Frequently Asked Questions

For an overview of the Fund and responses to common applicant questions, you may also want to review the recording of our June 16, 2022 Fund for Workforce Equity Applicant Webinar:

Please click here to download a copy of the Applicant Webinar slide deck.

Have additional questions not answered here?

Please email us at FWE@workforce-matters.org no later than July 15, 2022.

Overview

How do I apply for funding?

The Fund for Workforce Equity is not currently accepting applications. We expect to open a new round of funding in 2024. Please sign up for our interest list to learn about future funding opportunities!

What is the Fund for Workforce Equity?

The Fund for Workforce Equity is a new Workforce Matters pooled funding initiative that aims to center workers of color in workforce policy and program design and implementation, one of the primary recommendations in Workforce Matters’ Racial Equity Framework for Workforce Development Funders.  The Fund for Workforce Equity will provide flexible resources and support to workforce development organizations seeking to pilot and learn from new strategies as well as innovate on or extend existing strategies to center workers and learners of color.

What are the fund’s goals?

The fund’s goals are to support workforce organizations in developing, testing, strengthening, and/or extending strategies to engage workers and learners of color in informing workforce policy and program design and implementation, thereby making workforce programs and policies more responsive to their needs.  In addition, the fund will support learning among both funders and workforce organizations in order to expand the use of effective strategies to center and amplify the voices of workers and learners.

What do you mean by workforce development?

In our Racial Equity Framework, we defined workforce development as a system that “aims to address the need for employment and advancement in the labor market through services, programs, systems, and networks that provide people with education, skill development and access to jobs. It also seeks to address the quantity, quality, and location of these jobs and to meet employer needs for a skilled workforce.” Our definition includes not only skills and training but also efforts to address job quality, worker voice and agency, and the social determinants of work.

What do you mean by “worker and learner voice”?

We like the Aspen Institute’s definition of worker voice — “the ability of a company’s employee base to have their needs heard by their employer, and ultimately have an impact on business decision making” — and think it could be adapted to fit learners as well (e.g., “the ability of learners to have their needs heard by workforce programs and policymakers, and ultimately have an impact on decisions about and investments in workforce development”).

We would add one additional point–we are looking for the authentic engagement of workers, learners, and job candidates of color in the design and delivery of workforce programs, services, and policies. And to us, authentic engagement means listening to and hearing people and valuing what you hear. The purpose of the engagement is to build relationships, establish trust, and empower those you are engaging to create community-led solutions.

What do you mean by “power sharing” or “power building”?

Power sharing/power building refers to how to create or change structures and supports such that workers and learners, who typically have less “power” with respect to programs that they participate in and the staff that run them, have and can exercise greater agency in these contexts.

Definitions on the site Racial Equity Tools provide more context for what we mean. Power sharing is part of what it means to be inclusive. According to Racial Equity Tools, to be inclusive means to authentically bring traditionally excluded individuals and/or groups into processes, activities and decision/policy making in a way that shares power. Power can be defined as (A) The ability to name or define. (B) The ability to decide. (C) The ability the set the rule, standard, or policy. (D) The ability to change the rule, standard, or policy to serve your needs, wants, or desires. (E) The ability to influence decision makers to make choices in favor of your cause, issue, or concern.

So, if power is the ability to name or define, decide, set the rule/standard/policy/ change the rule, standard/policy OR the ability to influence decision makers, then sharing power in this instance would mean giving the learner/worker the ability to do the above to the same extent as the organization.

What strategies will the fund support?

The Fund for Workforce Equity will support the following strategies:

  • Grants.  Flexible grants of up to $70,000/year to workforce organizations so they can pilot and learn from different ways of authentically engaging and centering workers and learners of color in program and policy design and implementation
  • Learning Community.  A learning community so organizations can learn from each other and disseminate methods and lessons learned.
  • Technical Assistance/Expertise.  Access to expertise and resources on human-centered design and other best practices for elevating worker and learner voice.
  • Evaluation and Learning.  An evaluation of the initiative and share learning with funders so they can further disseminate and invest in promising practices among their grantees.

For Funders

How do I contribute?

Workforce Matters is accepting contributions to the fund through our fiscal sponsor, Funders Together to End Homelessness.  We welcome funders to make gifts toward our second round of funding, which we anticipate will be in early 2024.

Do I have to be a supporting member of Workforce Matters to contribute to the fund?

