WORKFORCE RESILIENCE GRANT PROGRAM

Supporting Rural Colorado Individuals

The Workforce Resilience Program’s (WRP) is a statewide grant program to support rural individuals negatively affected by Covid-19 to recover their career sustainability, profitability, and longevity. These one-time federal dollars are intended to be a flexible and easy-to-access resource for rural Colorado. WRP is administered by the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) and the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).

Grant proposals will be accepted in calendar year 2024 and funds will be distributed until the program ends in 2026. Total grant amounts will range from $25,000–$75,000.

The priority window for applications closed on March 1, 2024. To be notified if funds become available in the future, please submit the WRP Future Opportunity Interest Form.

Program Goals and Objectives

The grant is designed to support individuals living or working in rural communities.

For rural businesses, workforce resilience may mean having the skilled staff they need or opportunities to evolve and grow. This may involve reskilling and upskilling their current or incoming employees in industry skills, essential skills, or technology to support relevance. Support may involve launching training, building innovative workforce development programs, expanding marketing and outreach for new talent, and short-term housing stipends among other possibilities.

For individuals, workforce resilience means having the skills and training needed to get a good job, advance within an organization, or to pivot to a new field. Grant funds may be used to develop training programs that lead to either industry or professional skills.

program and funding
guidelines pdf

About the Program

Applicants must be

A business, 501(c)3, 501(c)6, Institute of Higher Education, government or tribal organizations
Located in rural Colorado

Beneficiaries must be

Rural individuals, jobseekers, or students who have been negatively impacted by Covid-19

Business-led training or content development
College training or content development
Employee training programs such as professional skills, industry skills, or industry-recognized credentials
Bolster workforce development at local community colleges
Rural recruitment and retention strategies
Work-based learning such as on-the-job training and apprenticeships
Employee incentives including housing, childcare, or transportation

2024

Application priority due date: March 1, 2024
Grant funds reimbursed on a quarterly basis

2025

Grant funds reimbursed on a quarterly basis

2026

Grant funds reimbursed on a quarterly basis
End of grant activities: June 30, 2026
Grant closeout period: July 1 – September 30, 2026

The WRP team will be developing training and support opportunities for grantees and our rural supporters. Stay tuned for updates!

Who can I talk to for help with my application?

For questions and technical assistance, please contact your regional WRP Coordinator.

Rural Counties
Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit, Carson, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, and Yuma.

Contact
Northeastern Coordinator: Vanessa Soliz | vanessa.soliz@njc.edu

Rural Counties
Baca, Bent, Chaffee, Crowley, Custer, Fremont, Huerfano, Kiowa, Lake, Las Animas, Otero, Park, Prowers, and Teller.

Contact
Southeastern Coordinator: Courtney Morris | courtney.morris@lamarcc.edu

Rural Counties
Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos, Costilla, Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Jackson, La Plata, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Pitkin, Ouray, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel, and Summit

Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute tribal areas

Contact
Western Coordinator: Gary Boley | gary.boley@cncc.edu

For general Workforce Resilience Program questions, please contact Janae Hunderman, Workforce Resilience Program Director, at janae.hunderman@cccs.edu.

What happens after the grant is awarded?

Grantees will be required to complete a Statement of Work and a Grant Agreement. The Statement of Work will outline the expected activities from the grantee, reporting timeframe, and reporting metrics.

Funds will be distributed as quarterly reimbursements. Grantees will submit brief activity and budget reports in order to initiate transfer of funds.

Grantees will be required to
- Collect and submit signed COVID-19 affidavits from the recipients of grant funding
- Submit brief quarterly reports and receipts throughout the life of the grant
- Comply with federal SLFRF reporting requirements
- Submit a Final Report by June 30, 2026

WRP’s program team may perform site visits after awards have been allocated. WRP staff will coordinate with grantees in advance of the visit to schedule a time. Grantees must be willing to comply with this requirement.

Funding Information

The Workforce Resilience Program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from Senate Bill 21-291. These funds are a pass-through of federal funds from the OEDIT Economic Development Commission (EDC) to CCCS and shall be treated as a recoverable grant. Agreement #CTGG1 2023-3233

The agreement is to fund the Workforce Resilience Program at the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). $3,000,000 will be allocated to the CCCS from the Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The funding will be used to fund one-time information technology investments, rural workforce investments, business led training and content development and will result in low or no-cost training for trainees or businesses, pathways to academic credit through stackable credentials, and to bolster workforce development efforts across community colleges in Colorado. The infrastructure established through this funding will also be utilized to support the Skill Advance Colorado (SAC) Program and increased utilization of SAC, particularly in rural Colorado.

Other Resources Available

Skill Advance

Offers job training reimbursement to strengthen business competitiveness and improve employment opportunities.

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Care Forward

Offers zero-cost, short-term training programs for healthcare workforce at community and technical colleges.

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Career Advance Colorado

Offers free training for in-demand jobs at community and technical colleges.

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Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI)

Works to reduce barriers to postsecondary education by offering student scholarships and support services. Programs include Matching Student Scholarships, Community Partner Program, Back to Work, Finish What You Started, Fund My Future, and Second Chance Scholarship.

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