Federal grant programs / Department of Energy

National Laboratory Jobs Apprenticeship for Complete and Committed Employment for Specialized Skills (81.251)

Also known as ACCESS Program

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$1.3 million
• Grant awards2
• Typical award$664,859
• Awarded in FY 2025$0
• Size rank1,799 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• It is the 1799th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• Awards went to recipients in 2 states and territories.

What the program funds

The ACCESS Program is a pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship program that– 1) leads to recognized postsecondary credentials for secondary school and postsecondary students; 2) is focused on skills and qualifications needed, as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Directors of the National Laboratories, to meet the immediate and ongoing needs of traditional and emerging technician positions (including machinists and cybersecurity technicians) at the National Laboratories and covered facilities of the National Nuclear Security Administration; 3) is established in consultation with a National Laboratory or covered facility of the National Nuclear Security Administration; 4) is registered with and approved by the Secretary of Labor or a State apprentice agency; and 5) ensures that participants in the pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program do not displace paid employees.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

An eligible entity is a workforce intermediary or an eligible sponsor of a pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program that: (1) demonstrates experience in implementing and providing career planning and career pathways toward pre-apprenticeship programs or apprenticeship programs; (2)(A) has a relationship with a National Laboratory or covered facility of the National Nuclear Security Administration; (B) has knowledge of the technician workforce needs of the laboratory or facility and the associated security requirements of the laboratory or facility; and (C) is eligible to enter into an agreement with the laboratory or facility that would be paid for in part or entirely from grant funds received under this section; (3) demonstrates the ability to recruit and support individuals who plan to work in relevant technician positions upon the successful completion of the pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program; (4) provides students who complete the pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program with, or prepares such students for obtaining, a recognized postsecondary credential; (5) uses related instruction that is specifically aligned with the needs of the laboratory or facility and utilizes workplace learning advisors and on-the-job training to the greatest extent possible; and (6) demonstrates successful outcomes connecting graduates of the pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program to careers relevant to the program.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Fund pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for specialized skills for the Department of Energy National Laboratories. LIMITATION ON APPLICATIONS—An eligible entity may not submit, either individually or as part of a joint application, more than one application for a grant under this section during any one fiscal year. LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNT OF GRANT—The amount of a grant provided under this section may not, for any 24-month period of the 5-year grant period, exceed $500,000. (i) NON-FEDERAL SHARE—The non-Federal share of the cost of a pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program carried out using a grant under this section shall be not less than 25 percent of the total cost of the program.;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. The non-Federal share of the cost of a pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program carried out using a grant under this section shall be not less than 25 percent of the total cost of the programMOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines

Award range and average, in the agency's words

Five year grants up to $500,000 per 24 month period.

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2024: New Mexico National Labs Apprenticeship Partnership

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Businesses received 10% of the money.

By state

1 state has a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards. It is New Mexico.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.