Any funder is welcome to contribute to the Fund for Workforce Equity. However, if a funder is not already a Workforce Matters supporting member, the first $1,500 of their contribution to the fund will go toward a supporting membership, which supports Workforce Matters’ overall programming and makes initiatives like the Fund for Workforce Equity possible.

Is there a minimum contribution?

Workforce Matters’ supporting members are welcome to make a gift of any size to the fund, but only those who give more than $25,000 annually will be invited to participate on the advisory committee of the fund.

How will governance and decisionmaking for the Fund work?

Funders who contribute $25,000 or more to the Fund for Workforce Equity may join the fund’s advisory committee, which will consist of both funders and stakeholders, but they are not required to do so. The advisory committee will meet quarterly or as needed to help determine the overall strategy, priorities, learning goals, and direction of the fund and weigh in on the grant docket for the fund.  The Workforce Matters Steering Committee will approve all grants from the fund.

Can I recommend applicants or projects for funding?

Yes! We welcome funders to share this opportunity with their grantees and networks. While we cannot guarantee that a grantee from your portfolio will receive funding, one of our goals is to share promising approaches to centering workers and learners of color with the Workforce Matters network to create greater awareness of good work happening in the field.

What if my foundation/organization has particular grantmaking interests or restrictions—like geography, sector, or target population? How can I participate?

We welcome you to participate!  We need and welcome your insights about promising strategies for engaging workers and learners from different specific target populations, industry sectors, or parts of the workforce ecosystem. We are happy to work with you to ensure that organizations that fit your foundation’s grantmaking priorities get the word about the opportunity to apply.  Beyond this, if you would like to contribute but need to earmark funds toward specific priorities or regions, please reach out to us at FWE@workforce-matters.org to discuss options for participation.

Will the fund include learning opportunities for funders?

Yes! We are supporting a process and outcomes evaluation as part of the fund and will share the results with the Workforce Matters network.  Contributors will also have the opportunity to learn in “real time” through the application and grantmaking process, if they wish to, and we will hold regular advisory committee meetings to share learnings and keep funders apprised of the work. 

What is the fund’s conflict of interest policy?

Funders and stakeholders who are part of the selection process must disclose any affiliations that may pose a potential conflict of interest.  Those with potential conflicts may still participate but will not be included in discussions or decisions about applicant organizations with which they have a significant affiliation.

For Applicants

Questions about Applying for Funding

How do I apply for funding?

The Fund for Workforce Equity is not currently accepting applications. We expect to open a new round of funding in 2024. Please sign up for our interest list to learn about future funding opportunities!

Is it possible to talk with someone about my application before I submit it?

Unfortunately, we are not able to have individual phone calls with applicants. However, if you do have a question that isn’t answered here, please do reach out to us at FWE@workforce-matters.org, and someone will respond to you as soon as possible.

Do I have to be a member of Workforce Matters to apply?

No.  Applicants do not have to be members of Workforce Matters to apply.

Do I have to be nominated by a funder or Workforce Matters member to apply?

No. The Fund for Workforce Equity is using an open application process.

What is the fund’s conflict of interest policy?

Funders and stakeholders who are part of the selection process must disclose any affiliations that may pose a potential conflict of interest.  Those with potential conflicts may still participate but will not be included in discussions or decisions about applicant organizations with which they have a significant affiliation.

General Questions about Eligibility

Am I eligible to apply if I previously received funding through Workforce Matters and Associated Black Charities’ Advancing Racial Equity in Workforce Development initiative?

Yes.  Organizations that previously received funding through the Advancing Racial Equity in Workforce Development initiative are welcome to apply.

We receive funding from one of the organizations on the advisory committee.  Can we still apply?

Yes.

Are there any requirements for applicants in terms of previous work or organizational capacity in racial equity?

Yes.  Applicant organizations will be expected to have a demonstrated commitment to utilizing a racial equity lens in their work and to have already invested in organizational racial equity training.  Direct service organizations should also be serving a majority of workers and learners of color.  

What kind of racial equity training should organizations have invested in before applying for this funding?

We expect organizations to have invested in general/introductory training on racial equity terms, definitions, concepts and application, including skills and knowledge that prepare individuals and organizations to address structural racism and advance racial equity. Typically, this training includes key concepts such as racial equity and structural racism; support for talking about race within an organization and/or with constituents; practices and tools for counteracting racial bias; and opportunities for applying concepts and strategies that advance racial equity. 

