Good Jobs Challenge (American Rescue Plan)

Federal Agency

Sub-Department

Economic Development Administration (EDA)

Purpose

To build and strengthen regional workforce training systems and sectoral partnerships that bring together employers who have hiring needs with other key entities to train workers with in-demand skills that lead to good-paying jobs.

Applicant and/or Project Eligibility Requirements

States, local governments (including cities, townships, counties), special district governments (e.g. public utilities), federally recognized tribal governments, nonprofits, labor unions, institutions of higher education.

Decarbonization Considerations

The NOFO includes the following consideration for climate and resiliency, broadly defined: "The extent to which the project is resilient to future pandemics or other sudden and severe economic dislocations, as defined in section A.4 (e.g., closures of major local employers, climate change), and resilience is integrated into the project scope of work;". Accordingly, decarbonization options may include workforce training and development for 1) industries impacted by climate change and 2) industries and major local employers impacted by the energy transition. Explore integrating new clean energy and EV supply chain manufacturing hubs/business parks into regional economic development plans. Where possible, consider whether partnerships with universities or community colleges could be leveraged to launch an economic diversification and workforce development strategy to promote and enhance the growth of emerging clean energy industries and retain local talent.

Equity Considerations

Projects will be more competitive if applicants articulate a plan for ensuring that the project’s benefits are shared across all affected communities and the extent to which the application demonstrates the capacity to account for the unique needs of historically underserved populations and areas. EDA also encourages systems and partnerships to address populations with labor market barriers such as persons with disabilities, at-risk youth, individuals in recovery, individuals with past criminal records including justice‑impacted and reentry participants, and veterans.

Helpful Tips

EDA is looking to fund within the following phases: System Development, Program Design, and Program Implementation. Applicants are strongly encouraged to work with EDA regarding methods of encouraging outside leveraging of funds. EDA has further determined that due to the pervasive nature of the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, any project that would address those impacts by creating or retaining jobs or increasing the economic diversity or resiliency of a region is eligible for funding. For example, an infrastructure project that creates new jobs in a region is responsive to the requirement that the funds be spent to respond to “economic injury as a result of coronavirus.”

Other Notes

Program is designed to support the needs of an applicant’s identified regional workforce system through a single integrated award. EDA will make awards to either the System Lead Entity of a regional workforce system or the Backbone Organization of a sectoral partnership as the lead applicant.