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State of Missouri Customized Training Grant Program

The State of Missouri Customized Training Program provides a partnership between the state, the Local Education Agency, industry, and employees. St. Louis Community College’s Center for Business, Industry & Labor, or CBIL is a Local Education Agency.

With State of Missouri funding, training assistance can be provided to local companies around the state. This funding provides educational opportunities for the entry, production, and primary management level employees.

Eligibility

Missouri companies providing full-time permanent employment – a minimum of 35 hours a week– for Missouri residents may be eligible for training assistance if one of the following criteria is met:

• Job creation – New or expanding firms creating net new jobs in the state.
• Job retention – Retraining existing employees as a result of new capital investment or as a result of the introduction of new products or services, or to upgrade quality or productivity.

Initial Meeting

The initial meeting takes place in April or May between the CBIL Project Manager and the client organization. The purpose of this meeting is to determine whether the organization meets the qualifications to receive state funding for training efforts.

Develop Proposal

During the April, May and June timeframe, your project manager will work with you to complete all of the documentation required to submit a proposal to the state. The proposal is written by the CBIL project manager in collaboration with you and key personnel from your organization.

Required documentation includes the following:

• Employer Request for Training Assistance, or ERT
• Component Description Page(s)
• Authorization Letter, if required
• Project Goal Statement
• Capital Investment Letter
• Union Letter, or letters if there are multiple unions
• Wage Verification letter

The state of Missouri funds four types of training:

• Technical training
• Quality training and support
• ISO training and support
• Non-technical training

These four types of training are called “components.” Your training must align with one of these four components.

The state accepts proposals beginning May 15th, and they must be submitted by June 30th before the start of the new fiscal year. During the May 15-June 30th period, funding considerations are not based on date of receipt. However, if proposals are received after July 1st, date of receipt will be a factor in review and approval of projects.

Award Funding

When awarding funding the state looks at things such as:

• Has the company made a substantial capital investment?
• What is the average wage of employees? All other things being equal, the state will generally fund the higher wage company.
• Have there been layoffs within the past year? Layoffs may reduce a company’s chances of receiving funding.

Funds are awarded by priority, starting with those proposals received before the July 1st deadline. The funding amount is based on the industry type, as well as the amount of capital investment, number of employees and employee wages. CBIL, the Local Education Agency, administers the funds.

Funding Agencies

One of two state agencies will fund your grant:

• Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, known as DESE.
• Division of Workforce Development, known as DWD. DWD is part of the Department of Economic Development.

DESE

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, DESE, is one of the funding sources that may award your grant. DESE is driven by secondary education needs, therefore, it focuses on classroom training and skilled trades training. DESE’s fiscal year begins July 1st and closes out on April 30th.

DESE eligible expenses include the following: Instructional salaries, instructional design and development, direct training supplies, company needs-assessment,, vendor training, tuition costs, job-specific computer training, and job aids, videos and technical manuals. All of these eligible expenses must apply to the component pages in your approved proposal. Consult with your CBIL Project Manager for clarification of eligible expenses under DESE.

DWD

The Division of Workforce Development, or DWD, is one of the funding agencies that may award a grant to your company. DWD is a division within the Department of Economic Development. The primary purpose of this state agency is to promote job growth and attract business to Missouri. Its focus is on job creation, capital investment, and other activities that stimulate economic growth. In order to qualify for a grant under DWD, your company must be retaining jobs and making a substantial capital investment, or creating new jobs. Consideration is given to the hourly pay rate of employees. DWD’s fiscal year begins July 1st and closing date is May 30th.

The following expenses are eligible for reimbursement under DWD: Instructional salaries, curriculum development, assessments, job aids, direct training supplies, vendor training, tuition costs, and job-specific computer training. All eligible expenses must apply to the component pages of your approved proposal. Consult with your CBIL Project Manager for clarification of eligible expenses under DWD.

Under DWD, the company will show eligible expenses equal to the grant amount, and an equal amount of ineligible expenses. If the company is unable to match the entire grant amount, the company is responsible for repayment of the training funds that were not matched.

For more information, please contact Don Robison, Senior Project Manager at 314.539.5305 or drobison@stlcc.edu

For more information, please contact Don Robison, Senior Project Manager at 314.539.5305 or drobison@stlcc.edu

To view a 30-minute webinar on the State of Missouri Customized Training Process, click on the following link. Make sure you have high-speed Internet access, Flash player, and speakers or headphones turned on.