Funds awarded to help workers affected by fishing industry decline

State: Washington

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Award Amount Approved/Released: $697,182

Funding Awarded to: The Lummi Nation

Number of Workers Served:  Approximately 100

Use of Funds: The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded $697,182 in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act National Dislocated Worker Grant funding to the Lummi Nation in Bellingham to provide reemployment services to workers impacted by the ongoing decline of the fishing and shellfish industry. The Lummi Indian Business Council declared the 2014 and 2015 fishing seasons economic disasters. The project will train dislocated fisherman for tribal employment opportunities, as well as for off-reservation jobs in high-demand industries such as construction, healthcare, manufacturing and retail.