Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Round 7: A Grant Initiative for the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions

The summary for the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Round 7: A Grant Initiative for the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Employment and Training Administration, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Round 7: A Grant Initiative for the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions: The Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Initiative Round 7 is a partnership between the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and three regional commissions–the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), and the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). WORC 7 will address the critical workforce needs of employers in high-growth and emerging industries across the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border regions (WORC regions). Questions regarding this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) may be emailed to [email protected]. We encourage prospective applicants and interested parties to use the Grants.gov subscription option to register for future updates provided for this particular FOA.

Federal Grant Title:	Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Round 7: A Grant Initiative for the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions
Federal Agency Name:	Employment and Training Administration (DOL-ETA)
Grant Categories:	Employment, Labor and Training
Type of Opportunity:	Discretionary
Funding Opportunity Number:	FOA-ETA-26-23
Type of Funding:	Grant
CFDA Numbers:	17.280
CFDA Descriptions:	Information not provided
Current Application Deadline:	July 23rd, 2026
Original Application Deadline:	July 23rd, 2026
Posted Date:	June 10th, 2026
Creation Date:	June 10th, 2026
Archive Date:	September 13th, 2026
Total Program Funding:	$49,200,000
Maximum Federal Grant Award:	$8,000,000
Minimum Federal Grant Award:	$2,000,000
Expected Number of Awards:	15
Cost Sharing or Matching:	No
Last Updated:	June 10th, 2026

Applicants Eligible for this Grant: State governments - County governments - City or township governments - Independent school districts - Public and State controlled institutions of higher education - Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) - Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) - Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education - Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education - Private institutions of higher education - Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification.)
Additional Information on Eligibility: The only organizations included in "Others" referenced above are State and Local Workforce Development Boards, Industry and Employer Associations, Labor-Management Organizations, Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than Federally recognized), and Indian/Native American tribal organizations (Federally recognized). See the Funding Opportunity for specific information on eligibility. Faith-based organizations are encouraged to apply, as are all organizations. Those that meet the eligibility requirements may receive awards under this funding opportunity. DOL will not, in the selection of recipients and administration of the grant, discriminate on the basis of an organization's religious character, affiliation, exercise, or lack thereof, or on the basis of conduct that would not be considered grounds to favor or disfavor a similarly situated secular organization.
Grant Announcement Contact: Shanell McNamee
[email protected]
[email protected]
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