Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants Program
Grant: Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants Program
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
Department: Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
Deadline: June 18, 2013 for single institution applications; July 3, 2013 for consortium applications.
Description: The Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants Program (TAACCCT) strives to meet the educational or career training needs of workers who have lost their jobs or are threatened with job loss as a result of foreign trade. This is done through the funding of projects aimed at expanding and improving the ability of eligible entities to deliver education and career training programs that can be completed in two years or less, and are suited for workers who are eligible for training under the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers Program of the Trade Act of 1974, as well as other adults. The Trade Adjustment Assistance program helps eligible workers, which cover those who have lost their job as a result of international trade, by offering a variety of services and benefits to help these workers adjust.
To achieve its desired outcome, the TAACCCT grant program has three overarching goals, which include:
- Increase attainment of degrees, certifications, certificates, diplomas and other industry-recognized credentials to better prepare TAA-eligible workers and other adults for high-wage, high-skill employment or re-employment in growth industry sectors.
- Introduce innovative and effective methods for curriculum development and delivery that address specific industry needs and lead to improved learning outcomes and retention rates for TAA-eligible workers and other adults.
- Demonstrate improved employment outcomes as a result of the funded program.
All of these goals are addressed in six key elements, which are necessary for every project submitted through the TAACCCT grant program; including, evidence-based design; stacked and latticed credentials; online and technology-enabled learning; transferability and articulation of credit; strategic alignment; and alignment with previously funded TAACCCT. Be sure to read through the program notice for greater details of what each of these core elements entails.
One of the key goals of the round three solicitation is to support the design and delivery of employer sponsored work-based training models. This typically includes a hybrid of classroom learning and hands experience in an employment setting. This combination of learning methods ensure that workers not only learn academic skills, but also other critical workplace skills such as teamwork, professional communication and problem solving.
Applicants are expected to propose projects that expand and improve their ability to deliver education and training programs and achieve improved education and employment outcomes, rather than simply offering their existing courses to more workers and other students.
A continued interest of the DOL is in the development of accessible online learning strategies that can effectively serve eligible workers and adults. Online learning strategies can allow adults who are struggling to balance the competing demands of work and family to acquire new skills at a time, place and pace that are convenient for them. Those applications that propose to reach a large and diverse audience across broad geographic areas are strongly encouraged.
This program allows for the purchase, or upgrading, of classroom supplies and equipment and/or educational technologies that will contribute to the instructional purpose in education and training courses supported by the grant. A full list of “allowable activities” is found in the program notice.
Fit for public broadcasting: This is a great opportunity for stations to partner with a community college. There is a strong emphasis on developing innovative online learning and workforce training techniques where many stations may find a good fit. Examples of previously funded projects include the Illinois Green Economy Network Career Pathways Initiative which developed comprehensive training programs through a hybrid of online and classroom delivery. Other projects include the creation of online curriculum development and self-paced e-learning modules.
At the 2013 APTS Public Media Summit, Jane Oates, Assistant Secretary of the Employment and Training Administration with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), cited the TAACCCT grant program as a prime example of where stations can partner with the DOL to help fill the gap on critical issues such as job training, career readiness and GED preparation. Assistant Secretary Oates, who oversees a budget of $11 billion, is a long time friend of public media from her days working in Senator Kennedy's office, and her familiarity with Ready To Learn. Here, Community Colleges must take the lead but if your station has a strong relationship and is active in workforce training and/or GED education you are encouraged to participate in this great opportunity.
Eligibility: Institutions of higher education which offer programs that can be completed in no more than two years must serve as the lead applicant. These may include public, proprietary or other nonprofit educational institutions. The creation of a consortium on applications is strongly encouraged. This includes the partnership of three or more eligible institutions that will work together to develop programs that will impact individuals across a region, state, industry sector or cluster of related industries and leverage their collective experience to expand and improve their ability to deliver education and career training programs.
Eligible institutions may submit only one application in response to this Request for Proposal, either as a single eligible applicant or as the grantee institution in a consortium application. More details concerning single and consortium applicants are found in the program notice.
Anticipated funding: The DOL intends to award up to $474 million in grant funds, with at least one award of $2.372 million to $2.75 million being made to a single applicant in each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. An estimated 15 to 20 grants of $25 million each will be made to eligible consortium applicants. The project period is four years (48 months).
How to apply: Applications may be submitted electronically on Grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or hand delivery. Online submission requires registration, a process that usually takes three to five business days but can take as long as four weeks. Be sure to visit Grants.gov and begin registering well in advance of the grant deadline.
Resources:
Program notice
Program website
Past grantees
