Overview

PURPOSE:  The purpose of the Employer Workforce Training Fund (EWTF) grant program is to support the retention and growth of living wage jobs, a skilled workforce, and competitive businesses in Oregon.  The Region 14 portion of the program is designed to offer grants to local businesses within the workforce areas of Grant, Harney, and Malheur Counties.  The grant is a matching funds grant that must be matched with cash or in kind contributions from a private sector employer.  The match cannot be made with state or federal funds.

 PROCESS:  Businesses wishing to apply for a training grant should answer the questions attached and submit them to the grant fund fiscal agent:

 FUNDING:  The EWTF has available resources up to $ 94,805.00 for the workforce region 14, Grant , Harney and Malheur Counties.  These projects must be completed by June 30, 2009. The funds may be used for training, which can be customized to fit the employers needs and/or capacity building, which can include but is not limited to utilizing or developing curricula, systemic improvement to address workplace skill gaps and improve the knowledge and expertise of the current workforce, or pre and post assessment.

 WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY:   Traded Sector Businesses or industry clusters, no retail businesses, established in Grant, Harney or Malheur Counties for more than 120 days. You must be able to meet the regional funding priorities listed below.

 REGIONAL FUNDING PRIORITIES: 

1. Target training to traded sector businesses and industry clusters;
2. Promote job retention and creation;
3. Promote investment in training resulting in skills realistic for the region;
4. Training in occupations or skills where shortage exists in region or state;
5. Seek to maximize investment of funds by leveraging other resources in the region;
6. Training programs which provide transferable skills, raise individual competencies and lead to industry certification or skills standards; and/or
7. Training of workers who are paid wages that meet or exceed the median hourly wage in the county in which they are trained, or result in wage gain or career ladder development. (Median wage:  Grant: $13.87, Harney: $9.93, Malheur: $11.97)

APPLICATION PROCESS AND TIMELINES: 

Applications are available by E-mailing Chad Freeman, freec@tecteam.org, or by requesting an application from any Workforce Response Team member.  Those members include: 

The Region 14 Fiscal Agent will advise applicants of the status of the grant request within 30 days of receipt.  If successful, the applicant will receive a grant contract for review and signature.  A Workforce Response Team member will contact them to coordinate training details.  Training can begin after the contract has been signed.