April 24, 2026

Workforce Development Grants 2026: DOL, WIOA, and Job Training Funding

Workforce development grants in 2026 fund training programs, apprenticeships, job placement services, and career pathway development across every sector of the economy. The Department of Labor alone administers over $15 billion annually in workforce-related funding — and additional billions flow through the Departments of Education, Energy, Commerce, and Defense. Whether you run a job training nonprofit, operate a registered apprenticeship program, or lead a community college workforce division, this guide maps the major funding streams and how to access them.

What Workforce Development Grants Fund

Workforce development grants are broadly defined — they fund any activity that helps workers acquire the skills, credentials, and connections needed to access and retain quality employment. Specifically eligible activities include:

  • Occupational skills training — instructor-led, online, or hybrid programs in specific trades, technologies, or professional fields
  • Registered apprenticeship programs — structured, employer-led earn-and-learn pathways with on-the-job training and related technical instruction
  • Pre-apprenticeship programs — foundational training that prepares workers for entry into registered apprenticeship
  • Career counseling, resume assistance, and job placement services
  • Supportive services — childcare, transportation, housing assistance that removes barriers to training participation
  • Industry-recognized credential (IRC) attainment programs
  • Work-based learning — internships, co-ops, on-the-job training contracts
  • Incumbent worker training — upskilling current employees to prevent layoffs or advance their careers

DOL (Department of Labor) Workforce Grants Overview

The Department of Labor is the primary federal funder of workforce development. DOL grants flow through several channels:

  • ETA (Employment and Training Administration) discretionary grants: Competitive grants for national and regional workforce development initiatives. DOL ETA has funded sector partnerships, apprenticeship expansion, re-entry programs, and rural workforce initiatives through discretionary grant solicitations.
  • H-1B Technical Skills Training Grants: Uses H-1B visa fees to fund training of American workers in industries that use H-1B visas — including IT, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and engineering. Awards typically range from $1 million to $5 million. Eligible applicants include workforce boards, community colleges, nonprofits, and employer partnerships.
  • YouthBuild Program: Approximately $100 million annually for organizations serving low-income young adults (16-24) who lack a high school diploma. YouthBuild grantees provide construction skills training, GED/diploma programs, and leadership development. Awards $700,000-$1.2 million.
  • Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO): Funds workforce programs for individuals with criminal records, including pre-release training, transitional jobs, and employment support. Awards to nonprofits and workforce agencies nationwide.
  • Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP): Subsidized part-time employment and job training for low-income adults 55 and older. Administered by national and state grantee organizations.

WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) Funding

WIOA is the backbone of America's public workforce system. Enacted in 2014 and reauthorized periodically, WIOA distributes over $3 billion annually through four formula-funded titles:

  • Title I — Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth:
    • Adult program: ~$845 million for career services, training, and employment assistance for adults 18+
    • Dislocated Worker program: ~$1.1 billion for workers who have lost jobs through layoffs, plant closings, or mass layoffs
    • Youth program: ~$937 million for career development services for low-income young people ages 14-24
  • Title II — Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA): ~$700 million for adult basic education, literacy, and English language acquisition programs. Community-based organizations are major AEFLA providers in most states.
  • Title III — Wagner-Peyser Employment Services: ~$700 million for state employment service operations — job listings, labor market information, labor exchange services.
  • Title IV — Vocational Rehabilitation: ~$3.6 billion for vocational rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities.

WIOA Title I-III funds flow from DOL to states, which distribute them through Local Workforce Development Boards (WDBs). Nonprofits and training providers access WIOA funds primarily by becoming approved training providers on the state's Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) or by contracting directly with the local WDB. Direct federal competition for WIOA-funded programs is rare — most access is through the state and local system.

Apprenticeship Grants and Registered Apprenticeship Programs

Registered apprenticeship is among the most evidence-based workforce development models — participants earn while they learn and achieve industry-recognized credentials with strong wage outcomes. Federal investment in apprenticeship expanded significantly with the Good Jobs Initiative and Inflation Reduction Act provisions.

  • ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion grants: DOL has awarded grants to all 50 states to expand registered apprenticeship programs, with priority for underrepresented populations and high-demand industries. State apprenticeship agencies use these funds to hire staff and support employer sponsors — contact your State Apprenticeship Agency for sub-grant opportunities.
  • Building Diverse Pathways grants: DOL periodically awards competitive grants (approximately $25 million per competition) to nonprofits, intermediaries, and community-based organizations to recruit and support women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups in registered apprenticeship.
  • Registered Apprenticeship — Technical Assistance centers: DOL funds national TA centers that provide free consulting to help employers register new apprenticeship programs. Contact the Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship to connect with your regional TA provider.
  • IRA prevailing wage and apprenticeship provisions: The Inflation Reduction Act created a strong financial incentive for clean energy projects to use registered apprentices — projects that meet apprenticeship requirements qualify for 5x higher tax credits. This has dramatically increased demand for registered apprenticeship programs in clean energy trades.

