Benefits Bridge Employer Pilot Program (OH) Grant

The Benefits Bridge Employer Pilot Program in Ohio aims to support employers in providing training programs for employees on public assistance. By incentivizing participation in training, the program helps recipients of SNAP, Medicaid, and other assistance programs transition to self-sufficiency. Employers can receive up to $100,000 in funding, with a maximum of $5,000 per employee, to facilitate these training opportunities. This initiative is designed to enhance workforce skills and improve economic outcomes for individuals and families.

NOTE: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) releases this Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) to award funding to employers to incentivize employees enrolled in public assistance programs. The Benefit Bridge Employer Pilot Program is designed to provide funding to employers to offer training programs to participating employees that are recipients of assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Ohio Works First, Medicaid, or a publicly funded childcare program, which are meant to encourage the participating employees to take advantage of the training programs in order to qualify for the one-time training incentive and wage increase that would replace the assistance received through these programs.
Employers will be required to present their training program plan to ODJFS for approval. Within three months of the participating employee’s completion of the training program, the employer shall submit to ODJFS proof of the employee’s completion of the training program and the wage increase received by the employee pursuant to the plan previously submitted to ODJFS. After ODJFS certifies that the participating employee no longer receives assistance from SNAP, Ohio Works First, Medicaid, or a publicly funded childcare program, or will imminently stop receiving assistance through one of these programs, ODJFS shall release the grant funds to the employer.
Award Ceiling $100,000.00
The employer grant is capped at $5,000 per individual employee and has a total cap of $100,000 per employer. The actual dollar amounts awarded for selected applications may be less than the amount requested.