Green Workforce Training Grant Challenge

WELCOME: Green Workforce Training Grant Challenge

Description of Program:

New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) seeks to strengthen the state’s workforce to ensure all New Jerseyans can benefit from the economic and workforce opportunities presented by the State’s burgeoning green economy. The Green Workforce Training Grant Challenge (“Grant Challenge”) is a competitive funding opportunity that will award grants to selected applicants that will aide in implementing innovative workforce training and skills programs focused on strengthening and diversifying New Jersey’s green economy talent pipeline. The Grant Challenge is for entities that can provide skill development, workforce training, job placement, and other related services to implement workforce development initiatives in green economy sectors. Applicants will also be expected to prioritize New Jersey’s Overburdened Communities (as defined by NJ’s Environmental Justice Law, N.J.S.A. 13:1D-157) and provide wraparound or other supportive services to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and retention in the green economy workforce. Grants will be awarded to proposals that achieve the highest overall scores based on the scoring criteria detailed within these instructions.

Information about the Grant Challenge is available at Green Workforce Grant - NJEDA  

Eligibility Requirements

The Grant Challenge will be open to entities who can design and execute workforce and skills training programs. Eligible applicants (see Appendix A) can include, but are not limited to the following:  

• Community-based organizations
• Non-profit or private workforce training organizations
• Labor unions
• Technical high schools
• County colleges
• Other non-profit organizations
• Regional workforce development boards
• For-profit companies

NJEDA will enter into a grant agreement solely with the applicant, and the applicant will be held responsible for complying with the terms of the grant. Applicants must include, at a minimum, one Community-Based Organization (CBO) that serves one or more NJ Overburdened Communities as part of their application (see Appendix A). The CBO must either be the applicant or, in the alternative, a strategic collaborator with the applicant that is serving a defined role in the proposed program. All applications that include the CBO as a strategic collaborator must submit a signed letter of intent from the CBO stating that they are a strategic collaborator with the applicant for the proposed program, the role the CBO will have in the proposed program, and the amount of the requested budget allocated to the CBO. The applicant is responsible for transferring the allocated budget to the CBO for their assigned tasks for the proposed program.  

• For the purposes of this training challenge, a CBO is defined as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with demonstrated experience serving a NJ Overburdened Community as defined by NJ’s Environmental Justice Law that provides direct services or supports to a specific geographic NJ community(ies) or specific segments of a New Jersey community(ies). For the purposes of this Challenge, government entities, K-12 schools, and institutions of higher learning do not qualify as CBOs. However, these entities may be the applicant or an additional collaborator on the applicant team. Entities that are not 501(c)3 organizations do not qualify as a CBO for the purposes of this grant challenge even if they serve a New Jersey Overburdened Community.
• Per the NJ Division of Taxation, a 501(c)(3) Organization refers to a nonprofit organization that has received a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stating that the organization is exempt from federal Income Tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The term also may refer to a church or ministry that may qualify for an IRS 501(c) (3) determination letter, even though it does not intend to apply for an IRS determination.  

Applicants may, but are not required to, collaborate with additional entities, including for-profit or non-profit entities of all types, to design and implement the training program as needed.  

In addition to the eligibility parameters already stated above, the primary applicant must also be in substantial good standing with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (“NJDOL”) and NJ Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”) to participate in the program. The primary applicant must provide a current tax clearance certificate as part of the application to demonstrate the applicant is properly registered to do business in New Jersey and in good standing with the NJ Division of Taxation.