I work for a large organization with many programs. Although a majority of workers and learners served by the large organization are not people of color, can we apply for a grant from the Fund to support a program that does serve a majority of workers and learners of color?

Yes. A large organization may submit an application on behalf of one of its programs that serves a majority of workers and learners of color even if that is not true of the larger organization.

What is a workforce organization? 

As stated in the RFP, a workforce organization is one that provides programming or advocacy, including but not limited to:

  • Education and training programs that help individuals acquire and retain good jobs
  • Efforts that help workers to increase their income and/or advance their careers
  • Internships, apprenticeships, and/or learn-and-earn experiences
  • Career coaching/counseling
  • Providing or coordinating work supports such as transportation or child care services
  • Organizing or advocacy efforts related to any of the above

What do you mean by direct services?

Direct workforce services include: 

  • Education and training programs that help individuals acquire and retain good jobs
  • Efforts that help workers to increase their income and/or advance their careers
  • Internships, apprenticeships, and/or learn-and-earn experiences
  • Career coaching/counseling
  • Providing or coordinating work supports such as transportation or child care services

Does the provision of internships qualify as workforce development?

Yes.

Does the provision of apprenticeship programs qualify as workforce development?

Yes.

Is a multi-service organization that provides workforce programs along with other types of programs and services eligible to apply?

Yes.

Are organizations that provide entrepreneurship programs and services eligible to apply?

It depends.  If the organization is applying on behalf of a program that provides training to individuals on entrepreneurship or business skills as part of an overall curriculum or program that helps them identify their own path forward into getting or creating employment, they would be eligible. If the organization is solely providing capital and assistance/coaching to help people start small businesses, then they would not be eligible.

Is a new organization that operates with a fiscal sponsor eligible to apply?

Yes.

Does the size of the applicant organization in terms of budget or people served affect eligibility?

No.

Will funds be available to pass-through organizations?

While organizations that provide pass-through funding are eligible to apply, we anticipate that the Fund will prioritize those organizations that propose projects that directly engage workers and learners in informing their workforce programs and policies, rather than those that propose to pass through our funds to others.

What do you mean by workers and learners of color? 

We use the term People of Color or workers and learners of color to refer to those who have been disadvantaged by systemic racism in workforce policies, practices, and programs.  They may include citizens or immigrants who are Black, Indigenous, Latinx/Hispanic, Asian American or Pacific Islander, and other People of Color.

Are refugees and immigrants included?

Yes.

Are people of Middle Eastern descent included?

Yes.

Are English Language Learners included?

Yes.

How do you include disability in your priorities?

We are very much interested in seeing applications for organizations serving workers and learners of color with disabilities and wanting to engage with them to design and implement workforce programs and policies.

Is there a definition of populations impacted by Covid 19?

Not one specific definition. However, we would expect that applicants would be able to provide data and/or information about how COVID-19 has impacted their target population if this is the priority area under which the organization are applying.

If we are not in a targeted place, are we eligible for funding?

Yes.

If we are not in a targeted place, should we even bother submitting?

We hope to receive and review proposals from a wide range of geographies and that serve a wide range of workers and learners.  We know there are limited funds available, however.  We hope to address this in part by sharing applicant information (for those that opt in) with our network of funders.

How do we know if we qualify under the criteria of serving or being located in a rural community?

For the purposes of this RFP, we are adopting the USDA Economic Research Service guidelines for “rural communities” or nonmetropolitan areas defined on the basis of counties. Nonmetro counties include some combination of open countryside, rural towns (places with fewer than 2,500 people), and urban areas with populations ranging from 2,500 to 49,999 that are not part of larger labor market areas (metropolitan areas).

As a public community college, we are federally tax exempt organization, but we do not specifically have 501(c)(3) status. Are we still able to apply directly for this opportunity or would we need to go through the College’s external Foundation?

Public community colleges are eligible to apply and can either apply directly or through their 501(c)(3) foundations, if applicable.

Questions about Acceptable Uses of Funding and Funding Priorities

May funds be used for general or introductory racial equity training for organizations? How about continuing/ongoing racial equity training?

Grants from the Fund for Workforce Equity may not be used to support general organizational racial equity training, which applicants must demonstrate they have already invested in.

May funds be used to support direct services such as job training, coaching, or job placement?

