Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program
Commerce And Econ Opp
Funding Amount
$150000 - $550000
Deadline
October 2, 2026
19 days left
Grant Type
state
Overview
Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program
Details
- Agency: Commerce And Econ Opp
- CSFA Number: 420-30-2614
- Program: Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program
- Announcement Type: Initial
- Assistance Type: Grant
- Estimated Total Funding: 12000000.00
- Anticipated Awards: 25
- Cost Sharing: No
- Indirect Costs: Yes
- Funding Source: State
How to Apply
Application Period: 09/02/2026 - 10/02/2026 : 5:00 PM
Technical Assistance: Offered : Yes; Mandatory : No; Date : 09/15/2026 : 9:00 AM; Registration link : https://www.illinoisworknet.com/ilworkspreapprenticeshipnofo2026
Apply here: https://dceo.illinois.gov/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/2614-4323.html
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Application Documents
FileView.aspx
State of Illinois Uniform Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Summary Information
Awarding Agency Name Commerce And Econ Opp
Agency Contact Norman Ruano (Norman.Ruano@illinois.gov)
Announcement Type Initial
Type of Assistance Instrument Grant
Funding Opportunity Number FY27-1
Funding Opportunity Title Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program
CSFA Number 420-30-2614
CSFA Popular Name Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program
Anticipated Number of Awards 25
Estimated Total Program Funding $12,000,000
Award Range $150000 - $550000
Source of Funding State
Cost Sharing or Matching No
Requirements
Indirect Costs Allowed Yes
Restrictions on Indirect Costs No
Posted Date 09/02/2026
Application Date Range 09/02/2026 - 10/02/2026 : 5:00 PM
Grant Application Link Please select the entire address below and paste it into the browser...
https://dceo.illinois.gov/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/2614-4323.html
Technical Assistance Session Offered : Yes
Mandatory : No
Date : 09/15/2026 : 9:00 AM
Registration link :
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/ilworkspreapprenticeshipnofo2026
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
Agency-specific Content for the Notice of Funding Opportunity
Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program
NOFO ID: 2614-4323
For information about grants please visit:
https://dceo.illinois.gov/dceo-grants.html
A. Program Description
1. Notice of Funding Opportunity Intent
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (the “Department” or “DCEO”) is issuing
this Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) to expand the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program.
The Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program is administered by the Department's Office of Illinois
Works.
The goal of the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act (30 ILCS 559/20-10) is to ensure that all Illinois residents
have access to State capital projects and careers in the construction industry and building trades, as well
as provide contracting and employment opportunities to historically underrepresented populations in the
construction industry and the trades. The Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship program is a critical
component in the success of the Act, by increasing the number of qualified construction and building
trades apprentices who are women, people of color, veterans or from otherwise underrepresented
populations (as defined in A.3. Program Description) and preparing them to enter full apprenticeship
programs on their way to careers in construction and the building trades.
This NOFO is focused, although not exclusively, on awarding grants in geographic areas where the Office
of Illinois Works does not presently have pre-apprenticeship programs and to increase the representation
of underrepresented groups that presently are not served or are underserved by existing programs
including individuals of Asian descent, Veterans, and Women, among others. This NOFO is open to all
Economic Development Regions, but the following regions and counties are strongly encouraged to
apply:
• Central Region (Region 1) - Sangamon County
• North Central Region (Region 3) – Peoria County, McLean County
• Northeast Region (Region 4) – DeKalb County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kankakee
County, Kendall County, McHenry County, Suburban Cook County, Will County
• Northwest Region (Region 6) – LaSalle County, Rock Island County, Whiteside County
Southeast Region (Region 7) – Marion County, Lawrence County
• Southern Region (Region 8) – Jackson County
To see the geographic boundaries of these Economic Development Regions go to:
https://dceo.illinois.gov/illinoisworks/preapprenticeship.html.
2. Program History
The Illinois Works Jobs Program Act ("Illinois Works Act"), 30 ILCS 559 et seq. authorized the creation of
the Office of Illinois Works in 2019. This act outlined the development of three key programs: the
Apprenticeship Initiative, the Pre-apprenticeship Program and the Bid Credit Program.
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Together these three programs act as an innovative workforce development model. The Illinois Works
Apprenticeship Initiative creates the demand for jobs. The Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program
creates the pipeline of diverse candidates to help respond to the demand. Finally, the Illinois Works Bid
Credit Program creates incentives to help ensure that Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship program
graduates are hired and retained by contractors and subcontractors.
The Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative opens the doors of opportunity into the construction industry
and the building trades by requiring that state funded capital projects estimated to cost $500,000 or more
meet a 10% apprentice goal. Namely, 10% of the actual or estimated hours performed on the project
need to be performed by USDOL registered apprentices. Of this 10%, half (5%) of the apprenticeship
hours are to be performed by graduates of IL Works, Climate Works, or IDOT pre-apprenticeship
programs.
The Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program provides grants to community- based organizations
(including an accredited public college or university) or coalitions throughout the State that will recruit,
prescreen, provide pre-apprenticeship skills training, and transition participants to United States
Department of Labor (US DOL) Registered Apprenticeship Programs.
The Illinois Works Bid Credit Program enables contractors or subcontractors to earn bid credits for
employing and retaining apprentices who have completed the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program.
These bid credits can be used towards bids on public works projects contracted by the State or any
agency of the State.
3. Program Description
The Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program provides grants to community-based organizations
(including an accredited public college or university) or coalitions throughout the State that will recruit,
prescreen, provide pre-apprenticeship skills training, and transition participants to United States
Department of Labor (US DOL) Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Successful grantees are expected
to provide pathways and manage the transition from the pre-apprenticeship program to a full
apprenticeship program in construction and the building trades. Presently, the Illinois Works Pre-
apprenticeship Program funds 37 programs located throughout the State of Illinois, serving approximately
1,800 residents.
This NOFO will use the definitions established in the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act, including the
definitions for "community-based organizations" and "underrepresented populations." It will also use the
State of Illinois definition for a pre-apprenticeship program which appears in the Illinois Career Pathways
Dictionary (https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IL-Career-Pathways-Dictionary.PDF). Besides the
following definitions and frameworks, additional information and resources are included in the Appendix of
this NOFO.
Community-based organization: The Illinois Works Act establishes that "community-based organization"
means a “nonprofit organization, including an accredited public college or university, selected by the
Department to participate in the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program. To qualify as a "community-
based organization", the organization must demonstrate the following:
• the ability to effectively serve diverse and underrepresented populations, including by providing
employment services to such populations;
• knowledge of the construction and building trades;
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• the ability to recruit, prescreen, and provide pre-apprenticeship training to prepare workers for
employment in construction and the building trades; and a plan to provide the following:
• preparatory classes;
• workplace readiness skills, such as resume preparation and interviewing techniques;
• strategies for overcoming barriers to entry and completion of an apprenticeship program;
and
• any prerequisites for acceptance into an apprenticeship program.”
Pre-apprenticeship (based on the definition of pre-apprenticeship from the Illinois Career Pathways
Dictionary): A program that has a documented partnership with an employer and is designed to prepare
individuals to enter and succeed in a Registered Apprenticeship program which includes all the following:
• Training and curriculum that aligns with the skill needs of employers in the economy of the State
or region and that has been designed to prepare participants to meet the minimum entry-level
requirements of an Apprenticeship program.
• Access to educational and career counseling, and supportive services as needed by participants.
• Hands-on meaningful learning activities that are connected to education and training activities,
such as Career Exploration and Career Development Experiences, and that reinforce
foundational professional skills, including, at a minimum, those outlined in the Illinois Essential
Employability Skill Framework and Self-Assessment (https://icsps.illinoisstate.edu/illinois-
essential-employability-skills-framework) such as Personal Ethics, Work Ethics, Teamwork,
and Communication.
• Upon successful completion of the program, participants are supported to apply for United States
Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Programs in construction and the building trades
and may receive preference for enrollment.
Registered Apprenticeship: As defined by the Office of Apprenticeship of the United States Department of
Labor, is an effective "earn and learn" model with a long history of providing career ladders and pathways
to the middle class, particularly for the building and construction industry, but increasingly in other
industries as well.
Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs): Must have five components: business involvement,
structured on-the-job training, related classroom and workplace instruction, rewards for skill gains, and an
industry-recognized credential at the successful completion of training.
Underrepresented Populations: The Illinois Works Jobs Program Act (30 ILCS 559/20-10) defines
"Underrepresented Populations" as “populations identified by the Department that historically have had
barriers to entry or advancement in the workforce.” According to the Illinois Department of Labor’s
RAPIDS data system 2023 reporting, women made up 6% of new apprentices in the State's construction
industry (a slight increase from 2022), 9% were African American (unchanged from 2022), 27% were
Hispanic/Latino (down slightly from 28% in 2022), and approximately 2% were Asian and American
Indian/Native Alaskan (a slight increase from 2022). Also based on 2023 USDOL RAPIDS data, 5% were
veterans. All of these groups are underrepresented populations for purposes of this NOFO.
