• Incumbent Worker Training Program

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    Money is Available to Train Your Employees 

    Train and upskill your existing workers with federal grant funds that are already here in the county and ready to be spent.

    The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission to help area companies get these monies to train their existing employees (incumbent workers). We want to help you get money for important training of your existing employees to increase productivity, improve retention of valued employees and boost your companies’ competitiveness. A wide range of training topics and delivery arrangements may be proposed. Training that is closely linked to specific jobs, as well as job advancement, is encouraged.

    The application is easy and submissions are reviewed here in the county—all decisions for funding are made locally.


    Application Deadline is June 17, 2022

    Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and there is no fee to apply. Monies will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so we suggest you apply as soon as possible. And, we are happy to help you with your application.

    Eligible Industries for Grant Funding

    • Healthcare
    • Manufacturing
    • Information Technology
    • Green
    • Transportation Distribution and Logistics
    • Green Training Will Also Be Allowable Across All Industries
     
    How Does a Business Qualify?

    To be eligible for this grant, a business must show that jobs may be retained if current workers obtain in-demand skills. Key indicators include:
    • Declining Sales
    • Supply Chain Issues
    • Adverse Industry/Market Trends
    • Changes in Management Philosophy or Ownership
     
    Requirements for Employees Receiving the Training
    • Employed at the Company
    • Have an Established Employment with the Company of 6 Months or More
      • If the Training is Being Provided to a Cohort of Employees, Not Every Employee Must be with the Company for 6 Months or More
     
    Employer Matching Requirement

    This grant does require that employers match training funds based on the size of the company:
    • 10% of the Cost for 1-50 Employees
    • 25% of the Cost for 51-100 Employees
    • 50% of the Cost for 101 or More Employees
     
    Please note: employees’ salaries being paid to attend training can be considered part of matching funds.
     
    Submitting the Grant Proposal/Finalizing the Project
    • Employers will need to complete a proposal outlining their plans for employee training
    • The Chamber and the RPC staff are happy to assist businesses with completing applications
    • Once eligibility has been determined, the RPC Business Service Team will work with the business to outline the training program and assist with identifying and securing a trainer if needed
    The Chamber is here to help you with every step of the process, so please contact us today, so we can help you get these available training dollars to help you with your business. 

    Please contact:

    Mindy Cain
    Director of Workforce Readiness
    mindyc@champaigncounty.org

    Matt Bradley
    Director of Business Development
    mattb@champaigncounty.org


    Additional Information and Details

    WIOA Training Quick Facts
    WIOA Desk Reference
    Incumbent Worker Proposal
    CHAMBER WEBINAR LINK

     

    Incumbent Worker Training Program