Grant Opportunities

Opportunity is Here

Grants

Utilizing state, federal, and private funds, the Workforce Development Council funds employer, industry, and public sector projects that increase the economic mobility of Idahoans, support growth of the economy, and develop Idaho’s workforce pipeline through training initiatives that serve multiple employers and industries. 

Industry Sector Grant

Industry Sector Grants are designed to engage employers in developing new training solutions that address Idaho’s workforce issues and fill skills gaps.

The Idaho Workforce Development Council will accept Industry Sector Grant applications on a non-competitive, first come, first-served basis.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FUND (WDTF) GOALS
  • Increase the economic mobility of Idahoans through training that leads to wage gains and retention.
  • Provide timely assistance to businesses while shifting focus to broader talent pipeline development strategies that serve multiple employers.
  • Support growth of the economy by assisting employers with job creation and integration of technology, specifically through the development of skills in their existing and/or new employees.
  • Provide a return on investment to Idahoans as evidenced by increased wages, job creation, capital investment, retention of Idaho’s workforce, credential attainment, and/or customer satisfaction (employer and trainee).
  • Promote innovation in talent development.
  • Encourage replication of best practices in talent pipeline development.
APPLICATION DEADLINE

Grant applications are usually reviewed each month by the Workforce Development Council’s Grant Review Committee. Committee meetings take place on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Grant applications are due by the end of the day on the 1st of each month. Grants needing additional information or revision may be moved to the next month’s meeting for review. Please check for posted meeting dates.

Innovation Grant

Innovation Grants can fund projects that address local workforce development needs. Projects may provide skills training to individuals and/or assist individuals with connecting to careers.

  • New or enhanced training must address specific employer-identified skills gaps in the community; training cannot supplant or compete with current training opportunities.
  • Training may include work-based learning opportunities, classroom training, or virtual training that addresses the skill gaps identified by employers in the community.
  • Assisting individuals to connect to careers may include providing information and outreach on career education and workforce training opportunities and/or soft skill development.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FUND (WDTF) GOALS
  • Increase the economic mobility of Idahoans through training that leads to wage gains and retention.
  • Provide timely assistance to businesses while shifting focus to broader talent pipeline development strategies that serve multiple employers.
  • Support growth of the economy by assisting employers with job creation and integration of technology, specifically through the development of skills in their existing and/or new employees.
  • Provide a return on investment to Idahoans as evidenced by increased wages, job creation, capital investment, retention of Idaho’s workforce, credential attainment, and/or customer satisfaction (employer and trainee).
  • Promote innovation in talent development.
  • Encourage replication of best practices in talent pipeline development.
APPLICATION DEADLINE

Grant applications are usually reviewed each month by the Workforce Development Council’s Grant Review Committee. Committee meetings take place on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Grant applications are due by the end of the day on the 1st of each month. Grants needing additional information or revision may be moved to the next month’s meeting for review. Please check for posted meeting dates.

Employer Grant

Employer Grants are available to Idaho employers who are increasing their current workforce and/or retraining existing workers with skills necessary for specific economic opportunities or industrial expansion initiatives.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FUND (WDTF) GOALS
  • Increase the economic mobility of Idahoans through training that leads to wage gains and retention.
  • Provide timely assistance to businesses while shifting focus to broader talent pipeline development strategies that serve multiple employers.
  • Support growth of the economy by assisting employers with job creation and integration of technology, specifically through the development of skills in their existing and/or new employees.
  • Provide a return on investment to Idahoans as evidenced by increased wages, job creation, capital investment, retention of Idaho’s workforce, credential attainment, and/or customer satisfaction (employer and trainee).
  • Promote innovation in talent development.
  • Encourage replication of best practices in talent pipeline development.
APPLICATION DEADLINE

Grant applications are usually reviewed each month by the Workforce Development Council’s Grant Review Committee. Committee meetings take place on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Grant applications are due by the end of the day on the 1st of each month. Grants needing additional information or revision may be moved to the next month’s meeting for review. Please check for posted meeting dates.

Download the scoring matrix for Employer Grants

Outreach Projects

The Workforce Development Council’s Outreach Committee reviews and provides funding for proposals that will provide public information and outreach on career education and workforce training opportunities, including existing education and training programs and services not funded by the training fund. Proposals to support new projects or the expansion of existing programs are preferred. Funding is provided on a reimbursement basis.

Scoring Rubric

All Outreach Project Applications must be received at least seven days in advance of the next Outreach Committee meeting. The following rubric based on the committee’s approved goals will be used by the committee during award determination.

