Job Skills Program (JSP) Grant
Update
Note: The FY25 round 2 grant applications are now closed, and funding has been awarded. We will conduct a funding survey in October to assess the possibility of allocating additional funds to projects.
40 Years of Impact
The Job Skills Program (JSP) – started in 1983 to enhance economic development through short-term customized training – is now 40 years old. From 2,256 employees trained in the biennium 1983-1985, the program has grown and trained more than 75,000 employees in Washington State.
For the biennium 2021-2023, JSP awarded grants to 126 projects and, in partnership with community colleges, completed training for 8,163 employees. The graphs below describe the businesses that benefited from JSP funding.
JSP Grant Distribution across Washington State
Size of Businesses Served by JSP Grants for FY 21-23
Grants by Industry for FY 21-23
The industry count is based on the best match for businesses participating in each project. For consortia projects, the industry count is based on the business partner with the biggest number of employees.
The manufacturing sector is composed of businesses engaged in aerospace, food production and processing, wood/paper products production, naval, high tech, auto, composites, marine, transportation, medical devices, chemicals, electronics, pharmaceutical, and handbags production.
Non-manufacturing related include businesses in agriculture, construction, retail/wholesale, hospitals and medical services, environmental services, gaming and hospitality, and non-profit.
The program awards grants to licensed educational institutions in Washington. JSP funds half of the training cost. Partner employers provide cash or in-kind match to fund the other half.
Funds are awarded on a first-approved, rolling basis throughout the fiscal year. Applications are reviewed by a standing sub-committee of the Workforce Training Customer Advisory Committee.
Impacts
AgriMACS, Inc.
“I was reluctant to approve this training as I couldn’t see how this would help our situation. I was proven very wrong. Communications increased and errors and costly mistakes decreased significantly. Employees enjoyed the time and opportunity to learn new things about managing people. I would love to do this again someday." - Tom Gausman, Owner/Manager
In today’s increasingly competitive agricultural market, owners must have access to understandable and useful training to help them maintain numerous orchards located across Eastern Washington. This grant provided upgrade training for the entire AgriMACS leadership team — from crew leaders to the General Manager — in leadership skills, respectful communication in the workplace, healthy team dynamics, handling conflicts, and other HR topics.. Notable outcomes include:
- Completed 60 training hours for 67 employees.
- Hired 11 new employees.
- Training reduced the number of complaints by 40%.
Contact
Danny Marshall
Program Administrator, Workforce Education
dmarshall@sbctc.edu
360-704-4332
Carolyn McKinnon
Policy Associate, Workforce Education
cmckinnon@sbctc.edu
360-704-3903
2023-2025
Important Dates
| Milestones | Key Dates |
|---|---|
| Final budget revision deadline for grants ending June 30, 2025 | June 15, 2025 |
| Final report deadline for grants ending June 30, 2025 | July 9, 2025 |
| Final day to submit invoices for FY25 expenses | July 15, 2025 |
2025-2026
Important Dates
| Milestones | Key Dates |
|---|---|
| FY26 Application available in OGMS | April 3, 2025 |
| FY26 Round 1 Application Deadline | May 8, 2025 |
| FY26 Round 1 Funds available/grant start | July 1, 2025 |
Grant Program Guidelines and Resources
The following documents provide detailed information about how grant funds can be used, who can apply, the application process and deadlines.
For FY24-25:
JSP Webinar
- Applicant Webinar Recording
- Applicant Webinar Slides
- Application Questions and Answers (last update: April 22)
Applying for the Grant
All applications must be submitted using the SBCTC Online Grant Management System (OGMS).
Two additional forms must be uploaded as part of the application in OGMS:
Final Grant Report
A final report summarizing the outcomes(s) for this grant is required of all JSP projects. Reports must be uploaded in OGMS to the "Attachments" section of each approved grant application. See the list of important dates for deadlines.
Reports to Legislature
Job Skills Program reports are submitted by the State Board for Community and Technical colleges to the Washington State Legislature in fulfillment of RCW 28C.04.420 Job skills program — Grants — Reports.
Reports from prior years are available upon request.
