Public Transportation Workforce Grant

[reposted from DOLETA] The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has published a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) today for the Innovative Workforce Development Program.

This NOFA seeks proposals that promote diverse and innovative successful workforce development models and programs. FTA has budgeted approximately $5,000,000 for providing support of these efforts.

Proposals must have a minimum threshold of $100,000 and a maximum of $1,000,000. FTA reserves the right to change this amount based on the quantity and quality of applications; FTA may also choose to fund programs for less than the proposed amount.

FTA will accept applications that target one or more the following areas in the lifecycle of the transit workforce:

1. Pre-employment training/preparation
2. Recruitment and hiring
3. Incumbent worker training and retention
4. Succession planning/phased retirement

FTA is soliciting applications which cover a wide range of workforce activities --however, the following areas are of particular interest and focus:

• Projects or programs that demonstrate innovative methods of leveraging investments in public transportation infrastructure to generate positive impacts in local employment, particularly in underserved communities.
• Innovative projects or programs that support the training/professional development needs of blue-collar operations and maintenance workers, particularly in the area of new and emerging technologies.
• Projects that support or showcase innovative methods of encouraging youth to pursue careers in public transportation.

Eligible applicants are public transit agencies; state departments of transportation (DOTs) providing public transportation services; and Indian tribes, non-profit institutions and institutions of higher education.

FTA defines an external partner entity may be defined as, but not limited to:

1. Educational institutions, which includes entities providing professional accreditation, degree, and/or certification programs, such as universities, community colleges, or trade schools, either non- profit or for-profit.
2. Public workforce investment systems, such as local Workforce Investment Boards and their one-stop systems.
3. Labor organizations, such as labor unions and labor management organizations.
4. Non-profit organizations that support the mission of transit and transportation workforce development.

Click here for additional background and application requirements. The FTA is requesting applications by July 6, 2012.