Individual Training Grant Program

• A WIOA grant can only be used to fund training for jobs available in the local job market. Take a look at the Monroe County demand occupations list to determine which job titles would likely be approved for training.
• RochesterWorks can only approve training funds for individuals who live in Monroe County or dislocated workers who were laid off from a Monroe County employer.
• The person applying for training must be qualified for it and possess the necessary skills and qualifications to enroll in and complete the program. Applicants must meet admission requirements for the school or program they wish to attend.

• Support for college courses can only be provided if a degree is required for the type of work sought and all other conditions are met. The requirements are that the training is in a demand occupation, the program can be completed in two years or less, training or education is provided by a New York State Eligible Training Provider, and no other financial aid is available. There are restrictions on bachelor’s degree programs for dislocated workers. There is no funding available for master’s degrees.
• Online courses, distance-learning programs, and hybrid programs are all covered as long as they lead to a credential, require interaction with instructors, and require periodic testing. If your course leads to an industry-recognized credential (such as a license, a certificate, or a degree) from an accredited college, university, or training program, then they may be covered.
• Is there anything that is not covered?
  • Prerequisites are not covered.
  • Correspondence or home study courses that don’t meet the criteria for distance-learning programs (as outlined above) are not covered.
  • Master’s degree programs are not covered.

The New York State Department of Labor provides Section 599 to allow people receiving unemployment benefits to still receive benefits while taking part in training courses, such as those funded by our Training Grant. A person approved for training under this provision may be exempt from the work search requirement and may be eligible for up to 26 additional weeks of unemployment benefits when funding is available. Because additional funding isn’t always available, approval of your training does not guarantee that you’ll receive additional benefits or that they’ll cover the term of your training in full.

RochesterWorks training grant funding is part of our overall career center funding, so we work with grant recipients to make sure that the training will lead to a suitable job.

• When accepting the grant, the grant recipient agrees to specific responsibilities, one of which is regularly communicating with your career center representative. If you fail to meet these responsibilities, you may lose your funding.
• Your career center representative will ask you to update them about your progress at least once a month. We’ve outlined the specific details about regular contact and other documents we’ll need from you on the Employment and Training Plan and Training Enrollment Agreement. These documents should be kept somewhere you can access them regularly.
• In the Employment and Training Plan, pay special attention to the section on Customer Responsibility. This section will give you the exact dates when you need to provide certain items. Our training customers are typically asked to provide us with class attendance, grades, progress reports, the bill and schedule for future semesters and sessions, and a certificate of completion or diploma at the end of training.

RochesterWorks training grants, like most scholarships, are not taxable. So RochesterWorks won’t provide you with any tax-related documents. Even if you take out student loans to pay for your education, you may be able to receive tax deductions for the amount not covered by RochesterWorks or other grants or scholarships. Your tax advisor can advise you on how to get the maximum tax benefit from your education.

• Register with RochesterWorks.
  Begin by completing an Initial Skills Assessment with a Career Advisor. You can book an appointment online or call to get started.

Phone: 585-258-3500

TTY (English): 800-662-1220

TTY (Español): 877- 662-4886

• Attend the required Training Grant Info Session.
  This workshop is a mandatory requirement to apply for our Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant. Attend our in-person workshop by clicking on the following link to our events page or contact our Waring Rd location at (585)266-7760 and sign up for their workshop.

• After completing the workshop.
  Fill out the Training Grant Application that was provided, then call the Training Grant line at 585-258-3500, option 4 to schedule your appointment with an advisor to review your grant request.

• Attendance Sheet
• Demand Occupation List for Training
• Federal Grants, Loans, Savings Programs, and Tax Credits
• Financial Resources While in Classroom Training
• Income Guidelines
• Job Search Record Sheet
• Sample Plan of Study Form
• Youth Programs