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Labor Secretary Announces Grant for Missouri

March 19th, 2008 Posted by Amelia

A $250,000 Regional Innovation Grant to Missouri will aid displaced workers in Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, as well.

The Missouri grant from the U.S. Department of Labor will help establish talent development strategies in the Quad states region, including southwest Missouri, northwest Arkansas, southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma.

“The project this $250,000 grant supports will help the Quad States region create talent development strategies that incorporate the assets of these states and address the needs of emerging industries,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Douglas F. Small.

The area has been lagging in jobs and economic development for some time.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the grant, awarded to the Workforce Investment Board of the Southwest Region Inc., will enable the region to map its assets and conduct a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis. Using the SWOT analysis and other studies, the region will link local governments, educators, business associations and economic development agencies to develop synchronized talent development strategies.

The project will begin with the establishment of the Quad States Regional Transformation leadership group, which will jointly develop strategies that position the area as a regional transportation and logistics hub. The project will encompass approximately 40 counties in the four-state region.

Other grants recently announced by the U.S. Department of Labor include a $5.5 million grant to aid laid-off workers in the mortgage industry in California, and a grant for economic development in the Cedar Valley region of Iowa.

Regional Innovation Grants are drawn from National Emergency Grant funds to assist state workforce agencies and local workforce investment boards, as well as their key partners, in the design and development of comprehensive and strategic regional plans focused on talent development that is aligned with the demands of the 21st century economy.

Missouri Emergency Grants

National Emergency Grants (NEG) are awarded when a plant closes or lays off many workers which creates a need that the state can not handle. For example, in 2007, an Emergency Grant of $250,000 was given to SI WORKS, a new program for twenty southern Illinois counties to aid economic development and to improve job opportunities.

These grants are awarded by the U. S. Department of Labor at the discretion of the Labor Secretary. Current Labor Secretary, Elaine L. Chao has awarded several grants in the past couple of years. In addition to the SI WORKS grant, Ms. Chao awarded over one million dollars to Missouri employees who were displaced when the O’Sullivan Industries Plant in Lamar, Missouri closed its doors.

The NEGs are awarded on a time-limited basis, offering financial assistance for “significant dislocation events”. This money serves to temporarily increase state and local service levels to handle the event.

When one of these events occurs, a state should initiate the grant process immediately, to ensure the funds will be available. Any discretionary funds held by the state should be included in its resources. Most state and local employment agencies can provide information on grant application policies.

Several types of NEGs exist, and are each awarded for a specific situation.

When a company lays off 50 or more workers, or when layoffs are industry-wide within a region, or when the layoffs total fewer than 50 but severely affect a rural community or small town, a Regular NEG could be awarded.

Employees eligible for Trade Realignment Assistance (TRA) or for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) who are in danger of losing their healthcare insurance may be awarded a Trade-Health Coverage Infrastructure grant.

Trade-WIA Dual Enrollment grants are awarded when 50 or more workers in areas affected by federal trade policies are laid off.

Regional Innovation grants pertain to partnerships between business and government and non-profit agencies. These grants are often used to train laid-off workers for new jobs and boost the local economy.

Disaster grants are awarded to communities struck by hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, blizzards or other natural disasters.