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Department of Labor Announces $49.2M in Available Funding for WORC Initiative
The U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $49.2 million in funding to provide career training services to prepare workers in the lower Mississippi Delta, Appalachian and Northern Border regions to obtain quality jobs.
The Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Initiative demonstration grants, ranging from $150,000 to $1.5 million, will fund projects to provide career training and supportive services to workers who live or work in the lower Mississippi Delta, Appalachian and Northern Border regions to help them secure good-paying, stable jobs in high-demand occupations. WORC grants are intended to promote economic mobility; address historic inequities in marginalized communities, including people of color, people with disabilities and other underrepresented communities; and produce high-quality employment outcomes enabling workers to remain and thrive in these communities.
The sixth round of funding is made available in partnership with the Delta Regional Authority, Appalachian Regional Commission and the Northern Border Regional Commission.
To learn more about the WORC Initiative and to apply for a grant, click here. The deadline to submit an application is June 20, 2024.
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DRA Announces New Chief Administrative Officer
DRA has announced Joshua McNemar as its new Chief Administrative Officer, effective April 8, 2024. McNemar brings more than seven years of experience in administrative operations and governmental affairs to DRA, after having served in various leadership roles in the public sector.
“On behalf of the Delta Regional Authority, we are pleased to welcome Joshua to the agency and to our growing team,” said Dr. Corey Wiggins, DRA Federal Co-Chairman. “I am confident that with Joshua’s experience in governmental affairs, coupled with administrative operations, he will bring a set of skills and expertise that will be an asset to the DRA mission. We are thrilled to have him on board and look forward to his leadership.”
Click here for full story.
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Join DRA and our technical assistance provider, Chamberlin/Dunn LLC, for a technical assistance webinar to support DRA-region applicants for the 2024 Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC Round 6) funding opportunity, scheduled for Thursday, May 30, from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. CDT. The webinar will cover funding opportunity basics and lessons learned from five years of WORC implementation to position applicants for successful project implementation.
Register to attend the live webinar and be on the lookout for a TA video series in May.
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DRA employees Darci Malam, Daniel Musgrave and Carson Grant recently traveled to Houma, La, to present at a Community Meet and Greet and a LDD In-Person Training hosted by the South Central Planning and Development Commission.
During their visit, the employees provided valuable insights and training of DRA’s critical infrastructure program.
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DRA, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense, City of Henderson, Kentucky, and the Green River Area Development District, will offer no-cost medical, dental, optometry and veterinary care to residents in Western Kentucky this summer through an Innovative Readiness Training medical mission.
Click here to download flyer.
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Our partner, HOPE Enterprise Corporation, will be hosting an Economic Mobility Forum, “Seizing the Moment,” Tuesday, May 21, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., at the Selma Convention Center in Selma, Ala.
This event is designed to provide municipal, community and nonprofit leaders with information that helps ensure that people in Deep South communities benefit from the historic levels of resources made available through the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act. Attendees will leave with a roadmap to bring resources into their communities to improve housing, small business, infrastructure, environmental, and overall economic conditions.
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Community Infrastructure Fund
Approximately $30 million in funding is available through DRA’s Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF). Investments support projects that address basic public and transportation infrastructure, as well as flood-control issues for communities within DRA’s eight-state service area. For more information on how to apply, visit Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF) – Delta Regional Authority (dra.gov). Funding for this program was made available, in part, by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden—a key part of his Investing in America agenda to grow local economies from the middle out and bottom up and to create more resilient and healthier communities across the country.
Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis
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States’ Economic Development Assistance Program
Approximately $17 million is available through the DRA’s States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP). Investments support projects that address basic public infrastructure and transportation infrastructure, as well as workforce and business development needs for communities within the DRA region. For more information on how to apply, visit States’ Economic Development Assistance Program – Delta Regional Authority (dra.gov). Funding for this program was made available, in part, by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden—a key part of his Investing in America agenda to grow local economies from the middle out and bottom up and to create more resilient and healthier communities across the country.
Final Applications Due: June 25, 2024
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Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities Initiative
Approximately $49.2 million in funding is available through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Initiative. The WORC Initiative helps workers access high-quality jobs and seeks to address persistent economic distress for people in the Appalachian, Lower Mississippi Delta and Northern Border regions. For resources and more information on how to apply, visit www.grants.gov.
Final Applications Due: June 20, 2024
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Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Reminder of current DRA program details and funding opportunities:
- Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy, Session IV, Carbondale, IL – May 13-16, 2024
- WORC6 Webinar: Overview for Successful Project Implementation – May 30, 2024 (Register)
- Innovative Readiness Training, Green River Area Wellness Mission, Henderson, KY – June 15-25, 2024
- Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities Initiative – Applications due June 20, 2024
- States’ Economic Development Assistance Program – Applications due June 25, 2024
- Community Infrastructure Fund – Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis
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