Building a Workforce Development Grant Proposal with GrantCraft

Workforce Development: Building Economic Opportunity Through Training

Workforce development grants fund programs that help people gain the skills, credentials, and experience needed to obtain and retain employment. Major funders include the Department of Labor, state workforce agencies, the Economic Development Administration, private foundations focused on economic mobility, and corporate foundations with workforce investment priorities. These grants support job training, career pathway programs, apprenticeships, adult education, re-entry employment services, and industry-specific skills development.

The GrantCraft Proposal Builder provides an effective structure for developing workforce development proposals. This guide walks you through each step of the builder with specific attention to the data, design, and outcome measures that workforce funders prioritize.

Step 2: Documenting Workforce Need with Labor Market Data

Workforce development need statements must be grounded in labor market data, not just anecdotal descriptions of unemployment. Step 2 of the builder prompts you to describe the problem with supporting evidence. For workforce proposals, your data should demonstrate both the supply side, which is the skills and employment barriers of your target population, and the demand side, which is the job openings and skill requirements of local employers.

Supply-Side Data

Document the characteristics and challenges of the population you will serve. Use data sources such as:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Unemployment rates, labor force participation rates, and wage data for your service area.
• American Community Survey: Educational attainment, poverty rates, and demographic characteristics of the local population.
• State workforce agency data: Unemployment insurance claims, demographics of job seekers, and barriers to employment.
• Local partner data: Information from community colleges, adult education programs, and social service agencies about the people seeking help.

Demand-Side Data

Document the employer demand for the skills your program will teach. Use data from:

• Burning Glass Technologies or Lightcast: Real-time job posting data showing in-demand occupations and skill requirements.
• State occupational projections: Ten-year employment projections by occupation and industry.
• Employer surveys and letters of support: Direct evidence from local employers about their hiring needs and willingness to hire your graduates.
• Industry reports: Sector-specific workforce analyses from industry associations and economic development organizations.

The strongest workforce proposals demonstrate a clear gap between the skills employers need and the skills the local workforce currently possesses, then position your program as the bridge. For detailed need statement guidance, see our resource on defining the grant problem and need statement.

Step 3: Employment and Credential Objectives

Step 3 of the builder guides you through writing SMART objectives. Workforce development objectives typically focus on credential attainment, employment placement, wage levels, and job retention. Examples include:

• "80 percent of program completers will earn an industry-recognized credential within 12 months of enrollment."
• "70 percent of program graduates will obtain employment in their trained occupation within 90 days of completion at a minimum wage of $18 per hour."
• "85 percent of placed participants will retain employment for at least six months."
• "Median earnings of program graduates will exceed $35,000 within one year of placement."

These objectives use the specific, measurable language that workforce funders require. Avoid vague goals like "help participants find jobs." Instead, specify placement rates, wage targets, retention timelines, and credential types. Our guide on SMART objectives and specific aims provides additional framework guidance.

Step 4: Designing Sector-Based Training Programs

Step 4 asks you to describe your program design. Workforce funders strongly prefer sector-based approaches where training aligns with specific industries that have documented employer demand. Your program design should specify the target industry, the occupations you are training for, the curriculum or training model you will use, and the credentials participants will earn.

Describe the training pathway from recruitment through placement. A typical workforce program includes intake and assessment, career counseling, occupational skills training, work readiness or soft skills development, work-based learning or internships, job placement assistance, and post-placement retention support. The builder's structured format helps you describe each component clearly.

Employer partnerships are essential. Describe how employers are involved in program design, curriculum review, training delivery, and hiring. Include letters of commitment from employers who have agreed to interview or hire program graduates. These partnerships demonstrate that your program is demand-driven rather than supply-driven, which is a critical distinction for workforce funders.

Step 5: Workforce Development Budget

Workforce development budgets typically include costs for training instructors and career counselors, classroom and lab space, training materials and equipment, participant support services such as transportation, childcare, and emergency assistance, employer engagement activities, credential testing fees, job placement staff, and follow-up services for retention support.

Participant support services deserve special attention in workforce budgets. Many workforce development participants face barriers such as lack of transportation, childcare, or stable housing that can prevent them from completing training. Budgeting for supportive services demonstrates that you understand your population and are prepared to help them succeed. The Proposal Builder's Step 5 helps you organize these costs in standard categories.

Step 6: Measuring Workforce Outcomes

Workforce development evaluation focuses on credential attainment, employment outcomes, and economic impact. Step 6 of the builder guides your evaluation plan. Common data sources include training completion records, credential verification, employer placement records, unemployment insurance wage data, and participant follow-up surveys.

Many workforce funders require specific performance metrics aligned with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. These include measurable skill gains, credential attainment rates, employment rates in the second and fourth quarters after exit, and median earnings. Your evaluation plan should specify how you will track and report these metrics.

Step 7: Demonstrating Workforce Development Capacity

In Step 7, describe your organization's track record in workforce development, your relationships with employers, and your connections to the public workforce system. If you are a WIOA-eligible provider, a community college, or a community-based training organization with a track record of placement, highlight that experience.

Partnerships are especially critical in workforce proposals. Describe relationships with the local workforce development board, American Job Centers, community colleges, employer industry groups, and social service agencies that can provide participant referrals and supportive services. For more on demonstrating partnerships, see our guide on organizational capacity and partnerships.

Workforce Development Proposal Checklist

• Document both supply-side workforce challenges and demand-side employer needs.
• Use labor market data from BLS, state agencies, and real-time job posting databases.
• Set objectives for credential attainment, employment placement, wages, and retention.
• Design sector-based training aligned with in-demand occupations.
• Include employer partnership documentation: letters of commitment, advisory board participation, and hiring agreements.
• Budget for participant support services that address barriers to completion.
• Plan evaluation around WIOA performance metrics and employer satisfaction.
• Use the GrantCraft Proposal Builder to organize all sections into a complete proposal.

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