Proteus Inc. received a $1,966,764 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration under the National Farmworker Jobs Program (CFDA 17.264), effective July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The grant supports comprehensive workforce development and supportive services for eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFWs) and their dependents in Iowa. Core service delivery includes basic and individualized career services, occupational skills training leading to industry-recognized credentials, youth workforce development activities for participants aged 14-24, and related assistance services such as allowance payments to help farmworkers retain agricultural employment or participate in training programs.
In addition to employment and training services, Proteus delivers housing assistance through direct payments for emergency and temporary housing, as well as indirect services that leverage community resources to increase or maintain safe housing stock available to farmworkers. All services operate under a case management approach emphasizing customer choice and needs-based service delivery. The program requires Proteus to collect and report performance data to the Department of Labor on standard Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) metrics, including employment rates, earnings, credential attainment, and measurable skill gains, to demonstrate effectiveness in helping MSFWs achieve economic self-sufficiency and stable employment.