The 2025 Adult Literacy Innovations Initiative offers grant funding through the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development to support programs that improve adult literacy, digital literacy, family literacy, and workforce readiness. This initiative aims to help youth and adults build skills, receive training, and gain work experience needed to secure and maintain unsubsidized employment leading to self-sufficiency. The program encourages partnerships across communities to address employment barriers faced by individuals with low literacy levels.
Eligible applicants include New Jersey Workforce Development Boards (WDBs), which must lead the application process. WDBs may collaborate with One Stop Career Centers and local partners such as non-profits, libraries, and educational institutions. All partners should have proven experience serving the target population. Co-enrollment in multiple programs is expected and must be documented.
Applicants are required to design comprehensive programs that include participant assessments and Individual Employment Plans (IEPs). These plans should guide timely delivery of education, career training, and support services tailored to each individual’s needs. Programs should focus on increasing literacy skills while creating pathways toward in-demand careers linked with employer connections.
To qualify for this grant, participants must be at least 16 years old (with specific conditions for those aged 16-21), legally eligible to work in the U.S., residents of New Jersey, and demonstrate a need for basic skills enhancement or career-related education. Participants enrolled in credential-bearing programs must have at least a Low Intermediate level of English comprehension.
The total funding available is estimated at $3 million for Fiscal Year 2025 through the New Jersey Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills. Grants will cover a two-year period from November 1, 2024, through September 30, 2026. WDBs are responsible for program oversight including audits, monitoring, communication, billing processes, and attending quarterly meetings.
This opportunity provides resources to develop innovative adult literacy programs that connect education with workforce development goals. Applicants who meet eligibility requirements can contribute to statewide efforts that enhance employability and economic independence for New Jersey residents facing literacy challenges. For more details or application instructions, visit the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development website.
