In September 2023, the Employment and Training Administration announced $16 million in grants to support organizations in 12 states as they pilot strategies to improve job quality and increase the availability of good jobs in the care, climate resiliency, and hospitality sectors.
The Critical Sectors Job Quality Grants Program grants will enable recipients to design and deploy programs aligned with the Good Jobs Principles developed by the Department of Labor and Commerce. These principles will guide employers, local workforce systems, and partner organizations to enhance job quality in their communities. This funding is authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) sec. 169(c) and appropriated under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103, Div. H) for carrying out Demonstration and Pilot projects related to the employment and training needs of dislocated workers, other adults, or youth.
Please note that the grant approval amount may not represent the current obligation of funds.
The Critical Sectors Job Quality Grant Program recipients are as follows:
Critical Sectors Job Quality Grant recipients (Tier One-Planning) | Area of Focus | City | State | Award |
EDvance | Care | San Francisco | CA | $495,870 |
Tampa Bay Academy of Hope | Climate Resiliency | Tampa | FL | $495,879 |
Cincinnati Union Cooperative Initiative | Climate Resiliency | Cincinnati | OH | $495,816 |
Lane Workforce Partnership | Hospitality | Eugene | OR | $446,786 |
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | Hospitality | Cheyney | PA | $495,878 |
Industrial Development Advantage of East Chicago* | Climate Resiliency | Farr West | UT | $495,878 |
Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board, Inc. | Climate Resiliency | Warsaw | VA | $495,878 |
Total |
| $3,421,985 |
*The recipient is located in Utah, but funding will support communities in Indiana.
Critical Sectors Job Quality Grants recipients (Tier Two-Implementation) | Area of Focus | City | State | Award |
Hospitality Industry Training and Education Fund | Hospitality | Los Angeles | CA | $2,975,276 |
Climate Resiliency | New Orleans | LA | $991,759 | |
Civic Works Inc. | Climate Resiliency | Baltimore | MD | $2,975,276 |
Portland General Electric Company | Climate Resiliency | Portland | OR | $2,975,276 |
Employ Milwaukee Inc. | Hospitality | Milwaukee | WI | $2,661,661 |
Total |
| $12,579,248 |