Public Funding for Your Company’s Training?

“Follow the money,” goes the famous line in All the President’s Men. Many companies in the United States have received federal/state funding for training programs they needed to accomplish their business goals. How can your company learn more? Follow the money. This is also, then, good advice for Training Managers looking to find some recession-days solutions.

The Workforce Investment Act (1998) is a model that established structures that are still being applied for the distribution of money relative to the new stimulus-recovery funding that we have heard so much about. As far as I can tell, companies should look to find this money with the help of the 50 state labor departments. In so doing you will likely find that workplace training is supported from multiple sources. For example, in Massachusetts, the best place to check for funding opportunities is the Workplace Training Fund which is essentially funded with a surcharge to a company’s unemployment compensation insurance. This program, probably like similar programs in other states, is currently impacted by state budget shortfalls. Hopefully some of the stimulus money will trickle into these programs.

The program offers a brochure which describes how this money has been distributed in the past and how to apply for it today. Although it is specific to Massachusetts, it may help you to know what to look for in your own state. There are resource people to help identify programs that might qualify for funding. According to the brochure:

Applicant Assistance Program specialists offer a variety of services, including:

Reviewing the Workforce Training Fund;

Assessing your training needs;

Developing a training plan;

Assisting with the selection of training providers; and

Reviewing your application.

In FY 2007, just over half of all organizations submitting applications to the Workforce Training Fund made use of the Applicant Assistance Program – and of those, 75 percent were awarded grants.So while there is no guarantee that assistance will lead to a Workforce Training Fund grant, the Applicant Assistance Program gives employers the information and the advice needed to submit a worthwhile application – at no charge.

So what is an ideal application? If your company can save jobs (eliminate some amount of layoffs) by retraining some number of your own workers, you would certainly have an excellent case! (Read an example in the brochure.) However, there are plenty of other factors. Take some time to consider your business requirements, and training possibilities, and see if you can get some of the money!

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