Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), usually known as the stimulus bill, funds are available to train management, current and new employees. Grants under the training category are usually intended to support training that will improve the occupational skills of workers and management skills of owners. These funds are not available in all states.
In those states where skill training money is available, TCIA members may use this money to attend conferences, such as Winter Management Conference or TCI EXPO, hold or attend workshops, or purchase training materials – again depending on the regulations and application restrictions of the individual states.
Eligible applicants include employers and private training providers in collaboration with employers. Occupational skill training may include soft skills or work readiness components that are woven into the training curriculum. Projects may also train current workers for promotions or upgrades, or workers who would otherwise be laid off or have their work hours reduced.
Funds are administered by the Departments of Labor or workforce councils in each state. To find out if your state has grant funding available, go to your state government website and search for workforce grants. You may also call your Governor’s office or your state’s Department of Labor.
Below is a sample grant template as well as several training possible options for grant funding – Winter Management Conference, Electrical Hazards Awareness Program, Certified Tree Care Professional and Tree Care Academy.
