(FOA)-Limited Submission – DOL– Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC): A Grant Initiative for the Appalachian and Delta Regions (FOA-ETA-20-04); July 29, 2020

 

Purpose: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), announces the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) grant initiative. The goal is to create economic prosperity and gainful employment opportunities for eligible individuals (new, dislocated, and incumbent workers) of the Appalachian and Delta regions, enabling them to remain and thrive in these communities. The WORC Initiative provides funding to eligible applicants proposing to meet this goal with a project addressing the employment and training needs of the local and regional workforce, created in collaboration with community partners and in coordination with existing economic development strategies.

 

Successful applicants will demonstrate clear strategies to provide needed career, training, and support services to eligible individuals in counties, parishes, and/or areas currently underserved by other resources, so they may secure good jobs in stable, high-demand occupations. Eligible individuals served under this grant include dislocated workers, new entrants to the workforce, and incumbent workers. Applicants are encouraged to incorporate strategies that support eligible individuals impacted by substance use disorder; ETA anticipates at least $5 million will go to grants that include support for individuals impacted by substance use disorder.

 

Successful applicants will demonstrate collaboration with ARC and DRA and clearly identify coordinated strategies to expand the capacity and effectiveness of the applicant in administering federal funds to provide workforce services in these communities. To this end, ARC and DRA will provide technical assistance to prospective applicants in their respective regions, as well as provide assistance and support to grantees across the life of the initiative. Potential applicants are encouraged to visit www.arc.gov for more information, including dates and locations for pre-application technical assistance meetings.

 

Funding Amount/ Project Period: $150,000 up to $1.5 million for up to 36 months

 

Link to Funding Opportunity Announcement

 

Institutional Limit: 1

 

Internal Competition: To participate in the university’s selection process,please upload the following,assembled into a single PDF file, to the Office of the Vice President for Research via this portal with a copy to your Associate Dean for Research by June 2, 2020:

·         Names and departments or affiliations of the Project Director and other key personnel or partners;

·         Title of program and/or funding opportunity announcement number;

·         Brief project description (2 pages maximum)

·         Brief biographical sketch

 

A committee will be convened to review the material and make a recommendation.

 

For questions or issues with submission through the portal, email the limited submission mailbox (limitedsubmissions@uky.edu), or call 257-2861.

 

Agency Deadline: July 29, 2020