Outreach Committee

The Outreach Committee is responsible for increasing public awareness of, and access to, career education, work-based learning, training opportunities, and support knowledge of workforce development training fund programs.

Case Study

The Workforce Development Council Outreach Grant funding supported a year-long environment of student and community engagement for Boise School District health profession students.

PROPOSAL DEADLINES

Outreach Proposal applications are reviewed each month by the Workforce Development Council’s Outreach Committee. Outreach Proposal applications are usually reviewed the first Wednesday of each month. Applications are due one week prior to committee meetings.

Please check for posted meeting dates.

Child Care Expansion Grant

Idaho Child Care Expansion Grants, administered by the Workforce Development Council, will increase the number of child care seats available to working families by targeting employers and/or child care providers willing to build new on-site or near-site child care facilities or expand existing facilities. 

Child care is one of the most critical work supports for parents to successfully participate in the labor market. Since the pandemic, labor force participation rates in Idaho have decreased and one of the major factors is lack of child care options.

According to Idaho’s most recent Child Care Gap Assessment 74,670 children have the potential need for child care, and there are only 55,850 child care slots, leaving a gap of nearly 20,000 seats needed to get Idaho parents back to work. 

Program Goals 

  • Increase child care seats statewide by approximately 1,000 by the end of 2024. 
  • Prioritize small providers, and providers who practice evidence-based high quality care.   

Read the full Child Care Expansion white paper here.

These funds provide infrastructure or operating grants for start-up or expansion of child care where there is a significant gap between the number of child care slots available and the number of children needing care. 

APPLICATION DEADLINES
  • August 15, 2022
  • October 1, 2022
  • January 1, 2023

Read the Child Care Expansion Grant rubric here.

Child Care Family Guide

There are many things to consider when starting a new family child care business. These resources will help you think through the steps you need to take to open and operate a successful family child care business in Idaho.

Child Care Business Guide

There are many things to consider when starting a new child care center. These resources will help you think through the steps you need to take to open and operate a successful child care center in Idaho.

Child Care Expansion Grant Policy

The purpose of the fund is to encourage and enable businesses and employer consortiums to create and develop on-site, or near-site child care centers or partner with local and regional child care services to increase available slots for an employer’s employees (not at the expense of existing or available slots in the local area).

Industry Sector Grant
Innovation Grant
Employer Grant
Outreach Projects
Child Care Expansion Grant

Industry Sector Grants are designed to engage employers in developing new training solutions that address Idaho’s workforce issues and fill skills gaps.

The Idaho Workforce Development Council will accept Industry Sector Grant applications on a non-competitive, first come, first-served basis.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FUND (WDTF) GOALS
  • Increase the economic mobility of Idahoans through training that leads to wage gains and retention.
  • Provide timely assistance to businesses while shifting focus to broader talent pipeline development strategies that serve multiple employers.
  • Support growth of the economy by assisting employers with job creation and integration of technology, specifically through the development of skills in their existing and/or new employees.
  • Provide a return on investment to Idahoans as evidenced by increased wages, job creation, capital investment, retention of Idaho’s workforce, credential attainment, and/or customer satisfaction (employer and trainee).
  • Promote innovation in talent development.
  • Encourage replication of best practices in talent pipeline development.
APPLICATION DEADLINE

Grant applications are usually reviewed each month by the Workforce Development Council’s Grant Review Committee. Committee meetings take place on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Grant applications are due by the end of the day on the 1st of each month. Grants needing additional information or revision may be moved to the next month’s meeting for review. Please check for posted meeting dates.

Innovation Grants can fund projects that address local workforce development needs. Projects may provide skills training to individuals and/or assist individuals with connecting to careers.

  • New or enhanced training must address specific employer-identified skills gaps in the community; training cannot supplant or compete with current training opportunities.
  • Training may include work-based learning opportunities, classroom training, or virtual training that addresses the skill gaps identified by employers in the community.
  • Assisting individuals to connect to careers may include providing information and outreach on career education and workforce training opportunities and/or soft skill development.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FUND (WDTF) GOALS
  • Increase the economic mobility of Idahoans through training that leads to wage gains and retention.
  • Provide timely assistance to businesses while shifting focus to broader talent pipeline development strategies that serve multiple employers.
  • Support growth of the economy by assisting employers with job creation and integration of technology, specifically through the development of skills in their existing and/or new employees.
  • Provide a return on investment to Idahoans as evidenced by increased wages, job creation, capital investment, retention of Idaho’s workforce, credential attainment, and/or customer satisfaction (employer and trainee).
  • Promote innovation in talent development.
  • Encourage replication of best practices in talent pipeline development.
APPLICATION DEADLINE

Grant applications are usually reviewed each month by the Workforce Development Council’s Grant Review Committee. Committee meetings take place on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Grant applications are due by the end of the day on the 1st of each month. Grants needing additional information or revision may be moved to the next month’s meeting for review. Please check for posted meeting dates.

