High Road Construction Careers – RWFP Funding Solicitation

High Road Construction Careers – Resilient Workforce Fund (RWF) Program

The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) is pleased to announce a new grant process that will allow prospective applicants to submit High Road Construction Careers (HRCC) project proposals on a quarterly basis for funding consideration. The High Road Construction Careers: Resilient Workforce Fund (RWF) Program allows for greater flexibility, multiple grant application opportunities throughout the year, and up to three years of funding per grant.

The amount of total available funds will vary as budget allocations are added and contracts are executed. To find out what is currently available, please visit the HRCC: RWF on the Cal E-Grants portal.

Additionally, the Cal E-Grants system will be utilized for submitting Grants Proposals. The Cal E-Grants system was deployed in 2021 to support CWDB and Employment Training Panel (ETP) grant solicitation and management. In partnership, CWDB and ETP will jointly use Cal-E-Grants to submit, process, and manage their grant portfolios. This is designed to make the process streamlined, accessible and transparent.

Project Goal

The HRCC: RWF Program intends to support and expand the work of past and present HRCC programs, and its goals therefore align and overlap with those of the HRCC: SB1 Program and the HRCC: CCI Program. These goals include:

• The development of a skilled construction workforce that ensures delivery of high-quality infrastructure projects;
• Increasing access to state-approved apprenticeship in the building and construction trades;
• Serving underrepresented and disadvantaged workers, increasing gender and racial diversity in the trades in the process;
• Establishing models of worker, management, government collaboration that jointly anticipates, plans for, and addresses the future of work;
• Promoting Community Workforce Agreements (CWAs), local hire ordinances, and other relevant policies to ensure robust demand for apprentices, and greater access to apprenticeships for disadvantaged communities and priority populations.

To learn more about High Road Construction Careers, visit the HRCC Initiative webpage.

View the Full Funding Solicitation

Grant Process

Applicants may submit a Grant Proposal with plans for up to a three-year contract. Grant Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated based on criteria outlined in the Funding Solicitation. Successful Grant Proposals will be invited to apply for a pre-determined funding amount.

How to Submit a Grant Proposal

STEP ONE: Create an account on the Cal E-Grants Portal (skip this step if you already have an account)
STEP TWO: Once you are logged into Cal E-Grants, go to the CWDB Grants page and select High Road Construction Careers: Resilient Workforce Fund Program
STEP THREE: Complete Grant Proposal and submit.

CWDB Staff will review the Grant Proposal and make a recommendation to approve funding. Once the funding is approved by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the applicant will be invited to complete the full Application.

STEP FOUR: If invited to complete the full application, the applicant will log into the Cal E-Grants portal, and go to the Grant Proposal submitted. The full Application will then be available to complete.

Applicants will be invited to apply on a quarterly schedule. Below is an example timeline:

*Timeframe does not account for holidays or unexpected volume of applicants.

** Start date will be adjusted at the time of final modifications for submittal. No activities may occur until the contract is fully executed and signed by all parties.

Eligible Applicants

The CWDB recommends the same Fiscal Agent from other HRCC Programs be the Fiscal Agent for this grant (to ensure aligned coordination and grant administrative support), however this is not a requirement.

If the applicant is not the existing HRCC Fiscal Agent, then the applicant must obtain a signed letter from all local Building Trades Councils represented in the region, providing authorization to apply on behalf of the region.

The entity who applies on behalf of the region will assume the role of the Fiscal Agent for the funding. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to:

• BTCs, Central Labor Councils, and other labor organizations
• Local workforce development boards
• Non-profits and community-based organizations

The CWDB strongly recommends that the Fiscal Agent have experience managing state and/or federally funded grants and organizing and capacity for coordinating project teams comprised of representatives from multiple organizations. The Fiscal Agent will be the first point of contact for the CWDB and is responsible for organizing, coordinating, and reporting out on regional activities, data, deliverables, and outcomes of the project and partnership.