FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Good Jobs Challenge

Agency: Department of Commerce

11.307 -- Economic Adjustment Assistance

Archived opportunityLast Updated: May 13, 2026

Description

Through this American Rescue Plan Act Good Jobs Challenge Notice of Funding Opportunity (ARPA Good Jobs Challenge NOFO), EDA aims to assist communities and regions impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has caused, and continues to cause, economic injury to U.S. communities and regions in devastating and unprecedented ways.

This ARPA Good Jobs Challenge NOFO is designed to help get Americans back to work by developing and strengthening regional systems to develop and execute sectoral partnerships that will lead to well-paying jobs. The goal of regional workforce training systems is to create and implement effective employer-driven training programs that will connect the existing and emerging skills needs of employers with workers and will help workers find and keep quality jobs and advance along their chosen career path. Regional workforce training systems and sectoral partnerships funded under this NOFO should connect employers in an industry with key regional stakeholders, including state and local governmental entities, economic development organizations, workforce development boards, employer-facing organizations, education and training providers, community‑based organizations (CBOs), worker-serving organizations (WSOs), and/or labor unions. The system or partnership should be led by a System Lead Entity or Backbone Organization, respectively, serving as an intermediary that has convening power in the region and the capacity to coordinate all necessary stakeholders. EDA also encourages systems and partnerships to address populations with labor market barriers such as persons with disabilities, at-risk youth, individuals in recovery, individuals with past criminal records including justice‑impacted and reentry participants, and veterans.

EDA anticipates making approximately 25 to 50 awards under this ARPA Jobs Training NOFO and scaling awards as appropriate to the proposed geographic, industry, and worker role coverage of a given regional system.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

Nonprofit

Nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3)

Government

Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
Special district governments
State governments
City or township governments
County governments

Miscellaneous

Other

Education

Private institutions of higher education
Public and state institutions of higher education

Additional information

Pursuant to section 3(4) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. § 3122(4)(a)) and 13 C.F.R. § 300.3 (Eligible Recipient), eligible applicants under this NOFO include a(n): (i) District Organization of an EDA-designated Economic Development District (EDD); (ii) Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; (iii) State, county, city, or other political subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions; (iv) institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; or (v) public or private non-profit organization or association, including labor unions, acting in cooperation with officials of a general purpose political subdivision of a State.Under this NOFO, EDA is not authorized to provide grants or cooperative agreements to individuals or to for profit entities. Requests from such entities will not be considered for funding.

Grantor contact information

Description

GoodJobsChallenge@eda.gov

Email

GoodJobsChallenge@eda.gov

Documents

File name	Description	Last updated
ARPA_Good_Jobs_Challenge_NOFO.pdf	ARPA Good Jobs Challenge NOFO - Final	Dec 28, 2021 02:31 PM UTC

Link to additional information

www.eda.gov

Archived: February 25, 2022

Application process

This site is a work in progress. Go to www.grants.gov to apply, track application status, and subscribe to updates.

Award

$500,000,000

Program Funding

Expected awards

$1,000,000

Award Minimum

$25,000,000

Award Maximum

Funding opportunity number:

EDA-HDQ-ARPGJ-2021-2006964

Cost sharing or matching requirement:

Yes

Funding instrument type:

Cooperative agreement

Grant

Opportunity Category:

Discretionary

Opportunity Category Explanation:

Category of Funding Activity:

Other

Category Explanation:

Economic Development

History

Version:

Posted date:

July 22, 2021

Archive date:

February 25, 2022