Generally speaking, the Fund will not award grants to support the provision of direct services like job training, coaching, or job placement. The focus of the fund is to support engagement with workers and learners–putting them at the center of designing and implementing the work–which is related to but different from service provision.

What do you mean by ‘authentic engagement with workers and learners of color’? How does that differ from ‘programs that primarily provide services for workers/learners of color’? 

Proposal reviewers will be looking for evidence that applicants take seriously the feedback and input of program participants and/or potential program participants.  This can be demonstrated in a number of different ways, including how the organization has previously demonstrated its commitment to centering worker and learner voice; how the organization has previously learned from and taken action on worker and learner feedback; and how the organization compensates workers and learners for their participation in efforts that inform program or policy design and implementation. Engagement with workers and learners–putting them at the center of designing and implementing the work–is related to but different from service provision.

Is the funding for new projects or does it support existing projects?

Funding can be requested for new or existing projects. If funding for existing work is requested, we ask that applicants describe how a grant from the Fund for Workforce Equity will build on or extend this work. Funding for the Fund for Workforce Equity should not supplant existing funding.

Can funds be used for program, and/or policy work that is advocating for workers/learners of color, and/or planning work?

Grant funds should be used to support the engagement of workers and learners of color in designing and/or implementing workforce programs and policies, as opposed to ongoing program delivery or advocacy work that is done on behalf of workers and learners of color but that does not directly engage them. 

Must the organization itself be BIPOC-led and/or have a predominance of BIPOC staff?

No.  However, we will be looking at the Workforce Composition Survey and organizational demographics as a part of the application review process.

I understand funds can be used for supportive services. Is that specifically to provide supportive services for our workers OR for the learners of color we serve OR possibly both?

The purpose of providing funding for supportive services should be to enable workers and learners of color to participate in the process of providing input into the design, development, or implementation of workforce programs and policies.  So long as this criteria is met, the supportive service might be for an organization’s own staff and/or for the workers and learners of color that it serves.

Can funding support staff salaries or consultant fees?

Yes.

Do you have in mind how many individuals should be served by a project/applicant?

No.

Are indirect costs allowed?

Yes.

Is there a cap on the percentage of funding that can go toward overhead and indirect?

There is not. However, we will be taking into account the following budget/finance-related criteria in reviewing the applications, as stated in the RFP:

  • Alignment between funds requested and the proposed scope of work
  • Capacity to manage the grant
  • Need for resources

​​If partial funding has been secured for a project would a request for the same project be considered “supplanting”?

No.

Can the funding be used to support regional initiatives, such as industry sector partnerships?

Yes. As long as the funding will support the engagement of workers and learners in designing or implementing these initiatives.

Can joint proposals be submitted?

Yes.

Can one application support several projects?

Yes.

Would forming or expanding an advisory council made of workers/learners of color that help direct an organization’s program and policies be aligned with the grant priorities?

Yes.

Would providing cultural competency workshops to employers focused on refugee, immigrant workers and how to best support them, increase their cultural awareness etc and supporting employers with multilingual support be within the priorities of the RFP?

For this type of project, it would be important to demonstrate how workers and learners themselves would be engaged in designing and/or implementing these workshops.

We have a program focused on raising workplace standards for construction workers and conceived by construction workers. We would be seeking funding for that external program, but the funding would use to facilitate workers updating the program standards to reflect changes in the industry since the program’s inception. Would that qualify? 

Yes.

We are seeking funding for a program to encourage underrepresented populations to pursue STEM careers.  Participants would be from multiple colleges and universities. Would this qualify?

It is not a problem for participants to come from multiple colleges or universities. However, the focus of the project should be on how the learners themselves are engaged in the design and implementation of this outreach program.  

Are there limitations on the types of supportive services that the funding can support?

No, so long as the applicant can make the case that the particular supportive service is related to the intent of the Fund: to support workforce organizations in developing, testing, strengthening, and/or extending strategies to engage workers and learners of color in informing workforce policy and program design and implementation.

Questions about Review Criteria

What review criteria will you use to score proposals?

These criteria are listed in the RFP:

  • Prior organizational experience with and commitment to work on Racial Equity and Inclusion (REI)
  • Demonstrated commitment to centering worker and learner voice
  • Demonstrated commitment to learning and taking action on feedback
  • Provision of stipends, honoraria or other compensation for worker and learners for the purpose of obtaining input and feedback to inform program or policy design and implementation 
  • Alignment between funds requested and the proposed scope of work
  • Potential impact of the proposed project  
  • Capacity to manage the grant 
  • Need for resources 
  • Alignment with Fund for Workforce Equity priority populations or learning interests 

Do you prefer that organizations collaborate?

