Skill Advance Colorado Job Training Grant

Funder: Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Skill Advance Colorado Job Training Grant empowers Colorado businesses and nonprofits by funding customized job training for employees. Aimed at enhancing workforce skills, the program supports both net new hires and existing employees. It is administered by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade in collaboration with local colleges. This grant not only fosters economic growth but also helps businesses adapt to evolving industry demands, ensuring a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) creates a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth. We advance the state’s economy through financial and technical programs under the leadership of the Governor and Executive Director.
Grant Summary
The Skill Advance Colorado Job Training Grant (formerly the Colorado First and Existing Industry Grant) helps businesses and nonprofits create customized job training for employees.
This training:

• Develops Colorado’s workforce.
• Builds workers’ transferable skills.
• Improves workers’ resumes and long-term employment opportunities.
• Helps Colorado businesses remain competitive.

The funds are broken down into Colorado First funds and Existing Industry funds. Colorado First grant funds customized training only for net new hires at companies relocating to or expanding in Colorado. Existing Industry grant funds customized training to help established Colorado companies and nonprofits remain competitive in their industry, adapt to new technology, and prevent layoffs.
We alongside the Colorado Community College System jointly administer this program. Participating colleges manage the program.
Net new hire and incumbent worker reskilling and upskilling
Short term worksite training aligned with organization needs
Employee retention efforts
Businesses interested in applying for funding work directly with a local college representative, who assists with eligibility determination, training needs assessment, and grant application development.
Grantees receive ongoing assistance with training implementation and grant management.

Eligibility

Skill Advance Colorado funding supports only Colorado businesses and employees. Employees funded by the CF and EI programs must be residing and working in Colorado during the grant period.All training funded by Skill Advance Colorado must take place within Colorado.All grant-funded training must be for full-time (32 hours/week), non-seasonal, non-retail employees who have significant career opportunities and need substantive instruction.Grant-funded learners must be working legally in the U.S.All training must be short-term and substantially customized (contextualized/tailored content) to specific business needs and related to substantive, resume-building, transferable employee skills.Grant applicants are required to pay employees an average wage based on business location. At the time of grant application submission, grant applicants in urban counties must pay at least $2.00 per hour more than the Colorado State required minimum wage, and grant applicants in rural counties must pay an average wage of at least $.50 per hour more than the Colorado State required minimum wage.Training Attendance Forms and an attendance attestation signed by the grantee are required as documentation of training completion.A grantee cash and/or in-kind contribution to training costs is required. Please consult a Skill Advance college representative for details.Only for-profit business and non-governmental 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to apply for funding.Grant-funded activities may not begin until the grant application has been approved by State program administrators.On-site visits by college representatives are required for new grant applicants; an on-site grantee visit may be conducted by Skill Advance Colorado program administrators.Businesses are eligible to apply for Colorado First grants every year and Existing Industry grants every other year.

Ineligibility

Skill Advance Colorado does not fundtraining related to grantee/business orientation, personality assessments (i.e., DiSC, MBTI, CliftonStrengths, etc.), strategic planning, project planning, foundational/beginning/basic computer skills or office administration/productivity software (i.e., Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace), and non-customized training available at local colleges, workforce centers, and public service providers;training related to federal and state mandated training (e.g., OSHA, Commercial Driver’s License (CDL);labor union-required or labor union-funded training; orconsulting services.