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Workforce Resilience Program

Workforce Resilience imageWorkforce Resilience Grant

The Workforce Resilience Program’s (WRP) is a statewide grant program to support rural individuals negatively affected by Covid-19 to recover their career sustainability, profitability, and longevity. These one-time federal dollars are intended to be a flexible and easy-to-access resource for rural Colorado. WRP is administered by the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) and the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).

Grant proposals will be accepted in calendar year 2024 and funds will be distributed until the program ends in 2026.

Total grant amounts will range from $25,000-$75,000.

The priority due date for applications is Friday, March 1, 2024. You are strongly advised to apply by this date. Applications may be submitted after the due date, but their acceptance will be dependent on remaining grant funding.

WRP Examples

  • Training or content development led by community colleges or businesses
  • Employee training programs to support hiring or economic advancement
  • Bolstering workforce development at local community colleges
  • Rural recruitment and retention strategies
  • Employee incentives, including transportation, childcare, and housing stipends
  • Workforce training center investments
  • Work-based learning, including on-the job training and apprenticeships
  • New business development support

Grantee Eligibility

  • Eligible grant applicants include for-profit businesses, 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) organizations, institutions of higher education, government, and tribal organizations.
  • Eligible beneficiaries of grant funded programs include individuals who are employed on a full-time, part-time, temporary, or seasonal basis, gig workers, contract laborers, and jobseekers who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.
  • Grant-funded programs must be located in a rural county (population of less than 250,000).

Timeline

  • Request for Proposals will open in January 2024.
  • Priority deadline is March 1, 2024. Applications received after that date will be considered based on the remaining funds that are available.
  • Approved grant proposals will receive funding via quarterly reimbursements beginning July 2024. Final reimbursements will occur in July 2026.
  • All grantee funds must be fully spent by June 30, 2026.
  • The program will close on December 31, 2026.