Generation West Virginia Inc

THIS EDA INVESTMENT SUPPORTS THE APPALACHIAN CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY (ACT NOW) COALITION, LED BY THE COALFIELD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WITH SPURRING JOB GROWTH IN 21 ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AND COAL-IMPACTED COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA BY CREATING A HUB OF CLEAN ENERGY AND GREEN ECONOMY JOBS. THE COALITION WILL SUPPORT THE TRANSITION FROM COAL TO SOLAR POWER AND WILL IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABLE REUSE PROJECTS ON ABANDONED MINE SITES, REJUVENATE BROWNFIELD SITES WITH NEW FACILITIES, AND DEVELOP ENTREPRENEURIAL PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT. ONCE IMPLEMENTED, THE INVESTMENT WILL HELP DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN REGIONAL INDUSTRY CLUSTERS - ALL WHILE EMBRACING ECONOMIC EQUITY, CREATING GOOD-PAYING JOBS, AND ENHANCING U.S. COMPETITIVENESS GLOBALLY.

AWARD PURPOSE THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY IS TO CREATE ECONOMIC MOBILITY, ADDRESS HISTORIC INEQUITIES FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND OTHER UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, AND PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY EMPLOYMENT FOR WORKERS WHO RESIDE IN THE APPALACHIAN AND DELTA REGIONS, ENABLING THEM TO REMAIN AND THRIVE IN THESE COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES PERFORMED THIS PROJECT WILL EXPAND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT JOB TRAINING PROGRAM, PLACE UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED WEST VIRGINIANS IN HIGH-QUALITY TECHNOLOGY JOBS AND OFFER NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO FORMER GRADUATES WHO SEEK TO "LEVEL UP" IN THEIR CAREERS. THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, TUITION-FREE NEWFORCE JOB TRAINING PROGRAM WILL ADVANCE GWV'S WORK TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND ADDRESS THE GENERATIONAL IMPACTS OF COAL DECLINE IN WEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITIES. THE PRIMARY COMPONENTS OF THE LEVEL UP PROJECT INCLUDE: (1) ESTABLISHING STIPENDS AND CONDUCTING TARGETED RECRUITMENT TO ENHANCE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE SIX-MONTH PROGRAM WITH A FOCUS ON PARTICIPATION FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN TECHNOLOGY, (2) LAUNCHING A NEW LEVEL UP ALUMNI ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM TO ENSURE ECONOMIC MOBILITY WITHIN TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES, AND (3) CONDUCTING A SUSTAINABILITY STUDY TO ESTABLISH NEW REVENUE STREAMS TO SUSTAIN NEWFORCE'S IMPACT ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY IN THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. DELIVERABLES 120 TRAINEES WILL ENROLL IN THE NEWFORCE JOB TRAINING PROGRAM DURING THE GRANT PERIOD; AT LEAST 103 GRADUATES WILL OBTAIN NEW EMPLOYMENT WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF GRADUATING NEWFORCE. IN ADDITION, 80 TOTAL JUNIOR DEVELOPERS WILL ENROLL IN THE LEVEL UP PERSONALIZED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM; AT LEAST 40 PARTICIPANTS WILL OBTAIN A SALARY INCREASE OF 33% WITHIN THE GRANT PERIOD. IN TOTAL, 200 PARTICIPANTS WILL SECURE EMPLOYMENT AND/OR A RAISE AS A RESULT OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT. INTENDED BENEFICIARY INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THE NEWFORCE: LEVEL UP EQUITY AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE PROJECT INCLUDE UNEMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED WEST VIRGINIANS, WITH A FOCUS ON UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN TECH. UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN TECH ARE GENERALLY DEFINED AS WOMEN/GENDER EXPANSIVE ADULTS, BLACK PEOPLE, LATINX PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS AMERICANS, NATIVE HAWAIIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDERS, LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, AND LOW-INCOME PEOPLE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.

THIS EDA INVESTMENT WILL BE USED TO ASSIST WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE NEWFORCE ON-LINE LEARNING PROGRAM FOR THE TRAINING AND PLACEMENT INTO HIGH-TECH SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT POSITIONS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON REMOTE WORKERS DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE PROJECT WILL TRAIN 96 PARTICIPANTS IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS, PLACING AT LEAST 81 OF THESE IN HIGH PAYING LIVING WAGE POSITIONS TO ASSIST WEST VIRGINIA WITH COVID-19 RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY EFFORTS.

WORKFORCE TRAINING

FY23 CONGRESSIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT FOR GENERATION WEST VIRGINIA

AWARD PURPOSE GENERATION WEST VIRGINIA (GWV) SEEKS $167,000 IN US DOL COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING TO HELP EQUIP TRAINEES AND INSTRUCTORS FOR ITS NEWFORCE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT JOB TRAINING PROGRAM, BOOST RECRUITMENT OF NEWFORCE TRAINEES, AND SUPPORT PLACEMENT OF NEWFORCE PROGRAM GRADUATES. ACTIVITIES PERFORMED PROVIDING LOANER LAPTOPS TO NEWFORCE TRAINEES WHO DO NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE DEVICE, DISTRIBUTING PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS TO PARTICIPANTS TO AID IN RECRUITMENT OF TRAINEES, INCLUDING WOMEN, RESIDENTS OF COLOR, LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS, DISLOCATED COAL WORKERS, AND LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS. HOSTING A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY FOR TRAINEES THAT WILL ADDRESS BARRIERS TO JOB PLACEMENT FOR GRADUATES, INCLUDING THROUGH PROVIDING PARTICIPANTS WITH PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOTS TO AID IN THEIR JOB SEARCHES. PURCHASING TECHNOLOGY, HARDWARE, AND SOFTWARE FOR NEWFORCE PROGRAM STAFF TO SUPPORT REMOTE INSTRUCTION. COVERING TRAINING/CERTIFICATION COSTS FOR INSTRUCTORS. DELIVERABLES HELP TO ENSURE 86% PLACEMENT RATE OF NEWFORCE GRADUATES WITHIN 6-MONTHS AND 90% WITHIN 1 YEAR. HELP ACHIEVE MEASURABLE SKILL GAINS AND CERTIFICATIONS FOR 120 NEWFORCE GRADUATES LEVERAGE THE DOL WORC-FUNDED NEWFORCE LEVELUP INITIATIVE BY REMOVING ADDITIONAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION (LAPTOPS) TO BOOST PARTICIPATION IN NEWFORCE TRAINING BY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN TECH FROM 38% TO 50% INTENDED BENEFICIARY UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED WEST VIRGINIANS, INCLUDING UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN TECH (WOMEN/GENDER EXPANSIVE ADULTS, BLACK PEOPLE, LATINX PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS AMERICANS, NATIVE HAWAIIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDERS, LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, AND LOW-INCOME PEOPLE) SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES N/A

CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY