THIS GRANT IS NOW CLOSED
The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce its On-the-Job Training Grant opportunities through a United States Department of Labor funding award to the Healthy Workforce Consortium. This funding award differs from past OJT grant programs in that it is intended to support people in recovery receiving educational and training supports, new job opportunities, and maintaining a recovery friendly workforce and employer base in the counties of Broome, Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins .
Under this contract, training grants with a maximum payout of $4,000 will be available to businesses that are hiring a new employee and providing the training needed to be successful in their new role. The training grant will be used to provide the employee with the additional training needed in order to fulfill the job responsibilities. Training dollars may also be available to nonprofit partners or others running training and skills development programs for people in recovery.
The grant application, contract, and training outline below must be completed before an employee is hired or promoted. Please contact the OJT Grant Coordinator at ojt@tompkinschamber.org or at 607-273-7080 immediately if you are interested in this grant.
FAQ
What is the On-the-Job Training Grant Program? The On-the-Job Training Grant Program, administered by the Tompkins Chamber, is a program designed to support members of the workforce who are in recovery from substance use disorder. The program intends to provide additional financial resources to area businesses to hire, or promote, such individuals to assist in the removal of barriers to employment and/or career advancement for affected workers.
Who is eligible for the On-the-Job Training Grant Program? The On-the-Job Training Grant Program is designed to provide direct funding to recovery friendly employers and training programs who support individuals who self-identify as in-recovery individuals, regardless of the length of time since start of recovery.
Who qualifies as “a person in recovery”? Anyone who self-identifies as being in-recovery from drug and/or alcohol addiction/substance abuse.
How do I let job applicants know that my business is a recovery-friendly workplace? A great way to let employees know that your business is a recovery-friendly workplace is to include clear and direct language in open position postings stating that your business actively encourages and seeks to hire individuals in drug and/or alcohol recovery, and to ask employees in the job application process (with clear and direct communication that answers will not impact the status of their application).
What funding is available? Grant funds of up to $4,000, per employee, per applicant business, are available for matching funds of up to 50% for the employee’s onboarding or promotional training period of 8 weeks. Funding may also be used for part time employees, individuals working to support people in recovery, and to support training programs which may not be the final permanent employer of the individuals in recovery. The Tompkins Chamber currently has over $60,000.
When will my business receive funds? The On-the-Job Training Grant Program is a reimbursement grant which businesses will receive upon the completion of employees’ 8-week training program and submission of all required documentation.
Is it safe to hire a person in recovery? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that 13.4 million, or nearly 10%, of adults in the workforce identify as in-recovery1. That means if a business has 10 employees, statistically, one of those employees identify as in-recovery. Furthermore, the National Safety Council reports that employees who are in-recovery miss an average of 3.6 fewer days of work each year than other employees, and save employers an average of $8,175 in turnover, replacement, and healthcare cost2. Making an active effort to attract workforce who identify as in-recovery is not just a way to expand your company’s DEI efforts—it’s also economically sound.
For more information, to apply, or to schedule an appointment to discuss the OJT, please email ojt@tompkinschamber.org or call at (607) 273-7080.
The Chamber is extremely pleased to collaborate with other partners to bring our tax dollars back to this community to help businesses thrive and individuals succeed, and to support our shared workforce development goals.
THIS GRANT IS NOW CLOSED
In partnership with Tompkins County, the Chamber Foundation is supporting microenterprise startup and expansion throughout Tompkins County with education, technical assistance, resources, and grant funding. The Foundation attracted $300,000 to Tompkins County for this program, to be expended from 2021 through 2023. This program has specific goals and objectives, but will ultimately serve all who are deemed eligible for program resources based on the criteria established by the New York State Office of Community Renewal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.
Primary Goals
- Supporting low-and moderate-income (LMI) business owners to start or growing a microenterprise business
- Making new employment opportunities available to LMI individuals in Tompkins County
- Microenterprises must consist of five or less employees INCLUDING the owner, and FT and PT employees are counted the same
- Target areas include most rural areas within Tompkins County, including the towns outside of Ithaca, and small rural downtowns
- Business categories we seek to support include:
- Minority & woman-owned businesses
- Childcare businesses/group family daycares
- Retail, restaurant, and service businesses in a small rural downtown
- Agricultural, beverage, tourism and other businesses well-aligned with our rural communities
- Program funds cannot be used to support any businesses which include products or services considered illegal by the Federal government.
- Nonprofit organizations are not eligible for funding.
Key Components
- Entrepreneurial Education – in the form of an eight-week course offered 2-3 times per year, virtually and in the evenings, by partner Tompkins Cortland Community College. This course is required for those wishing to apply for a Microenterprise Assistance Grant; however, those participating in and completing the Alternatives RISE program, or with significant experience in business, may receive exemption from this requirement.
- Technical Assistance & Resource – A Tompkins Chamber team member can support you with business planning, financial projections, seeking outside funding, and connections to experts who can provide you additional support. Connections to additional partner resources, such as Alternatives RISE and Business Cents Program, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), marketing/brand design, or other business consultants offering specific services you may need are also available and may be funded through the program for eligible participants.
- Grant funding – Microenterprise grant assistance, in the amount of $5,000-$35,000, may be available to those entrepreneurs and projects that meet program qualifications. Funds are intended to benefit low-and moderate-income (LMI) business owners or to support job creation made available to LMI individuals. Funds may be used for the following purposes only: acquisition of furniture, fixtures, equipment, inventory, or to fund working capital. No construction projects, nor equipment installations which require construction, will be considered.
All participants wishing to seek grant funding must meet program criteria, and provide personal family income information to determine eligibility.