Apprenticeship Expansion Grant (Round 4)

Focus Areas

Eligibility

• An eligible applicant must be a sponsor of an active or probationary NYS RA program, a lead applicant designated by a sponsor of an active or probationary NYS RA group program, a signatory employer to an active or probationary NYS RA group program (please note that signatory and NYS RA group program awardees cannot serve the same apprentices), or be an applicant for a NYS RA program whose application has been received by NYSDOL and posted on the NYSDOL website for public comment (https://dol.ny.gov/apprenticeship/sponsors-and-programs). Sponsors include individual employers, groups of employers, or partnerships between an employer(s) and a labor union(s). To apply for a NYS RA program, contact your local NYSDOL Apprenticeship office (https://dol.ny.gov/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-contacts). Please note, awards cannot be made until the applicant has a NYSDOL-approved NYS RA program. Additional requirements for grant applicants include: ? Must be legal entities able to fulfill all requirements associated with state and federal grant obligations. Group programs which do not meet these requirements must appoint a leadapplicant; ? Must be headquartered in NYS or have at least one (1) site located in NYS at the time of application; ? Have two (2) or more full-time employees or the equivalent of two (2) full-time employees throughout the duration of the contract. Principals of corporations and owners of businesses such as sole proprietors or partners, are not considered to be employees for this eligibility requirement. An Applicant is not eligible to apply if it has no employees or if the workers are independent contractors, subcontractors or contract employees. However, if an Applicant leases its employees for payroll and tax reporting purposes, and has authority over the hiring, firing and scheduling of workers, it is eligible for funding consideration; and ? Must be in good standing with regard to the laws, rules, and regulations for: Unemployment Insurance (UI), Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), Public Work, Labor Standards, Safety and Health, NYS Department of State Division of Corporations, Workers Compensation Insurance, and Disability Insurance. Consultants and other third-party entities are not eligible to apply for funds on behalf of other organizations. The use of a grant writer is acceptable, only if the applicant, and not the grant writer, commits to implementing the training or services listed in the application if a grant is awarded. NYS Agencies are not eligible to apply for funding. B. Participant Eligibility Participants who meet the following requirements are eligible: ? Individuals not yet enrolled in a NYS RA Program who meet the minimum eligibility requirements for enrollment. Note, minimum eligibility requirements are determined by sponsors and indicated on the Apprentice Training Recruitment Notification and Minimum Qualifications Form; ? Apprentices enrolled in a NYS RA Program no more than six (6) months prior to the RFA application submission date; and ? Apprentices who were enrolled in a NYS RA Program under AEG-3 (See Section II.B.4. for additional information regarding the per participant cap for AEG-3 enrolled apprentices). Applicants are encouraged to actively recruit women and underrepresented populations, including minorities and individuals with disabilities. Apprentices need not be NYS residents.