Illinois Workforce Development Priorities
The Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship program is aligned with Illinois’ workforce, education, and economic
development priorities. Billions of dollars invested in major public construction projects throughout Illinois
over the next decade have the potential to be a catalyst for the full inclusion of women, people of color,
veterans, and other underrepresented individuals (as defined by the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act) in
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the construction workforce, contributing to increased and sustained prosperity in all communities, through
training, employment, and career development. Below is a sampling of these priorities, all of which are
integral to the development and success of the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program:
• Governor's Action Agenda for Workforce Development and Job Creation
Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2019-03 (found at
https://www.illinois.gov/government/executive-orders/executive-order.executive-order-
number-3.2019.html) leading to the creation of the "Action Agenda for Workforce Development
and Job Creation" which provides the three Action Areas listed below. This NOFO will fund
projects that focus on these Action Areas:
1. Unite workforce development partners around regional cluster strategies
a. Identify high-impact regional clusters and associated in-demand occupations
b. Implement a coordinated workforce development strategy around regional clusters
2. Prepare Illinois workers for a career, not just their next job
a. Increase apprenticeship opportunities
b. Address barriers to successful training and employment
c. Establish and support equity goals and align with Perkins equity goals
3. Connect job seekers with employers
a. Shorten time from credential to employment
b. Integrate workforce services across program providers for one-stop customers
• Workforce Innovation Board Apprenticeship Committee and Apprenticeship Illinois
Framework (https://apps.illinoisworknet.com/GroupCalendarManagement/Home/Preview/fa
46893c-85b5-4294-b0b6-3fc1224fba24)
The Illinois Workforce Innovation Board (IWIB) endorses using registered apprenticeships and pre-
apprenticeships as a key strategy to build a pipeline of skilled workers to help businesses
throughout the State to remain competitive. IWIB Apprenticeship Committee statewide expansion
goals:
1. Fully integrate apprenticeship into state workforce development, education, and economic
development strategies and programs.
2. Support the rapid development of new apprenticeship programs and/or the significant
expansion of existing programs.
3. Support the development and recruitment of a diverse pipeline of apprentices; and
4. Build state capacity to make it easier for industry to start apprenticeship programs and for
apprentices to access opportunities.
• Illinois Essential Employability Skills Framework and Self-Assessment
This framework is “designed to define and clarify the essential employability skills and provide a
standard for the state. Essential employability skills are those general skills that are required to be
successful in all sectors of the labor market and are separate from the technical skills attained in
career pathways or academic skills such as math and reading. The framework was developed
through the collaboration of the Illinois Community College Board; the Illinois Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity; representatives of Illinois businesses; local chambers of
commerce; secondary, postsecondary, and adult educators and professionals; and other
important stakeholders.”
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The Framework can be viewed at: https://icsps.illinoisstate.edu/illinois-essential-
employability-skills-framework
National Best Practices
This section offers a series of national best practices for apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, as well as
best practices for delivering training programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The national
best practices outlined below, along with the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act, served as the foundation
for the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program model. Successful applicants will ensure their proposal
aligns with these national best practices to ensure delivery of a quality pre-apprenticeship program
geared toward enrollment into a RAP and focused on cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive
training environment:
• Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) National Best Practices
Earn While You Learn: Benefits of Work-Based Learning
(https://www.apprenticeship.gov/sites/default/files/Career_Seeker_Fact_Sheet.pdf)
Work-based learning, such as apprenticeship programs, allows individuals to build relevant skills
via real- life work experiences. Typically, work-based learning aligns classroom and workplace
learning; the application of academic, technical and employability skills in a work setting; and
support from workplace mentors. Work-based learning is a win-win as it combines to meet a
jobseeker or worker's need to build meaningful, applied skills and an industry's need to grow its
talent. Apprenticeships are a well-known form of work-based learning that typically include five
key elements:
1. Business involvement;
2. Structured on-the-job training;
3. Instruction related to the apprenticeship;
4. Rewards for skill gains; and
5. An industry-recognized credential.
• Pre-apprenticeship Program National Best Practices
United States Department of Labor Pre-apprenticeship Definition and Quality Framework
(Training and Employment Notice 13-12
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/TEN/2012/TEN_13-12.pdf )
• Approved training and curriculum based on industry standards
• Strategies that increase apprenticeship opportunities for disadvantaged individuals
• Strong recruitment efforts for under-represented populations
• Activities introducing participants to apprenticeships and assisting them to apply for
Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs)
• Access to support-services that help participants remain in the program (such as childcare,
transportation, counseling, and ongoing career services).
• Collaboration with program sponsors to promote apprenticeship to other employers as a
quality approach to attain and retain a skilled workforce, and
• Hands-on experience that simulates the work performed in the pre-apprenticeship, while
observing proper training and supervision and safety protocols.
Nationally Recognized Pre-apprenticeship Program Design Elements
Based on a review of best practices for pre-apprenticeship, the following program elements create the
conditions for successful management of pre-apprenticeship programs and strong participant outcomes:
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• Fair compensation, including stipends, and compensation that fosters retention (versus dropping
out because it is not possible to make ends meet). Performance-based stipends have been found
to be effective at supporting student's financial needs and encouraging high performance and
outcomes
• A focus on equity that goes beyond numeric participant targets and focuses on all aspects of
program design and partnerships, including belonging, inclusiveness and successful transition
into a full apprenticeship program
• The provision of wraparound supports, as appropriate and as needed (see examples below).
Strong partnerships between stakeholder groups, including unions and CBOS and/or community
colleges and local workforce innovation areas
• Consistent, transparent entry and success requirements
• Strong community outreach and community leadership within the programs
• Development of technical skills through hands-on activities and work-based learning
• Development of math and literacy skills
• Career pathway and alignment with employer needs and explicit connection to apprenticeship
programs
• Offering academic and career exploration
• Culmination in one and ideally more industry-recognized credentials and the ability to receive
credit toward associate or bachelor's degrees (if applicable)
• Innovative ways to have participants learn online and participate in virtual immersive training
techniques (especially in a post-COVID-19 environment)
• Strong case management, including screening for benefit eligibility, post-program retention
supports, mentorship, fostering alumni networks, and construction workplace culture
• Training for job search skills, resume development and interview practices
• Offering financial literacy, life coaching and education
• Enhanced exposure to and the ability to interact with construction and building trades workers of
the same race, ethnicity, or gender as participants
• Documented plan to provide career and transition services to students that do not enroll into
RAP
• Documented plan for transitioning pre-apprenticeship participants into a RAP
The table below offers a menu of support and transition services that are accepted as nationally
recognized program elements. These services are considered integral aspects to the design of successful
pre-apprenticeship programs.
If awarded an Illinois Works (ILW) grant, grantees are expected to deliver all of the services below
internally, through partner agreements or referral networks.
Types of Wrap-around Support Types of Student Support Types of Transition Support
Services Services Services
(including but not limited to) (including but not limited to) (including but not limited to)
Stipends Tutoring (especially on math) Mock interviews
Transportation costs, including Make-up classes Registered apprenticeship
car repairs application preparation
Childcare/family member care Retesting Resume writing
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Technology assistance for virtual Educational enrichment Referral to career counselor or
learning (broadband and alternate education
hardware)
Driver's education fees Job search assistance
Personal health including Mentoring
emergency dental and vision
Emergency bill payments Alumni networks
Financial literacy Apprenticeship application fees
Referrals for other services
(mental health, housing, eviction
assistance, substance abuse)
Digital literacy
Exemplary Construction and Building Trades Pre-apprenticeship Program Elements for
Underrepresented Populations
Jobs For the Future (JFF) is a national nonprofit organization with the goal of driving change in the
American workforce and education systems to achieve economic advancement for all. JFF's experience
and research have identified six characteristics of high-quality pre-apprenticeship programs including:
• Transparent entry and success requirements
• Alignments with skills sought by local employers and high-quality apprenticeship programs
• Culmination in one or more industry-recognized credentials
• Development of skills through hands-on activities and work-based learning
• Offering of academic, career exploration and wraparound support
• Transition into a registered or other high-quality apprenticeship program
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Workforce Development National Best Practices
360-Degree Focus on Equity
According to “Closing the Divide: Making Illinois a Leader in Equitable Apprenticeships”, a report by
Young Invincibles, only 4 percent of Illinois apprentices are women and only 27 percent are people of
color.
Women and people of color are less likely to complete apprenticeships and are often employed in
positions with lower-than-average pay. Recruiting participants from underrepresented populations is
only one step of many to ensuring greater equity in pre-apprenticeships in construction and the
building trades. Find more information at
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/WIOA/Resources/Documents/YI_ClosingTheDivide.pdf
According to “The Essentials of a High-Quality Pre-apprenticeship Program, Jobs for the Future,
2019”, strategies to address equity include support for minority-led organizations, changes in
recruitment practices, transportation, and career counseling. Find more information at:
https://www.jff.org/idea/jffs-framework-high-quality-pre-apprenticeship-program/
Applicants are encouraged to review and incorporate diversity, inclusion, and equity best practices
from the resources listed below and the NOFO Appendix as appropriate.
