Last week, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board approved Phase 2 of the New Jersey Green Workforce Training Grant Challenge. This $4 million grant program is designed to prepare residents for careers in the green economy, focusing on serving New Jersey’s overburdened communities.
“Throughout the Murphy administration, the NJEDA has made major investments to support our clean energy future, helping build a stronger economy for the next generation,” said NJEDA Acting Chief Executive Officer Mary Maples. “The Green Workforce Training Grant Challenge is helping expand access to critical workforce development initiatives, ensuring New Jersey residents, particularly those in overburdened communities, are at the forefront for careers in the growing green economy.”
The program invites applicants to submit proposals for developing and implementing workforce development projects that support green economy industries. Grants between $500,000 and $800,000 will be awarded and can be used for planning, outreach, construction, and running training programs.
Phase 1 of this initiative was first approved by the NJEDA Board in April 2024 as part of the Council on the Green Economy’s BRIDGE initiative. Four applicants received a total of $4.3 million in grants under Phase 1 for programs related to solar energy, weatherization, green infrastructure, electric vehicles and more. The second phase is funded through a Memorandum of Understanding between NJEDA and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Eligible applicants include community-based organizations, workforce training organizations, labor unions, technical high schools, county colleges, non-profits, regional workforce boards and private-sector companies. Each application must involve at least one community-based organization serving overburdened communities as either lead applicant or collaborator.
Proposals should outline plans to offer industry-recognized credentials; connect participants with job opportunities; develop targeted outreach supporting diversity and inclusion—especially from overburdened communities—and define evaluation metrics for program success. Priority will be given to programs linking participants with immediate job opportunities in the green sector.
More information about eligibility requirements and applications will be available at www.njeda.gov.
The NJEDA supports economic growth through low-interest financing options and investment tools as described on its official site: https://www.njeda.gov/financing-and-incentives/. The agency also promotes diversity and inclusion by working toward equitable access for diverse communities (https://www.njeda.gov/about/), and encourages job creation while enhancing local economies (https://www.njeda.gov/about/). In addition to domestic initiatives like these grants, NJEDA leverages international partnerships due to New Jersey’s role as an import-export hub (https://www.njeda.gov/strategic-industry-support/) and collaborates globally with state offices (https://www.njeda.gov/strategic-industry-support/). The authority also played a significant policy role during economic disruptions through measures like the 2020 Economic Recovery Act (https://www.njeda.gov/financing-and-incentives/) and provides various tax credits along with business support programs (https://www.njeda.gov/financing-and-incentives/).
