PRIMARY SECTOR WORKFORCE TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM
DRAFT 2015 Biennium Primary Sector Workforce Training Grant Application Guidelines
The WTG Program will be conducting a Public Hearing on the proposed 2015 Biennium Application Guidelines. The hearing is scheduled for 1:30pm on Friday, May 31st in Room 228, of the Park Avenue Building, 301 South Park Avenue, Helena Montana.
Written comments on the proposed guidelines must be received by the Program by 5:00pm, June 6, 2013.
GRANTS FOR TRAINING NEW WORKERS
Guidelines | Application | Sources/Uses | Wage Rates |
Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement
The Primary Sector Workforce Training Grant program is a state-funded program that provides grant funds to businesses for training of new full-time and part-time jobs. Full-time is defined as a predominantly year round job requiring an average of 35 hours of work each week. Part-time is defined as a predominatly year round job requiring an average of 25 to 34 hours of work each week. The maximum grant award is $5,000 for each new full-time job and $2,500 for each new part-time job.
The Program is administered by the Department of Commerce with the Department Grant Review Committee making the actual grant award decisions. The Committee may award workforce training grants to primary sector businesses that provide education or skills-based training for employees in a newly created job.
This program is targeted to businesses that can demonstrate:
- 50% of the business's sales are from outside of Montana or the business is a manufacturing company with 50% of its sales from companies that have 50% of their sales outside of Montana, and
- must meet at least one of the following criteria
- be a value-adding business as defined by the Board of Investment,
- demonstrate a significant positive economic impact to the region and state beyond the job creation involved,
- be a new business that provides a product or service that is not available in Montana or the region which results in state residents leaving the state to purchase the product or service,
- provide a service or function that is essential to the locality or the state, or
- be a for-profit or a nonprofit hospital or medical center.
Applicants must provide $1 of match for every $3 dollars of grant funds.
Trainees must be paid at least the average wage that meets or exceeds the lesser of 170% of Montana's current minimum wage or the current average weekly wage of the county. The wage can include benefits. County wage rates in effect are provided above.
The Department is targeting this workforce training grant program to projects that can demonstrate tangible, measurable results involving employees working in the businesses that are receiving assistance. It is essential that the guidelines be carefully reviewed. It is highly recommended that potential applicants contact the Department directly by calling Nancy Faroni at 406-841-2744 for guidance and funding availability before submitting a formal application. You may also email inquiries to nfaroni@mt.gov.