• Equity in Youth Apprenticeship Programs, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity
https://napequity.org/wp-content/uploads/PAYA-Workbook-Fnl-2020-05-29.pdf
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• The Roadmap for Racial Equity (National Skills Coalition)
https://nationalskillscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Racial-Equity-
Report_6x9_web.pdf
• Racial Equity Readiness Assessment for Workforce Development (Race Forward)
https://www.raceforward.org/resources/toolkits/racial-equity-readiness-assessment-workforce-
development
• Principles for a High-Quality Pre-apprenticeship: A Model to Advance Equity (Center for Law and
Social Policy CLASP)
https://www.clasp.org/publications/report/brief/principles-high-quality-pre-apprenticeship-
model-advance-equity/
• Collaborative Solutions for Increasing Diversity of Apprenticeship Participants (Workforce GPS)
https://www.workforcegps.org/events/2020/04/02/18/20/Collaborative-Solutions-for-Increasing-
Diversity-of-Apprenticeship-Participants
• Growing Equity and Diversity Through Apprenticeship: Business Perspectives (JFF Center for
Apprenticeship and Work-based Learning)
https://www.jff.org/idea/growing-equity-and-diversity-through-apprenticeship-business-
perspectives/
Program Requirements
The Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship grants will be awarded to community-based organizations (as
defined in the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act) that demonstrate a plan to implement a pre-
apprenticeship program rooted in national best practices and incorporate design elements that meet
Illinois Works program requirements and standards.
The overarching focus of these grants is to fund programs that help underrepresented populations
successfully transition into DOL-registered apprenticeship programs in construction and the building
trades. Illinois Works welcomes individuals who are aged 18 or above (unless the program is approved
as an Illinois Works High School-based program) and are willing and able to make a career in
construction and the trades can enroll. The program elements should include both outreach and
recruitment to bring participants into programs and design elements specifically tailored to increase the
probability of success for historically underrepresented individuals.
The Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program is a semi-structured program that provides grantees
with flexibility in critical areas such as recruitment, instruction, transition, delivery of support services,
partnership development, and more.
All program requirements are outlined in greater detail in the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship
Program 2026 Grantee Manual:
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/partners/Documents/IL%20Works/2026/2.16.2026%20ILW%20
Grantee%20Manual.pdf
Though not required, applicants are encouraged to attend or view the recording of the Bidder’s
Conference offered by the Office of Illinois Works. For more information and to register or to
view the recording visit: https://www.illinoisworknet.com/ilworkspreapprenticeshipnofo2026
Overall Program Design
Applicants must provide information on how they will design, develop, and implement high-quality pre-
apprenticeship programs in order to significantly increase apprenticeship opportunities for historically
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underrepresented populations. This must include how they will coordinate and staff the program
activities including the recruitment, assessment, case management, related technical training, work-
based training, supportive services, and transition/placement of participants.
Staffing
Applicants should provide staff resumes, instructor credentials, partnership agreements, or MOUs.
Applicants will also be required to include in their Staffing Plan a dedicated staff person, a Transition
Service Coordinator, to exclusively focus on delivering Transition and Follow-up services to program
participants. The required Transition Service Coordinator FTE is determined by the enrollment
numbers specified in the organization’s Work Plan. As such, 0–30 enrollments require a 0.5 FTE and
31–60 enrollments a 1.0 FTE.
To fully implement the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship program, successful applicants must outline
how the eight key program areas will be staffed to ensure quality delivery of programs and services.
These key program areas include:
• Program administration
• Outreach and recruitment
• Intake
• Wrap-around services (non-academic needs)
• Student support services (academic needs)
• Instruction
• Transition and follow-up
• Data entry
Equity-Focused Program Culture
Applicants will be expected to articulate their understanding of how race, ethnicity, gender or veteran
status may impact individual access to and experience with construction and building trade
apprenticeship programs. Applicants must provide information about how their pre-apprenticeship
model (including recruitment, partnerships, and training) considers the experience of women and
people of color in the industry (hiring, advancement, retention and earnings), as well as advances
conditions that increase access, enrollment and completion for women and people of color. Applicants
should outline strategies for how to foster a shared identity and a welcoming, inclusive environment.
Partnerships
It is an expectation of all applicants to develop structured pathways (in partnership with key
stakeholders in the industry) for their pre-apprenticeship program graduates to transition successfully
into DOL-registered apprenticeship programs.
Applicants should provide information about their plans to coordinate/partner with:
• Local Workforce Innovation Areas
• Local and Regional Apprenticeship Navigators
• Intermediaries focused on construction and the building trades
• DOL-registered apprenticeship programs (unions and non-union)
• Union groups
• Community colleges
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• Employers and employer associations
• Community-based organizations
• Secondary schools, among others.
Outreach and Recruitment
Applicants must outline proactive recruiting, outreach and support strategies that significantly increase
the number of underrepresented populations that enroll in and successfully complete pre-
apprenticeships and acknowledge race and gender disparities in regional construction and building
trade occupations.
Applicants do not need to serve all populations targeted by this NOFO—they can focus on one or
more of the underrepresented populations defined in previous sections.
Successful applicants will demonstrate their knowledge and outcomes working with a certain
population; and also how that population has informed the shaping of the program itself. In addition,
applicants must display a clear understanding of the entrance requirements into union and non-union
Department of Labor registered apprenticeship programs and communicate those requirements to
program candidates before enrolling in the pre-apprenticeship program along with integrating them into
their prerequisites for participation in the program. Applicants must describe a plan for marketing,
outreach, wraparound supports, and accommodations. Applicants would ideally include a plan to
identify and train mentors to support their pre-apprentices.
Delivery of Other Instruction
Applicants must provide plans to refer students who do not have the minimum program requirements
to educational services in their communities such as free literacy, General Education Development
(GED), High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, among
others. Plans must include how applicants' barriers to entrance into the program will be assessed and
the strategy to assist in removing these barriers for underrepresented populations.
Application and Intake
Community-based organizations that are offered and accept an award through the Illinois Works Pre-
apprenticeship Program will be required to utilize Illinois Works provided pre-screen assessments,
applications, interview questionnaires, wrap-around service assessments, and commitment
agreements.
Successful applicants will outline a process to review potential participant’s eligibility for the pre-
apprenticeship program through a provided pre-screen assessment, application, interview, wrap-
around assessment and commitment agreements.
To be eligible for the pre-apprenticeship program, participants must:
• be at least 18 years of age when they enroll into the program (unless attending an Illinois
Works approved High School based pre- apprenticeship program.) See the Illinois Pre-
apprenticeship Program website for a listing of programs:
(https://dceo.illinois.gov/illinoisworks/preapprenticeship.html)
• have a high school diploma or GED/HiSET (unless attending an Illinois Works approved
school-based pre- apprenticeship program)
• be an Illinois resident
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• want to pursue a career in construction and the building trades
To authenticate program eligibility, grantees are required to collect a copy of a H.S. Diploma or
GED/HiSet Certificate along with a copy of a current State of Illinois Driver’s License or ID and/or a
Birth Certificate.
Wrap-Around Supports
Applicants must provide plans for how to assist pre-apprentice enrollees to overcome non-academic
barriers to successful program participation.
Allowable program costs may include staff costs for program elements such as:
• Digital literacy
• Financial literacy
• Referrals for housing or mental health services
Allowable financial supports to pre-apprentices may include:
• Childcare
• Transportation
• Driver’s education and/or licensing/registration fees
• Emergency car repairs (up to $500)
• Emergency bill payment
• Other costs that create an obstacle for successful participation or program completion.
Additional wrap-around services can be found in the National Best Practices section of this NOFO and
in the Illinois Works 2026 Grantee Manual.
Stipends
The stated goals of the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act include a stipend be distributed to program
participants. Applicants must provide a plan to provide stipends to its’ participants. The Department
acknowledges that pre-apprenticeship programs vary in length/duration and in the number of hours
each day and each week. Given this variation, the Department encourages setting stipends at a rate
that encourages participation and retention through the program. It may be difficult for some
participants to stay financially solvent during the pre-apprenticeship period.
The Department will accept proposals that offer performance-based stipends that do not exceed
$14.50 per training hour. Organizations should maintain a stipend rate that is aligned to match their
regional economic conditions.
Performance-based stipends are paid out based on a participant’s attendance in combination with their
performance in the training program (i.e. passing training assessments, earning credentials,
successful completion of training modules, etc.).
What is a stipend?
A stipend is a payment made to a trainee or learner for living expenses, unlike a salary or wages which
are paid to an employee. Though the terms "stipend" and "salary" are often used interchangeably, the
United States Department of Labor has specific criteria that must be met to pay a stipend.
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
To receive a stipend, the focus must be on training rather than employment. The training must be
predominantly for the benefit of the pre-apprentice and cannot be connected to a job at the end of
training. Also, the pre-apprentices cannot displace regular employees. A stipend is not considered wages
so Social Security or Medicare taxes are not withheld. However, it still counts as taxable income for
income tax purposes.
