas such as arts, education, health, and economic opportunity.

This program provides funding to businesses and nonprofits in Colorado to create tailored job training for new hires and existing employees, enhancing workforce skills and competitiveness.

Through Illinois General Review Funds, funds will be appropriated for expenses related to Suicide Prevention, Education, and Treatment Program pursuant to Public Act 101-0331. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will provide funding to expand the implementation of strategies in the Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan. At the recommendation of the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance (ISPA), the IDPH Violence and Injury Prevention Section will provide funding to one entity for the purpose to organize and implement workforce development opportunities through implementing the ECHO approach, a Community of Practice (CoP), and offering evidence-based trainings to build workforce development for professionals.

The Community Foundation of Huntington County is offering Accessibility Grants to promote inclusivity within communities. This program aligns with the foundation's mission to enhance the quality of life in Huntington County by addressing critical needs, in this case, by removing barriers for individuals with disabilities. The grants aim to create a more welcoming environment for all by fostering solutions to accessibility challenges in buildings and infrastructure, thereby supporting a choice-driven life for individuals with disabilities. The target beneficiaries of these grants include individuals, families, and businesses within Huntington County, Indiana. The program particularly focuses on people with disabilities who are currently facing physical barriers preventing full access to community use and benefits. The impact goals are centered on making communities more inclusive, ensuring that accessibility needs are considered from both individual and community perspectives, and empowering individuals with disabilities to define their own preferences, opinions, priorities, and accommodations. The grant program has two main funding tracks: the Pathfinder Services Community Accessibility Fund and the AWS Foundation Community Accessible Communities Fund. Key priorities and focuses for both tracks include encouraging potential rather than identifying limitations, preferring social settings that include family and friends, exceeding ADA standards through Universal Design principles, and enhancing education and employment potential to contribute to greater independence. Collaboration is also highly encouraged, recognizing that collective effort increases opportunities. Expected outcomes include the physical removal of accessibility barriers, increased participation of individuals with disabilities in community life, and a more inclusive and welcoming environment across Huntington County. Measurable results would likely involve tracking the number of accessibility solutions implemented, the types of infrastructure improved, and anecdotal evidence of increased access and independence for individuals with disabilities. The foundation's strategic priorities are clearly geared towards fostering community well-being and equitable access, and their theory of change posits that by funding direct solutions to accessibility barriers, they can directly improve the lives of individuals with disabilities and create a more inclusive society.

This funding opportunity supports colleges and nonprofit organizations in implementing effective strategies to improve student success, reduce time to graduation, and close equity gaps.

This grant provides funding to colleges and nonprofit organizations to enhance successful educational programs that help students complete their degrees faster, stay enrolled, and close achievement gaps.

This grant provides funding to colleges and nonprofit organizations to implement strategies that improve student success, reduce completion times, and close equity gaps in education.

This program provides financial assistance to businesses, municipalities, and railroads in Michigan for upgrading rail infrastructure to boost economic growth and increase rail freight usage.

This grant provides financial support to community and tribal colleges in Michigan to enhance college enrollment and success for adult learners through collaborative partnerships and navigator programs.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas that focus on education and community development initiatives, particularly for low- to moderate-income populations.