How to Access Stimulus Workforce Funds

The Workforce Alliance, a national coalition of community-based organizations, community colleges, unions, employers and local officials, has released a handy chart of the money in the stimulus package for workforce training and education.  If you're unemployed, low-income or interested in getting into or improving your position in the healthcare and energy sectors, I recommend reading the following summary.  It includes, when possible, on-line contacts to the non-profit or state agency in your area likely to know more about or have access to these funds. Don't say I never did anything for you!

• $500M for adult (18+) job training, mainly through One-Stop Centers in cities and towns.  The money also covers "supportive services" like childcare and transportation so eligible adults can participate in training and education programs.  Priority is given to low-income people, including those on public assistance.
• $1.25B for Dislocated Worker Formula Grants
• $1.2B for Youth grants, including for summer jobs, and expands eligibility age of "youth" from 21 to 24.
• $50M for YouthBuild, which is a) an alternative ed program to help kids who have left school earn their GED or diploma, and b) a construction workforce training program for at-risk youth ages 16-24, including those transitioning out of the foster system or juvenile justice system.
• $200M for national emergency grants, which provide funds to the unemployed from mass layoffs (>50 people) resulting from single company closure, multiple company closures in one area, multiple closures in multiple areas within a 4-month period, disasters, closures of military bases, and trade impacts.
• $750M for research and training for high-growth industries.  $500M is specifically for energy efficiency and renewable energy careers; priority for the remainder of funds is for healthcare employment.

The above monies come through 600+ Workforce Investment Boards across the 50 states.  Find the one in your area.

• $400M for unemployment insurance; $250M of that is for "re-employment services" for the unemployment beneficiaries.
• $120M for community service employment for older Americans.  To qualify, you must be at least 55, but preference is given to those over 60 (also to Vets and their spouses), and you must earn only 25% more than the Federal Poverty Level.  Jobs are paid at the highest of local wages or state or federal minimum wage.  It looks like this money comes to your state office that deals with seniors, which may be a specific agency for older adults or the department of social services.  Some national organizations like AARP also receive funding.
• $250 million for Job Corps, another education and technical training program for young people (16+). Find a Jobs Corp Center in your state.
• Over $700M through 2010 for Trade Adjustment Assistance: more info will be available after March 2 (Monday).  Money appears to go to pre-vocational, part-time and on-the-job training, including through community colleges and sectoral partnerships.  Provides case management and job search assistance.
• $15.6B in Federal Pell Grant funding for low-income undergrads.
• $20M for women and racial/ethnic minorities for On-the-Job/Supportive Services program, which is a pre-apprenticeship program in the construction industry for people on public assistance and women and minorities working in highway construction and transportation. I'm not sure where in your state government you access this money.  I think it's Dept. of Transportation money.
• $100m in Dept. of Energy money for training workers in electricity delivery and "energy reliability activities."  Assume you'd go to your state office of energy to learn more?
• The American Opportunity Tax Credit, which amends the Hope Scholarship credit for 2009 and 2010.  Credit is 40% refundable.
• $500M in Health & Human Services money for filling healthcare workforce shortages.  $$ can be used for things such as scholarships and loan repayments.
• $1B in Community Service Block Grants.  This is anti-poverty money, used by states, tribes and Community Action Agencies for "employment, education...housing, nutrition, emergency services and/or health" initiatives for low-income people, including the homeless, migrants and the elderly.  This money may ultimately come through local non-profits in your area, as states are allowed to determine how to allocate and distribute the funds.  Here are the States' contacts and here's where you can find a Community Action Agency in your area.
• $1B in Community Development Block Grants.  This is economic development money used for affordable housing, small-business assistance, foreclosure programs, etc.  Hopefully I can do a separate post at some point about community development under the stimulus.
• $540M Dept. of Ed money for Vocational Rehab Grants
• $200M to the Dept. of Ed for work-study funds.
• $3M for registered pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for construction, repair and alteration of federal buildings.

(Photo by alexik)