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Legislative Intent Creation of statewide comprehensive structure for workforce development that reduces skills gaps in the regional workforce pool
Evaluation of workforce needs of state
Coordination of secondary and postsecondary education, including career and technical programs (CTE)
Pursuit of high demand jobs, including those that require industry recognized credentials, short-term training through bachelor level programs
Create long-term relationships between employers and regional workforce alliances
Facilitation of a skilled and employment-ready workforce through alignment of education and workforce needs through a competitive grant process<br>

Core Requirements Representation from mandatory partners
CTE educators or appropriate local K-12 district that awards concurrent credit
Technical institute, community college or university offering CTE programs
Employers representing critical needs in the identified workforce region
Enhance, expand or create clearly defined CTE pathway program(s) at technical institutes, community colleges or universities that includes concurrent secondary center programs to fill a critical, demonstrable local workforce need<br>

Core Requirements Include programs which emphasize basic skills instruction concurrently with occupational training
Embrace diversity of student enrollment
Provide essential support services which link to resources that assist students in progressing along the identified pathways, including advising on academic, employment, financial and personal issues
Develop and implement collaborative apprenticeship or training programs that prepare workers for rapid entry into the workforce or provide recognized industry certifications<br>

General Process Competitive RFP process

Awarded to regional workforce alliances

Grants awarded by ADHE based on recommendations from:
Arkansas Department of Education
Arkansas Department of Career Education
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Arkansas Department of Workforce Services
Arkansas Economic Development Commission

Three Phases
Phase 1-Planning grants (up to $100K)
Phase 2-Implementation (up to $1M over two years)
Phase 3-Continutation (up to $1M over two years)<br>

Timeline<br>

Planning GrantProposal Specifications Regional alliance with mandatory partners

Arkansas community college or university to serve as lead applicant and fiscal agent. Additional partners may include any public or private, non-profit, technical institute, two-year or four-year institutions

Two or more employers representing industry sectors with a demonstrated shortage of skilled workers seeking credentialed graduates from the proposed program

CTE educators or other appropriate representatives from a local K-12 school district

Based on input from Local Workforce Development Board

Proposal will present a detailed plan for achieving the outlined objectives in a Phase 2 Implementation Grant proposal<br>

Northwest Arkansas
Benton, Carroll, Boone, Marion, Baxter, Washington, Madison, Newton, Searcy

Northwest Technical Institute
Northwest Arkansas Community College
North Arkansas College ASU – Mountain Home
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
John Brown University Univ. of the Ozarks North Central Arkansas
Fulton, Izard, Sharp, Stone, Independence, Jackson, Van Buren, Cleburne, White, Woodruff

ASU – Beebe ASU – Newport
Ozarka College UACC – Batesville
Lyon College Harding University Northeast Arkansas
Randolph, Clay, Lawrence, Greene, Craighead, Poinsett, Mississippi

Arkansas Northeastern
Black River Technical College
Arkansas State Univ.
Crowley’s Ridge Williams Baptist Eastern Arkansas
Cross, Crittenden, St. Francis, Lee, Phillips

East Arkansas CC Mid-South CC
Phillips CC of UA Central Arkansas and Little Rock
Faulkner, Saline, Pulaski, Lonoke, Prairie, Monroe

Pulaski Tech
Univ. Arkansas – Little Rock
Univ. Central Arkansas
Philander Smith Shorter College
Arkansas Baptist Hendrix Coll. Southeast Arkansas
Grant, Jefferson, Arkansas, Cleveland, Lincoln, Desha, Drew, Bradley, Ashley, Chicot

Southeast Arkansas College
Phillips CC of UA
Univ. Arkansas – Pine Bluff
Univ. Arkansas - Monticello Southwest Arkansas
Sevier, Howard, Hempstead, Nevada, Dallas, Little River, Miller, Ouachita, Calhoun, Lafayette, Columbia, Union

Cossatot CC of UA South Ark. CC
UACC – Hope SAU Tech
Southern Ark. Univ. West Central Arkansas
Johnson, Pope, Conway, Yell, Perry, Montgomery, Garland, Hot Spring, Pike, Clark

National Park CC College of the Ouachitas
UACC - Morrilton
Ark. Tech Univ. Henderson State Univ.
Ouachita Baptist Univ. Western Arkansas
Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Sebastian, Scott, Polk

Rich Mountain CC
Arkansas Tech - Ozark
Univ. Arkansas – Ft. Smith<br>

WIOA Board involvement Director Daryl E. Bassett<br>

Planning grants Monieca West<br>

Planning GrantProposal Elements Reference: Scoring Rubric on Appendix D of RFP Submission Guidelines<br>

Program Need (Planning) Program Need (30 points)
Labor needs overview
Current and projected skills gaps
Proposed program/equipment needs
How program/equipment will address stated labor needs<br>

Program Plan (Planning) Program Plan (25 points)
Meets the goals and core requirements of the Regional Workforce Grants program
Summary of expected outcomes
Description of career pathways that will be created/enhanced
Description of anticipated equipment needs
Proposed governance and accountability structure for program<br>

Strength of Partnerships (Planning) Strength of Partnership (25 points)
How the program plan incorporates each mandatory partners
Other regional partners who can contribute significantly in unique and meaningful role
Anticipated role for each member for the alliance
Commitment letter from each partner
Commitment letter from Local Workforce Development Board<br>

Budget Plan (Planning) Budget Plan (20 points)
Detailed financial plan with cost estimates for all proposed planning activities
Completed budget template
Efficiency in planning grant expenditures is expected<br>

Application Procedures (Planning) Intent to Submit
Submission
Application Cover Sheet
Proposal Narrative
Budget Template
Review and Approval
Scored by state workforce development partners using Scoring Rubric for each application
ADHE will average individual scores and rank from most to least favorable
Funding not guaranteed for any submitted proposal
ADHE will issue notice of approval and permission to proceed
ADHE disbursement of funds<br>

Intent to Submit Proposal (Planning) Reference: Appendix A of RFP Guidelines
Required information includes:
Workforce Initiative Alliance Lead Institution
Workforce Initiative Alliance Partners
Contact information for Lead Institution
Project title (if one has been chosen)<br>

Cover Sheet (Planning) Reference: Appendix B of RFP Guidelines
Required information includes:
Requesting Institution
Title of Project
Project Partners
Requested Budget (not to exceed $100,000)
Date Submitted
Applicant Contact
Authorized Signatures of all Project Partners<br>

Budget Template (Planning) Reference: Appendix C of RFP Guidelines
Required financial information includes:<br>

Planning Grant Questions Tara Smith<br>

Implementation grants Monieca West<br>

Proposal Specifications Implementation Successful planning grants are expected to culminate in Implementation Grant proposals. Applicants must demonstrate the viability of a regional alliance with the same makeup as required in the Planning Grant application.
Implementation Grants must also be based on input from a Local Workforce Development Board and address the following proposal requirements: Reference: Scoring Rubric on Appendix G of RFP Submission Guidelines<br>

Implementation Grant Notes Process and procedure is generally same as for Planning Grants.
Differences include:
Sustainability
Local Match ($10% of total request; maximum of $50,000)<br>

Budget Template (Implementation) Appendix F of RFP Guidelines<br>

Questions & Summary Questions

Summary

Next Steps

For follow-up information:
Tara Smith, ADHE
501.371.2026 tara.smith@adhe.edu

Submission and submission related questions:
ADHE.Workforce.Grant@adhe.edu<br>