Customized Training Grant

Customized Training Application Budget - Excel
Customized Training Application - Word
Customized Training Application - PDF
Customized Training Overview - PDF

Overview

Purpose
The Workforce Investment Board of Monroe County/Rochester has made available Federal grant funds to small and medium sized businesses in Monroe County to address employer demands for skilled workers and upgrade the skills of their employees earning between $8.00 and $25.00 per hour. Organizations may request up to $25,000 per rolling calendar year, for training that can be completed within six (6) months.

Customized Training grants will provide funds to businesses to train employed workers in specific skills needed by the business or industry leading to potential career growth, retention and increased wages. As a result of training, eligible trainees should attain in-demand, transferable skills or industry-recognized certifications/credentials. Training should also relate to one or more of the following purposes: introduction of new technologies, introduction of new production or service procedures, and/or upgrading to new jobs that require additional skills.

Applicants are required to provide matching funds equal to the amount of funds requested. Payments are made on a reimbursable basis once training is completed and cost and trainee documentation is submitted. Applicants must comply with New York State Labor Law.

The RochesterWorks! system was created as a result of the Workforce Investment Act, which took effect in 2000. RochesterWorks! connects 18 different federally funded employment and training programs in Monroe County . Most of the services provided through RochesterWorks! are funded by the Workforce Investment Act. The system is governed by the Workforce Investment Board, which oversees over $10 million dollars in employment and training resources. Federally funded services to businesses include recruitment assistance as well as training.

• Private sector for-profit or not-for-profit organizations in Monroe County may apply. Employees to be trained should work in Monroe County .
• Public employees (i.e., federal, state, county, and municipal employees) are not eligible for training with these funds.
• Applications may not exceed $25,000.
• Requests for funding under $1,000 will not be entertained.
• Training providers, trade organizations and other third party entities are not eligible to apply for Customized Training funds on behalf of other organizations.
• Organizations with poor performance outcomes on previous training initiatives will not be awarded funds.

• Funds requested may only include cost of classroom instruction (i.e., tuition or course fees), customized consultant training and in-house staff training costs. The wages of employees participating in training, training materials and travel expenses are not reimbursable expenses.
• Applicants must pay at least 50% of the total cost of training. Matching funds can include one or portions of the following: cost of instruction, wages of employees being trained while in training, training materials, and expenses associated with out-of-town training.
• Trainees must earn between $8.00 and $25.00 an hour to qualify for training with these funds.
• Trainees must be employees of the applicant business, not independent contractors or contract employees. Employees identified for training should be permanent, full-time employees. Part-time employees may be trained if training will result in their becoming full-time employees immediately following training.

Example: You wish to implement lean training to 10 employees. The training consultant you have chosen based on reasonableness of cost and ability to best address your unique business needs has quoted a training cost of $5,000 for 30 hours of training or approximately $500 per trainee. Eight employees are income eligible while two earn more than $25 per hour. The wages of the eight individuals being trained earning at or less than $25.00 while in training total $2,400 (hourly wage rate x number of trainees x total hours of training). Wages plus instructional costs total $6,400. Fifty percent of these costs are fundable. We could fund $3,200 or part of the instructional costs for the eight income eligible trainees. You would pay all wages ($2,400) and $800 of instructional costs.

• Funds may not be used for administrative costs, construction/renovation of buildings, purchase of equipment, software, government mandated training (e.g., OSHA training), basic or introductory computer literacy (Intro to Outlook, Word or Excel) or payment of employee wages or wage subsidies.
• Applications will not be entertained for training that has already started or been completed. This includes tuition for courses taken towards a degree program that has started previous to the application.

Expected Outcomes
The Workforce Investment Board is committed to providing training funds that will help businesses maintain their competitive edge and grow through improving the skills of the workforce. As a result of funding, businesses are expected to provide training to employees, which will result in the acquisition of transferable skills or an industry-recognized certification or credential, thereby enhancing their long-term employability, career growth and earnings potential. It is expected that as a result of skills upgrading, the wages of the participants will increase and employee retention will be improved.

Since the retention of employees is an important goal, it is expected that if any of the workers trained through this program are laid off within one year of the end date of the contract, the business will reimburse RochesterWorks, Inc. for the training costs associated with the laid off worker(s).

Selection Process
All applications will be subject to an evaluation by RochesterWorks, Inc. on behalf of the Workforce Investment Board. Successful applications will solve workforce problems by: addressing identified skilled worker shortages within an industry, promoting skills upgrading for employed workers directly leading to potential career growth and increased wages for the trainees.

Application Process
Applications for Customized Training will be accepted on a continuous basis. Selection will depend on available funding and the number of quality proposals. Training can not take place until the organization has been notified of and approved for an award. Organizations should complete a Customized Training Project Application and a Training Budget, and include a copy of the course outline/curriculum and proof of costs with their submittal.

Responses to the application questions should be submitted in the form of a Word document. Applications must be submitted electronically or mailed to:

Christina Bakewicz
Business Services Coordinator
RochesterWorks, Inc.
255 North Goodman Street
Rochester , NY 14607
(585) 232-5232 (Phone)
(585) 232-6033 (Fax)