US Department of Labor announces $76M available to advance employment readiness for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $76 million in funding to advance employment and training assistance to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

These grants reflect the Trump administration's commitment to build education-to-career pipelines that help job seekers and meet the workforce demand. Funding will support American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian adultsand youth develop academic, occupational, and literacy skills. The grants also help individuals become more competitive in the workforce and equip them with entrepreneurial skills needed for successful self-employment.

The department will also award Supplemental Youth Service grants to support summer and year-round employment and training activities for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian youth, ages 14 to 24, residing on or near a reservation and in Oklahoma, Alaska, and Hawaii. This population includes youth in high school, those without a high school diploma, and young people who need to acquire basic skills.

"By investing $76 million through our Indian and Native American Program grants, the Labor Department is supporting tribes and tribal entities as they engage with employers and educational institutions to increase the availability of high-quality career pathways," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. "As I noted in February during our joint tribal consultation, the Trump Administration remains committed to advancing the prosperity and well-being of all Tribal nations through opportunities to pursue stable, mortgage-paying careers. This funding delivers on that commitment."

Administered through the department's Employment and Training Administration,the fundingwill support approximately 163 grants to deliver services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act's Indian and Native American programs.

Of the $76 million in funding available, approximately $62 million will support jobs and employment training for adults. The remaining $14 million will serve Native American youth. The amounts of final awards will be determined using a funding formula for all U.S. geographic areas.

In keeping with the Trump Administration's America's Talent Strategy to prepare American workers for high-wage careers, these grants will provide industry-driven training opportunities and encourage access to innovative models of skill validation, including learning and employment records, to Indian American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian individuals that enhance their economic mobility.

Eligible applicants for the award consideration include the following entities: federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations, Alaska Native-controlled organizations, Native Hawaiian-controlled organizations, Indian-controlled organizations that serve Indians, state-controlled organizations and consortia of eligible organizations.

Learn more about grant eligibility and apply.