PENNSYLVANIA — Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) Secretary Jennifer Berrier recently announced $800,000 in available grant funding for local organizations committed to connecting Pennsylvania veterans with family-sustaining jobs. L&I has designed Veterans Employment Program (VEP) Grants to eliminate barriers to employment that veterans face across the Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania is home to nearly 800,000 veterans, roughly 7.5 percent of the commonwealth’s population. “Veterans deserve pathways to employment without barriers, and we are eager to continue collaborating with the employer community to make this a reality for the hundreds of thousands of veterans who call Pennsylvania home,” Secretary Berrier said.
In March, the Wolf Administration announced an earlier round of $800,000 in VEP funding to four workforce development projects. The $800,000 of available funding will be awarded in increments of $200,000 to be used for new and innovative projects to identify veteran employment opportunities, close funding gaps or supplement existing initiatives for more comprehensive services for veterans.
Successful applications reportedly should identify a problem, or an opportunity related to veterans’ employment and must be capable of bringing together business, education, workforce, community, and other partners to achieve employment support for veterans.
Eligible applicants include local workforce development boards, non-profit and non-governmental entities, community-based organizations, education and post-secondary organizations, labor organizations, business associations, and economic development entities.
Applications and additional details can be found on L&I’s website. Applications are due by 4 p.m. on November 21, 2022. L&I anticipates VEP funding to be used for grant-related activities from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024.
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