Grants Available for Workforce Training and Small Business Development

Employer matched grants are available through the for small businesses looking to train new or existing exployees or expand their business.

The grants are NYC Business Solutions Training Funds, a program of the Department of Small Business Services.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel and Small Business Services Commissioner Robert W. Walsh announced yesterday the latest round of these funds at a press conference at Terrafina, a wholesale food manufacturer in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and one of four new grant recipients.

“These workforce training grants give hundreds of small businesses like Terrafina the capacity to hire and train New Yorkers and increase their wages," said Bloomberg. "It’s just one of the things we’re doing to help businesses and New York City’s economy grow, and it’s working.”

Terrafina will use the money to add 25 jobs and is seeking to relocate to a larger facility in New York City.

The mayor was joined at the press conference by New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Council Member Sara M. González and Terrafina owner James Locke.

“Small businesses are the backbone of Brooklyn’s economy, and these training funds will go a long way in teaching employees new skills, increasing wages and – perhaps equally as important in these tough economic times – creating jobs,” said Borough President Markowitz.

The awards announced on Tuesday – totaling more than $180,000 – will be matched by employer contributions of more than $104,000 and will be used to train 63 New Yorkers, resulting in 15 new hires and projected wage increases averaging 10 percent for currently employed trainees.

So far this year, SBS has awarded nearly $700,000 in grants to 16 businesses, providing training to 300 New Yorkers and resulting in 45 new hires and an average wage increase for existing employees of 13 percent.

Training Funds primarily support businesses engaging in training for the following reasons: investment in new equipment or software; investment in new products or markets; teaching employees to perform new or different jobs; updating obsolete skills or teaching advanced occupational skills.

NYC Business Solutions Training Funds cover up to 70 percent of training costs, including external training providers, trainee and internal instructor wages, training facilities, and books and materials. The awards are administered by the Workforce Development Corporation, a non-profit organization under contract with the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

Applicants are judged based upon their ability to impact economic activity in New York City, provide entry-level and current workers with career advancement opportunities, and increase trainee wages.An additional $500,000 in Training Funds are available.

Applications for this round of funding are due Thursday, September 15 and pre-applications for the next round are due November 14.  New York City businesses can apply at www.nyc.gov/training, or by calling 311 and asking for "NYC Business Solutions Training.”