Opportunity Information: Apply for EDA HDQ ARPGJ 2021 2006964
The FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Good Jobs Challenge is a U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) funding opportunity designed to help communities and regions recover from the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The central idea is to get more people back to work by strengthening regional workforce training systems and building sector-based partnerships that are closely tied to real employer demand. Instead of funding isolated training programs, the program emphasizes coordinated regional approaches that can reliably move workers into well-paying jobs, help them stay employed, and support advancement along a career pathway.
At the core of this opportunity is the expectation that applicants will organize or expand employer-driven workforce strategies. EDA is looking for projects that connect the current and emerging skill needs of businesses to training that prepares workers for those specific roles. These efforts are meant to be practical and outcomes-oriented: employers should have a meaningful role in shaping training, defining the skills required, and helping create a clear route from training into employment. The funded work is intended to build durable regional capacity, not just short-term placement efforts, by improving how regional partners coordinate, plan, and deliver training aligned to priority industries.
EDA expects funded systems and partnerships to bring together a broad set of stakeholders that, collectively, can recruit participants, deliver training, and support job placement and retention. Typical partners include employers within a target industry, state and local government entities, economic development organizations, workforce development boards, employer-facing organizations, education and training providers (including colleges and universities), community-based organizations, worker-serving organizations, and labor unions. A key structural requirement is strong coordination through a designated lead organization. For workforce training systems, that lead is described as a System Lead Entity; for sectoral partnerships, it is a Backbone Organization. In either case, the lead is expected to act as an intermediary with enough convening power to bring partners to the table and with the operational capacity to manage collaboration, alignment, and execution across the region.
The opportunity also places clear emphasis on equity and access, encouraging applicants to design training and support strategies that reach people who face barriers in the labor market. Examples named in the notice include persons with disabilities, at-risk youth, individuals in recovery, people with past criminal records (including justice-impacted individuals and reentry participants), and veterans. In practice, this focus signals that successful regional strategies will likely pair training with supportive services and partner networks that can help participants overcome obstacles to enrollment, completion, and long-term employment.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary federal funding opportunity with awards made by the Department of Commerce. The funding instruments listed include both grants and cooperative agreements, meaning EDA may have an active role in supporting or overseeing certain aspects of implementation depending on the award structure. The assistance is associated with CFDA number 11.307. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $25,000,000, and EDA anticipated making roughly 25 to 50 awards, with award sizes potentially scaled based on the geographic reach of the system, the industries covered, and the range of worker roles included in the regional approach.
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The listing also notes an "Others" category, indicating additional eligible entity types may be allowed under the program rules described in the full notice.
Key identifying details from the posting include the Funding Opportunity Title "FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Good Jobs Challenge" and Funding Opportunity Number "EDA HDQ ARPGJ 2021 2006964." The opportunity was created on July 22, 2021, and the original closing date was January 26, 2022. Overall, the Good Jobs Challenge is best understood as a large-scale, regional workforce and economic recovery initiative that funds coordinated, employer-led training pipelines aimed at producing measurable employment outcomes in quality jobs, especially for communities and workers hit hardest by the pandemic.Apply for EDA HDQ ARPGJ 2021 2006964
- The Department of Commerce in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Good Jobs Challenge" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.307.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 22, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 26, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $25,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): FY 2021 ARPA Good Jobs Challenge (EDA)
1) What is the FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Good Jobs Challenge?
The FY 2021 ARPA Good Jobs Challenge is a U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) funding opportunity that supports community and regional recovery from COVID-19-related economic damage by strengthening regional workforce training systems and building sector-based partnerships tied to employer demand.
2) What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The core goal is to get more people back to work by funding coordinated regional approaches that move workers into well-paying jobs, support job retention, and enable advancement along a career pathway, rather than funding isolated training programs.
3) What types of projects does EDA want to fund under the Good Jobs Challenge?
EDA is looking for projects that organize or expand employer-driven workforce strategies that connect the current and emerging skill needs of businesses to training that prepares workers for specific roles. Projects are expected to be practical, outcomes-oriented, and designed to build durable regional capacity.
4) How should employers be involved in a proposed project?
