(a)

1. (1) Office of Skills Development grants provide matching funds to support education and training that enhances skills in the workforce, as informed by employer needs and increased earning potential.

2. (2) The following terms apply to four (4) Office of Skills Development grants categories, as detailed below:

   1. (A) Skills Gap;
   2. (B) Customized Technical;
   3. (C) Professional Development; and
   4. (D) Grow Our Own.
3. (3) The Office of Skills Development shall have sole responsibility, with inputs from stakeholders, for categorizing particular projects.
4. (4) Applicants requiring and qualifying for confidential treatment of information may request and receive such treatment according to standard Arkansas state government confidentiality terms.

5. (5)

   1. (A) Proposals will be vetted and presented to the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, or a specially designated, inter-agency subunit thereof.
   2. (B) The Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, at its discretion, possesses final decision-making authority regarding funding.
6. (6) For training provided by an employee of one (1) or more company/business applicants (i.e., an internal trainer), regardless of the type of training or grant, the amount of reimbursement will be in the range of twenty-five percent (25%) to fifty percent (50%) of the total cost directly attributable to training time.
7. (7) Proposed projects and solutions must be implemented and in ongoing mode, if not complete, within three (3) months of the Office of Skills Development affirmatively accepting a proposal.
8. (8) The Office of Skills Development or its representative or representatives may assess the status of the project at any time, including via audit, after the applicant-designated project start date.

9. (9)

   1. (A) A final report, including a detailed, itemized invoice, shall be submitted to the Office of Skills Development within thirty (30) days of the completion date identified in the funded proposal, unless the completion date is extended at the discretion of the Office of Skills Development.
   2. (B) The Office of Skills Development shall supply the template for the final report.

10. (10)

    1. (A) Office of Skills Development grant payments will be reimbursements, submitted within thirty (30) days of receipt of an itemized invoice and adequate documentation as specified by the Office of Skills Development.
    2. (B) Final payments will be submitted based upon receipt of a complete final report.
11. (11) The Office of Skills Development shall have discretion to assess completeness of a final report and request and receive additional information.

(b)

1. (1)

   1. (A) Skills Gap: addresses skills gaps relevant within a:

(i) Region;

1. (ii) Industry sector; or

   1. (iii) Workforce segment.
   2. (B) Though there could be exceptional cases, as determined by the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, Skills Gap funding would typically not be applicable to a single employer or a proposal that will not impact a shortage of critical, technical skills.
2. (2) Submit an initial inquiry to the Office of Skills Development grants.
3. (3) The Office of Skills Development will respond to the initial inquiry within ten (10) business days, after which the applicant may submit a full proposal.

4. (4)

   1. (A) Proposals are due by the fifteenth of each month.
   2. (B) An alternative timeline may be requested, approval of which shall be at the discretion of the Office of Skills Development and the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet.

5. (5)

   1. (A) Where the proposal is received by the fifteenth of the month and the amount of funding requested is two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) or less, the Office of Skills Development will dis/approve by the end of the month within which the proposal is received.
   2. (B) The Office of Skills Development may request additional information or provide direction, such as one (1) or more conditions, while a decision is pending, in which case the applicant must satisfy or otherwise agree to the request or condition within five (5) business days in order for the end-of-month dis/approval time period to remain in effect.

6. (6)

   1. (A) Where the amount of funding requested is more than two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000), the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet must convene in order to dis/approve.
   2. (B) At its discretion, the Office of Skills Development may request additional information or provide direction, such as one (1) or more conditions, while a decision is pending.
7. (7) The level of funding/reimbursement/investment will be a maximum of seventy-five percent (75%) of the total project budget.
8. (8) The quarterly maximum funding amount per applicant location for Skills Gap projects shall be two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000).

9. (9) Applicant contributions to the total project budget may be in cash and/or in-kind.

   1. (c)

10. (1) Customized Technical: addresses the need for:

    1. (A) Industry-specific, technical training such as training specific to a:

       1. (i) Company;
       2. (ii) Specialized technical skill; and/or
       3. (iii) Specialized equipment; or

    2. (B) More generalized, advanced technical training such as training related to:

       1. (i) Hydraulics;
       2. (ii) Programmable logic controllers; or
       3. (iii) Quality improvement.
11. (2) Where the amount of funding requested is more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), submit an initial inquiry to Office of Skills Development grants.
12. (3) The Office of Skills Development will respond to the initial inquiry within ten (10) business days, after which the applicant may submit a full proposal.

