Critical Sector Job Quality Grants

The U.S. Department of Labor has posted Amendment Two to the Critical Sectors Job Quality funding opportunity. This announcement amends the second closing date, amount available, and clarifies several definitions and terms.The purpose of this demonstration program is to support transformative efforts to improve job quality and availability of good jobs, particularly for the benefit of historically marginalized populations and communities that have experienced barriers to employment in good jobs. The primary focus of these demonstration grants is expanding job quality in the care, climate resiliency and clean energy transition, and hospitality sectors. These demonstration grants will support industry-led, worker-centered sector strategies built through labor-management partnerships aimed at improving job quality in key sectors. These partnerships will address equity, job quality, and worker voice as they design training models and train workers for family-supporting jobs. High-quality jobs, for the purposes of this grant program, include those that offer family-sustaining wages and benefits, have predictable hours and schedules, are filled through transparent and nondiscriminatory hiring and promotion practices, offer clear paths for advancement, always prioritize worker health and safety, and include workers voices in the workplace. Projects under this announcement will fund both short-term capacity-building planning grants and longer-term implementation grants. This funding is authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) sec. 169(c) and appropriated under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328, Div. H) for carrying out Demonstration and Pilot projects related to the employment and training needs of dislocated workers, other adults, or youth.Questions regarding this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) may be emailed to [email protected] with Critical Sectors in the subject line. We encourage prospective applicants and interested parties to use the Grants.gov subscription option to register for future updates provided for this particular FOA.