Applicants that are offered and accept an award from the Office of Illinois Works are not to use wage
language or make wage equivalencies in any internal or external documentation or conversations
regarding the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program.
Student Support Services
Applicants must provide plans for how to assist participants to maximize academic success and to
obtain the program’s offered certifications/credentials. Allowable program costs may include:
• Tutoring services
• Retesting
• Make-up sessions (hours or tests)
• Other educational enrichment.
Learning
Applicants must explain how they will coordinate education and learning, necessary support and
retention services, and coaching from other partner institutions. The Department is also interested in
applicants who will use innovative teaching and learning tools including online/virtual learning such as
Alternative Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR) immersive training and learning techniques, among
others (if applicable).
Curricula and Instruction
Applicants must design a curriculum based on Illinois Works approved curricula.
Submitted curricula must provide:
• At least 183 hours of instruction, not to exceed 300 hours
• A strong emphasis on hands-on practice, including in a construction laboratory and 10-50 hours
of job site learning
• Employability skills training for a minimum of 40 hours and it must include at least the below
modules:
Harassment Prevention (4 hours)
o
Diversity and Inclusion in Construction (4 hours)
o
• Nationally recognized certifications (at minimum):
TradesFutures MC3 certificate, NCCER certification, or ICCB certificate
o
OSHA-10 Construction certification
o
First Aid/CPR certification
o
Applicants may also offer other applicable and relevant certifications for the construction industry.
Applicants must submit a proposed curriculum outline including hours, instruction modules offered,
length of the training, and the logistical plan for delivery (see Attachment III- Sample Curriculum and
Proposed Curriculum).
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
It is important to note that new grantees will be required to complete all instruction no later than October
31, 2027.
Work-Based Learning and Practicums
Applicant’s program design must incorporate opportunities for pre-apprentices to gain construction work
experience at active job sites while taking instruction or immediately after completing instruction. Job
site practicums are generally supervised by the program instructors and are coordinated with
community-based organizations, contractors, or government entities that give students opportunities to
put into practice what they learned in the classroom (see Attachment III- Sample Curriculum and
Proposed Curriculum).
Applicants should outline existing or planned partnerships for work-based learning and practicum
worksites. Successful applicants will provide 10-50 hours of work-based learning. If a program, for
technical reasons, cannot provide hands-on learning experiences, jobsite visits and tours of DOL-
registered apprenticeship programs, among others, may replace this requirement.
Transition Services and Follow Up
Applicants must provide plans on how they will assist students in transitioning to USDOL-registered
apprenticeship programs including connecting them to employers and unions. They must also include
plans for referring students that do not enroll into apprenticeship programs into advanced construction
education and training programs or other employment. Applicants should outline how they will follow-up
with participants beyond program completion on at least a quarterly basis for a period of one (1) year.
Data Tracking
Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program grantees are required to utilize the Illinois Works Reporting
System (IWRS). IWRS is used to track grantee performance and progress toward negotiated outcome
measures. Data entry is expected to take place in real time with data verifications taking place at the
end of each business week.
All programs should plan to have a dedicated data entry coordinator responsible for data entry and
integrity.
IWRS is not only a reporting platform, but also a comprehensive workforce program management tool
that allows funded programs to manage their program from the collection of leads (interested
community members) through their program completion and transition to USDOL-registered
apprenticeship programs. The data collected and reported is used by DCEO to verify compliance
progress and create required reports for the Illinois Works Review Panel and the Illinois Works General
Assembly, but more importantly, it allows the Office of Illinois Works to conduct longitudinal evaluations
to verify and document the impact of the program on enrollees and the State of Illinois.
Note: More information related to program design elements and how they are implemented by grantees
as they deliver their programs can be found in the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program 2026
Grantee Manual:
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/partners/Documents/IL%20Works/2026/2.16.2026%20ILW%20G
rantee%20Manual.pdf
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
4. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required; however, projects that include matching and/or leveraged funds from
multiple funding sources will receive additional points during the merit review of the proposals.
Documentation such as letters of commitment, award letters, among others, from partners and/or
funders must be submitted with the proposal. Successful applicants will be required to report the
matching and/or leveraged funds from partners over the life of the project, including WIOA formula
funds and other federal, state, local, and private resources. There is no minimum requirement, but
applications will be reviewed in part based upon their ability to leverage additional funding sources,
which should be clearly described in the budget proposal. Consideration will also be given to projects
that include plans that address ongoing sustainability beyond the grant period.
5. Allowable and Unallowable Activities
Allowable activities are outlined in Section A.3. Program Description.
6. Allowable and Unallowable Costs
Grant funds must be used to fund all the program components outlined in Section A.3. Program
Description. Grant funds cannot be used for the purchase of real property or significant improvements
of real property not specifically focused on delivering the program services and preapproved by DCEO.
Budget Contingency - Travel: Applicants should include a contingency in their budgets for
participation in regular meetings and networking activities required by the Office of Illinois Works. This
contingency is a direct cost for the grant and not an indirect or administrative cost. It should estimate
time and potential in-state travel costs.
7. Pre- Award Costs
Allowable costs that are incurred January 1, 2027 to the date of the grant execution may be charged to
the award at the Department’s discretion. Services in anticipation and negotiation of an award are
allowable, where necessary, for the efficient and timely performance of the program, and are subject to
2 CFR 200.458. Only applicants who receive an award as a result of the NOFO and merit-based
review process will be eligible for pre-award costs. Grantees are advised to contact the Department
for technical assistance with questions or concerns prior to incurring costs. Costs associated with the
development of a proposal are not allowed. Please contact:
Dr. Norman Ruano, Deputy Director of Illinois Works
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
555 W Monroe, 12th Floor
Chicago, IL 60661
Tele: 312-497-1008
Email: Norman.Ruano@illinois.gov
8. Payment Methodology
Illinois Works uses a performance-based payment model. This model is rooted in the belief that grant
funding should be based on a grantee’s tangible impact in the community. The Office of Illinois Works
and DCEO are driven to produce real change in Illinois which has led the department, along with many
other state agencies, to institute a performance-based payment model in addition to their existing
reimbursement model. The combination of performance-based and reimbursement models means that
metrics dictate the funds available for reimbursement, but grantees must still submit allowable
expenses to access that funding. More information related to the Illinois Works performance-based
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
model can be found in the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program 2026 Grantee Manual, Section
11:
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/partners/Documents/IL%20Works/2026/2.16.2026%20ILW%20Gr
antee%20Manual.pdf
Though programs at DCEO and other state agencies are rolling out performance-based models in the
near future, the model utilized by Illinois Works features three key differences from similar models:
1. If grantees exceed their metrics, they can earn funding beyond their initial grant award.
2. Due to live, real-time, reporting through the Illinois Works Reporting System (IWRS), DCEO will
make disbursements monthly.
3. Grantees have the right to appeal to the Office of Illinois Works if a grantee believes that they
missed their outcome metrics and program goals due to variables outside of their control.
9. Relevant Program-Specific Rules and Regulations
This program is regulated by the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act (30 ILCS 559/20-10 and the Title 14:
Commerce, Subtitle C: Economic Development, Chapter I: Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity, Part 680 Illinois Works Jobs Program Act program rules.
10. Performance Goals and Measures
As mentioned throughout this NOFO, the primary goal of the Illinois Works Pre- apprenticeship
Program is to significantly increase apprenticeship opportunities for historically underrepresented
populations. Achievement of this goal will be evaluated by DCEO and the Illinois Works Review Panel,
which is responsible for reporting on the program annually to the General Assembly.
To inform the Panel's report, the Illinois Works Job Program Act requires pre-apprenticeship program
grantees to report to DCEO certain information about their programs, including:
• a description of the grantee's recruitment, screening, and training efforts;
• the number of individuals who apply to, participate in, and complete the community- based
organization's program, broken down by race, gender, age, and veteran status; and
• the number of the individuals referenced in Attachment II who are initially accepted and placed
into apprenticeship programs in construction and the building trades.
Successful grantees shall outline their plan to achieve these outcome measures, including by
completing Attachment II: Participant Demographics and Outcome Summary.
If awarded, a grantee must meet the following performance goals for participants:
• 85% of required enrollees must complete the training program
• 70% of required enrollees must transition to a United States Department of Labor Registered
Apprenticeship Program
• Maintain Good or Excellent compliance statuses throughout the year (meeting or exceeding
76% progress toward goals)
Additional information regarding performance goals and measures is available in Section 8: Program
Completion, Transition Services and Follow Up and Section 12: Using Data for Program Management
and Continuous Improvement in the 2026 Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program Grantee Manual -
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/partners/Documents/IL%20Works/2026/2.16.2026%20ILW%20Gr
antee%20Manual.pdf
11. Other Information
N/A
B. Funding Information
This grant program is utilizing state funds appropriated by Public Act 104-0464. Total amount of
funding expected to be awarded through this NOFO is $12,000,000. Awards will range from $150,000
to $550,000. The Department expects to make 25 awards through this NOFO.
