The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (the “Department” or “DCEO”) is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) to expand the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program. The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program is administered by the Department’s Office of Illinois Works.
Donor Name: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
State: Illinois
County: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/30/2023
Size of the Grant: $55,000 to $550,000
Grant Duration: 12 months
Details:
The Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program provides grants to community-based organizations (including an accredited public college or university) or coalitions throughout the State that will recruit, prescreen, provide pre-apprenticeship skills training, and transition participants to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Successful grantees are expected to provide pathways and manage the transition from the pre-apprenticeship program to a full apprenticeship program in construction and the building trades.
This NOFO is focused, although not exclusively, on awarding grants in geographic areas where the Office of Illinois Works does not presently have pre-apprenticeship programs and to increase the representation of underrepresented groups that presently are not served or are underserved by existing programs including individuals of Asian descent, Veterans, and Women, among others. This NOFO is open to all Economic Development Regions, but applications serving the following regions and counties will be prioritized:
- Central Region (Region 1) – Sangamon County
- North Central Region (Region 3) – Peoria County, McClean County
- Northeast Region (Region 4) – DeKalb County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kankakee County, Kendall County, McHenry County, Suburban Cook County, Will County
- Northwest Region (Region 6) – LaSalle County, Rock Island County, Whiteside County
- Southeast Region (Region 7) – Marion County, Lawrence County
- Southern Region (Region 8) – Jackson County
Performance Goals and Measures
As mentioned throughout this NOFO, the primary goal of the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program is to significantly increase apprenticeship opportunities for historically underrepresented populations. Achievement of this goal will be evaluated by DCEO and the Illinois Works Review Panel, which is responsible for reporting on the program annually to the General Assembly. To inform the Panel’s report, the Illinois Works Job Program Act requires pre-apprenticeship program grantees to report to DCEO certain information about their programs, including:
- a description of the grantee’s recruitment, screening, and training efforts;
- the number of individuals who apply to, participate in, and complete the community-based organization’s program, broken down by race, gender, age, and veteran status; and
- the number of the individuals referenced in Attachment II: Participant Demographics and Outcomes Survey who are initially accepted and placed into apprenticeship programs in construction and the building trades. Successful applicants will demonstrate how they will build a recruitment, screening and training program that will lead to 85% of enrollees successfully completing the program and 70% transitioning to a DOLregistered apprenticeship program.
Funding Information
- Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this NOFO is up to $10,000,000. Awards will range from $55,000 to $550,000. The Department expects to make up to 20 awards for though this NOFO. Anticipated start date for awards is January 1, 2024.
- The period of performance is expected to be January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. Average funding per participant shall not exceed of $11,000.
Eligibility Criteria
- Non-profit community-based organizations, such as colleges, industry associations, chambers of commerce, local workforce innovation areas, community colleges, technical schools, or school districts.
Experienced and New Providers
This NOFO will consider organizations that have experience and a trajectory delivering construction pre-apprenticeship and other construction training programs. Applicants that have not operated a pre-apprenticeship program but have experience serving the underrepresented population(s) are encouraged to apply in partnership with other relevant organizations that have experience in effective design and delivery of the required services.
For more information, visit DCEO.
