Special Features

July 2013 Newsletter

Funds Available for Communities Facing Defense Cuts

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is offering funding for community planning assistance and economic diversification in response to reductions or cancellations in defense spending. Funding is being made available through DOD’s Office of Economic Adjustment (DOD-OEA). Proposals for funding will be considered on a continuing basis, subject to available appropriations, and a decision will be made within 30 business days of receipt of a complete application. For details, visit DOD-OEA’s website or consult the June 17, 2013 Federal Register notice.

U.S. Department of Labor Announces $58 Million in Grants for Worker Retraining

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announced on June 26 that it had awarded $58 million in funding to 30 states for expanded training of dislocated workers so they can acquire industry-recognized credentials that lead to new career opportunities. The grants will support on-the-job training, registered apprenticeships, and other approaches that connect individuals with employers, with a focus on providing these services to those in long spells of unemployment.

States were invited to apply for the one-time funding in May and were asked to prioritize training efforts on workers who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer and were also encouraged to provide services to workers who are likely to soon exhaust their unemployment insurance benefits.

For more information about the grants, including the amounts allocated to each state, visit the ETA’s website.