Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA ETA 20 04
The Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) initiative is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA). It is designed specifically to support communities in the Appalachian and Delta regions that are facing economic distress and are working to create stronger, more resilient local economies. The central idea behind the program is that lasting economic improvement in rural areas comes from strategies developed locally rather than imposed from the outside. WORC focuses on helping regions connect long-term economic development plans with practical workforce development efforts so residents can train for, access, and keep jobs that exist now and are likely to exist in the future.
WORC emphasizes regionally driven, comprehensive approaches. In practice, this means ETA is looking for applications that show strong coordination among regional partners and that combine economic diversification goals with workforce training and employment supports. The program is built around a "bottom-up" model where community-led planning identifies local strengths and opportunities, then uses grant funds to invest in those strategies. Rather than funding isolated job training projects, WORC is meant to demonstrate how a broader regional plan can align training, supportive services, and employer needs in a way that improves economic resilience over time.
A notable feature of WORC is that it explicitly recognizes the opioid crisis as a major barrier to workforce participation and economic recovery in many eligible rural communities. ETA encourages applicants to incorporate strategies that address employment and training needs for people affected by substance use disorder. That can include approaches that help individuals re-enter the workforce, build skills, and maintain employment while also acknowledging the real challenges that substance use disorder can create for job readiness and retention. The intent is to strengthen the overall workforce by ensuring that recovery-impacted individuals are not left out of economic growth efforts.
In terms of basic funding details, the opportunity is listed as FOA ETA 20-04 and is associated with CFDA number 17.280. Awards are grants, with an award ceiling of $1,500,000 per grant, and ETA anticipated making about 35 awards. The opportunity falls under employment, labor, and training activities and also references Opportunity Zone benefits as part of its activity category listing. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others" with additional clarification expected in the full eligibility section of the announcement, which typically indicates that ETA may allow a range of regional entities and partnerships to apply as long as they meet the program's specific requirements.
The announcement was created on April 30, 2020, and the original application deadline was July 29, 2020, with applications due by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Overall, WORC is aimed at funding partnerships in Appalachia and the Delta that can show a credible, community-led plan to diversify the regional economy, align workforce training with that plan, and address barriers to employment, including the workforce impacts of the opioid crisis.Apply for FOA ETA 20 04
- The Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration in the employment, labor and training, opportunity zone benefits sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 17.280.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 30, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 29, 2020 The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is July 29, 2020. Applications must be received no later than 40000 p.m. Eastern Time.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 35 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Previous opportunity: 2020 HEALTHY COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (FOA ETA 20 04) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| H-1B Rural Healthcare Grant Program Apply for FOA ETA 20 12 Funding Number: FOA ETA 20 12 Agency: Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration Category: Employment, Labor and Training, Opportunity Zone Benefits Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| H-1B One Workforce Grant Program Apply for FOA ETA 20 13 Funding Number: FOA ETA 20 13 Agency: Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration Category: Employment, Labor and Training, Opportunity Zone Benefits Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| YouthBuild Apply for FOA ETA 21 04 Funding Number: FOA ETA 21 04 Agency: Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration Category: Employment, Labor and Training, Opportunity Zone Benefits Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Workforce Pathways for Youth grant program Apply for FOA ETA 21 01 Funding Number: FOA ETA 21 01 Agency: Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration Category: Employment, Labor and Training, Opportunity Zone Benefits Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Pathway Home 2 Apply for FOA ETA 21 02 Funding Number: FOA ETA 21 02 Agency: Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration Category: Employment, Labor and Training, Opportunity Zone Benefits Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
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