FutureMakers Coalition at Collaboratory will begin accepting applications for their second round of applications RFP on January 15, 2024.
Applications will be accepted until October 31, 2024 with awards going out in April, July and December.
The total funding amount available for this RFP is $3,800,000.00 to develop new programs, update existing programs, or expand existing programs to meet the needs of local employers.
The Southwest Florida Equitable Jobs Pipeline is actively seeking employer partners in Southwest Florida who are enthusiastic about sustaining workforce development initiatives in four key sectors for both new and existing employees: PK-12 education, manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare through participation in the Equitable Jobs Pipeline. Ideally, proposals should include a well-defined strategy for the employer to gradually assume the cost of training, with the goal of achieving sustainability by December 2025.
FutureMakers Coalition at Collaboratory and other partners developed the Southwest Florida Equitable Jobs Pipeline to upskill the regional workforce and stimulate economic development, which will continue to build and expand a strong economic future for Florida.
Made possible by nearly $23 million in federal funding, the Equitable Jobs Pipeline will connect those who need to reskill and/or upskill any, including underemployed and unemployed Southwest Florida residents with training for industry-recognized credentials and, ultimately, careers with local employers committed to this partnership. More than 1,700 local job seekers, including those from underserved populations, who face barriers to education, employment and career advancement will be fast-tracked for professional advancement.
This regional collaboration is developing a long-term solution to reduce those barriers. Because talent lives here – but needs a path to opportunity.
“Our goal is to remove barriers and connect workers with training for better careers while meeting the workforce needs of employers,” said Tessa LeSage, FutureMakers director, Collaboratory, which is serving as the backbone organization for FutureMakers Coalition.
The first four target industries for the Equitable Jobs Pipeline include healthcare, manufacturing, PreK-12 public education and logistics.
Applications can be accessed by visiting https://www.futuremakerscoalition.com/rfp/
FutureMakers Coalition is a regional collective impact initiative that has been designated a Talent Hub by Lumina Foundation in partnership with The Kresge Foundation to support local efforts to increase educational attainment. Formed in 2015 around existing regional collaborations, the Coalition is committed to creating a cradle-to-career pathway to ensure success for traditional students and adult learners. FutureMakers Coalition was one of Lumina Foundation’s 75 national Community Partners in Attainment and is a member of the National Talent Network. Collaboratory provides backbone/administrative support to FutureMakers Coalition.
FutureMakers Coalition encourages businesses to join and invest in sustaining this community-changing initiative by visiting https://www.futuremakerscoalition.com or emailing Tessa LeSage at tlesage@collaboratory.org.
