Benjamin Collins
Analyst in Labor Policy
Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grants are competitive grants to institutions of higher education for the development and delivery of career training programs that can be completed in two years or less. The program targets and gives enrollment preference to workers who have been adversely affected by international trade, though non-trade-affected workers may also participate in TAACCCT-funded programs.
TAACCCT is administered by the Department of Labor (DOL). It was created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA; P.L. 111-5) and is authorized under the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2011 (HCERA, P.L. 111-152) provided $500 million per fiscal year in mandatory appropriations for TAACCCT for FY2011 through FY2014. During this time, funds equal to at least 0.5% of the total annual appropriation must be awarded to institutions in each state.
TAACCCT grants may be used to design, develop, and deliver career training programs. Allowable uses of funds include personnel as well as materials and other expenses related to content delivery. Under the most recent solicitation for grant applications (SGA), TAACCCT grants provide a 48-month period of performance. This period includes 36 months for the design, development, and delivery of a training program and 12 months for data gathering and evaluation.
Statute requires that grant applications include a description of the proposed project and how it will serve trade-affected workers. Statute further specifies that grants will be judged on the merit of the proposed project and the local employment prospects for individuals who would complete the proposed program.
SGAs have expanded upon statutory criteria. In some cases, the SGAs have elaborated on statutory provisions, and in other cases they have introduced largely new requirements for grant applications. The first SGA was issued in January 2011 and grantees were announced in September of that year. The second SGA was issued in February 2012. As of August 15, 2012, the deadline for applications has passed but grantees have not been announced.
Date of Report: August 15, 2012
Number of Pages: 10
Order Number: R42661
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