Purpose
The River Valley Business Solutions LEAD Grant Training Program is funded by the Federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and administered by the River Valley Workforce Investment Board to assist businesses in Kane, Kendall and DeKalb Counties to maintain and improve economic competitiveness by providing high-skill training for their existing workforce. The purpose of the program is to provide grants to eligible employers to assist with certain expenses associated with skills upgrade training for full-time (company defined), permanent employees.

Targeted Industries
Employers in the targeted industries are the primary customer for the Business Solutions Training Program. The River Valley Workforce Investment Board has identified the following industries as targeted industries eligible to participate in the River Valley Business Solutions Training Program.

-  Healthcare
-  Manufacturing
-  Information Technology
-  Transportation, Warehousing and Logistics
-  Finance and Insurance
-  Hospitality and Retail industries

Eligible Training
Employees of targeted industries who are in need of upgrade training to a) increase skills in their current occupation or b) prepare for entry into a new occupation within the targeted workforce meet the definition of an incumbent worker. Training must be designed to meet the requirements of the business or a group of businesses and is conducted with employer commitment to continue to employ all trained individuals. Training should be closely linked to high growth jobs in one of the identified targeted industries, and career/job advancement is encouraged. High growth jobs are defined as opportunities for retaining employment and enhancement of skills in an occupation.

Proposed training that is loosely related or unrelated to specific jobs will not be funded. Certain non-job specific training may be considered eligible if it occurs in conjunction with, or as a component of, more highly job-specific training. Examples of training that, on its own, is not classified as job-specific under the grant include: educational training, including workplace literacy, basic skills, “soft” skills, and English as a second language; GED; team building; motivational training; basic computer literacy; seminars; ISO; Six Sigma; and training/continuing education required by federal, state or industry guidelines, i.e. OSHA, FDA requirements, insurance adjustors, real estate license, etc.

Funding
Training projects are funded on a first come/first serve basis until the budgeted funds are contracted.
The maximum funding award for training projects is $20,000 for each company.
The maximum funding award for training projects is $50,000 for employer consortiums.
The company must provide evidence of matching contributions for the funds requested.