1. (a) As used in this section, "department" refers to the department of workforce development established by IC 22-4.1-2-1 .
2. (b) As used in this section, "program" refers to the high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grant program established by subsection (c).
3. (c) The department shall establish a high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grant program.

4. (d) The department shall do at least the following to establish the program:

   1. (1) Prescribe the form and manner in which applications for high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grants may be submitted.
   2. (2) Determine the eligibility of applicants. An applicant does not need to be enrolled as a student at a postsecondary educational institution in order to be eligible for a high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grant.
   3. (3) Determine the amount of a high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grant awarded to a recipient.

   4. (4) As the department considers appropriate, work with an employer to determine:

      1. (A) whether one (1) or more of the employer's current or future employees may be eligible for a high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grant; and
      2. (B) what additional financial or other support for the employer's current or future employees the employer may provide, if one
      3. (1) or more of the employer's current or future employees may be eligible for a high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grant.
   5. (5) Work with interested units of local government and employer groups in a specific economic sector or region of the state to develop cost-sharing and other approaches to increase the scope of use and impact of the department's available funding for high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grants.

   6. (6) In conjunction with the commission, determine which noncredit-bearing credentials or similar programs are eligible for the high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grant after considering at least the following for each credential or similar program:

      1. (A) Workforce demand and needs.
      2. (B) Wage level data and information.
      3. (C) Program content and completion data.
      4. (D) Program job placement data.

   7. (7) Monitor, collect, analyze, and report to the governor and the legislative council information and data concerning:

      1. (A) the use, success, failure, and impact of the high value workforce ready noncredit-bearing grants;
      2. (B) the results of each noncredit credential or similar program for which grants are sought; and

      3. (C) the results of each noncredit credential or similar program for which grants are provided.

         The department shall submit the report required by this subdivision on or before October 1 for the preceding state fiscal year. The report provided under this subdivision to the legislative council must be in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6 .

As added by P.L.230-2017, SEC.33. Amended by P.L.152-2018, SEC.12; P.L.213-2025, SEC.244.