Employer Grants are available to Idaho employers who are increasing their current workforce and/or retraining existing workers with skills necessary for specific economic opportunities or industrial expansion initiatives.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FUND (WDTF) GOALS
  • Increase the economic mobility of Idahoans through training that leads to wage gains and retention.
  • Provide timely assistance to businesses while shifting focus to broader talent pipeline development strategies that serve multiple employers.
  • Support growth of the economy by assisting employers with job creation and integration of technology, specifically through the development of skills in their existing and/or new employees.
  • Provide a return on investment to Idahoans as evidenced by increased wages, job creation, capital investment, retention of Idaho’s workforce, credential attainment, and/or customer satisfaction (employer and trainee).
  • Promote innovation in talent development.
  • Encourage replication of best practices in talent pipeline development.
APPLICATION DEADLINE

Grant applications are usually reviewed each month by the Workforce Development Council’s Grant Review Committee. Committee meetings take place on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Grant applications are due by the end of the day on the 1st of each month. Grants needing additional information or revision may be moved to the next month’s meeting for review. Please check for posted meeting dates.

Download the scoring matrix for Employer Grants

The Workforce Development Council’s Outreach Committee reviews and provides funding for proposals that will provide public information and outreach on career education and workforce training opportunities, including existing education and training programs and services not funded by the training fund. Proposals to support new projects or the expansion of existing programs are preferred. Funding is provided on a reimbursement basis.

Scoring Rubric

All Outreach Project Applications must be received at least seven days in advance of the next Outreach Committee meeting. The following rubric based on the committee’s approved goals will be used by the committee during award determination.

Outreach Committee

The Outreach Committee is responsible for increasing public awareness of, and access to, career education, work-based learning, training opportunities, and support knowledge of workforce development training fund programs.

Case Study

The Workforce Development Council Outreach Grant funding supported a year-long environment of student and community engagement for Boise School District health profession students.

PROPOSAL DEADLINES

Outreach Proposal applications are reviewed each month by the Workforce Development Council’s Outreach Committee. Outreach Proposal applications are usually reviewed the first Wednesday of each month. Applications are due one week prior to committee meetings.

Please check for posted meeting dates.

Idaho Child Care Expansion Grants, administered by the Workforce Development Council, will increase the number of child care seats available to working families by targeting employers and/or child care providers willing to build new on-site or near-site child care facilities or expand existing facilities. 

Child care is one of the most critical work supports for parents to successfully participate in the labor market. Since the pandemic, labor force participation rates in Idaho have decreased and one of the major factors is lack of child care options.

According to Idaho’s most recent Child Care Gap Assessment 74,670 children have the potential need for child care, and there are only 55,850 child care slots, leaving a gap of nearly 20,000 seats needed to get Idaho parents back to work. 

Program Goals 

  • Increase child care seats statewide by approximately 1,000 by the end of 2024. 
  • Prioritize small providers, and providers who practice evidence-based high quality care.   

Read the full Child Care Expansion white paper here.

These funds provide infrastructure or operating grants for start-up or expansion of child care where there is a significant gap between the number of child care slots available and the number of children needing care. 

APPLICATION DEADLINES
  • August 15, 2022
  • October 1, 2022
  • January 1, 2023

Read the Child Care Expansion Grant rubric here.

Child Care Family Guide

There are many things to consider when starting a new family child care business. These resources will help you think through the steps you need to take to open and operate a successful family child care business in Idaho.

Child Care Business Guide

There are many things to consider when starting a new child care center. These resources will help you think through the steps you need to take to open and operate a successful child care center in Idaho.

Child Care Expansion Grant Policy

The purpose of the fund is to encourage and enable businesses and employer consortiums to create and develop on-site, or near-site child care centers or partner with local and regional child care services to increase available slots for an employer’s employees (not at the expense of existing or available slots in the local area).

Apply Now

To apply for Industry Sector, Innovation, Employer, Child Care Expansion Grants, or an Outreach Project, use the link below. If you are an existing user, start here.

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