§ 2373. Industry or Sector Partnership Grant program for communities impacted by trade

(a) Purpose

The purpose of this subpart is to facilitate efforts by industry or sector partnerships to strengthen and revitalize industries and create employment opportunities for workers in communities impacted by trade.

(b) Definitions

In this subpart:

(1) Community impacted by trade

The term “community impacted by trade” has the meaning given that term in section 2371 of this title.

(2) Dislocated worker

The term “dislocated worker” means a worker who has been totally or partially separated, or is threatened with total or partial separation, from employment in an industry or sector in a community impacted by trade.

(3) Eligible partnership

The term “eligible partnership” means a voluntary partnership composed of public and private persons, firms, or other entities within a community impacted by trade, that shall include representatives of—

(A) an industry or sector within the community, including an industry association;

(B) local, county, or State government;

(D) local workforce investment boards established under section 2832 of title 29;

(E) labor organizations, including State labor federations and labor-management initiatives, representing workers in the community; and

(F) educational institutions, local educational agencies, or other training providers serving the community.

(4) Lead entity

The term “lead entity” means—

(A) an entity designated by the eligible partnership to be responsible for submitting a grant proposal under subsection (e) and serving as the eligible partnership’s fiscal agent in expending any Sector Partnership Grant awarded under this section; or

(B) a State agency designated by the Governor of the State to carry out the responsibilities described in subparagraph (A).

(5) Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Labor.

(6) Targeted industry or sector

The term “targeted industry or sector” means the industry or sector represented by an eligible partnership.

Beginning on August 1, 2009, and subject to the appropriation of funds, the Secretary shall award Sector Partnership Grants to eligible partnerships to assist the eligible partnerships in carrying out projects, over periods of not more than 3 years, to strengthen and revitalize industries and sectors and create employment opportunities for dislocated workers.

(d) Use of Sector Partnership grants

An eligible partnership may use a Sector Partnership Grant to carry out any project that the Secretary determines will further the purpose of this subpart, which may include—

(1) identifying the skill needs of the targeted industry or sector and any gaps in the available supply of skilled workers in the community impacted by trade, and developing strategies for filling the gaps, including by—

(A) developing systems to better link firms in the targeted industry or sector to available skilled workers;

(B) helping firms in the targeted industry or sector to obtain access to new sources of qualified job applicants;

(D) facilitating the training of new skilled workers by aligning the instruction provided by local suppliers of education and training services with the needs of the targeted industry or sector;

(2) analyzing the skills and education levels of dislocated and incumbent workers and developing training to address skill gaps that prevent such workers from obtaining jobs in the targeted industry or sector;

(3) helping firms, especially small- and medium-sized firms, in the targeted industry or sector increase their productivity and the productivity of their workers;

(4) helping such firms retain incumbent workers;

(5) developing learning consortia of small- and medium-sized firms in the targeted industry or sector with similar training needs to enable the firms to combine their purchases of training services, and thereby lower their training costs;

(6) providing information and outreach activities to firms in the targeted industry or sector regarding the activities of the eligible partnership and other local service suppliers that could assist the firms in meeting needs for skilled workers;

(7) seeking, applying, and disseminating best practices learned from similarly situated communities impacted by trade in the development and implementation of economic growth and revitalization strategies; and

(8) identifying additional public and private resources to support the activities described in this subsection, which may include the option to apply for a community grant under section 2371d of this title or a Community College and Career Training Grant under section 2372 of this title (subject to meeting any additional requirements of those sections).

(e) Grant proposals

(1) In general

The lead entity of an eligible partnership seeking to receive a Sector Partnership Grant under this section shall submit a grant proposal to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(2) General requirements of grant proposals

A grant proposal submitted under paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum—

(A) identify the members of the eligible partnership;

(B) identify the targeted industry or sector for which the eligible partnership intends to carry out projects using the Sector Partnership Grant;

(D) describe the projects that the eligible partnership will undertake to achieve such goals;

(E) demonstrate that the eligible partnership has the organizational capacity to carry out the projects described in subparagraph (D);

(F) explain—

(i) whether—

(I) the community impacted by trade has sought or received a community grant under section 2371d of this title;

(II) an eligible institution in the community has sought or received a Community College and Career Training Grant under section 2372 of this title; or

(III) any other entity in the community has received funds pursuant to any other federally funded training project; and

(ii) how the eligible partnership will coordinate its use of a Sector Partnership Grant with the use of such other grants or funds in order to enhance the effectiveness of each grant and any such funds and avoid duplication of efforts; and

(G) include performance measures, developed based on the performance measures issued by the Secretary under subsection (g)(2), and a timeline for measuring progress toward achieving the goals described in subparagraph (C).

(f) Award of grants

(1) In general

Upon application by the lead entity of an eligible partnership, the Secretary may award a Sector Partnership Grant to the eligible partnership to assist the partnership in carrying out any of the projects in the grant proposal that the Secretary determines will further the purposes of this subpart.

(2) Limitations

An eligible partnership may not be awarded—

(A) more than one Sector Partnership Grant; or

(B) a total grant award under this subpart in excess of—

(i) except as provided in clause (ii), $2,500,000; or

(ii) in the case of an eligible partnership located within a community impacted by trade that is not served by an institution receiving a Community College and Career Training Grant under section 2372 of this title, $3,000,000.

(g) Administration by the Secretary

(1) Technical assistance and oversight

(A) In general

The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to, and oversight of, the lead entity of an eligible partnership in applying for and administering Sector Partnership Grants awarded under this section.

(B) Technical assistance

Technical assistance provided under subparagraph (A) shall include providing conferences and such other methods of collecting and disseminating information on best practices developed by eligible partnerships as the Secretary determines appropriate.

The Secretary may award a grant or contract to one or more national or State organizations to provide technical assistance to foster the planning, formation, and implementation of eligible partnerships.

(2) Performance measures

The Secretary shall issue a range of performance measures, with quantifiable benchmarks, and methodologies that eligible partnerships may use to measure progress toward the goals described in subsection (e). In developing such measures, the Secretary shall consider the benefits of the eligible partnership and its activities for workers, firms, industries, and communities.

(h) Reports

(1) Progress report

Not later than 1 year after receiving a Sector Partnership Grant, and 3 years thereafter, the lead entity shall submit to the Secretary, on behalf of the eligible partnership, a report containing—

(A) a detailed description of the progress made toward achieving the goals described in subsection (e)(2)(C), using the performance measures required under subsection (e)(2)(G);

(B) a detailed evaluation of the impact of the grant award on workers and employers in the community impacted by trade; and

(C) a detailed description of all expenditures of funds awarded to the eligible partnership under the Sector Partnership Grant approved by the Secretary under this subpart.

(2) Annual report

Not later than December 15 in each of the calendar years 2009 through 2011, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives a report—

(A) describing each Sector Partnership Grant awarded to an eligible partnership during the preceding fiscal year; and

(B) assessing the impact of each Sector Partnership Grant awarded in a fiscal year preceding the fiscal year referred to in subparagraph (A) on workers and employers in communities impacted by trade.

U.S. Code

§ 2373. Industry or Sector Partnership Grant program for communities impacted by trade