13. (4) Where the amount of funding requested is fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less, the following apply:

    1. (A) Proposals may be submitted at any time, at least fifteen (15) business days in advance of the start of training; and
    2. (B) Notification of acceptance, denial, or partial acceptance shall be provided within ten (10) business days of receipt of a proposal.

14. (5)

    1. (A) For training with costs totaling more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), proposals are due by the fifteenth of each month.
    2. (B) An alternative timeline may be requested, approval of which shall be at the discretion of the Office of Skills Development and the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet.

15. (6)

    1. (A) Where the proposal is received by the fifteenth of the month and the amount of funding requested is more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) or less, the Office of Skills Development will dis/approve by the end of the month within which the proposal is received.
    2. (B) The Office of Skills Development may request additional information or provide direction, such as one (1) or more conditions, while a decision is pending, in which case the applicant must satisfy or otherwise agree to the request or condition within five (5) business days in order for the end-of-month dis/approval time period to remain in effect.

16. (7)

    1. (A) Where the proposal is received by the fifteenth of the month and the amount of funding requested is more than two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000), the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet must convene in order to dis/approve.
    2. (B) At its discretion, the Office of Skills Development may request additional information or provide direction, such as one (1) or more conditions, while a decision is pending.
17. (8) The level of funding/reimbursement/investment will be a maximum of seventy-five percent (75%) of the total project budget.
18. (9) The annual maximum funding amount per applicant location for Customized Technical projects shall be two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000).

19. (10) Applicant contributions to the total project budget may be in cash and/or in-kind.

    1. (d)

20. (1)

    1. (A) Professional Development: addresses the need for basic and soft skill training, particularly classroom type training and training applicable to a majority of:

       1. (i) Employees;
       2. (ii) Supervisors; or
       3. (iii) Managers.

    2. (B) Examples comprise training related to:

       1. (i) Leadership;
       2. (ii) Teamwork;
       3. (iii) Professionalism;
       4. (iv) Certain safety topics;
       5. (v) Microsoft Office products;
       6. (vi) Conflict resolution;
       7. (vii) Core competency assessments and upgrades; and
       8. (viii) Company policies and procedures.
21. (2) Submit an initial inquiry to Office of Skills Development grants.
22. (3) As appropriate, certain basic and soft skill training requests may be referred to the Adult Education Section.
23. (4) The Office of Skills Development will respond to the initial inquiry within ten (10) business days, after which the applicant may submit a full proposal.

24. (5)

    1. (A) Proposals may be submitted at any time, at least fifteen (15) business days in advance of the start of training.
    2. (B) Notification of acceptance, denial, or partial acceptance shall be provided within ten (10) business days of receipt of a proposal.
25. (6) The level of funding/reimbursement/investment will be a maximum of fifty percent (50%) of the total project budget.
26. (7) The annual maximum funding amount per applicant location for Professional Development projects shall be fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).

(e)

1. (1) Grow Our Own: addresses the needs of companies that are headquartered in Arkansas and have two hundred fifty (250) or fewer full-time employees in the entire company (at least thirty (30) hours per week, twenty-six (26) consecutive weeks per year) or otherwise may be deemed appropriate for treatment as a small business in Arkansas according to additional considerations.
2. (2) Submit an initial inquiry to Office of Skills Development grants.
3. (3) The Office of Skills Development will respond to the initial inquiry within ten (10) business days, after which the applicant may submit a full proposal.

4. (4)

   1. (A) Proposals are due by the fifteenth of each month.
   2. (B) An alternative timeline may be requested, approval of which shall be at the discretion of the Office of Skills Development and the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet.

5. (5)

   1. (A) Where the proposal is received by the fifteenth of the month and the amount of funding requested is two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) or less, the Office of Skills Development will dis/approve by the end of the month within which the proposal is received.
   2. (B) The Office of Skills Development may request additional information or provide direction, such as one (1) or more conditions, while a decision is pending, in which case the applicant must satisfy or otherwise agree to the request or condition within five (5) business days in order for the end-of-month dis/approval time period to remain in effect.

6. (6)

   1. (A) Where the amount of funding requested is more than two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000), the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet must convene in order to dis/approve.
   2. (B) At its discretion, the Office of Skills Development may request additional information or provide direction, such as one (1) or more conditions, while a decision is pending.
7. (7) The level of funding/reimbursement/investment will be a maximum of seventy-five percent (75%) of the total project budget.
8. (8) The quarterly maximum funding amount per applicant location for Grow Our Own projects shall be two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000).
9. (9) Applicant contributions to the total project budget may be in cash and/or in-kind.