The WORC Initiative
The Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Initiative is a partnership between the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and three regional commissions—the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Delta Regional Authority, and the Northern Border Regional Commission. The WORC Initiative addresses the critical workforce needs of employers in high-growth and emerging industries across the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border regions (collectively, the WORC regions), which represent areas of the country that have been hard-hit by economic distress. Participants in grant-funded training programs will receive training and education opportunities and resources that lead to employment and wage growth and stimulate economic mobility, self-sufficiency, and increased labor force participation. These federal workforce investments will support America's reindustrialization and equip American workers to fill the growing demand for skilled trades and other occupations.
The current WORC Initiative invests in regional industry and sector partnerships to design and implement industry-driven training programs that will close skills gaps and increase the talent pipeline in critical sectors. These investments aim to increase worker mobility by providing high-quality work-based learning opportunities and related training as a career pathway for new and dislocated workers and for incumbent worker upskilling.
In 2019, ETA awarded the first round of WORC grants to 18 recipients throughout the Appalachian and Delta regions. In 2023, the fifth round of WORC grants expanded to include the Northern Border region. To date, ETA has funded six rounds of WORC grants.
WORC Initiative Grant Awards
The table below includes the number of grants and total funding awarded in each WORC round. For more information on awarded grant projects, see the project summaries through the link for each round.
| WORC Round (Regions Included) | Total Grants Awarded | Total Funding Awarded | Current Active Awards (As of 6/1/2026) |
(Appalachian, Delta, Northern Border) | 35 | $48,915,290 | 35 |
(Appalachian, Delta, Northern Border) | 32 | $44,035,000 | 32 |
(Appalachian, Delta) | 26 | $34,375,000 | 2 |
(Appalachian, Delta) | 23 | $28,193,572 | 0 |
(Appalachian, Delta) | 27 | $26,184,526 | 0 |
(Appalachian, Delta) | 18 | $26,267,488 | 0 |
| Total Investment | 161 | $209,970,876 | 69 |
Organizations interested in learning more about upcoming funding opportunities for the WORC Initiative (or other ETA funding opportunities) should visit ETA's Funding Opportunity page or register to receive notifications from grants.gov.
WORC Initiative Partners
Learn more about the mission, programs, and priority areas served by each WORC regional partner:
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
Delta Regional Commission (DRA)
Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC)