On February 12, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced a new phase of worker training grants under the Wisconsin Fast Forward (WFF) program. The program, administered by the Office of Skills Development (OSD) at DWD, provides grants for training programs to help unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers learn new skills. The grants are intended to fund training programs that will allow workers to obtain full-time or higher-level employment, increased wages, and/or industry recognized credentials.

In total, the new WFF program will award about $3 million in grants, with final award amounts ranging from $5,000 to $400,000. Grants are available to all industry sectors and companies of any size. Private organizations, public agencies, tribal governing bodies, or coalitions or partnerships representing a group of eligible organizations can apply for these grants.

Grantees will be required to do the following:

• Secure a cash or in-kind match equal to 50% of the awarded amount
• Complete training of at least 85 percent of contracted trainees
• Ensure at least 65 percent of trainees are placed in appropriate positions with the placement partner(s) identified in the grant application

Grant applications are due by 3 PM on Thursday, April 8. Additional information can be found on the WFF website.