No. There is no preference for collaborative projects.

Is this more about engaging learners to contribute to workforce policies or more direct service to give youth/adults of color career coaching and work experience?

This Fund is geared toward engaging learners and workers in helping to develop, inform, and implement workforce development policies and programs.  The Fund is not geared to support the provision of direct workforce services to workers and learners.

Will organizations who have received other similar grants be seen or considered differently?

No. However, if the organization has received funding for similar efforts in the past, we would like the organization to reflect on what they have learned from these prior efforts.

Other Questions

Will WFM work to engage other funders in selected sites to influence their practices/funding?

We would very much like to do this and look forward to working with selected grantees to figure out how best to approach this!

Can you share more on the learning and evaluation part of this RFP? What would be the requirements of the grantees?

We expect to streamline reporting and evaluation requirements as much as possible, understanding that this is a rather modest one-year grant. That said, we also hope that the learning and evaluation components add value to the grantees. Grantees can expect to participate in a learning community that meets ~four times virtually over the course of the grant period. They can also expect to submit a final report and to be contacted by the evaluation team at key points during the grant period.  The details for the evaluation have yet to be finalized.

Can you share about the evaluation’s learning goals?

Here are the anticipated areas of learning for the evaluation –

  • How were the funds used? How did these funds help to advance workforce equity?
  • How and to what extent did organizations center workers of color in workforce policy and program design and implementation?
  • What types of tools, strategies, or practices did organizations use to center workers of color in workforce policy and program design and implementation?
    • What are the outcomes of these approaches?
    • Is there evidence that increased learner/worker engagement leads to improved and more equitable workforce outcomes, especially for workers and learners of color?
    • What variables affect these outcomes?
    • What was the baseline, and what changed due to these investments, including with regard to grant resources, technical assistance, and the learning community?
  • What will it take to expand the adaptation and use of effective strategies to center and amplify the voices of workers and learners?
    • What pre-conditions are necessary for organizations to undertake this work successfully?
    • What tools, resources, and supports do workers and learners of color need to engage in this work successfully?
    • What tools, resources, and supports do field partners need to find, support, and engage proximate leaders who are workers and learners of color?
    • What strategies can philanthropy use to support field partners interested in undertaking this work? Are there ways we can be better partners to grantees?
  • Sustainability and learning
    • What and how are workers and learners of color learning and/or benefiting?
    • What and how are grantees learning? How are grantees changing their behavior going forward based on participating in this initiative?
    • What and how are funders learning? How are funders changing their behavior going forward based on participating in this initiative?
    • Are there any implications for the workforce system that are emerging from this work?

Will grantees be asked to designate a single or lead staff member to participate in TA and learning community offerings and if so, do you have a sense of the time commitment for that person?

Yes, each grantee should have in mind a point of contact who would participate in and help coordinate the grantee’s participation in the learning community and TA. That person could anticipate participating in 4 grantee meetings of ~2hrs/each plus up to 20 hours of coaching/TA over the course of a year, for a total of approximately 25-30 hours. Of course, this is an estimate and subject to change as we more fully develop this part of the Fund for Workforce Equity.

What types of technical assistance might you offer?

We will design the technical assistance offerings around grantee needs.  Some areas we are currently considering include: 

  • Human-centered design
  • Journey mapping
  • Gathering and applying feedback from workers and learners
  • Community organizing
  • Power building and power sharing
  • Establishing worker/learner councils and advisory bodies
  • Sustainability of grant-supported efforts

Is there a specific budget format or template we should use?

No. Applicants may use their own budget templates. However, the RFP does ask for a line-item project budget that lists all relevant categories for which applicants are requesting support, including staff, contractors/consultants, participant honoraria/compensation, other direct costs, and any indirect costs. Sample budgets can be found on Candid.’s website. Applicants are also required to submit a budget narrative and an organizational budget for the current fiscal year.

What period of time should we cover when answering questions in the Workforce Composition Survey?

We are looking for information about the current composition of your staff/leadership when you answer these questions.

Where can we direct any additional questions not covered here?

Please email us at FWE@workforce-matters.org.

Last updated June 30, 2023.

This FAQ is provided for informational purposes only. Terms subject to change.