Workforce Grants

HIRED Grants

Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development

The Workforce Initiative Act of 2015 (A.C.A. § 6-60-107) established a grant program to evaluate and address Arkansas’ workforce training needs and provide dedicated funding for state and regional industry-sector driven partnerships and data-driven education and workforce training programs. Preparing and encouraging Arkansans to pursue high-demand jobs is essential to building a skilled and employment-ready workforce. Programs offering short-term career and technical training for skill attainment and industry-recognized credentials and those producing academic credit credentials are critical to Arkansas’ economic development.

The Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) and the Arkansas Department of Commerce (ACOM) announced a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) designed to invest in strategic workforce training focus areas aligned with the Arkansas Workforce Strategy with up to $88M of total funds available through ADHE Workforce Initiative grant funding and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. 

ADHE announced Track 1 Workforce Initiative Grant (T1WIG) Planning Grant awards on 7/22/24 and T1WIG Implementation Grant awards on 12/19/24. Track 1 Continuation grants of up to $1 million a year for up to three (3) years may be available for Track 1 Implementation Grant recipients that meet or exceed T1WIG Implementation grant outcome metrics and are selected by the state workforce development partners for continued support of state and regional workforce needs. ACOM announced Track 2 Workforce Strategy Grant (T2WSG) Implementation Grant awards on 11/14/24. Track 2 grants were supported by one-time ARPA funding and do not anticipate continuation funding at this time.

Track 1 Awards:

• Implementation Grant Awards
• Planning Grant Awards List

Track 1 Implementation Grant Resources:

• Implementation Grant Quote Template
• Implementation Grant Reimbursement Guidelines
• Implementation Grant Reimbursement Invoice
• Implementation Grant Progress Report Template
• Implementation Grant Info Webinar
• Implementation Grant Info Webinar Slides

Track 1 Planning Grant Resources:

• Planning Grant Reimbursement Guidelines
• Planning Grant Reimbursement Invoice

General Grant Resources:

• HIRED Grant RFP Guidelines
  
• Workforce Grant Summary
  

Archived Grant Resources:

• Implementation Grant Budget
• Implementation Grant Cover Sheet
• Planning Grant Cover Sheet
• Planning Grant Budget Template
• HIRED Grant Letter of Intent (LOI)
• HIRED Webinar Presentation Slides
• HIRED Webinar Recording
• Archived FAQs

HIRED Workforce Grant Email: workforce.grants@adhe.edu