Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult Activities Program Allotments for Program Year (PY) 2026.

The Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration is soliciting applications for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult Activities Program allotments for Program Year 2026, which fund comprehensive employment and training services for adults aged 18 and older seeking sustainable employment and career advancement. Eligible applicants are the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and outlying areas, which receive formula-based grants distributed through American Job Centers and local workforce development boards. Key requirements include delivering both basic and individualized career services, occupational skills training aligned with local labor market opportunities, and supportive services such as transportation and childcare assistance, with priority service delivery to recipients of public assistance, low-income individuals, and those with basic skills deficiencies. Evaluation criteria emphasize organizational capacity, program design quality, participant outcomes including employment rates at six and twelve months post-completion, credential attainment, earnings levels, and cost reasonableness, as well as alignment with local high-demand industries and effective integration with One-Stop career centers. All applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by May 29, 2026, with submission questions directed to Anu Mathew, Grants Management Specialist, at WIOA-WP-WIG-ETAGrants@dol.gov.

The total national appropriation for WIOA Adult Activities is $875,480,000 for states, with individual state awards historically ranging from approximately $2.6 million to $261 million based on statutory formulas incorporating unemployment data and disadvantaged population demographics; Texas, California, and Illinois received the largest recent awards at $261.1 million, $195.1 million, and $58.7 million respectively. Funds are available for obligation on July 1, 2026 for base funding with advance funds released on October 1, 2026, and all allocated funds must be obligated and expended within three years of the grant period. Governors may reserve up to 15 percent of allotments for statewide activities, while remaining funds flow to local workforce development areas through established allocation formulas with minimum stop-loss provisions ensuring no area receives less than 90 percent of its prior two-year average allocation percentage.