The period of performance is expected to be January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027. Grants will
be awarded for one year with the potential for renewal/modification for up to two additional years for
successful projects that meet and exceed the required program services and outcome metrics.
1. Indirect Cost Rate.
In order to charge indirect costs to a grant, the applicant organization must have an annually
negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). There are three types of NICRAs:
a) Federally Negotiated Rate. Organizations that receive direct federal funding, may have an indirect
cost rate that was negotiated with the Federal Cognizant Agency. Illinois will accept the federally
negotiated rate. The organization must provide a copy of the federally NICRA.
b) State Negotiated Rate. The organization may negotiate an indirect cost rate with the State of Illinois if
they do not have a Federally Negotiated Rate. If an organization has not previously established an
indirect cost rate, an indirect cost rate proposal must be submitted through the State of Illinois’
centralized indirect cost rate system no later than three months after receipt of a Notice of State Award
(NOSA). If an organization previously established an indirect cost rate, the organization must annually
submit a new indirect cost proposal through CARS within six to nine months after the close of the
grantee’s fiscal year, depending on the grantee’s audit type requirements.
c) De Minimis Rate. An organization may elect a de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct cost
(MTDC). Once established, the De Minimis Rate may be used indefinitely. The State of Illinois must
verify the calculation of the MTDC annually in order to accept the De Minimis Rate.
All grantees must complete an indirect cost rate negotiation or elect the De Minimis Rate to claim
indirect costs. Indirect costs claimed without a negotiated rate or a De Minimis Rate election on record
in the State of Illinois’ centralized indirect cost rate system may be subject to disallowance.
Grantees have discretion and can elect to waive payment for indirect costs. Grantees that elect to
waive payments for indirect costs cannot be reimbursed for indirect costs. The organization must record
an election to “Waive Indirect Costs” into the State of Illinois’ centralized indirect cost rate system.
The following State University Facilities & Administration Rate and Base will apply to all State
issued awards that contain either Federal pass-through funding or State funding.
RATE:
20% Rate for awards or programs administered On-Campus*
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
10% Rate for awards or programs administered Off-Campus*
BASE:
Base approved in the State Universities’ current Federally Negotiated Indirect
Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA)
*Criteria for utilization of the On/Off campus rate is located within the general terms and
conditions of Federal NICRA for each State University. If not clearly defined, State
awarding agencies and officers will make final determination based upon the purposes of
the grant scope.
Administrative Costs: It is expected that administrative costs, both direct and indirect, will represent a
small portion of the program budget. Successful applicants should strive to keep administrative costs to
10 percent (10%), or less, of direct costs. Program budgets and narratives will detail how all proposed
expenditures are directly necessary for program implementation and will distinguish between
direct/indirect administrative and direct/indirect program costs.
C. Eligibility Information
An entity must be registered in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal
(https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/) at the time of grant application.
The portal will verify that the entity:
• Has a valid FEIN number (https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-
employed/get-an-employer-identification-number)
• Has a current SAM.gov registration (https://sam.gov). SAM.gov registrations must be marked
as “public” to allow the GATA Grantee Portal to expedite the review of the federal information
• Has a valid UEI number (https://sam.gov)
• Is not on the Federal Excluded Parties List (https://sam.gov)
• Is in Good Standing with the Illinois Secretary of State, as applicable
(https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/business_services/corp.html)
• Is not on the Illinois Stop Payment list
• Is not on the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Provider Sanctions list
(https://www.illinois.gov/hfs/oig/Pages/SanctionsList.aspx)
Entities on the Illinois Stop Payment List and/or the Federal Excluded Parties List at time of application
submission will not be considered for an award.
An automated email notification to the entity alerts them of “qualified” status or informs how to
remediate a negative verification (e.g., not in good standing with the Secretary of State).
Currently, federal memo M-21-20 allows entities to apply for grant awards without a valid UEI number.
The UEI number must be obtained prior to grant execution. The State of Illinois has adopted this
guidance for the issuance of state awards also.
Pursuant to the policy of the Illinois Office of the Comptroller, to receive grant funds from the State of
Illinois, a grantee must be considered a regarded entity by the IRS for federal income tax purposes.
Disregarded entities will not be eligible to receive grant funds.
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
The Department complies with all applicable provisions of state and federal laws and regulations
pertaining to nondiscrimination, sexual harassment and equal employment opportunity including, but
not limited to: The Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq.), The Public Works Employment
Discrimination Act (775 ILCS 10/1 et seq.), The United States Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended)
(42 USC 2000a-and 2000H-6), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 USC 794), The
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 USC 12101 et seq.), and The Age Discrimination Act (42
USC 6101 et seq.).
1. Eligible Applicants include:
• Corporation – Not For Profit
• School District
• University / Community College
Non-profit community-based organizations, such as colleges, industry associations, employment social
enterprises (non-profit), chambers of commerce, local workforce innovation areas, community colleges,
technical schools, or school districts.
Experienced and New Providers: This NOFO will consider organizations that have experience and a
trajectory delivering construction pre-apprenticeship and other construction training programs.
Applicants that have not operated a pre-apprenticeship program but have experience serving the
underrepresented population(s), are encouraged to apply in partnership with other relevant
organizations that have experience in effective design and delivery of the required services. More
information related to partners/pass-through organizations can be found at:
https://dceo.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dceo/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/grantdocs/r
equirements-for-pass-through-entities.pdf
Existing Illinois Works Grantees: Existing Illinois Works grantees can submit an application in
response to this NOFO only if they propose to serve a different geographic area or Economic
Development Region other than the one they were originally contracted to serve or if they are required
to submit a new application for funding per GATA requirements.
2. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)
Each applicant (unless the applicant is exempt from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110 or has an
exception approved by the State) must:
• Be registered in SAM.gov. SAM.gov registrations must be set to “public.”
• Provide a valid UEI number in the GATA Grantee Portal registration.
• Continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during
which it has an active Federal, Federal pass-through or State award. DCEO may not make a
Federal pass-through or State award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all
applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the
requirements by the time DCEO is ready to make a Federal pass-through or State award, the
DCEO may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal pass-through or
State award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal pass-through or State
award to another applicant.
3. Other
Applicants may submit multiple applications for this opportunity.
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
Once an entity is registered, the applicant must complete a fiscal and administrative risk assessment
prior to award. Applicants will complete the FY27 Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ) through the
GATA Grantee Portal. The ICQ assesses the applicant organization's fiscal and administrative risk.
Applicants must complete the ICQ annually as part of the pre-award process and program staff will then
determine whether any or all risk-based conditions shall be incorporated into the Grant Agreement.
Applicants will also be assessed for programmatic risk to determine grant-specific risk. This
assessment will be conducted during the application process by the Illinois Department of Commerce
and Economic Opportunity. Program staff will then determine whether any or all risk- based conditions
shall be incorporated into the Grant Agreement.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package.
Grant application forms are available at the web link provided in the “Grant Application Link” field of this
announcement or by contacting the Program Manager:
Dr. Norman Ruano, Deputy Director of Illinois Works
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
555 W Monroe, 12th Floor
Chicago, IL 60661
Tele: 312-497-1008
Email: Norman.Ruano@illinois.gov
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
A standard application package must be submitted and reviewed by the Department. Each package
should contain the following items:
☐ Uniform Grant Application in fillable PDF format
Can be printed, signed, and scanned
o
Can be signed digitally
o
☐ Uniform Budget utilizing the template provided by DCEO for this project
the grant opportunity, must be submitted
Can be printed, signed, and scanned
o
Can be signed digitally
o
☐ Conflict of Interest Disclosure
submission
Can be printed, signed, and scanned
o
Can be signed digitally
o
☐ Mandatory Disclosure
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
Can be printed, signed, and scanned
o
Can be signed digitally
o
This Notice of Funding Opportunity also requires the submission of the following programmatic specific
items as part of a program application:
☐ Executive Summary (one page): Provide a one-page summary that identifies/describes the:
• Applicant Name;
• Geographic area, Economic Development Region, county(ies), and community(ies) to
be served;
• If partnerships exist, identify members including but not limited to education and
training agencies, regional employers, business and industry associations, economic
development organizations, one-stop partners, organized labor, and others determined
appropriate;
• Brief description of services to be provided, and the underserved population(s) to be
served;
• Anticipated goals and outcomes of this project based on Attachment II: Participant
Demographics and Outcomes Summary;
• Grant amount requested.
☐ Technical Proposal (not to exceed 20 pages): Provide a narrative proposal to describe the
program activities and outcomes that will be supported by this grant. Note that each section of
the technical proposal corresponds with the application review criteria in Part E of this NOFO.
• Applicant Capacity (approx.2 pages)
business. Specify whether the program is a start-up or an established program.
