NEW JERSEY GREEN WORKFORCE TRAINING GRANT CHALLENGE PHASE 2

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Applications for the New Jersey Green Workforce Training Grant Challenge Phase 2 are now live. Please refer to the APPLY HERE button.

The Green Workforce Training Grant Challenge Phase 2 is a competitive funding opportunity that will award grants to implement workforce development training programs that bolster the green economy talent pipeline in the state with a particular focus on NJ’s Overburdened Communities. A total of $4 million is available for programs under this Grant Challenge through the Governor’s Council on the Green Economy. The minimum and maximum amounts for individual awards are set at $500,000 and $800,000, respectively. NJEDA anticipates making multiple awards in this grant challenge.

PROGRAM DETAILS
ELIGIBILITY
ELIGIBLE USES OF GRANT FUNDING
GRANT AWARD SIZE
GRANT FUNDING DETAILS
KEY DATES

PROGRAM DETAILS

Implement an existing program or new program that will allow New Jerseyans to access workforce opportunities in high-growth and in-demand occupations in green economy industries, as referenced below by providing tangible skills and industry recognized credentials sought by employers in those industries. Components of programs must include direct workforce training/skill development, and, where relevant, support services such as access to career services, mentorship, family services (such as childcare, eldercare, or other similar services), counseling, transportation, etc.
Connect with industry and other stakeholders to design and/or implement a program that prepares and connects participants with near-term job opportunities in the green economy in high-growth and in-demand occupations. Applicants are expected to demonstrate that their proposed program will provide meaningful career opportunities through labor market research, employer and industry engagements, and other relevant analysis
Develop and/or utilize outreach, recruitment best practices, program design approaches, and wraparound supports as needed such as mentorship, transportation, and childcare that target and support a diverse and inclusive pool of training participants to successfully complete the program.
Define program evaluation and success metrics such as: recruitment, enrollment, completion, job placement, and learning acquisition goals.
Target and engage residents of New Jersey’s Overburdened Communities with training opportunities that will enable economic mobility for these residents in green economy careers.
Collect, track, and report programmatic data, including trainee demographics, trainee surveys, instructor evaluations, training enrollments and completions, and job placement and retention information.
If applicable, include strategies to connect current and aspiring workforce with skills-based training targeted to transitioning legacy energy workers.
Execute the proposed project on schedule, achieving well-defined milestones to complete the initiative.

Training programs must either be in-person or hybrid (include both a virtual component and an in-person component).

Applicants will be required to conduct workforce development training, internship, apprenticeship, and learning opportunities in only one of the following occupations as identified in the September 2025

6-Digit Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Codes – 2018	Occupation Name
47-2111	Electricians
47-2152	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
49-9021	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
47-1011	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
47-2061	Construction Laborers
11-9021	Construction Managers
47-2211	Sheet Metal Workers
47-2031	Carpenters
51-4121	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
47-2073	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
47-2231	Solar Photovoltaic Installers
49-9071	Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

Training programs for the eligible occupations must be tailored to career pathways in one or more of the following industries (See Eligible Industries Document for Descriptions):

Renewable Energy Technologies,
Green Design and Construction,
Environmental and Green Infrastructure,
Grid Resilience,
Clean Transportation, or
Energy Efficiency

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible applicants can include:

The Grant Challenge will be open to entities who can design and execute workforce and skills training programs.

Community-based organizations
Workforce training organizations
Labor unions
Technical high schools
County colleges
Non-profit organizations
Regional workforce development boards
Private companies
Other related entities

Applicants who are not a 501(c)(3) Community-Based Organization (CBO) must include, at minimum, one CBO partner in their application. For the purposes of this Grant Challenge, a CBO is defined as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with demonstrated experience serving a NJ Overburdened Community (OBC) as defined by NJ’s Environmental Justice Law. The applicant is responsible for transferring the allocated budget to the CBO for their assigned tasks for the proposed program.

For the purposes of this Grant Challenge, a CBO is defined as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with demonstrated experience serving a NJ Overburdened Community as defined by NJ’s Environmental Justice Law that provides direct services or supports to a specific geographic NJ community(ies) or specific segments of a New Jersey community(ies). For the purposes of this Grant Challenge, government entities, K-12 schools, and institutions of higher learning do not qualify as CBOs. However, these entities may be the applicant or an additional collaborator on the applicant team. Entities that are not 501(c)(3) organizations do not qualify as a CBO for the purposes of this grant challenge even if they serve a New Jersey Overburdened Community. Per the NJ Division of Taxation, a 501(c)(3) Organization refers to a nonprofit organization that has received a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stating that the organization is exempt from federal Income Tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The term also may refer to a church or ministry that may qualify for an IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, even though it does not intend to apply for an IRS determination.
NJ’s Environmental Justice Law at N.J.S.A 13:1D-158 defines overburdened communities as any census block group, as determined in accordance with the most recent United States Census in which: 1) at least 35 percent of the households qualify as low-income households; 2) at least 40 percent of residents identify as minority or as members of a State recognized tribal community; or 3) at least 40 percent of the households have limited English proficiency. NJDEP provides the public a list and visualizations of OBC locations throughout the state at https://dep.nj.gov/ej/communities/. (NJDEP| Environmental Justice | What are Overburdened Communities (OBC)?)

