SPECIAL EDITION - FEBRUARY 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship is pleased to announce that a forecast notice was recently published regarding an upcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications for a second round of the Apprenticeship Building America (ABA2) grant program. The initial round of ABA funding was awarded in 2022. Ultimately, the Department awarded $171 million to fund 39 grantees, including more than $78 million focused on equity and partnerships as well as pre-apprenticeship activities.
We are excited to share that a forecast notice was recently published regarding an upcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications for a second round of the Apprenticeship Building America (ABA2) grant program.
This Funding Opportunity Announcement solicits applications for Round 2 of the Apprenticeship Building America (ABA2) grant program. The Department will award grants to continue to expand, diversify, and strengthen the Registered Apprenticeship system through support for public and private partnerships designed to serve a range of industries and individuals and promote Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) as a workforce development solution that translates training into good jobs.
ABA2 provides funding for three categories of grants:
- Ensuring Equitable RAP Pathways and Partnerships Through Pre-apprenticeship Leading to RAP Enrollment,
- Creation of Education System-aligned Pre-apprenticeship and RAPS, and
- Registered Apprenticeship Hubs.
This approach ensures that funding supports the Administration’s goals to modernize and strengthen the National Apprenticeship System.
The forecast notice is published on both grants.gov and apprenticeship.gov.
Questions about this grant forecast may be submitted to the contact listed in the notice, Daniela Petchik at ABA2_FOA-ETA-24-04@dol.gov. However, please note there is limited information that may be shared with the public, as this FOA is currently under development.
We encourage prospective applicants and interested parties to use the Grants.gov subscription option to register for future updates provided for this particular FOA.
Round One ABA Awardees Already Making Important Impacts Across the Country
Since their initial award in July 2022, 39 ABA grantees spent the first year of the grant period of performance focusing on immediate needs for the grant’s start-up. Additionally, grantees connected with a wide array of stakeholders to develop and expand RA programs and pre-RAs. A sizeable number of grantees released requests for proposals to award sub-grants using ABA funds to further the development of RA programs and pre-RAs. Grantees developed outreach materials to increase awareness of RA programs and pre-RAs to potential applicants, held events and job fairs to connect them to employers and sponsors, and conducted outreach in their respective communities. To date, ABA1 grantees are making great strides in their respective grant-related activities.
|
|
