The Stanislaus County Workforce Development Agency and Stanislaus 2030 teams are seeking grant proposals to enhance the manufacturing workforce development ecosystem in Stanislaus County.
Donor Name: Stanislaus County Workforce Development
State: California
County: Stanislaus County (CA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/22/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Grant Focus
These grants aim to strengthen local talent pipelines into the manufacturing industry by investing in strategic partnerships, programs, and activities. Successful investments will achieve two key impacts:
- Develop, improve, and expand work-based learning, pre-apprenticeships, and apprenticeships that prepare individuals in the County for manufacturing careers.
- Forge connections among a system of partners (including education, training, and support service providers) to facilitate the exchange of information, talent, and economic opportunities, thereby bolstering the local manufacturing industry.
Goals
- Increase On-the-Job Training and Work-Based Learning: Develop or expand work-based learning opportunities (including On-the-Job Training (OJT), paid internships, apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeships) linked to new or existing courses and programs that prepare individuals for living-wage jobs in the region.
- Align Career Pathways and Stackable Credentials with Industry Demand: Improve courses and pathways leading to certificate or credential attainment and job placement in manufacturing or related industries. This can involve:
- Creating stackable credentials utilizing existing education and training programs.
- Developing dual enrollment pathways that result in certificate/credential attainment or progress toward degree completion.
- Establishing credit for prior learning processes that gives credit for skills and competencies learners may already hold, and accurately places them into the appropriate training/education course or program.
- Forming employer partnerships that lead to work-based learning or direct job placement opportunities.
- Establish a Regional, Industry-Recognized Skills, Competency, and Credential Model for Manufacturing: Develop a local industry initiative to convene manufacturing stakeholders to learn, provide input, and adopt a regional competency model. This model must:
- Identify existing and projected industry needs.
- Establish a process for local industry to recognize certificates, credentials, or other training that meets their talent development needs.
- Collect information on emerging policy or advocacy needs.
- Increase Community Access to and Awareness of the Manufacturing Industry- Develop and provide career navigation services to help community members understand pathways into and advancement opportunities within the manufacturing industry. This includes:
- Offering feedback and advising to regional training programs.
- Updating and distributing job seeker-focused materials and resources for career awareness and navigation.
Priorities
- Strong Employer Partnerships for Talent Development: This includes commitments related to recruitment, onboarding, identifying critical skills and roles for industry success, and commitments to interview, hire, or provide paid training through “earn and learn” strategies.
- Adoption of Manufacturing Industry Skills, Competencies, and Recognized Credentials by local employers.
- Connecting Local Talent with Regional Job Opportunities in manufacturing and related industries.
- Strategic Partnerships Among Education and Training Providers and Community-Based Organizations: These partnerships should aim to improve outcomes in certificate and credential attainment and accelerate access to quality jobs. Examples include:
- Establishing a Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) process that grants credit for existing skills and competencies, accurately placing individuals into appropriate training or education programs.
- Developing recruitment and retention partnerships with organizations that effectively reach the target population.
Funding Information
A total of $1,110,000 is available and will be distributed across multiple awarded projects. Applicants may request between $50,000 and $195,000.
Eligibility Criteria
Educational institutions, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, and school districts located in Stanislaus County with experience in implementing manufacturing workforce strategies are eligible to apply. All projects must be carried out within Stanislaus County.
Evaluation Criteria
- Alignment to goals and priorities: Applicants must clearly explain how their project will meet the stated goals and priorities, and contribute to the intended impact of this grant opportunity.
- Strength of partnerships: Applicants must provide evidence of the commitment level of their partnerships. This includes, but is not limited to: letters of support detailing partner commitments, clearly defined roles and responsibilities for each partner, and any leveraged resource sharing.
- Population-Specific Approaches: Provide a clear description of the project plan and the applicant’s capacity to meet the needs of their intended target population. This must include explicitly stating the population to be served and detailing the specific strategies and approaches to address their needs effectively, both directly or through partnership with other organizations.
- Capacity to Implement Proposed Activities: Provide a clear description of the organization’s relevant work experience, demonstrated outcomes, and overall ability to successfully implement the proposed project plan.
- Project Outcomes: Clearly state the expected outcomes of the project, describe how the proposed activities will directly lead to these outcomes and align with the goals of this grant opportunity, and the organization’s experience or capacity to track these outcomes.
- Sustainability Plan: Clearly explain how the proposed project activities will be sustained, expanded, or contribute to the long-term strengthening of the manufacturing industry beyond the grant period.
For more information, visit Stanislaus County Workforce Development.
