PRIMARY SECTOR WORKFORCE TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM
GRANTS FOR TRAINING NEW & EXISTING WORKERS
Guidelines | Application | Sources/Uses | Wage Rates
The Primary Sector Workforce Training Grant program is a state-funded program that provides grant funds to businesses for training of new and existing full-time workers. Full-time is defined as a predominantly year round position requiring an average of 35 hours of work each week. No more than $5,000 of grant funds will be provided for training each full-time employee.
The Program is administered by the Department of Commerce, which is the principal point of contact for a company applying for a grant, however a seven-member Grant Application Review Committee, consisting of both public and private members, makes the actual grant award decisions. The Committee may award workforce training grants to primary sector businesses that provide education or skills-based training for new and existing employees.
The application guidelines are above and provide the process and procedures for accessing this state-funded program. This program is targeted to businesses that can demonstrate:
- 50% of the business's sales are from outside of Montana or the business is a manufacturing company with 50% of its sales from companies that have 50% of their sales outside of Montana, or
- The business provides a product or service that is not available in Montana or the region which results in state residents leaving the state to purchase the product or service.
Applicants must provide $1 of match for every $3 dollars of grant funds.
Trainees must be paid at least the lower of the current county average wage or the state current average wage. The wage can include benefits. Wage rates in effect are provided above.
The Department is targeting this workforce training grant program to projects that can demonstrate tangible, measurable results involving employees working in the businesses that are receiving assistance. It is essential that the guidelines be carefully reviewed. It is highly recommended that potential applicants contact the Department directly by calling Nancy Guccione at 406-841-2744 for guidance and funding availability before submitting a formal application. You may also email inquiries to nguccione@mt.gov .
WTG Grant Review Committee Members
