Deadline: 24-Jan-25
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is seeking applications for the Climate-Critical Workforce Training, Equipment, and Infrastructure Grants to increase access to modern, relevant training equipment and infrastructure and provide one to two years in direct funding and technical assistance support to organizations that can build and scale career pathways and upskilling that help Massachusetts residents access and advance in climate-critical priority occupations.
Applicants may apply for one or more of the following strands:
- Strand A: Career Pathway Training Leading to Employment in Climate-Critical Priority Occupations
- Strand B: Climate-Critical Upskilling for Incumbent Workers
- Strand C: Equipment Infrastructure and Training Ecosystem Support
Program Goals
- This solicitation is intended to help build job training and support capacity to fill gaps in the workforce for climate-critical sectors through a range of project and program models, all of which should center employer and participant needs in the design and program implementation. These funds will enable Applicants to:
- Expand recruitment pipelines to broaden access to climate-critical priority occupations.
- Create new and/or expand technical and job readiness training opportunities to provide the skills necessary to attain placement in climate-critical priority occupations.
- Create new and/or expand career advancement programming and upskilling training opportunities to help workers gain valuable skills while businesses expand capacity to support the state’s climate goals.
- Leverage effective workforce development models like registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships by providing the resources to launch and/or expand programs.
- Develop and nurture new relationships with employers in climate-critical sectors to develop job placements and identify avenues for career growth.
- Establish and grow wraparound and retention support services to address potential barriers to entry and advancement in climate-critical occupations.
- Expand the availability and/or effectiveness of climate-critical training by securing modern equipment and infrastructure resources for their programming.
- Strengthen the Climate-Critical Occupational Training Ecosystem through system-wide approaches to standardization, career navigation, industry coordination, and learning resources and certification.
Funding Information
- Depending on the type of request, Applicants may apply for Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) to Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($800,000.00) in funding for work completed over a period of one (1) to two (2) years.
Who’s Eligible?
- Single organizations or partnerships are eligible to apply. Partnerships are strongly encouraged and may be looked upon more favorably to the extent that they can provide a range of expertise and experience to deliver a comprehensive proposal. One party should take on the role of Lead Applicant.
- The following entities are eligible to serve as a Lead Applicant:
- Community-Based Entities (often referred to as Community Based Organizations) such as community action partnerships, environmental justice organizations, neighborhood revitalization organizations, advocacy groups, affordable housing providers, affordable housing developers, and non-profits.
- Post-secondary educational institutions, K-12 School Districts, Comprehensive and Vocational High Schools, Middle Schools, and Vocational Schools offering a Career Technical Initiative evening program.
- For-Profit entities such as for-profit training companies, trade associations, unions or other coalitions of businesses, clean energy installers, energy efficiency or home performance contractors, financial institutions, or other clean energy practitioners.
- Workforce Development Organizations, both Non-Profit and For-Profit.
- MassHire Workforce Investment Boards and Career Centers.
- Additional eligibility notes:
- Lead Applicant must have a Massachusetts office and must be able to submit a Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
- Applicants who have received prior funding or are pursuing separate funding opportunities from MassCEC are eligible to apply for this funding so long as the proposed work is sufficiently distinct and does not lead to the same project being funded.
- Applicants who have received prior funding under the Equity Workforce Fund or other MassCEC funding opportunities must be in good standing with MassCEC.
- Applicants will be expected to disclose any potential conflicts of interest created through partnerships or subcontracts with related family members, current and recent employers, or any other involved parties that may create such conflicts of interest and to detail the review and selection processes used by the Applicants to ensure selection of the best parties to perform the related work.
For more information, visit MassCEC.