Employers are expected to have a meaningful role in shaping training, defining the required skills, and helping create a clear route from training into employment. The opportunity emphasizes employer-driven strategies closely tied to real employer demand.
5) Is this program meant to fund stand-alone training programs?
No. The opportunity emphasizes coordinated regional approaches and sector-based partnerships rather than isolated training programs. The focus is on improving how partners coordinate, plan, and deliver training aligned to priority industries.
6) What does EDA mean by a "regional workforce training system" or a "sector-based partnership"?
Based on the posting, both approaches involve multiple partners coordinating across a region to align training with employer demand. A workforce training system focuses on strengthening the regional system for training and placement, while a sector-based partnership emphasizes collaboration within a target industry or set of industries to build a pipeline into specific job roles.
7) What is the role of the lead organization in a Good Jobs Challenge project?
A strong, designated lead organization is a key structural requirement. For workforce training systems, the lead is described as a System Lead Entity. For sectoral partnerships, it is a Backbone Organization. In either structure, the lead is expected to convene partners and manage collaboration, alignment, and execution across the region.
8) What is a System Lead Entity?
A System Lead Entity is the designated lead organization for a workforce training system. It is expected to act as an intermediary with convening power and operational capacity to coordinate regional partners and manage implementation.
9) What is a Backbone Organization?
A Backbone Organization is the designated lead organization for a sectoral partnership. It is expected to convene and coordinate the partnership and provide the operational capacity to align partners and execute the regional strategy.
10) What kinds of partners are typically expected to be involved?
The opportunity describes broad stakeholder participation. Typical partners include employers within a target industry, state and local government entities, economic development organizations, workforce development boards, employer-facing organizations, education and training providers (including colleges and universities), community-based organizations, worker-serving organizations, and labor unions.
11) What outcomes is EDA trying to achieve through these partnerships?
The program is designed to produce measurable employment outcomes in quality jobs by creating clear routes from training into employment, supporting workers in staying employed, and enabling advancement along a career pathway.
12) Does this opportunity emphasize equity and access?
Yes. The opportunity places clear emphasis on equity and access and encourages applicants to design training and support strategies that reach people who face barriers in the labor market.
13) Which populations facing barriers are specifically highlighted?
Examples named in the posting include persons with disabilities, at-risk youth, individuals in recovery, people with past criminal records (including justice-impacted individuals and reentry participants), and veterans.
14) Does the opportunity mention supportive services?
It indicates that successful regional strategies will likely pair training with supportive services and partner networks to help participants overcome obstacles to enrollment, completion, and long-term employment.
15) What federal agency is making the awards?
Awards are made by the U.S. Department of Commerce through the Economic Development Administration (EDA).
16) Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. The posting describes it as a discretionary federal funding opportunity.
17) What types of funding instruments are used?
The funding instruments listed include grants and cooperative agreements, which means EDA may have an active role in supporting or overseeing certain aspects of implementation depending on the award structure.
18) What is the CFDA number associated with this assistance?
The assistance is associated with CFDA number 11.307.
19) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed is $25,000,000.
20) How many awards did EDA anticipate making?
EDA anticipated making roughly 25 to 50 awards.
21) How might award sizes vary across projects?
The posting notes that award sizes could be scaled based on the geographic reach of the system, the industries covered, and the range of worker roles included in the regional approach.
22) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The listing also notes an "Others" category, suggesting additional eligible entity types may be allowed under the full notice.
23) Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) are listed as eligible.
24) Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible.
25) Are tribal governments eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are listed as eligible.
26) What is the official funding opportunity title?
The Funding Opportunity Title is "FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Good Jobs Challenge."
27) What is the funding opportunity number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is "EDA HDQ ARPGJ 2021 2006964."
28) When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on July 22, 2021.
29) What was the original closing date?
The original closing date listed was January 26, 2022.
30) How should this opportunity be understood at a high level?
Overall, the Good Jobs Challenge is described as a large-scale, regional workforce and economic recovery initiative that funds coordinated, employer-led training pipelines aimed at producing measurable employment outcomes in quality jobs, particularly for communities and workers hit hardest by the pandemic.
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