Community College Workforce Development Grants

Community colleges are major recipients of workforce development grants at both the federal and state levels. Key programs include:

  • NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE): Supports community college technician education in STEM fields — particularly IT, manufacturing, health sciences, cybersecurity, and clean energy. Awards to community colleges and their nonprofit partners range from $75,000 (Track 1 projects) to $7.5 million (national ATE centers). Nonprofits partnering with a community college can co-lead ATE projects.
  • Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (SCC): DOL ETA has funded competitive grants for community colleges to expand workforce training in high-demand industries. Check Grants.gov for current competition status.
  • Perkins V Career and Technical Education: Funds CTE programs at secondary and postsecondary levels, including community college workforce programs. Flows as formula funding to states, which distribute through competitive and formula sub-grants.

Grants for Job Training Nonprofits

Nonprofits specializing in job training — particularly those serving high-barrier populations (formerly incarcerated, long-term unemployed, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and immigrants) — have access to several dedicated funding streams:

  • Social Enterprise grants: Many community foundations and United Way affiliates fund social enterprises that provide transitional employment and job training.
  • USDA Rural Development Community Facilities grants: Can fund construction of workforce training centers in rural communities — check with your state USDA Rural Development office.
  • DOJ Second Chance Act grants: Fund reentry services including job training and employment placement for formerly incarcerated individuals. Awards to nonprofits, government agencies, and Federally Recognized Tribes.
  • HHS Office of Community Services (OCS) grants: Community Services Block Grants (CSBG) and Strengthening Communities grants support community action agencies and nonprofits providing employment and self-sufficiency services in low-income communities.

Sector-Based Workforce Grants (Healthcare, Tech, Construction)

Sector-based workforce grants — which target specific industries rather than general populations — have become the dominant model in federal workforce policy. Key sector-specific programs include:

  • Healthcare: HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) Health Workforce grants fund training for nurses, allied health professionals, community health workers, and behavioral health providers. Title VII and Title VIII grants support health professions training. Awards range from $200,000 to $3 million.
  • Technology and cybersecurity: NSF ATE funds community college cyber programs; the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funds cybersecurity workforce training through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). DOL H-1B grants frequently target IT occupations.
  • Construction trades: DOL YouthBuild specifically targets construction; Building Trades apprenticeship intermediaries receive DOL grants for pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship expansion in plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and carpentry.
  • Clean energy: DOE's Office of State and Community Energy Programs funds workforce training in solar installation, weatherization, and energy efficiency — often through state energy offices that sub-grant to nonprofits and training providers.
  • Advanced manufacturing: EDA's Good Jobs Challenge, DOE AMO, and DOL H-1B grants all fund advanced manufacturing workforce training.

How Employers Can Access Workforce Development Funding

Employers — particularly small and mid-sized businesses — often don't realize they can access workforce development funding directly:

  • On-the-job training (OJT) contracts: Local Workforce Development Boards contract with employers to reimburse up to 50% of the wages paid to new hires during a structured training period. No application — contact your local WDB.
  • Incumbent worker training: Many state workforce agencies fund incumbent worker training for employers upgrading the skills of existing employees. Often administered by the local WDB.
  • Registered apprenticeship sponsor: Employers who register as apprenticeship sponsors can access DOL technical assistance, state sub-grants, and in some states, tax credits for apprenticeship wages.
  • Customized training partnerships: Partner with a community college or training provider that has existing WIOA or Perkins contracts — your firm's training needs drive the curriculum and the grant covers costs.

State Workforce Agency Grant Programs

Every state has a workforce agency (often called the State Workforce Board or Department of Labor and Employment) that administers WIOA sub-grants, H-1B state grants, and state-funded workforce initiatives. These state programs are often more accessible than direct federal competitions and have faster timelines.

  • Contact your State Workforce Board to learn about current sub-grant opportunities for training providers and employers.
  • Many states have sector partnership grants that fund regional industry groups and training providers to develop career pathways in target sectors.
  • State workforce agencies sometimes partner with community foundations and United Way chapters to offer small workforce development grants to community-based organizations.

Conclusion: Workforce Development Funding Is Decentralized — Local Relationships Matter

Workforce development funding is complex because it flows through multiple levels — federal to state to local workforce board to training provider. Success requires understanding your local workforce system, building relationships with your Local Workforce Development Board, and identifying the funding streams most aligned with your population served and training model.

Browse open workforce development and education funding opportunities on GrantLocate's education grants directory and nonprofit grants page, updated daily from federal sources including Grants.gov and DOL ETA.

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