With both Federal and State grants available for funding apprenticeship programs, employers have a great chance at strengthening their workforce without a big financial investment.
Federal Funding for Apprenticeship
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announces new funding opportunities annually. The federal grants webpage includes grants focussing on apprenticeship programs. The apprenticeship investments webpage is another source of information and grant listings.
Each grant listing identifies the purpose of the funding, eligible applicants, funding amounts, and application procedures. A DOL contact person is listed in the Funding Opportunity Announcement for questions on specific opportunities.
The U.S. Department of Labor isn’t the only federal agency providing Registered Apprenticeship grants. Visit grants.gov or sam.gov to find all federally funded opportunities.
Florida State Funding for Apprenticeship
Since 2019, the State of Florida has invested around $30 million to expand registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.
The Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant includes $9.8 million in funding to a range of recipients including several companies, school districts, colleges and skills training organizations. Information is available on the Florida Department of Education website.
The Apprenticeship State Expansion Grant is federally funded, but applied for through the state. This grant is divided into two mini grants, one that supports programs and one that supports participants. Some of the companies that have been funded include businesses offering apprenticeships in utilities training, automation and maintenance, nursery and landscaping, marine industries and others. Applications can be made through Apprentice Florida.