North Carolina Department Of Commerce

North Carolina Department of Commerce Workforce Solutions Division, operating as the Department of Workforce Development, is a state government entity that delivers comprehensive workforce development and employment services to North Carolina residents and employers. Registered in SAM.gov since June 28, 2012, the organization serves as a critical component of North Carolina's economic development infrastructure by connecting job seekers with employment opportunities and supporting businesses in meeting their labor needs. The division operates as a U.S. Government Entity classified as a U.S. State Government and has maintained active federal grant prime awardee status, though it does not serve as a federal contract prime awardee.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce Workforce Solutions Division has established itself as a major recipient of federal workforce development funding, with a portfolio encompassing multiple programs administered by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration and the Veterans Employment and Training Service. Primary grant programs include the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) formulas for Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities programs, which collectively exceed $70 million in recent awards, supporting comprehensive career services, job training, supportive services, and educational credential attainment for priority populations including low-income individuals, displaced workers, and at-risk youth. The division also administers Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser programs (CFDA 17.207) totaling approximately $20 million in recent awards to provide universal access employment services, labor market information development, and job referral services through American Job Centers. Additional significant programs include Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) supporting specialized employment services for disabled and economically disadvantaged veterans, Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) serving workers affected by international trade, Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) administration facilitating employer tax credits, Foreign Labor Certification programs, and specialized reentry employment initiatives serving justice-involved populations and federally incarcerated individuals under the First Step Act. The division delivers technical assistance and training through cooperative agreements such as the WIOA Dislocated Worker National Reserve Technical Assistance and Training program (CFDA 17.281) and operates disaster recovery and employment recovery dislocated worker grants addressing economic dislocation events. The organization collaborates extensively with local workforce development boards, regional councils of governments, non-profit workforce organizations, and municipal/county government entities as sub-award partners to ensure statewide service delivery through an integrated American Job Center network, with recent awards spanning fiscal years 2021 through 2027 and totaling approximately $215 million in active federal grant funding.