Include a list of the applicant organization's staff and instructors, including sub-
o
contractor personnel, to be assigned to the project.
will be responsible for outreach and recruitment, application and intake, wrap-
around services, student support services, training and education, transition
services and follow up, and data entry. Indicate the number of hours each staff and
instructor(s) will be assigned to the project.
years in the organization, education, and relevant work experience. This needs to
align with Attachment IV: Staffing Plan.
America’s Building Trades Unions or NABTU), National Center for Construction
Education and Research (NCCER), or Illinois Community College Board (ICCB)
Instructor Certifications of staff who have been certified. If certification is planned
after application period, identify staff with experience offering structured training
curricula, and certification intention in the Staffing Plan.
and partners. If any of the work is to be sub-contracted, provide the name(s) of and
describe the relevant experience of the sub-contractor(s)/partners.
building trades United States DOL-RAPs and employers.
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
stakeholders in the region, including existing apprenticeship navigators or
intermediaries. Also describe the applicant's experience transitioning clients to
United States DOL-RAPs and construction employment.
• Documentation of Need (approx.2 pages)
operate (see map:
https://dceo.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dceo/smallbizassistance/regi
onspecificassistance/documents/il-economic-devt-region-map.pdf)
minorities, and veterans as outlined in the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act), and
how the social and economic conditions of the region affect their access to
apprenticeship programs and well-paying jobs in the construction industry.
information and current local and regional workforce data that identifies the
employment trends for construction and the building trades.
region these pre-apprentices would graduate into.
apprenticeships in areas where apprenticeships are not robust or do not exist.
understanding of the identified issues/problems, needs and expansion
opportunities.
Heat Map to help identify current regional needs and the United States DOL-
RAPs operating in their target Economic Development Region:
• Pre-apprenticeship Project Plan (approx. 6-10 pages)
many best practice program design elements as possible). Include program
duration, hours per week, and stipend amount. Program design and
implementation should include, but is not limited to:
Outreach and recruitment
o
Partnerships, especially with employers, unions, apprenticeship programs
o
(union and non-union), employers, local workforce innovation areas, and other
stakeholders
Performance-based Stipends (describe performance-based stipends based on
o
attendance and academic performance. Stipends must not exceed $14.50 per
instructional hour)
Wrap-around support services focused on non-academic needs. Applicant
o
must document how the services are provided to the program participant,
including but not limited to childcare/family member care, and transportation
benefit eligibility, among others. Additional wrap-around service examples are
listed in the National Best Practices section of this NOFO)
Student support services focused on academic success and obtaining
o
certifications and credentials (this includes tutoring, retesting, and makeup
sessions, among others)
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
Training and curricula (including plans for online synchronous instruction, if
o
necessary given COVID conditions). See Attachment III: Sample Curriculum
and Proposed Curriculum for a sample curriculum and template.
Logistics planning- including attendance per week and the total number of
o
weeks, and how the proposed number of cohorts of up to 25 students will be
delivered in one year. See Attachment I: Proposed Work Plan.
Work-based learning and hands-on activities (at minimum 10 hours and
o
maximum of 50 hours for work-based learning at a worksite) or alternative plan
(if the minimum required 10-hours of hands-on activities are not technically
possible)
Career pathway and alignment with employer needs and connection to United
o
States DOL-RAPs.
Offering academic and career exploration
o
Culmination of OSHA-10, First Aid/CPR, and construction nationally
o
recognized credentials (NCCER, TradesFutures MC3, ICCB, or other Illinois
Works approved curricula)
Transition into a United States DOL-RAP
o
Transition into other construction employment or higher-level construction
o
training programs for those that do not enroll in a United States DOL-RAP
Offer transition services including job search skills, apprenticeship application
o
fees, resume development and interview practice
Enhanced exposure to and the ability to interact with construction and building
o
trades workers, particularly building trades workers of the same race, ethnicity,
or gender as participants, if possible. Describe specific equity-focused
strategies already in place or that will be developed that will advance practices,
program approaches/models including recruitment, partnerships, pre-
apprenticeship models, and training models to ensure more opportunities in
apprenticeships for underserved populations. Describe how the pre-
apprenticeship program will reach diverse, underrepresented populations and
the strategies for recruitment and inclusion of those populations. Describe
organization's experience serving the identified underrepresented population(s)
(program participants) targeted in this proposal. Describe the marketing and
recruitment plans for potential pre-apprentices. A list of partner organizations
and the delivery plan for the proposed services. Describe the plans for support,
coaching and retention services for apprentices. Describe what pre-preparation
or training will be needed before enrolling pre-apprentices. Describe how this
project will coordinate the activities with local and regional partners. Provide
detail on partnerships with regional workforce, educational and economic
development entities, and their roles and responsibilities. Describe how the
partners will organize non-traditional sectors and/or implement innovative
practices. Describe how this project will partner with existing United States
DOL- registered apprenticeship programs.
• Budget Narrative/Cost Effectiveness/Return on Investment/Sustainability (approx. 2
pages)
relationship to planned outcomes;
businesses, and others;
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
derived across the region.
☐ Other Attachments:
• Attachment I: Proposed Work Plan: Grant applications must include a work plan which
will outline the total proposed number of individuals recruited, enrolled, completed, and
transitioned from the applicant’s program as well as these metrics per cohort.
Applicants will also outline the timeline for recruitment, enrollment, instruction, and
transition.
• Attachment II: Participant Demographics & Outcomes Summary: Grant application
must include projected outcomes provided in Attachment II. Competitive proposals will
clearly articulate how the activities funded under this NOFO will significantly increase
participation of underserved populations in US DOL-registered construction
apprenticeship programs in Illinois.
• Attachment III: Sample Curriculum and Proposed Curriculum: Applicants must provide
an outline of their chosen curricula. The curriculum should include an outline of the ILW
Orientation, NCCER, TradesFutures MC3 or other chosen curricula, OSHA-10, First
Aid/CPR, construction math, employability skills, test taking, and any additional training
considerations or credentials applicants plan to offer.
• Attachment IV: Staffing Plan: Applicants will utilize this attachment to outline how
program services and instruction will be delivered, who will deliver services and
instruction, and organizational capacity—a dedicated Transition Services Coordinator
must be identified.
• Resumes and Credentials of Program Staff: Grant applications must include the
resumes of key program staff and instructors that demonstrate capacity to complete the
work outlined in the application. Credentials are required for instructors to verify their
ability to deliver OSHA-10, First Aid/CPR, and/or NCCER or TradesFutures MC3, or
other nationally recognized curricula chosen.
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Grant applications should include MOUs and
Partnership Agreements (as opposed to Letters of Support) with all key partners
detailing the entity’s information, key staff information, roles and responsibilities
associated with this project, and dollar amounts for specific services to be rendered.
Application Format Requirements: Applications must be formatted to an 8 ½ x 11-inch page size, using
11-point type and at 100% magnification. Tables may be used to present information with a 10-point type.
The entire application, including appendices, must be typed single-spaced, with 1-inch margins on all
sides. The entire application, including appendices, must be sequentially page numbered (hand-written
page numbers are acceptable). Items included in the Other Attachments section are NOT included in the
page limitations.
Please note there is a maximum upload of 10 documents in the web form that you submit the application,
so combining files may be necessary.
Documents stored in Google Docs or other cloud-based servers are not allowed.
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
3. Submission Dates and Times
Applications for this opportunity must be submitted by October 2nd, 2026 at 5pm (CST) unless otherwise
extended in accordance with GATA or its’ implementing regulations.
Application materials must be submitted to the Department via electronic form at:
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/a66ba7f4bbf24cb0b9a9ac7b362d6c08.
The Department has no obligation to review applications that do not comply with the above requirements.
Failure to meet the application deadline may result in the Department returning application without review
or may preclude the Department from making the award.
4. Other Submission Requirements
The applicant can receive a copy of their submitted application by checking the “Send me a copy of my
responses” box at the bottom of the application submission form.
Applicants may confirm receipt of the application and documents by contacting the program contact listed
in this NOFO.
5. Freedom of Information Act/Confidential Information
Applications and accompanying materials are subject to disclosure in response to requests received
under provisions of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.). Information that could
be proprietary, privileged, or confidential commercial or financial information should be clearly identified
as such in the application materials. The Department will maintain the confidentiality of that information
only to the extent permitted by law.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Grant proposals will be reviewed on a competitive basis. Each proposal will be scored on a 100-point
scale. The Department shall consider the following criteria when evaluating the application submittal:
Applicant Capacity, Documentation of Need, Project Quality and Integration, and Cost
Effectiveness/Return on Investments.
