The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), announced the successful grantees of the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) initiative on September 30, 2019. ETA awarded $29.2 million in grants to 18 successful applicants—10 in the Appalachian region and 8 in the Delta region.
WORC Overview
The WORC Initiative is designed to facilitate the alignment of workforce development efforts with existing economic development strategies in rural communities hard hit by economic transition and recovering slowly. The WORC Initiative provides grant funds to enable impacted communities to develop local and regional workforce development solutions aligned with existing economic development strategies and community partnerships to promote new, sustainable job opportunities and long-term economic vitality. These grants support workforce development activities that prepare dislocated workers, new entrants to the workforce, and incumbent workers for good jobs in high-demand occupations aligned with a regional or community economic development strategy.
The goal of these projects is to improve access to good jobs, as well as help communities and workers plan for, and recover from, economic transitions, by:
- Implementing innovative approaches to address the economic and workforce-related impacts within each of the regions;
- Providing enhanced training and support activities to eligible individuals;
- Supporting workforce development activities that prepare eligible participants for good jobs in high-demand occupations aligned with a state, regional, or community economic development strategy; and
- In the Appalachian region, helping to address the impacts of the opioid crisis.
Successful applicants proposed a wide range of activities to meet the goals of the WORC Initiative, including:
- Developing training and work-based learning opportunities;
- Providing incentives for participation and completion of grant-funded activities;
- Purchasing or leasing equipment and facilities to establish or improve training centers and increase opportunities; and,
- Working with local businesses to retain or hire new workers, including through on-the-job training, incumbent worker training, and other approaches.
Grant Information
Grant Awards
| Grantees/Project Name | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Base Camp Coding Academy | MS | $635,000 |
| Northshore Technical Community College | LA | $1,930,586 |
| Southeastern Louisiana University | LA | $2,457,701 |
| Madisonville Community College | KY | $1,258,842 |
| Arkansas Northeastern College | AR | $2,324,336 |
| University of West Alabama | AL | $2,499,809 |
| Panola County, Mississippi | MS | $2,154,000 |
| Hinds Community College | MS | $1,327,226 |
| Total Awarded: | $14,587,500 | |
| Grantees/Project Name | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg Community College | SC | $2,140,725 |
| Research Foundation for SUNY | NY | $1,962,182 |
| West Central Job Partnership, Inc. | PA | $2,500,000 |
| Community Action Council for Lexington-Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison and Nicholas Counties | KY | $383,668 |
| Coalfield Development Corporation | WV | $2,500,000 |
| University of North Alabama | AL | $1,098,599 |
| North Georgia Technical College | GA | $1,307,107 |
| Randolph County Housing Authoritye | WV | $750,000 |
| The Alcohol and Drug Council of Tompkins County | NY | $566,521 |
| Goodwill of North Georgia | GA | $1,378,698 |
| Total Awarded: | $14,587,500 | |
Grantee Materials
- WORC Reporting Desk Guide
- WIOA Quarterly Narrative Performance Report (PDF)
- WIOA Quarterly Narrative Performance Report (Word version)
- Webinar: Overview of Grant Requirements for WORC Grantees (Vimeo)
About the Appalachian and Delta Regions
- The Appalachian region consists of 420 counties across 13 states
- The Delta region consists of 252 counties and parishes across 8 states