US Labor Department awards $3M in incremental funding to help Kentucky coal workers affected by layoffs

State: Kentucky

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Initial Amount Approved: $7,494,017

Incremental Amount Awarded: $3,301,271

Funding Awarded to: Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 685

Use of Funds: On May 5, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor approved a National Dislocated Worker Grant award for up to $7,494,017 – with $1,642,746 released initially – to serve workers affected by layoffs by businesses affected by the decline of the coal industry in Kentucky.

On July 27, 2016, the department awarded another increment of $2,550,000, bringing the total funds awarded to $4,192,746.

With this incremental award, the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program will receive $3,301,271 to continue this effort, bringing the total funds awarded to date for this project to its fully approved amount of $7,494,017.

Background: Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, National Dislocated Worker Grants temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker training and employment programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events which cause significant job losses. The grants generally provide resources to states and local workforce investment boards to reemploy laid-off workers quickly by offering training to increase occupational skills.