Applicant Capacity (25%)
The applicant's capacity to successfully complete the project tasks within the grant period (5%)
The related experience of the applicant, subcontractors, and/or partners on similar projects (5%)
The applicant's experience in working with, and ability to recruit from the identified
underrepresented populations (5%)
The applicant's previous performance in administering similar grants and projects including
Illinois Works (5%)
The qualifications of the applicant's staff and instructors to be assigned to the project (5%)
Documentation of Need (25%)
The project's identified underrepresented populations, targeted community and regional focus (5%)
The project's targeted trades and occupation(s) (10%)
The expected impact on the identified population and community (5%)
The project's ability to expand apprenticeship enrollment in undeveloped and underdeveloped
areas of the state (5%)
Project Quality and Integration (30%)
The types of training and the method of delivery that will be implemented (3%)
24
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
The number of participants, employers partnered with, DOL-registered apprenticeship programs
partnered with, the participant recruitment plan, and the services provided to underrepresented
populations (3%)
The quality of the training providers, partners, and training outcomes (industry recognized skills,
certifications) (2%)
Coordination with key partners and strength of the partnership agreements / MOUs (2%)
How the project will result or aid in the permanent employment of participants (3%)
The overall feasibility and quality of the work plan; The quality of the project outcomes evaluation
plan (2%)
The quality of plans to address equity in program design, recruitment, supports and completion
and how it relates to increasing the number of underserved populations enrolling in and
successfully completing apprenticeships (5%)
The project's ability to expand apprenticeships for underrepresented populations including the
quality of the participant recruitment activities (5%)
The applicant's ability to train at least one cohort. Cohorts exclusively filled by Illinois Works
participants are preferred, but not required. Cohorts must feature at least 5 participants and not
exceed 25 participants. Experienced programs or programs that have the capacity to deliver
more than one cohort are welcome to propose a larger number of cohorts for the year not to
exceed three (3) cohorts (5%)
Cost Effectiveness/Return on Investments (20%)
The proposed project costs in relationship to planned outcomes including cost per participant.
(5%)
The reasonableness of the costs in relation to the proposed activities (5%)
The proposed costs of training and development activities to ensure quality service and
instruction (5%)
The applicant's commitment to secure leveraged/matching funds (5%)
2. Feedback
Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all required documents and information are complete and
accurate at the time of submission. DCEO reserves the right to waiver minor defects or to request and
accept corrections, updates, or additional materials after the submission deadline. Review and Selection
Process
Applications will be graded using the Merit Review Process and scored on the criteria specified in Section
E.1. The Department will designate an Evaluation Committee to grade each application received for this
funding opportunity. The final score of each Committee member will be calculated and an average of all
scores will be the final applicant score. Grants will be awarded and funding levels will be determined per
application based on its alignment with the requirements of this NOFO and as explained above. The
purpose of negotiations will be to arrive at acceptable grant terms, including budgetary and scope-of-work
provisions, at which time the final decision to make a grant award will be made.
The Department's Illinois Works Office, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to award based on
geographic necessity based on where State funded capital projects are projected to take place, where
Illinois Works presently does not have pre-apprenticeship programs, and based on ensuring that
underserved populations including women, veterans, and minorities (as outlined in the Illinois Works Jobs
Program Act) significantly increase their representation in the ranks of construction trades apprentices.
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
The Merit Based Review process is subject to appeal per
https://dceo.illinois.gov/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/meritappreview.html. However, competitive
grant appeals are limited to the evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested. Only the
evaluation process is subject to appeal. The appeal must be submitted through the merit review appeal
request form (https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6444bed39ef140c589f002f53b9bc092) within 14
calendar days after the date that the grant award notice has been published.
3. Anticipated Announcement and State Award Dates
After the application period is closed, the Department will conduct a merit review of eligible
applications. Successful applicants will receive a Notice of State Award (NOSA) to initiate the grant
agreement phase. During this phase, you will be contacted by a grant manager to develop a grant
agreement, which can be a months long process depending on complexity, cooperation, and conformity
with all applicable federal and state laws.
The Department reserves the right to issue a reduced award, or not to issue any award.
F. Award Administration Information
1. State Award Notices
The Notice of State Award (NOSA) will specify the funding terms and specific conditions resulting from
the pre-award risk assessments and the merit review process. The NOSA must be accepted in the GATA
Portal by an authorized representative of the grantee organization. The NOSA is not an authorization to
begin performance or incur costs.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Subrecipients and Subcontractors: Agreement(s) and budget(s) with subrecipients and subcontractors
must be pre-approved by and on file with DCEO. Agreements can be submitted to DCEO when
available. Subcontractors and subrecipients are subject to all applicable provisions of the Agreement(s)
executed between DCEO and the grantee. The successful applicant shall retain sole responsibility for the
performance of its subrecipient(s) and/or subcontractor(s).
Grant Uniform Requirements: The Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (30 ILCS 708/1 et seq.)
(and its related administrative rules, 44 Ill. Admin. Code Part 7000), was enacted to increase the
accountability and transparency in the use of grant funds from whatever source and to reduce
administrative burdens on both State agencies and grantees by adopting federal guidance and
regulations applicable to those grant funds; specifically, the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200).
Procurement: Grantees will be required to adhere to methods of procurement per the Procurement
Standards (2 CFR 200.317 – 2 CFR 200.327).
Business Enterprise Program: For grant awards of $250,000 or more, grantees will be required to
comply with the Business Enterprise Program for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities Act
(30 ILCS 575/0.01 et seq.), which establishes a goal for contracting with businesses that have been
certified as owned and controlled by persons who are minority, female or who have disabilities. The
Department will work with the grantees to ensure compliance prior to the establishment of the grant
agreement as well as through the life of the grant.
3. Reporting.
Periodic Performance Report (PPR) and Periodic Financial Report (PFR)
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
Grantees funded through this NOFO are required to submit in the format required by the Grantor, at least
on a quarterly basis, the PPR and PFR electronically to their assigned grant manager. The first of such
reports shall cover the first three months after the award begins. Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.328, Periodic
Financial Reports shall be submitted no later than 30 calendar days following the period covered by the
report. Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.329, Periodic Performance Reports shall be submitted no later than 30
calendar days following the period covered by the report. Any additional reporting requirements will be
disclosed in the NOSA. Grantees are required within 45 calendar days following the end of the period of
performance to submit a final closeout report in the format required by the Grantor (See 2 CFR 200.344).
Monitoring
Grantees funded through this NOFO are subject to fiscal and programmatic monitoring visits by the
Department in accordance with 2 CFR 200.337. They must have an open-door policy allowing periodic
visits by Department monitors to evaluate the progress of the project and provide documentation upon
request of the monitor. Program staff will also maintain contact with participants and monitor progress and
performance of the contracts. The Department may modify grants based on performance.
Audit
Grantees shall be subject to Illinois’ statewide Audit Report Review requirements. Terms of the Single
Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 USC 7501-7507), Subpart F of 2 CFR Part 200, and the audit rules
set forth under the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act Admin Rules shall apply (See 44 IL Admin
Code 7000.90).
Illinois Works Specific Reporting
Grantees will be required to submit regular reports to document the progress of the project as part of the
grant requirements. In addition to the PPR and PFR outlined above, grantees will be required to report
real-time program activities and outcomes using the Illinois Works Reporting System (IWRS). The Office
of Illinois Works expects data to be entered daily and in real time to allow for live tracking of participant
progress and program outcomes. Desk reviews will be conducted to assess the need for the deployment
of technical assistance when issues are identified. Data will be reviewed on a monthly basis by the Office
of Illinois Works who will issue a Monthly Compliance Report with a monthly rating which will assess the
grantee’s progress toward meeting their program’s goals. Metrics that are reported in IWRS are the basis
for the performance payment model and reimbursement used by the Office of Illinois Works and outlined
under the performance-based payment model found in section B. Funding Information.
G. State Awarding Agency Contact
DCEO Grant Help Desk
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
Email: CEO.GrantHelp@illinois.gov
H. Other Information
The release of this NOFO does not obligate the Department to make an award.
Please visit the following website for instructional videos that guide applicants through each step of
applying for and administering a grant:
(https://dceo.illinois.gov/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/learning-library.html)
The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity Illinois Works Office reserves the right to
request additional information from applicants to evaluate applications. The Department's Illinois Works
Office, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to reject all applications; to reject individual applications for
27
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
failure to meet any requirement; to award in part or total; and to waive minor defects and non-compliance.
The DCEO Grant Managers may contact the applicants to request information on a quick turnaround
(generally 48 hours) to resolve technical questions including: technical or administrative clarifications;
missing or incomplete components; and technical transmission errors.
Submission of an application confers no right to an award or to a subsequent grant agreement. The
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is not obligated to award any grants under
this program, to pay any costs incurred by the applicant in the preparation and submission of an
application or pay any grant-related costs incurred prior to the grant’s beginning date.
NOFO Technical Assistance: DCEO will provide Technical Assistance (TA) throughout the application
process, in the form of webinars, regional meetings, and FAQs. More information will be posted at:
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/ilworkspreapprenticeshipnofo2026
Renewals and Grant Modifications: The Department may authorize the renewal, for up to two additional
years of projects awarded under this NOFO and additional funding based on the activities, outcomes and
performance of the grantee as well as the availability of funds under the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act.
The renewal, if granted, would occur after one year of programmatic performance and an evaluation of
services and outcomes by the Office of Illinois Works.
Technical Assistance and Professional Development: Grantees must plan on attending group or
individual technical assistance and/or training sessions throughout the year with Illinois Works staff. The
Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program offers a robust virtual onboarding and professional
development series at the beginning of the grant period that program administrators and select staff are
required to attend. Applicants must also budget for instructors' attendance to training and certification
classes. In addition to ongoing technical assistance and professional development trainings, grantees will
have the opportunity to garner additional support from a program coach contracted by the Office of Illinois
Works. Depending on grantee needs and capacity, the Office of Illinois Works may require grantees to
meet with the program coach on a monthly basis.
APPENDIX – REFERENCES & RESOURCES
Acronyms used in this NOFO
• AR: Alternative Reality
• CBO: Community-based organization
• DCEO: Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
• DOL: Department of Labor
• DUNS: Data Universal Number System
• FEIN: Federal Employer Identical Number
• GATA: Grant Accountability and Transparency Act
• ICQ: Internal Controls Questionnaire
• IWIB: Illinois Workforce Innovation Board
• IWRS: Illinois Works Reporting System
• JFF: Jobs for the Future
• MOU: Memorandum of Understanding
• MTDC: Modified Total Direct Costs
• NABTU: North America’s Building Trades Union
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
• NCCER: National Center for Construction Education and Research
• NICRA: Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
• NOFO: Notice of Funding Opportunity
• NOSA: Notice of State Award
• OSHA: Occupational Safety & Health Administration
• PFR: Periodic Financial Report
• PPR: Periodic Programmatic Report
• RAP: Registered Apprenticeship Program
• SAM: System for Award Management
• UEI: Unique Entity Identifier
• VR: Virtual Reality
• WIOA: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
Definitions from Illinois Works Program Act
"Apprentice" means a participant in an apprenticeship program approved by and registered with the
United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training.
"Apprenticeship program" means an apprenticeship and training program approved by and registered with
the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training.
"Bid credit" means a virtual dollar for a contractor or subcontractor to use toward future bids for public
works contracts.
"Contractor" means a person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or joint venture entering
into a contract with the State or any State agency to construct a public work.
"Department" means the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
"Labor hours" means the total hours for workers who are receiving an hourly wage and who are directly
employed for the public works project. "Labor hours" includes hours performed by workers employed by
the contractor and subcontractors on the public works project. "Labor hours" does not include hours
worked by the forepersons, superintendents, owners, and workers who are not subject to prevailing wage
requirements.
"Minorities" means minority persons as defined in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and
Persons with Disabilities Act.
"Public works" means all projects that constitute public works under the Prevailing Wage Act.
"Subcontractor" means a person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or joint venture that
has contracted with the contractor to perform all or part of the work to construct a public work by a
contractor.
“Registered Apprenticeship” As defined by the Office of Apprenticeship of the United States Department
of Labor, "Registered Apprenticeship" is an effective "earn and learn" model with a long history of
providing career ladders and pathways to the middle class, particularly for the building and construction
industry but increasingly in other industries as well. Registered Apprenticeships must have five
components: business involvement, structured on-the-job training, related classroom and workplace
29
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
instruction, rewards for skills gains, and an industry-recognized credential at the successful completion of
training.
NOFO References
• 360-Degree Focus on Equity
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/WIOA/Resources/Documents/YI_ClosingTheDivide.pdf
• Executive Order #3: Action Agenda for Workforce Development and Job Creation
https://www.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/illinois/documents/government/executive-
orders/2019/19612-executive-order-2019-03.pdf
• Illinois Career Pathways Dictionary
https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IL-Career-Pathways-Dictionary.PDF
• Illinois Essential Employability Skills Framework
https://icsps.illinoisstate.edu/illinois-essential-employability-skills-framework
• Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program 2025 Grantee Manual –
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/DownloadPrint/2025%20Grantee%20Manual%20(1).pdf
• Illinois Workforce Innovation Board, Apprenticeship Illinois Committee Quarterly Report June
2021
https://apps.illinoisworknet.com/GroupCalendarManagement/Home/Preview/fa46893c-85b5-4294-
b0b6-3fc1224fba24
• The Essentials of a High-Quality Pre-apprenticeship Program, Jobs for the Future, 2019
https://www.jff.org/idea/jffs-framework-high-quality-pre-apprenticeship-program/
• United States. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database
System (RAPIDS), 2022
https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/registered-apprenticeship-partners-information-database-system-
rapids-dataset
• United States Department of Labor, Training and Employment Notice 13-12
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/TEN/2012/TEN_13-12.pdf
• United States Department of Labor, Discover Apprenticeship: Earn While You Earn Today
https://www.apprenticeship.gov/sites/default/files/Career_Seeker_Fact_Sheet.pdf
30
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
Resources for Competitive Applications
• Apprenticeship Illinois
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/ApprenticeshipIL/Pages/default.aspx
• Grant Accountability and Transparency Act
https://gata.illinois.gov/
• Illinois Career Pathways Dictionary
https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IL-Career-Pathways-Dictionary.PDF
• Regional and Local Workforce Plans
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/WIOA/RegPlanning
• State of Illinois WIOA ePolicy Portal
https://apps.il-work-net.com/WIOAPolicy/Policy/Home
• State of Illinois WIOA Unified State Plan
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/wioastateplan
• United States Chamber of Commerce Foundation Talent Pipeline Management Initiative
https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/solutions/workforce-development-and-training/talent-
pipeline-management
• United States Department of Labor, Office of Employment and Training, Office of Apprenticeship
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wioa
Resources on National Best Practices for Pre-apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Programs
• 2020 Construction Apprenticeship Guidebook (Seattle) –
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/WIOA/Resources/Documents/ApprenticeshipGuidebook.pdf
• Broadening the Apprenticeship Pipeline (National Skills Coalition)
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
https://nationalskillscoalition.org/resource/publications/broadening-the-apprenticeship-pipeline/
• Construction Pre-apprenticeship Programs (Aspen Institute)
https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/economic-opportunities-program/construction-pre-
apprenticeship-programs/
• Construction Pre-apprenticeship Programs: Results from a National Survey (Aspen Institute)
https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/construction-pre-apprenticeship-programs-results-
national-survey/
• Illinois Tollway ConstructionWorks Brochure
https://www.illinoistollway.com/documents/20184/741091/CW+brochure_0619_FINAL.pdf/dd172caf
-7a51-4b18-b4cb-5821c4249131
• Illinois Tollway ConstructionWorks Online Application Portal
https://fs21.formsite.com/Workforce_Partnership/9ckfwghmk8/index.html
• Illinois Tollway ConstructionWorks Website
https://www.illinoistollway.com/doing-business/diversity-development/programs/constructionworks
• Key Capacities of Construction Pre-apprenticeship Programs (Aspen Institute)
https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/strong-foundation-key-capacities-construction-pre-
apprenticeship-programs/
• Pre-apprenticeships: Building Strong Apprentices (Workforce GPS)
https://apprenticeshipusa.workforcegps.org/resources/2017/04/10/11/56/Pre-apprenticeships-
Building-Strong-Apprentices
• Seattle PACT Pre-apprenticeship Construction Training
https://woodtech.seattlecentral.edu/programs/pre-apprenticeship-construction-training
• YOUTHBUILD Construction Plus Framework
https://youthbuild.workforcegps.org/Blog/Registered-
apprenticeship/2019/03/12/12/36/Construction_Plus_Framework
Resources on National Best Practices for Equity Pre-apprenticeship and Apprenticeship
Programs
• The Roadmap for Racial Equity (National Skills Coalition)-
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NOFO ID: 2614-4323
https://nationalskillscoalition.org/resource/publications/the-roadmap-for-racial-equity/
• Racial Equity Readiness Assessment for Workforce Development (Race Forward) –
https://www.raceforward.org/resources/toolkits/racial-equity-readiness-assessment-workforce-
development
• Principles for a High-Quality Pre-apprenticeship: A Model to Advance Equity (Center for Law and
Social Policy CLASP)
https://www.clasp.org/publications/report/brief/principles-high-quality-pre-apprenticeship-model-
advance-equity/
• Collaborative Solutions for Increasing Diversity of Apprenticeship Participants (Workforce GPS) –
https://www.workforcegps.org/events/2020/04/02/18/20/Collaborative-Solutions-for-Increasing-
Diversity-of-Apprenticeship-Participants
• Closing the Divide: Making Illinois a Leader in Equitable Apprenticeships (Young Invincibles) –
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/WIOA/Resources/Documents/YI_ClosingTheDivide.pdf
• Growing Equity and Diversity Through Apprenticeship: Business Perspectives (JFF Center for
Apprenticeship and Work-based Learning)
https://archive.jff.org/resources/growing-equity-and-diversity-through-apprenticeship-business-
perspectives/
• Principles for Equity in Apprenticeship (Center on Wisconsin Strategy) –
https://equityinapprenticeship.org/case-studies/principles-for-equity-in-apprenticeship
• Flowchart of Equitable Apprenticeship Models (Young Invincibles and Chicago Jobs Council) –
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/DownloadPrint/Flowchart%20of%20Equitable%20Apprenticeship
%20Models.pdf
33
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