WEDnetPA — Pennsylvania Workforce and Economic Development Network
Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED)
Up to $2,000/worker; $100K max
PA pays $2K/worker for training in priority sectors
Pennsylvania reimburses employers in 5 priority sectors for employee training — up to $2,000 per worker and $100,000 per company per fiscal year. Submit one application, one training plan, one contract. Use any qualified trainer: WEDnetPA partner colleges, private trainers, or qualified internal staff. Active for FY 2025–26 (started August 1, 2025).
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $100,000
- Realistic amount
- $20,000–$80,000 for mid-sized manufacturers training 20–50 workers
- Deadline
- FY 2025–26 cycle began August 1, 2025 — rolling applications accepted through June 30, 2026. New FY cycle begins August 1, 2026.
- Status
- active
- States
- PA
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Company must operate in one of five designated sectors: manufacturing, life sciences, energy, agriculture, or robotics & technology
- Company must be Pennsylvania-based with Pennsylvania-based employees
- Training must be for current Pennsylvania employees (incumbent workers)
- Training can be delivered by WEDnetPA partner colleges and universities, private sector trainers, or qualified internal staff
- All company sizes eligible — no employee count minimum or maximum
- Per-worker reimbursement is $2,000 maximum — actual training cost must equal or exceed this
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Tuition and fees for approved training providers
- Instructor fees for qualified internal trainers
- Private sector training company fees
- Training materials and curriculum costs
- Online/e-learning platform fees for approved content
Ineligible expenses
- Trainee wages during training
- Training for employees located outside Pennsylvania
- Training outside the five designated priority sectors
- Generic coursework not directly tied to occupational skill development
- Safety training solely required by OSHA mandate without skill advancement
- Training for pre-employment candidates not yet on payroll
How to apply
-
1
Apply online with training plan
Submit application at wednetpa.com. One application, one training plan per fiscal year. Describe your workforce, the training content, delivery method, and the training provider. WEDnetPA streamlined the process — prior multi-step requirements replaced with single unified application.
~3 hrs
-
2
Execute training contract
After WEDnetPA approves your application, a contract is executed defining eligible training, trainee count, and maximum reimbursement. Training can be scheduled at any point during the contract period (typically remaining fiscal year).
~2 hrs
-
3
Deliver training
Conduct training using the approved provider — WEDnetPA partner college, approved private trainer, or qualified internal instructor. Track attendance and training completion for each worker.
~3 hrs
-
4
Submit invoice for reimbursement
After training completion, submit invoices and training completion documentation to WEDnetPA. Reimbursement of up to $2,000 per trained worker is processed after verification. Must be submitted before fiscal year end.
~3 hrs
Apply at the start of the fiscal year (August) — some regions run short by spring. The $100K cap resets annually, so manufacturers can stack $100K every year.
Deadline & timing
WEDnetPA operates on a July 1 – June 30 fiscal year. Applications open August 1 each year. Companies must complete training and submit invoices before the fiscal year end. The $100K cap resets each new fiscal year. Apply early — some regions exhaust funding before year-end.
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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.