By: Deborah Johnson Wood
In 2005, with a $15 million federal grant under its belt, WIRED West Michigan (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) launched a series of regional “innovations” to advance workforce development in areas ranging from increased training and skills achievements to accelerating biotech innovations and spurring entrepreneurship.
A $250,000 surplus of grant funds prompted WIRED leaders to seek additional ways to use the money to advance ideas on workforce and economic development.
A recent Request For Proposals, open to non-profits, faith-based organizations and government entities, attracted 24 submissions based around making Michigan more competitive in the workplace, training hard to serve populations such as persons in prison or those with physical or mental challenges, and re-training/re-employment of workers who have lost jobs.
“We received a full range of ideas and don’t want to talk about specifics until the policy council meets to make recommendations,” says Phil Rios, WIRED project manager. “We expect to fund three to four ideas with grants from $75,000 to $125,000 each, or one super duper idea could get the whole $250,000.
“Because we’re looking for people to come together to work on ideas, if the organizations partner with other organizations or leverage them with other grants, that gives them extra qualifying points,” Rios continues. “With these grants we’re going to be able to further the WIRED initiative by spurring innovations in workforce development that will keep moving forward.”
The WIRED core team will review the proposals and send the top one-third to the WIRED policy council for final consideration in early August. Announcement of the winners takes place about September 1.
Source: Phil Rios, WIRED West Michigan
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Deborah Johnson Wood is the development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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