DOL State Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity, and Innovation (SAEEI) Grants
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Up to $5,000,000
Federal grants to build registered apprenticeship pipelines in priority sectors
DOL's Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity, and Innovation grants fund workforce intermediaries, industry associations, and non-employer entities to expand registered apprenticeship programs in priority sectors — advanced manufacturing, clean energy, construction, healthcare, and technology. Grants fund technical assistance, curriculum development, and employer outreach to build new apprenticeship pipelines. Individual employers do not apply directly to AEEI; they partner with funded intermediaries. However, small businesses benefit by gaining access to industry-designed registered apprenticeship programs at low cost through funded intermediaries.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $500,000 – $5,000,000
- Realistic amount
- Most AEEI awards are $1,500,000–$3,500,000 over 5 years. Individual employers accessing apprenticeships through a funded…
- Deadline
- Periodic competition — AEEI NOFO releases vary. DOL issues multiple grant competitions under different Apprenticeship program names. Check dol.gov/eta/apprenticeship/grants and grants.gov CFDA 17.268 for current open opportunities.
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Eligible applicants: non-employer entities — workforce development boards, community colleges, industry associations, unions, nonprofits, and apprenticeship intermediaries
- Individual employers (for-profit businesses) are NOT eligible to apply as prime AEEI grantees
- Applicant must have experience with registered apprenticeship programs or workforce development
- Proposed program must expand registered apprenticeship in a DOL priority sector (advanced manufacturing, clean energy, cybersecurity, construction, healthcare, transportation)
- No minimum size requirement for organizations — small workforce nonprofits can apply
- Active SAM.gov registration required
- For employers seeking to join apprenticeship programs: contact your industry's apprenticeship intermediary or state apprenticeship office — no federal application required to become an apprenticeship employer
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Funds intermediaries, not businesses directly
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Staff salaries for apprenticeship coordinators and case managers
- Curriculum and training materials development
- Technical assistance to employers setting up registered apprenticeship programs
- Apprentice support services (mentoring, transportation, childcare assistance)
- Outreach to underrepresented workers (women, minorities, veterans, justice-involved individuals)
- Related Technical Instruction (RTI) development and delivery costs
- Apprentice wage subsidies and training stipends (passed through to participating employers/apprentices)
Ineligible expenses
- Direct business operating costs for employer partners
- Equipment for employer production (only training equipment is eligible)
- Costs not tied to apprenticeship program development or expansion
- Lobbying
How to apply
-
1
For SMBs: Find a registered apprenticeship intermediary or state apprenticeship office
Contact your state apprenticeship office or the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA.gov intermediary directory. Many industries have existing registered apprenticeship programs available to employers at low or no cost. Contact your industry trade association — they may have an AEEI-funded program already.
~2 hrs
-
2
For intermediaries: Identify target sector and design apprenticeship expansion plan
Define which industry sector you will serve, how many new apprenticeship slots you will create, and what technical assistance or curriculum development is needed. DOL evaluates proposals on specificity — how many apprentices, in what occupations, at which employers, with what wage and completion outcomes.
~20 hrs
-
3
Build employer partnership letters and sector partnerships
AEEI proposals with strong employer partnerships (especially SMEs and companies in distressed areas) score better. Gather commitment letters from participating employers, educational institutions, and workforce partners. The strongest applications are pre-wired with employer commitments.
~15 hrs
-
4
Prepare application and submit via grants.gov
Complete SF-424, project narrative (addressing DOL evaluation criteria), budget justification, employer partnership letters, and organizational background. Submit through grants.gov before the NOFO deadline. Budget must include direct costs for program staff, curriculum development, and apprentice support services.
~30 hrs
SMBs benefit most by joining a funded intermediary's registered apprenticeship program — contact your state apprenticeship office or industry association. Employer participation rarely requires a federal application.
Deadline & timing
DOL ETAs apprenticeship grant competitions are not strictly annual — multiple grant vehicles operate simultaneously under different names (AEEI, IRAP, Apprenticeship Building America). Check grants.gov under CFDA 17.268 and 17.285 for currently-open apprenticeship grant NOFOs. Some competitions close on a rolling basis; others have fixed dates.
Programs that stack well
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.