SANFORD - The Triangle South Workforce Development Board, located at Central Carolina Community College, is accepting applications for the North Carolina Incumbent Workforce Development Program grant.
The IWDP grant is a competitive, retention solutions grant. Qualifying businesses can use this grant to address employees' skills gaps, which will result in increased knowledge, certifications, and value of the employee to the company. Addressing employees' skills gaps also contributes to a company's competitiveness in regional and global economies.
"One of the bigger changes for this program year is that the Triangle South Workforce Development Board now has more direct control over the approval process," said Mike Peluso, TSWDB Business Services coordinator at CCCC. "This lets us react more quickly to the needs of local area business than in years past. Our continuing challenge with the grant is that not enough businesses know about it. Awareness is growing but it needs to develop further so that our community can really benefit from this amazing opportunity."
North Carolina for-profit and not-for-profit businesses located in Chatham, Harnett, Lee and Sampson counties are invited to apply. Applicants must have been in operation for a minimum of one year prior to the application date, are current on all federal and state tax obligations, and are financially viable.
Training must directly benefit the worker, resulting in qualifying for a job with different skill requirements or for a higher-paying position. The training must enable workers to obtain an industry-recognized certification or credential, or provide a significant step towards achieving credentials that increase overall employability.
An incumbent worker, as defined by the grant, is at least 18 years of age, a United States citizen or a non-citizen whose status permits employment in the U.S., and a paid employee of the applicant business or working for the business as a staffing agency employee.
IWDP funds are awarded on a competitive basis. The maximum amount is $25,000 per funding round, with a lifetime funding limit of $40,000. The state has authorized two funding rounds per program year.
The Triangle South Workforce Development Board is headquartered at CCCC's Lifelong Learning Center at the W.B. Wicker Business Campus, in Sanford. It is based on and implements the Workforce Investment Act, which was established by Congress in 1998 to increase employment, job retention, earnings, and occupational skills.
Visit www.trianglesouthworkforce.com to access the grant application. Applications may be mailed or hand delivered to the office of Mike Peluso, 900 South Vance St., Suite 280, Sanford, by the close of business on Friday, March 21. The mailing address is: Triangle South Workforce Development Board, Incumbent Workforce Development Program, 1105 Kelly Drive, Sanford, NC 27330.
The TSWDB will rank the applications according to required criteria and submit them to the N.C. Division of Workforce Development for final review and selection. The number of awards approved per round is based on funding availability as determined by the Division.
For more information regarding the IWDP grant application or other Workforce Investment Act programs, contact Mike Peluso at Central Carolina Community College, 919-777-7725, or by email at mpeluso@cccc.edu.