In addition to the eligibility parameters already stated above, applicants must be in substantial good standing at the time of award with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and, as applicable, NJ Department of Environmental Protection to participate in the program.

Eligible Uses of Grant Funding

Eligible uses of grant funding include:

Costs associated with planning (e.g., staff costs for program development, curriculum materials, etc.)
Soft launch (e.g., outreach costs, recruitment materials and related costs, etc.)
Capital costs (e.g., procurement, construction or renovation of program space, equipment, and material purchases, etc.)
Implementation costs (e.g., instructor time, facility fees, participant stipends, equipment or materials, delivery of support services, etc.)

No more than ten percent (10%) of the grant amount may be used on indirect costs such as general administration and overhead.

No more than thirty percent (30%) of the grant amount can be applied to construction costs. If applicable, the applicant will be required to provide the name of its Contractor(s) or Subcontractor(s); provide the Contractor’s or Subcontractor’s NJ Business Registration Certifications; and an explanation of the proposed construction and/or installation of equipment as part of the grant application.

If capital costs are proposed, the applicant and collaborators performing capital work will be subject to labor compliance, including New Jersey affirmative action and prevailing wage requirements, and requirement to complete New Jersey Contractor Registration.

Applicants are required to provide a detailed and complete budget using the budget template included within the Grant Challenge application materials (See Program Budget Template).

AWARD SIZE AND DISTRIBUTION

The minimum and maximum amounts for individual awards are set at $500,000 and $800,000 respectively. NJEDA anticipates making multiple awards in this grant challenge.

Funds will be disbursed according to the following schedule:

30 percent of the grant award will be disbursed following the execution of a grant agreement between NJEDA and the selected applicant;

30 percent of the grant award will be disbursed upon the applicant having initiated the training for the participants and receipt and approval by the Authority of all quarterly reports due by that time with the exact timing based on the date of execution of the grant agreement;

Up to 40 percent of the grant award will be disbursed upon receipt of the final report and based upon meeting specific program milestones and deliverables to be defined by the applicant in their application and negotiated and finalized with NJEDA if a grant award decision is made plus any extension as set forth in the grant agreement.

Milestone 1: 10 percent of the final 40 percent of the grant award pro-rated against the proposed number of participants completing the program, so long as at least 25% of the proposed participants completed the program;

Milestone 2: 10 percent of the final 40 percent of the grant award pro-rated against the proposed number of program graduates placed in employment, paid internship, or apprenticeship within the industry or trained occupation, within 90 calendar days of program completion, so long as at least 25% of the proposed participants were placed; and

Milestone 3: 20 percent of the final 40 percent of the grant award will be disbursed upon our review of the Final Report, and the Final Report will be due 120 calendar days after end of Project Term.

Applicants must meet the 25% threshold for each milestone in order to receive the entire or partial disbursement for the respective milestone.

The milestone payments will be disbursed according to the following:

Disbursements based on proposed project outcomes can be pro-rated, so long as the awardee documents it has met at least 25% of the proposed goal.  Applicants who do not meet at least 25% of the respective milestone will not receive that portion of the disbursement. For example, a $500,000 grant is awarded based on the following proposed program outcomes: 80 participants completing the training and 70 program graduates being placed into employment, paid internship, or apprenticeship in the green economy industry or trained occupation within 90 calendar days of the program completion. The following illustrative payout scenarios can be calculated:

Illustrative scenario 1: If the awardee demonstrates they met both proposed outcomes (completion and placement), the grantee’s payout for each of those milestones would be $50,000 (10% of $500,000 for each milestone).

Illustrative scenario 2: If the awardee demonstrates that 75/80 completed the program and 70/70 were placed, the grantee’s payout for each of those milestones would be $46,875 (based on meeting 93.8% of the completion goal), and $50,000 (based on meeting 100% of the placement goal), respectively.

Illustrative scenario 3: If the awardee demonstrates that 60/80 completed the program and 17/70 were placed, the grantee’s payout for each of those milestones would be $37,500 (based on meeting 75% of the completion goal), and $0 (based on meeting less than 25% of the placement goal), respectively.

NJEDA will require quarterly expense reporting from grantees in a template approved by NJEDA. At the end of the grant agreement period, any underspent funds will be returned by the grantee to NJEDA.

Grant Funding Details

The evaluation committee will evaluate, score and rank applications received based on five primary criteria: (see Scoring Table for more detail):

Ability to meet the needs of New Jersey’s burgeoning green economy industries
Ability to serve NJ’s Overburdened Communities
Ability to provide wraparound supports and low- or no-cost training
Prior experience creating and implementing workforce development initiatives
Budget and associated milestones

The minimum score required to be considered for an award is 80 points, with the highest score possible being 100 points.

In order to provide grants and support projects by different entities and in various regions of the State NJEDA will seek to make a minimum of one award per State region (contingent on the availability of funds) as described below: