Idaho Workforce Development Council: Employer Grant

The Idaho Workforce Development Council offers an Employer Grant to support local businesses in expanding their workforce or retraining existing employees for economic growth. Grants can provide up to $500,000 per project, aimed at enhancing skills for better job opportunities. The program emphasizes innovation, best practices in talent development, and improving economic mobility. Eligible employers must meet wage standards and provide health benefits, while temporary positions are not eligible for funding.

NOTE: WDTF grant applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis.  It is highly recommended to submit applications as soon as possible, as applications are reviewed on a first come, first served basis.
About Employer Grant
Employer Grants are available to Idaho employers who are increasing their current workforce and/or retraining existing workers with skills necessary for specific economic opportunities or industrial expansion initiatives.
The maximum amount of funds available to an employer is $500,000 per grant and $750,000 over a 10-year period.
Workforce Development Training Fund (WDTF) Goals:

• Economic Mobility
• Increase the economic mobility of Idahoans through training that leads to wage gains and retention.
• Innovation
• Promote innovation in talent development.
• Best Practices
• Encourage replication of best practices in talent pipeline development.
• Service to Employers
• Provide timely assistance to businesses while shifting focus to broader talent pipeline development strategies that serve multiple employers.
• Economic Growth

Support growth of the economy by assisting employers with job creation and integration of technology, specifically through the development of skills in their existing and/or new employees.
Return on Investment
Provide a return on investment to Idahoans as evidenced by increased wages, job creation, capital investment, retention of Idaho’s workforce, credential attainment, and/or customer satisfaction (employer and trainee).
Please see other details of Employer Grants here.

Eligibility

Idaho employers who are increasing their current workforce and/or retraining existing workers with skills necessary for specific economic opportunities or industrial expansion initiatives. The fund is designed to support an employer’s innovation of its processes, products and services; and/or the development of new goods or services which will improve the employer’s competitive position within the industry. Must be registered with the Secretary of State to do business in Idaho and be in "goodstanding".Entry level wage must be no lower than $12 per hour. Preference will be given for jobs that pay at or above the county average wage.Training must lead to a significant wage increase (i.e. beyond typical cost of living/annual increases) for existing workers based on the skill set attained during training. This criteria does not apply to new jobs.If the applicant has received a WDTF grant previously, past performance will be reviewed and taken into consideration for future awards.Grantees may have only one Workforce Development Training Fund Employer grant open at a time.Employer must provide a health benefit plan. “Health benefit plan” means:any hospital or medical policy or certificateany subscriber contract provided by a hospital or professional service corporation or managed care organization subscriber contracthealth benefit plan does not include:policies or certificates of insurance for specific diseasehospital confinement indemnityaccident-only, credit, dental, vision, Medicare supplement, long term care or disability income insurancestudent health benefits only coverage issued as a supplemental to liability insuranceworkers compensation or similar insuranceautomobile medical payment insurancenonrenewable short-term coverage issues for a period of twelve (12) months or less.

Ineligibility

Temporary and contract positions do not qualify for training reimbursement.Employer training costs incurred during a temp-to-hire process with a temporary employment agency will become eligible for reimbursement at such time as the employee is hired into a fulltime permanent position with the employer paying at least $12 per hour with employer assisted medical benefits. Temporary employees hired only to meet seasonal demand do not qualify as temp-to-hire.