Press Release  AG Healey Launches Grant Program to Promote Equal Opportunity for Women, Minority Workers in the Construction Industry

BOSTON — Continuing her commitment to advance the economic opportunity of Massachusetts residents, Attorney General Maura Healey today announced a new grant program aimed at providing opportunities for women and minority workers and small business owners in the public construction industry.

“The construction industry provides highly-skilled and good-paying jobs that help families thrive,” said AG Healey. “This grant will help ensure that these opportunities continue to be accessible to women and minorities in our state.”

The Equal Opportunity in the Construction Trades Grant program will provide funding to projects that promote opportunity through apprenticeship programs, job trainings and diversity and inclusion trainings, and support and outreach programs. The new program is open to workers’ centers, unions, non-profit organizations, chambers of commerce, public schools, municipalities, small businesses, and post-secondary student organizations.

The grant program will utilize funding from a judgment the AG’s False Claims Division secured with CTA Construction Company for the purpose of promoting equal opportunity in public construction, employment or education.

The AG’s Office anticipates awarding a total of $90,000 to multiple grantees. The funding will be awarded to recipients in two ranges:

• One or more grants of up to $40,000 will be awarded to eligible unions, municipalities, schools, small businesses, nonprofit organizations and chambers of commerce to provide education, training and technical skills to workers interested in careers in the construction industry and;
• One or more micro-grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to eligible nonprofit organizations or student organizations to fund outreach and training for women and minority workers to join the construction industry.

Special consideration will be given to applicants who can demonstrate the grant will be used to promote equal opportunity within underrepresented populations including veterans.

This is a one-year grant program that will start on June 1, 2017 and end on May 31, 2018. Interested applicants can visit the AG’s website, www.mass.gov/ago/grants for more information and for application instructions. Applications must be received by 4 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2017.

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