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  • Sioux Falls offers $500,000 for workforce development

    • Sioux Falls offers $500,000 for workforce development

    February 2, 2015

    Sioux Falls City Logo ColorThe city of Sioux Falls, SD has launched a Workforce Development Pilot Program to support and explore activities to drive workforce growth and development within the community. The pilot program will provide funding to local entities that are well-positioned to address workforce development and recruitment in Sioux Falls. Interested organizations and businesses can now apply for funding through the program.

    As part of the 2015 budget approval process, the city council included $500,000 to support workforce development efforts within the community. The Community Development Department met with more than 20 community workforce development stakeholders in the fall of 2014 to gauge areas of need and to hear about program ideas to address those need areas. Many businesses, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions provided valuable insight into potential workforce development opportunities. Four primary areas of focus for the program have been identified:

    • Strategic planning and implementation
    • Attracting and recruiting new employees
    • Training and re-employment
    • Educational partnerships

    The program will be available to any business, organization, or entity with operations in Sioux Falls. The maximum award amount for a single proposal is $100,000. The minimum award amount is $2,000. Matching funds are not required; however, availability of matching resources, financial or in-kind, may be a factor in the city’s determination of awards.

    Applications will be reviewed by a committee of city staff members. There is no application deadline, but rather, applications will be considered as they are received, and evaluated on their merits. The city anticipates making its first awards prior to March 1, 2015. It is expected that any awarded funds would be used exclusively for activities occurring in the 2015 calendar year.

    For more information on the program, please visit www.siouxfalls.org/workforce, or call the city’s community development department at 605-367-8180.