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Workforce Training Fund Overview

The Workforce Training Fund is a state fund enacted into law in July 1998 and financed entirely by Massachusetts employers. Its purpose is to provide resources to Massachusetts businesses and workers to train current and newly hired employees.

Guidelines for all Workforce Training Fund Programs

All trainees must be employed in Massachusetts. Trainees cannot be government employees. The business or labor organization applying for a grant must pay into the Workforce Training Fund and must be current with its unemployment insurance payments. A certified copy of a certificate in good standing from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue must be provided by a WTF grant awardee prior to the receipt of grant funds. For the purposes of The Workforce Training Fund the Certificate of Good Standing is only valid for 6 months. Applicants should send in the most current Certificate of Good Standing to avoid the certificate becoming invalid during the application review process.  Additional information about certification can be found at Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s website.

All Workforce Training Fund Grant Recipients are considered contractors of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As such, per Executive Order 481 signed by Governor Patrick on March 15, 2007, contractors will not use grant funds to train undocumented workers and will submit a contractor’s certification form Word  as part of their contract.

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Who Can Apply?
•Training grants are awarded to businesses with 50 or fewer employees and labor organizations.
•Companies of any size are eligible to apply. Training grants are awarded to employers, employer organizations, labor organizations, and training providers.
•Companies of any size are eligible to apply.
What Are The Deadlines And Turn-Around Times?
•There are no deadlines; application can be submitted at anytime.
•Grant decisions are made within 21 days from filing the application.
•Training may begin 6 weeks from the date of application.
•Applications may be submitted at any time but will be reviewed according to published deadlines.
•Grant decisions are made approximately 60 days after the application deadline.
•Application must be submitted within 30 days of new hire’s start date.
•Grant decisions are made approximately 3 days from filing the application.
•Training may begin as soon as an application has been approved.
What Must Company Contribute?
•The business or labor organization must pay at least 50 percent of the training costs. It will be reimbursed 50 percent of the total cost of training after the training is completed.
•Grant match by the applicant and/or its partners can be cash or in-kind.
•Grant payments are made throughout the life of the grant.
•The company must pay the wages of the employee while in training.
Who Supplies Training?
•Applicant will choose from database of pre-qualified courses.
•Trainer/s of applicant choice.
•Trainer/s of applicant choice.
Grant Funds Available?
•Total grant request cannot exceed $30,000 per company for a 2-year period; $3,000 per course per trainee.
•Grants up to $125,000 may be awarded. Priority will be given to applications focused on employee skills attainment and achievement of transferable and measurable skills.
•Total grant request cannot exceed $60,000 per company for a 2-year period;  $2,000 per new hire.
Grant Length Limit
•Training must be completed in 12 months or less.
•Training programs must be completed within 24 months.
•Training must be completed in 12 months or less.
Additional Requirements/
Information
•Two most recent years of balance sheets and income statements required (preferably audited).
•Each new hire must have been unemployed for at least one year or permanently separated from his or her previous employer.
•Trainees must be Massachusetts residents.