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Department raises per‑participant cap, tightens grant windows and pauses applications amid surge
Summary
Workforce staff said they raised the maximum per‑participant assistance to $13,000 and updated grant rules after a surge in applications; the Workforce Development training fund will accept grant applications the first seven days of each month starting June 1 while funds last.
State workforce staff told the Workforce Development Council on May 11 that rising training costs and an influx of grant applications prompted rule changes, a temporary pause and new application windows for workforce grants.
Holly Siming, who presented the Workforce programs update, said the per‑participant cap was raised to a $13,000 maximum over the lifetime of a participant’s case to better cover tuition and training costs. "That means that's the maximum amount that they can receive for services through the life of their case — not everyone gets that $13,000," Siming said, noting community college tuition and trade training costs as drivers of the increase.
Siming said the Workforce Development training fund (Fund 528) has seen a rapid surge in applications after rule changes last year that expanded funding flexibility. The agency paused applications in April to reassess volumes; staff told the council that going forward, applications will be accepted during the first seven days of each month while funds remain available, and a panel will evaluate proposals by industry alignment, impact and the number of participants served.
Staff described updated limits for grant programs: business training grants were adjusted to $2,000 per trainee (or $3,000 in designated "preferred industries"), internship grants were revised to allow up to three internships per employer or 480 hours per intern with wages up to $18 per hour, and EMS certifications and registered apprenticeship pathways were specifically added to eligible funding categories.
Agency staff said they would follow panel scoring that weighs industry priority, impact and equity. They also noted the fund's origins in UI trust earnings and that an initial $4 million push during phase one had been expended quickly, prompting a more managed monthly allocation strategy.
The council heard concrete operational shifts: some center staff positions have been relocated to meet demand in busier centers (Rock Springs was cited as an example), and case managers reported rising enrollments across youth, adult and dislocated worker programs. Staff committed to provide average cost‑per‑participant numbers to the council in follow-up materials.
The updates aim to balance rapid deployment of training dollars with fairness and sustainability as grant volumes increase and workforce training demand grows statewide.
