DOL Announces $150M in ACWIA H-1B Grants

DOL, Sept. 24, 2020

"The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of up to $150 million in grant funds authorized under section 414(c) of the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA), as amended (codified at 29 USC 3224a) for the H-1B One Workforce grant program. We expect to fund approximately 15-30 grants, with individual grant amounts ranging from $500,000 to $10 million. The purpose of this grant program is to fill critical shortages in economic regions by encouraging states and economic regions to work with industry stakeholders to develop dynamic workforce strategies that train workers and jobseekers for middle- to high-skilled H-1B occupations in key industry sectors, such as Information Technology (IT), advanced manufacturing, and transportation that are being transformed by technological advancements and automation, as well as other industries of the future that include artificial intelligence (AI), quantum information sciences (QIS), 5G/advanced communications, and biotechnology. These grants will build proof of concepts of innovative training models that can be replicated by the broader workforce system. Applicants must build support for a common vision for responding to the workforce challenges within their state and economic regions, ensuring that their projects complement and leverage, but do not duplicate existing programs. By forging public-private partnerships-H-1B One Workforce Partnerships-applicants will bring together industry and employers, education and training providers, the workforce system, state and local government, and other entities that will work collaboratively to align resources in response to employer demand and to offer novel education and job training solutions that generate positive outcomes and results."