The Penobscot Indian Nation received a $210,283 project grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration under the Native American Employment and Training Program (CFDA 17.265) for the performance period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. The grant supports employment and training services designed to develop academic, occupational, and literacy skills among unemployed, underemployed, and low-income American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian individuals within the Penobscot Nation's service area in Maine.
The grantee will deliver three primary service categories: career services to prepare eligible participants for entry, reentry, or retention of unsubsidized employment; occupational training services in alignment with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to support occupational development and upward mobility; and follow-up supportive services including counseling and employment retention assistance for up to 12 months following program exit. The Penobscot Nation must meet six performance outcomes established under WIOA, including employment placement in the second and fourth quarters following exit, median earnings achievement, credential attainment, skill gains, and service to employers. This award reflects the program's emphasis on equipping Native American populations with entrepreneurial skills for self-employment and promoting economic and social development within tribal communities.