The Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD) invites applications from qualified non-profit organizations to implement initiatives and activities that support job placement as part of the second phase of the City’s Life Sciences Workforce Development Initiative (LSWDI).
Donor Name: Office of Workforce Development (OWD)
State: Massachusetts
City: Boston
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/10/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Grants will fund programs that provide a range of services designed to support placement into life sciences occupations and career pathways, with funding available in two categories: short-term activities to be completed by June 30, 2025, and longer-term programs spanning one year, with a deadline of February 28, 2026.
The life sciences industry encompasses a range of activities, including research and development, manufacturing, and other products and services grounded in biology, biochemistry, and related STEM disciplines.
Life Sciences Workforce Development Initiative (LSWDI)
The Life Sciences Workforce Development Initiative (LSWDI) seeks to promote the growth of the local life sciences cluster while ensuring equitable access to career opportunities for Boston’s residents. Through LSWDI, Mayor Wu’s Administration is acting on its commitment to build a more equitable, inclusive economy. The vision is to cultivate and diversify the City’s life sciences workforce by investing in training and education, partnering closely with industry, and addressing barriers to employment in the sector. The City aims to reach the goal of 1,000 new Boston residents employed in the life sciences by the end of 2025. Key elements of the LSWDI include:
- Increase the number of residents receiving life sciences certification or academic degrees, including those without four-year degrees and workers of color, and place them into employment that closely aligns with graduates’ career aspirations, goals, and skills.
- Expanding access to middle- and high-wage opportunities through employer commitments to new hires and the promotion of incumbent workers.
- Develop clear and achievable career pathway strategies in life sciences and STEM fields.
- Engage industry leaders in an expanded role to inform training curricula, reduce credentialing barriers, and co-develop certificate-based training programs that lead directly to higher job placement rates, including opportunities such as internships, on-the-job training, and earn-and-learn models.
- Foster engagement among community-based organizations, training providers, and employers to remove barriers to occupational mobility and support innovation through cross-system collaboration and substantive exchange.
Grant Program Goals
Applicants should present a program concept that includes each of the services listed below. They encourage partnerships and coalitions of organizations and employers to provide excellent services to ensure participants’ success.
- Employer Partnerships: Proposals should clearly indicate that services will lead to employment or internships. If internships are the primary outcome, there must be a clear demonstration of how the placement will lead to full-time employment in the future. Proposals should describe partnerships with at least one employer, detailing the employer’s commitments to the program’s activities and the nature of the support provided. Proposals should include robust evidence of the partnership, such as the names of individuals involved and detailed descriptions of in-kind support, with financial quantifications where possible. Evidence of employer engagement will be a significant factor in the award decision.
- Job Development, Job, Post-secondary, or Paid Internship Placement, and Post-Placement Services: Proposed services should include a timeline for developing work-based learning opportunities, such as internships or on-the-job training, and/or job placement activities. The timeline should align with industry hiring practices and program schedules to ensure seamless transitions into work-based learning experiences and sustainable employment. Programs should have relationships with relevant industry employers that add value to the program. Programs must provide support both for accessing and applying for jobs or internships leading to interviews, as well as support for graduates after placement or post-secondary school enrollment. Evidence must be provided to demonstrate that programs will assist individuals with barriers to employment throughout their job search.
- Cooperation with Intermediary: Programs funded under this RFGA will be expected to engage with the Life Sciences Career Alliance, managed by YearUp and MassBio. Providers should collaborate with the Alliance to coordinate individual placements, plan key activities jointly, develop uniform messaging and outreach content, and enhance employer engagement and partnership strategies. This collaboration aims to enhance the overall impact of activities and employer engagement by ensuring that the activities of each program are coordinated and complementary. Additionally, the Alliance will play a role in strengthening employer engagement across the ecosystem.
Funding Information
- Total Amount Available for Grant Program: $650,000.
- OWD intends to make a maximum of 5 awards at no more than $200,000 – $250,000.
Eligible Activities
This RFGA supports activities aimed at high-volume placements with life sciences employers. All proposed activities must lead to measurable job placements or work-based learning opportunities, including internships, externships, and learn-and-earn models. While various approaches are acceptable, the primary goal is to place participants into net new employment opportunities.
There are two categories of funding available under this RFGA:
- Category 1 (Short-Term Funding): Activities to be completed by June 30, 2025.
- Category 2 (Long-Term Funding): Activities with a longer implementation period to be completed by March 13, 2026.
Examples of Acceptable Activities
The following are examples of activities that may be funded under this RFGA. The primary focus is direct placements, and applicants are encouraged to propose innovative approaches that will lead to measurable placement outcomes for graduates of life sciences training programs. Partnerships—such as those between providers and staffing firms— are highly encouraged to maximize placement opportunities at scale.
- Job Search Assistance
- Provide individualized support to help graduates of life sciences training programs identify and apply for jobs, including resume preparation, interview coaching, and assistance with online job platforms. This can also include large-scale events, such as networking and employer events that directly connect qualified graduates to open positions or opportunities leading to longer-term employment (e.g., paid internships, learn-and-earn models, etc.).
- Job Development
- Strengthen job development capacity by working closely with employers to identify hiring needs, build partnerships, and create direct hiring pathways for program graduates.
- Employer Partnerships
- Collaborate with employers to establish hiring pipelines and secure commitments for internships, apprenticeships, and job placements.
- Work-Based Learning Opportunities
- Develop and facilitate structured, paid internships, apprenticeships, externships, and learn-and-earn models to give participants hands-on experience in life sciences careers.
- Career Navigation Support
- Offer targeted career counseling to help participants transition into roles aligned with their skills, interests, and career goals.
- Augmented Workplace Readiness Workshops
- Provide short-term training or workshops on soft skills, workplace dynamics, and industry-specific expectations to prepare participants for success in life sciences workplaces.
- Post-Placement Services
- Offer continued support after placement to ensure retention, address workplace challenges, and facilitate opportunities for advancement.
- Supportive Services
- Direct support to participants, such as transportation assistance, equipment, or other costs that incentivize students to complete training or secure and/or retain employment placements.
Eligibility Criteria
Applications from partnerships or collaborations are permissible. Partnerships will need to identify a lead applicant. An organization may be part of multiple applications as a partner but may only be the lead applicant on one application. Lead applicants must hold 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Code or have an identified fiscal sponsor holding 501(c)(3) status. Non-profit, private, or public higher education institutions are also eligible to apply.
For more information, visit OWD.
