State Employment Labor and Training Grants

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is offering the Manufacturing Retention Grant Program. This program is designed to help manufacturing companies maintain their operational presence within Illinois. Its core mission is to encourage businesses to invest in their workforce, facilities, equipment, technologies, and infrastructure, thereby securing existing jobs and fostering economic stability in the state. The program is supported through the Enterprise Fund, administered by DCEO, which typically funds a broad range of economic development projects. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are private for-profit business entities that operate a major manufacturing complex in Bushnell, Illinois, specifically within McDonough County. These companies must have less than 1,000 employees and extensive experience in tool manufacturing. A key eligibility criterion is the requirement to have acquired a tool manufacturing firm in McDonough County with a minimum of 100 full-time equivalent employees. The grant's impact goal is to retain these companies' manufacturing campuses at operating production levels that support at least 100 employees at the Bushnell site. The program prioritizes job retention in Illinois through various investments. Eligible expenses encompass employee payroll for existing employees (including backpay incurred from May 14, 2024), invoices for services, training expenses for existing employees, and significant capital improvements. These improvements include refurbishment or replacement of machinery, equipment, and tooling (e.g., forging hammers, Swiss lathes), facility repairs (e.g., roof repair, electrical upgrades), productivity and innovation initiatives (e.g., robotics reprogramming, induction heat furnaces), and the replenishment of inventory to maintain standard stocking levels for daily production. The expected outcome of the Manufacturing Retention Grant Program is the successful retention of manufacturing operations and a minimum employment level of 100 employees at the Bushnell site. Measurable results will be directly tied to the utilization of the $5,000,000 total funding, with a performance period spanning from September 1, 2024, through August 31, 2026. The DCEO's strategic priority, as evidenced by this program, is to safeguard manufacturing jobs and foster a robust economic environment within Illinois, aligning with a theory of change that posits direct investment in established manufacturing entities will lead to sustained employment and economic growth.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is offering the 2024 Community & Urban Forestry Assistance (CUFA) Grant. This program aims to foster the long-term growth and development of community forestry programs throughout Indiana. The core mission of the grant aligns with enhancing the quality of life for residents by investing in sustainable urban forest management. The overall funding available for this program is $230,000, with individual project requests ranging from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $25,000. The target beneficiaries of the CUFA Grant include municipalities (cities, towns, townships, counties, and other local government entities as defined by IC 369-1-2) and non-profit 501(c)3 organizations. The grant's impact goals are broad, focusing on the expansion and preservation of urban tree canopy, increased and more equitable access to urban tree canopy, broadened community engagement in urban forest planning, and improved resilience to climate change, pests, and storm events through best management practices. The program prioritizes several key areas. These include establishing and strengthening community urban forestry programs, promoting urban forestry benefits through proper tree selection, planting, and care, establishing comprehensive tree inventories for data-driven decisions, and promoting risk management through tree assessment and mitigation plans. The grant also emphasizes restoring diminished community tree canopy, diversifying urban forests for long-term resilience, and ensuring urban forests provide ecosystem services such as cleaner air, improved watershed health, reduced erosion, stormwater runoff, and reduced urban heat island effects. Expected outcomes and measurable results include addressing historic inequities in urban forestry, adapting urban forest accessibility to changing demographics, promoting the Indiana nursery and arboriculture industries, and enhancing the built environment through increased property values and reduced energy demands. The grant supports activities such as the development of tree inventories or urban tree canopy assessments, creation or update of urban forestry management/response plans, education and training, and community engagement and tree planting initiatives. All tree planting projects must include community engagement, occur on public property, utilize 100% native Indiana species (with limited exceptions for Acer genus trees), and include a maintenance plan. Other supported activities include urban wood utilization, establishment of urban food forests, invasive species removal, and community website development specific to urban forestry.

This program provides financial assistance to Iowa cities for the redevelopment or rehabilitation of underutilized buildings to promote economic growth and community revitalization.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations and county veterans' offices in Pennsylvania to develop and enhance services that address critical needs for veterans and their families, focusing on areas like mental health, transportation, and employment.

This funding initiative provides financial support to New Jersey employers for hiring college students and recent graduates as paid interns, fostering valuable work experience and skill development in preparation for the modern job market.

This funding program provides financial support to local defense groups and government entities in Pennsylvania to enhance the military value and sustainability of military installations and organizations within the state.

This program provides funding to local and regional governments in Colorado to develop or update housing-related planning documents, helping them address current and future housing needs.

This funding initiative provides financial support to programs that improve access to construction apprenticeships for women, non-binary individuals, and underrepresented populations in California.

This program provides financial assistance to private property owners in non-entitlement communities in Kansas for rehabilitating blighted commercial buildings to boost economic revitalization and improve downtown areas.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to a not-for-profit organization in the Rockford area to help small restaurants that faced layoffs during 2021 by administering unemployment insurance relief.

This program provides funding and services to Montana's local government entities to improve their cybersecurity measures and protect critical digital infrastructure.

This program provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Wisconsin that help low-income residents and individuals with disabilities access affordable telecommunications services and digital literacy training.

This program provides funding to organizations that assist socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs and very small businesses in New York in becoming ready for venture capital investment.

This funding opportunity supports community-based organizations in Washington, DC, that provide programs in education, community safety, and economic development to improve the quality of life for local residents.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and Tribal governments in Minnesota for projects that protect and restore the state's water resources, including initiatives like clean water workshops and stormwater filtration systems.

This funding program provides financial support to state agencies, local governments, and universities for residential treatment initiatives aimed at helping incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders reintegrate into their communities.

This program provides financial support for training and wraparound services to help low-income individuals in New Jersey gain the skills needed for better employment opportunities.

This funding opportunity is designed to support educational institutions and clinical training sites in Minnesota that aim to improve dental care access for underserved populations through innovative training programs.

This funding initiative provides support to nonprofit organizations and community groups in New Jersey to improve awareness and access to workers' rights and benefits for underserved and marginalized communities.

This program provides funding for employers to create tailored training programs that equip unemployed, underemployed, and current workers with essential skills and credentials to meet workforce demands in Wisconsin.