Department Of Commerce

The Primary Sector Workforce Training Grant (WTG) encourages the creation of jobs in primary sector businesses. Primary sector businesses are generally defined as those having 50% or more of their sales outside Montana. This funding provides an essential job training incentive for new businesses to locate in Montana and provides existing primary sector businesses with essential support to train employees in new jobs that allow the businesses to expand in Montana without leaving the state.

The Department is no longer accepting applications for this program.

 

The Primary Sector Workforce Training Grant (WTG) Program is a state-funded program that provides grant funds to primary sector businesses for training of new full-time and part-time jobs.

The maximum grant award is up to $5,000 for each new full-time job and $2,500 for each new part-time job. Full-time is defined as a predominantly year round job requiring an average of 35 hours of work each week. Part-time is defined as a predominantly year round job requiring an average of 25 to 34 hours of work each week. 

Please reference the application information and guidelines for further information on the eligible activities and requirements for funding. It is highly recommended that potential applicants contact the Department for guidance and funding availability before submitting a formal application. This is especially due to the limited funding available statewide.

The Department is no longer accepting applications for this program.

This grant program is administered by the Department of Commerce. The Department may award workforce training grants to primary sector businesses that provide education or skills-based training for employees in a newly created job.

This program is targeted to businesses that can demonstrate:
  • 50% of the business's sales are from outside of Montana or the business is a manufacturing company with 50% of its sales from companies that have 50% of their sales outside of Montana, and
    • must meet at least one of the following criteria
    • be a value-adding business as defined by the Board of Investment,
    • demonstrate a significant positive economic impact to the region and state beyond the job creation involved,
    • be a new business that provides a product or service that is not available in Montana or the region which results in state residents leaving the state to purchase the product or service,
    • provide a service or function that is essential to the locality or the state, or
    • be a for-profit or a nonprofit hospital or medical center.
Applicants must provide $1 of match for every $3 dollars of grant funds.

Trainees must be paid at least the average wage that meets or exceeds the lesser of 170% of Montana's current minimum wage or the current average weekly wage of the county. The wage can include benefits. County wage rates in effect are provided here.

The Department is targeting this workforce training grant program to projects that can demonstrate tangible, measurable results involving employees working in the businesses that are receiving assistance. It is essential that the guidelines be carefully reviewed.
The application includes the following information:


Application Submittal and Deadlines


The Department is no longer accepting applications for this program.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Training Grant Program is closed. If you are need of training funds, we recommend the following programs:

 

Incumbent Worker Training program through Department of Labor

Accelerate Montana program through the Department of Labor