Deadline: 24-Jan-25
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Equity Workforce Training Implementation Grants increase access to modern, relevant training.
The grants provide up to $1,200,000 across two to three years in direct funding and technical assistance to organizations that can build and scale career pathways leading to climate-critical priority occupations for individuals from Environmental Justice (EJ) neighborhoods or low-income communities, members of Federally recognized and State-acknowledged Tribes, Fossil Fuel Workers, and other underrepresented populations.
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: Clean Energy Career Awareness, Career Exploration, Career Navigation, and Preparedness
Successful applicants will propose projects that address barriers faced by these populations, demonstrate a high level of employer engagement and leverage of existing workforce development systems, and lead to high-quality careers in climate-critical occupations.
Focus
- Strand A: Career Pathway Training Leading to Employment in Climate-Critical Priority Occupations
- Build job training and support capacity to fill gaps in the workforce for climate-critical sectors while creating opportunities for underserved individuals most impacted by climate change who are typically excluded from opportunities in these sectors.
- Strand B: Clean Energy Career Awareness, Career Exploration, Career Navigation, and Preparedness for Adult Learners and Job Seekers
- Provide effective programming to expand awareness of access to climate-critical careers among individuals from EJ Neighborhoods, individuals from federally recognized or state-acknowledged tribes within the Commonwealth, members of underrepresented communities in the clean energy workforce, and Fossil Fuel Workers while providing clear off-ramps into next steps to access those opportunities.
Program Goals
- The Equity Workforce Program seeks to expand access to career opportunities in climatecritical fields. A robust, well-trained, and inclusive workforce is vital to achieving and sustaining the Commonwealth’s climate goals, including Net Zero in 2050. The equity workforce programs address the need to grow Massachusetts’ clean energy workforce by prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across the full spectrum of economic opportunity, aiming to produce an increasingly diverse bench of highly trained new workers to help lead climatecritical work. This solicitation is intended to support job training that fills gaps in the workforce for climatecritical sectors while creating opportunities for underserved individuals most impacted by climate change who are typically excluded from opportunities in these sectors. These funds will enable Applicants to:
- Recruit individuals from EJ Neighborhoods, individuals from federally recognized or state-acknowledged tribes within the Commonwealth, members of underrepresented communities in the clean energy workforce, and Fossil Fuel Workers to explore and enter climate-critical priority occupations.
- Create new and/or expand technical and job readiness training including career advancement and upskilling opportunities to provide the skills necessary to attain placement in climate-critical priority occupations.
- 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 social and economic barriers and increase the likelihood of long-term career success.
- Address common barriers to equitable access to climate-critical careers through more intentional career awareness and navigation support.
Funding Information
- Depending on the Strand, Applicants may apply for Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) to One Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,200,000.00) in funding for work completed over a period of one (1) to three (3) 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.
- Trade and Labor entities, trade associations, unions, or other coalitions of businesses and clean energy businesses, Non-Profit and For-Profit .
- Federally Recognized and State-Acknowledged Tribes.
- Workforce Development Organizations, Non-Profit and For-Profit.
- Massachusetts Workforce Investment Boards and Career Centers/Mass Hire Organizations.
- 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.