WIA Dislocated Workers

The Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration operates the WIA Dislocated Workers program (CFDA 17.260) to provide career and training services that reemploy dislocated workers, improve workforce quality, and enhance national economic productivity, with the most recent grant awards issued in July 2010.

This program is inactive for new funding purposes. The most recent award dates to July 2010—more than 16 years ago—and no grant opportunities are currently posted. The portfolio shows a historical volume of 2,479 total awards spanning from 1993 through 2010, with an average of roughly 118 awards annually during the final five years of active funding (2006–2010). Combined federal dollars obligated total $9.71 billion across the program's lifetime.

The program funds workforce reemployment and training initiatives focused on individuals separated from stable employment. Recent awards include independent initiatives providing direct training or employment support (such as a $30,000 independent initiative and a $113,451 project supporting participant placement), WIA technical assistance grants (including $801,820 and $221,783 awards for program technical support), and National Emergency Grants (NEG) ranging from several hundred thousand to over $8.8 million in response to mass layoffs or economic disruptions, such as a $4.73 million NEG and a $3.87 million NEG issued in 2010. The program measures success through entry into unsubsidized employment and earnings growth, tracked via Unemployment Insurance Wage Records.

Funding is almost entirely concentrated in the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, which obligated $9.68 billion across 2,477 awards. The remaining two awards totaling $23.9 million came from the Department of Labor general budget line. The assistance-type mix is split nearly evenly between Project Grants (51 percent of awards) and Formula Grants (49 percent), with a minimal Cooperative Agreement presence (8 awards).

Organizations should not pursue this program. No new solicitations have been issued in over 16 years, and no current opportunities are available. This program appears to have concluded active funding operations following the 2010 program year.